The purpose of life is to meet God and to live happily ever after in a wonderful love relationship with Him.  The Lord Jesus Christ as the God-man calls us to Salvation and becomes the Right Man of the Church in a true love relationship that leads to Heaven and glory forever and ever.  The Holy Spirit is given to the believer to have God living within him, to enable the perfect love relationship with God, and to sanctify him from sin, which is the enemy of fellowship with God.  We were born for the greatest imaginable life, which begins on Earth and continues in Heaven.  Yet, the wonderful love and happiness that is promised to Christians easily gets lost in the confusion of the devil's world.

Fellowship with God begins at Salvation.  Every Christian can remember the moment of Salvation and give a moving testimony.  But the glory of that experience soon fades in the reality of mortality and necessities of daily life.  God is always available to bless us, and the Lord Jesus Christ is reaching out to love us, but in our confusion the connection is not quite right.  There are problems and pressing matters, fears and worries that interrupt our relationship with God.  We get through one crisis only to face the next.  God is always there, but we are always having problems.  We pray and are left scratching our heads.

There seems to be a disconnect between us and God.  God is all powerful and all loving, but we don't seem to be able to take advantage of that.  We don't seem to be able to call for angelic firepower to zap our enemies and deliver us from the clutches of the devil's world.  Our assumption is that we should have all the power of God to support us, and yet we are tripping over our own shoelaces.  What's wrong with the assumption is that even though we do have the power of God available, it is God's will to test us.  He gives us the tests, and He gives us the Grace to pass them.

During testing, fellowship with God does not cease.  He is still there, and He still loves us with super abundant love, but that doesn't mean He has to send in the angels to tie our shoes.  Testing is actually a way for God to demonstrate His Righteousness toward us and prove His sufficiency to handle every problem and exigency of life.  God is still in fellowship with us through the testing.  He warns us of problems ahead.  He enables us to understand the spiritual issues by Divine viewpoint through application of Bible Doctrine.  And if we wait, He will solve our problem in Grace.  And when the test is passed, He will promote us, give us more Grace, and reveal the ramifications of the experience in the Appeal Trial.

Our fellowship with God never ceases even during the most intense testing and cross examination by Satan.  The Lord was watching over Job and protecting his life all the time Satan was cursing him.  The problems that we face in this life were actually scheduled by God in eternity past.  That's why evidence of Sovereign Design is obvious with the problems.  Bad numbers come up along with bad colors.  Scenes on the Stage of Life act out the spiritual issues and reveal them.  The problems that God gives us are really fellowship, even though that fellowship involves punishment.

Hebrews 12:6
For whom the Lord loves He punishes, and He scourges every son whom He receives (with love).

The problems and tests that were designed into our lives have far reaching consequences.  When Adam and the woman faced the tree test, it was not just for them.  It was evidence in the Angelic Conflict in the Appeal Trial of Satan.  And it had consequences upon the entire human race.  Similarly, the problems and trials that we face carry a far more eternal weight of glory.  They are not only opportunities for our own Spiritual growth and promotion, but they are also evidence in Satan's Appeal trial.  They are part of the Divine history of Creation.  And they qualify us for eternal rewards at the Evaluation Throne of God and for all eternity.  What we eat and how we react can have eternal consequences.  Life is important.

Called to Fellowship with the Lord

Fellowship with the Lord does not begin in this life.  It began in Eternity past.  God, who knows the end from the beginning, always knew us.  He planned our lives from the beginning to the Eternal State.  He created us and decided the day of our birth and circumstances of our death.  He created our support environment, gave us parents and teachers, a home, and a local church.  He also scheduled our problems, our tests, our Grace support, and our promotions.  This is all Antecedent Grace, which God provided in Eternity past.  God had fellowship with us and He loved us long before we were ever created.

God the Father called us into fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ at the right time.

1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, through whom we have been called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus Christ paid for our sins on the Cross so that we could receive Eternal life and the forgiveness of sins through faith.  At the appointed time, God gave us an opportunity to hear and understand the Gospel so we could make a decision to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  The Lord, who knows all things, knew what we would decide.  He called us so that we could respond and come into fellowship with Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ paid our way into fellowship with God.  Because of His work on the Cross, God is free to bless us with a wonderful New Spiritual life in fellowship with Him forever.  Heaven awaits us, but in the meantime we have an opportunity to demonstrate His Righteousness in the trials and tribulations of life in the Cosmic System of the devil's world.  Our mundane life is transformed into a New Spiritual life that is glorious beyond the imagination.

When we were born again in the Church Age, we became sons of God and members of His Royal Family.  Believers can have fellowship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Jn 1:3).  Fellowship with God is a new family relationship.  The new family is Spiritual.  We become members of the Royal Family of God.  God is our Father.  The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior, Right Man, and High Priest.  The Elect Angels are our friends, protectors, and helpers, and the fallen angels are our enemies.  Fellow Christians are our brothers and sisters in Christ.  The New Spiritual life is the beginning of an entirely new day in our Eternal life.

The Tabernacle

The Lord Jesus Christ lives in a Temple in Heaven.  The Tabernacle of Israel was a pattern of the Heavenly Temple to teach doctrine.  Fellowship with the Lord is symbolized as dwelling, or abiding, with Him in His tent, corresponding to His Temple or the Tabernacle (Psa 15:1).  He is also described as living on His Holy mountain, corresponding to Mt. Sinai, where He gave Moses the Law and the specifications for the Tabernacle.  Each item in the Tabernacle is a symbol of Jesus Christ and our relationship with God through Him.

1. Brazen Altar – Salvation
2. Laver – Sanctification, Rebound
3. Door – Grace Orientation
4. Table of Shewbread – Bread of Life, Doctrinal Orientation (X-axis)
5. Altar of Incense – Priesthood, Authority (Z-axis)
6. Golden Lampstand – Christ, our Light, Love (Y-axis)
7. Ark of Covenant – Christ, our all and in all
8. Mercy Seat – Christ, our Propitiation

The Tabernacle was surrounded by a wall of linen to symbolize separation and sanctification from the world.  The unbeliever in the world cannot know God or have fellowship with Him (1 Cor 1:18).  In order to come into fellowship with God, a person must enter the Gate of the Tabernacle, which symbolizes Jesus Christ the only way of Salvation (Jn 14:6).

There are three parts of the Tabernacle:

1. Outer Court – Salvation
2. Holy Place – Spiritual Life
3. Holy of Holies – Heaven

Fellowship with God begins at Salvation and continues in the Spiritual life, which is fellowship with God, who is in Heaven.  Fellowship in the three parts of the Tabernacle correspond to the phases of the Spiritual life.

Beginner Phase

The Outer Court symbolizes the beginner phase.  The beginner must orient to his Salvation (Matt 11:29), Rebound (1 Jn 1:9), and separate from the world (2 Cor 6:17; 1 Jn 2:15), as symbolized by the wall of Linen.  The Brazen Altar symbolizes Christ, our sacrifice for Salvation (Eph 2:13; 1 Pet 1:18, 19).  The Laver symbolizes Positional Sanctification at Salvation and Rebound after Salvation (Tit 3:5; 1 Jn 1:9).

Intermediate Phase

The Holy Place symbolizes the intermediate phase of the Spiritual life.  This is the advance to Spiritual Maturity.  Fellowship with God after Salvation requires entering the Door of Grace Orientation (Jn 10:9; Rom 5:2; Eph 2:18; 3:12).  The three items of furniture in the Holy Place symbolize the three axes of the Spiritual life.  Fellowship with God requires alignment of the X, Y, and Z axes of the Spiritual life.

Spiritual Maturity, Spiritual Rapport

The Holy of Holies symbolizes Heaven, where the Lord resides in His Holy Temple.  The Ark of the Covenant symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ.  Fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ characterizes the believer in Spiritual Maturity.  The Mercy Seat with its two angels is where the Shekinah Glory dwelt as the symbol of the Lord seated on the Throne of God.  Fellowship with the Lord and His angels at the Mercy Seat symbolizes Spiritual Rapport.

In order to abide, or dwell, with the Lord in His Temple, a person must have Divine Integrity (sanctification, holiness) and Righteousness (Psa 15:2).  In the Church Age that requires the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Divine Integrity comes from the Integrity Envelope, or Edification Complex of the Soul.  Righteousness is the Righteousness of God that characterizes a believer with Faith.

Abiding with the Lord also requires Divine Love.  Keeping Divine Love requires having impersonal Love for all mankind (Psa 15:3), which is called the Royal Law in the Church Age (Jas 2:8).  If anyone is bitter toward his neighbor, that is a sin, which knocks out Love.  Without Divine Love in the soul of the believer, there can be no fellowship with the Lord.  The Lord does not have fellowship with sin.  There is no sin in Heaven.

Abiding with the Lord also requires separation from the world, as symbolized by the wall of linen around the Tabernacle (Psa 15:4).  And it requires loving the brethren, and keeping one's word, even when it hurts.  It requires being free from the love of money, which is the coin of the realm in the devil's world (Psa 15:5).  And it requires complying with the Justice of God by obeying His commandments and not perverting justice.

If a person loves the Lord, he will keep His commandments.  He will obey Bible Doctrine.  The Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father will seek out such a person and make their dwelling with Him (Jn 14:23).  They will abide with him.  In the Church Age, the believer is indwelt by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He is also filled with the Holy Spirit, which enables him to have fellowship with the Father and the Son.

The Christian begins fellowship with God at Salvation when he hears the Gospel message and decides to believe in Jesus Christ.  The Christian who continues to believe that Gospel message and his own Salvation will remain (or abide) in fellowship with the Father and the Son (1 Jn 2:24).  Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ.  The person who believes in Jesus Christ is born from God as a new Spiritual species.  He is able to Love God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ with Divine Love (1 Jn 5:1).  This Love for God and the Lord Jesus Christ is called Reciprocal Love because it is response to the Divine Love from God.

The Holy Spirit

Agent of the Father and Christ
Agent of Christ
Agent of the Father

Agent of the Father and Christ

The Holy Spirit is given to the Christian at Salvation.  The Holy Spirit is one of the members of the Trinity who is just as much God as the others.  The Holy Spirit is given to the Christian as the agent of God and the agent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit has the same essence as the Father and the Son, although He has a different function.  He is coequal and coeternal with the other members of the Trinity.  He is God, and He is able to act as the agent for the Father and the Son.  He is the communication link between the believer and the other members of the Godhead, namely the Father and the Son.

John 14:26 Holy Spirit
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and will bring to your memory all that I have said to you.

In this verse the Lord Jesus Christ is predicting the coming of the Holy Spirit.  The Father will send the Holy Spirit to believers in the name of Christ when Christ ascends to Heaven.  The Holy Spirit is the agent of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is called the "Counselor," which is the Greek paravklhto" (parakletos), from (para, beside) + (kletos, call), meaning one called or sent for to assist another; called to one's aid, in a court of justice: legal assistant, advocate; intercessor; counselor.  The Holy Spirit will be the Counselor of the Church Age Believer.

The Holy Spirit will also be the teacher of the Church Age Believer (John 16:13-15; 1 John 2:20, 27).  He will reveal the Spiritual meaning of scripture, and He will bring Bible Doctrine to the memory.   He will enable the disciples to remember the teachings of Christ after He departs.

Romans 8:9 Indwelling of Trinity
However, you are not in the sphere of the flesh (OSN) but in the sphere of the Spirit (Positional Sanctification), provided that the Spirit of God dwells in you (indwelling of Father and Holy Spirit); but if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ (indwelling of Christ), this one does not belong to Him (God).

The Church Age Believer is indwelt by the Trinity.   In the context, "the flesh" refers to the Old Sin Nature, which is in the body.  Even though the body has the OSN, the believer was entered into union with Christ at Salvation.  This is called Positional Sanctification.  So, Spiritually the believer belongs to Christ.  Also the Spirit of God dwells in him.  The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of God.  "Dwells" is the Greek oijkevw (oikeo), meaning to dwell or have one's habitation.  Both the Holy Spirit and the Father dwell in the body of the believer.  The Spirit of Christ is also in the believer.  This refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Christ in the believer.  The "Spirit of Christ" is the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of Christ.  If Christ does not indwell the believer, he does not belong to God.

The indwelling of the Trinity is the badge of royalty that designates the Christian as a member of the Royal Family of God.  The Holy Spirit creates a temple in the body of the believer for the indwelling of the Father and the Son.  Although the indwelling designates the Christian as royalty, it is not related to fellowship with God.  Fellowship comes from the filling of the Holy Spirit, not the indwelling.

Agent of Christ

The Holy Spirit is the agent of Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit proceeds from Christ in Heaven to communicate with the believer on Earth.  Paul navigated on his missionary journeys by the leading of the Holy Spirit.  There was a signaling system of some kind from God that enabled Paul to know whether he should go into a given city or province or move on to the next.  On his Second Missionary Journey, the Holy Spirit communicated to Paul not to enter the Roman province of Asia (Acts 16:6).  So, he bypassed it.  Then in Mysia the Spirit of Jesus would not permit him to enter the city of Bithynia (Acts 16:7).  The Spirit of Jesus is the Holy Spirit as the agent of Jesus.  Paul was able to discern from the Holy Spirit that the Lord Jesus Christ was giving the orders.

Now, navigating by means of the Holy Spirit is not a special spiritual gift.  Any Christian can do the same.  The Holy Spirit will teach him the meaning of yes and no and open and closed doors.  There are different indicators.  In the country the animals are a big help.  Every animal and bird has a meaning and something to say.  In the city there are lights, colors, numbers, and closed and open gates and doors.  The number for blessing is 88, and the number for cursing is 22.  The color for sanctification is white.  A closed door means don't proceed.  An open door is an invitation to proceed.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

In context, this verse is in a passage about Moses wearing a veil over his face to hide the fading glory after coming from the presence of the Lord (2 Cor 3:13).  Paul then made the analogy of the veil corresponding to the Hardness of the Heart of Jewish unbelievers (2 Cor 3:14, 15).  The veil was removed from Jews who believed in the Lord (2 Cor 3:16).  Thus, the Lord corresponds to the Holy Spirit, who actually removes the veil.

The second half of the verse refers to the "Spirit of the Lord."  This is the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Spirit of the Lord provides freedom. This is Spiritual Freedom (John 8:32, 36; Rom 8:15; Gal 2:4; 5:13).

When Paul was under house arrest in Rome, he wrote to the Philippians that he expected to be released because of their prayers and the "Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil 1:19).  The "Spirit of Jesus Christ" is the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of Christ.  Paul was released.

The Spirit of Christ communicated to the prophets (1 Pet 1:11).  He was the Holy Spirit, who was the agent of the Lord (Christ).

Church Age Believers have the "anointing from the Holy One" (1 Jn 2:20).  The "anointing" is the Holy Spirit, and the Holy One is Jesus Christ (Mk 1:24; Jn 6:69).  Thus, the Holy Spirit is the agent of Jesus Christ.

1 John 3:24 Fellowship with Christ
The one who keeps His commandments abides in fellowship with Him (Christ) and He (Christ) in fellowship with him.  And by this we know that He (Christ) is abiding in fellowship with us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

The one who obeys Bible Doctrine remains in fellowship with Christ.  "In fellowship" comes from the Greek en + autos in the instrumental of association, which means "in fellowship with Him."  The way the believer knows that Christ is in fellowship with him is by the filling of the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of Christ.  If a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is in fellowship with Christ, whether he realizes it or not.

Agent of the Father

The Holy Spirit is the agent of the Father.

Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit from His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"

The Spirit sent from God is the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit is also from the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Spirit comes into our hearts to bring us into fellowship with the Father.  "Abba" is the Aramaic for Father.  "Crying Abba" means being aware of the Father and communicating with Him as a child does for its father.

1 John 4:13 Gift of the Holy Spirit
By this we know that we are abiding in fellowship with Him (God) and He in fellowship with us, because He has given to us from the source of His Spirit.

We know we are in fellowship with God and He is in fellowship with us because we are filled with the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit from God.  "Abide" is the Greek meno, and "in fellowship with Him" is the Greek en + autos in the instrumental of association.  The Holy Spirit is the agent of God who makes it possible for us to have fellowship with Him.

The Holy Spirit reveals God to us.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
9  But just as it is written,
"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered in the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him."
10  But God has revealed them to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

God has wonderful things to give believers.  Things that the eye cannot see, nor the ear hear, nor the heart know – these things God has prepared for those who love Him.  He reveals them to us through the Holy Spirit, who searches the depths of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?  Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

Just as the private thoughts of a man are known only to his human spirit, the thoughts of God are not known except by the Spirit of God.  In the original, "thoughts" is really "things," which from the context refers to thoughts.  God's thinking is only known by His Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:12 Holy Spirit from God
Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may come to know the things given in Grace to us by God,

We have not received the spirit of the world, which is the spirit of  Satan in the Cosmic System.  But we have received the Spirit from God, which is the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit enables us to come to know the things God gives us in Grace.

1 Corinthians 2:13
which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining Spiritual (things from the Holy Spirit) with spiritual (things in the human spirit).

The things that God gives in Grace are communicated by the Apostle Paul.  He is including himself when he says, "Which things we also speak."  What he speaks to the congregation, however, is not human wisdom, but things taught by the Holy Spirit.  His message comes by "combining Spiritual (things from the Holy Spirit) with spiritual (things in the human spirit)."  The first word, "Spiritual," refers to what comes from the Holy Spirit.  The second word, "spiritual," refers to the human spirit.  The Holy Spirit teaches Paul's human spirit Bible Doctrine, which Paul communicates to the Corinthians.

This is the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit reveals Bible Doctrine to our human spirit.  Only the believer has a human spirit.  The Holy Spirit takes the thoughts from God and translates them into our vocabulary and puts them in our human spirit so we can understand God and have fellowship with Him.  Thus, the Holy Spirit is God's interpreter for us.  He is our link to God.

Fellowship with God the Father

Fellowship with the Father
X-Axis Fellowship
Y-Axis Fellowship
Z-Axis Fellowship
Time Axis

Fellowship with the Father

X-axis:  Righteousness, Holiness, gift of Jesus Christ, Author of Plan of God

Righteousness

Fellowship with God along the X-axis requires having God's Righteousness.  God's Righteousness is given in Grace at Salvation, and the believer must be careful to maintain that Righteousness.  He must have Divine Righteousness in his Integrity Envelope.  His works must be compatible with God's Righteousness on the basis of Grace.  He must avoid lawlessness and reject human good.

Romans 6:18
and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of Righteousness.

The Judgment for sins on the Cross set us free from sin (Jn 8:32-36; Rom 8:2; Gal 5:1, 13; Jas 2:12; 1 Pet 2:16).  Consequently, we must be "slaves of Righteousness," which is alignment with God's Righteousness.

Romans 6:19
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in lawlessness, so now, present your members as slaves to Righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

Unbelievers live according to the desires of the Old Sin Nature and present the members of their body as slaves to sin.  "Impurity" is a type of sin, such as promiscuity (Eph 4:19; 5:5; Col 3:5; Jer 3:1-9).  The sins of impurity result in lawlessness (Matt 7:23; Eph 2:1-2; 1 Pet 4:2-4; 2 Pet 2:8; 1 Jn 3:4).  Lawlessness results in lawlessness, which corresponds to wandering off into Reversionism (Rom 1:24, 26; 2 Tim 3:13; 2 Pet 2:18-22).

The Righteous are contrasted with the Lawless (Psa 1:5-6; 37:12; 45:7; 2 Cor 6:14; 1 Tim 1:9; Heb 1:9; 1 Pet 2:24).  Those who are slaves to Righteousness are compatible with God's Righteous Integrity.  They have God's Righteousness (Psa 37:6, 16-17, 21, 25, 29-30, 32, 39; 72:1-4; 89:14; Rom 1:17; 3:10; 4:3-22; 5:17-21; 8:10; 10:3-4, 10; 14:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:6, 11; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:8; Jas 3:18; 1 Jn 2:29; 3:7).  Righteousness results in Sanctification, which means set apart to God (Ex 31:13; Ezek 20:12; Jn 17:17; 1 Cor 1:30; 7:14; Eph 5:26; 1 Thess 4:3, 4, 7).

This verse is really quite complicated.  The logic is ratio and proportion, where Impurity is to Lawlessness as Righteousness is to Sanctification.  There is a contrast between the two options available to the believer.  One option is continuing to sin and not using Rebound.  That will result in Reversionism.  The other option is maintaining Righteousness from God.  That will produce Sanctification.  The soul will be purified, and the believer will be separated from the world and consecrated to God.  He will be in fellowship with God, who is Holy.

God is Holy, which demands that the believer be sanctified.  The believer was purified from his sins at the Cross.  He was forgiven for the sins at Salvation and sanctified.  However, sinning after Salvation can produce impurity.  Impurity does not produce the Righteousness of God.  In order to regain fellowship with God, the believer must Rebound.

1 John 1:9 Rebound
If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and Righteous with the result that He forgives us our sins and He purifies us from all wrongdoing (unrighteousness).

When the believer acknowledges his sins to God, he is purified from all wrongdoing, or unrighteousness.  Thus, he regains his Righteousness, which came from God on the basis of Grace.

Gift of Jesus Christ

Another X-axis function of God is His gift of the Lord Jesus Christ.  God gave Jesus Christ to the world to pay for sins so that man could be saved by faith (Jn 3:16).  After man sinned in the Garden, he needed a Savior to pay for his sins.  God the Father gave His uniquely born Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for man's sins and offer the free gift of Eternal Life.

Romans 5:15
But not as the trespass, so also the free gift.  For if by the transgression of one (Adam), the many died, much more did the Grace of God and the gift by the Grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

After Adam sinned, sin was passed down through the human race.  Jesus Christ came and paid for all of the sins of mankind.  With sins paid for the gift of Salvation was available to all mankind.

Romans 5:16 The Gift of Jesus Christ in Justification
Indeed, the gift (Jesus Christ) is not like what came through the one who sinned (Adam); for, on the one hand, the judicial verdict came from the one transgression, resulting in (universal) condemnation, but, on the other hand, the gracious gift was given because of many transgressions, resulting in a judicial act of Justification.

"The gift" who came to mankind was Jesus Christ.  After Adam sinned, the judicial verdict of God resulted in universal condemnation of all mankind.  From one man's sin in the Garden, the entire human race was condemned; and from one Man's Judgment on the Cross, the entire human race can be justified.  "A judicial act of Justification" refers to the pronouncement of Justification by God the Father based upon the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross, which satisfied all legal claims against the believer.  At Salvation, God imputes His Righteousness to the believer and pronounces him justified forever.

Romans 5:17 Reigning with Christ
For if by means of the transgression of the one (Adam), spiritual death ruled through that one, much more those who receive the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness in Eternal Life, shall reign through the One, Jesus Christ.

Sin came through Adam, resulting in the rule of spiritual death in mankind.  However, those who accept the gift of Righteousness and Eternal Life by faith in Christ will also reign with Christ in the Millennium.

Romans 5:18 Justification
So therefore, as through one transgression (AOS), there resulted condemnation to all mankind; even so through one judicial sentence there resulted Justification of Eternal Life to all mankind.

Adam's Original Sin (AOS) resulted in condemnation of all mankind to spiritual death and separation from God.  However, "through one judicial sentence" God sentenced Jesus Christ to death.  Because Jesus Christ fulfilled the sentence of death as a substitute for all mankind, God was able to provide Justification of Eternal Life to all mankind.  God was justified in giving mankind Eternal Life.  Eternal Life is available to all who want it.

Author of the Plan of God

God the Father is the author of the Plan of God.  Jesus Christ created all things based on the Father's Plan.  God's Plan includes the Universe, Angels, mankind, animals, and plants.  It includes the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of mankind.  The creation of the Universe with angels who could sin, required the creation of man to resolve the issue.  And the creation of man who could sin, required the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of mankind.  God provided for these contingencies in His original Design.  God's Plan also covers the ages of history and a plan for each individual life with Logistical Grace, Right Man – Right Woman, a time to be born, a life purpose, and a time to die.  The New Spiritual life is included in the Plan of God.

Fellowship with God requires that a believer live the New Spiritual life.  This requires advance to the strategic objectives of Spiritual Maturity and Spiritual Rapport.  The believer who neglects the New Spiritual life will not be in fellowship with God.  Instead, he will receive Divine punishment (Heb 12:6).

Fellowship with God also requires that the believer handle his relationships with others according to the requirements of the Word of God and the will of God.  Rejection of Right Man or Right Woman will destroy fellowship with God, as will rejection of the marriage partner.  Failures in these two areas destroy fellowship with God and the prayer life (1 Pet 3:7).  Similarly, injustice or sin regarding others destroys fellowship with God (Matt 5:23, 24).

Design Against Assyria

When the Lord pronounced Judgment against Assyria for conquering the Northern Kingdom of Israel, He said that the Judgment was in His Design.

Isaiah 14:24
The LORD of the Armies has sworn saying, "Surely, just as I have intended so it shall come to pass, and just as I have specified so it will transpire,"

The Lord of the Armies is the Lord Jesus Christ as Commander-in-Chief of Israel.  He said, "As I have intended."  This refers to His purpose, which is according to the will of the Father.  What the Father wills, He designs, and the Son calls into being.  The Judgment of Assyria was intended, and "it shall come to pass" just as He has specified.  "Specified" is the Hebrew Ju^y* (ja`atz), meaning to decree or specify.  What the Father wills, the Son decrees, or specifies.  He speaks it into existence.  What the Lord specifies "will transpire."  "Transpire" is the Hebrew <Wq (qum), meaning literally to rise up, arise, to erect, build; then to establish, instantiate, fulfill, implement, carry out.  It refers to construction based upon the design specifications.  In this case, history has been designed, and the Lord will make it transpire.

Isaiah 14:25
"to break Assyria to pieces in My land (of Israel), and upon My mountains I will trample him under foot.  Then his (Assyria's) yoke will be removed from them (Israel), and his burden removed from their shoulder."

The Lord will deliver Israel from bondage to Assyria.  No nation that has practiced anti-Semitism has survived.

Isaiah 14:26
"This is the Design that is specified against the whole Earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations."

"Design" is the Hebrew hx*u@ (`etsah), for design (Isa 46:10).<sup>2</sup>  This is the Divine Design of the Father.  "Specified" is the Hebrew Ju^y* (ja`atz), meaning to decree or specify.  The Lord Jesus Christ specifies what the Father designs.  See Colors of Creation.⁴

1. Father: Will of God -> Sovereign Design Proposal (Purple)-> Design (Indigo)
2. Son:  Design Specification (implementation decree) (Blue) (Col 1:16)
3. Holy Spirit:  Work of Creation (implementation) (Green); Spirit of Life (Yellow).

God must separate from sin and evil.  God's Sovereign Design calls for punishment of His enemies.  They will be made a footstool for His feet (Psa 110:1).  All the nations of the world except for Client Nation Israel were His enemies in that day and will also be in the Tribulation when the Church is removed.

Isaiah 14:27
"For the LORD of the Armies has specified (Design Specification), and who can annul it?  And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?"

The Lord "has specified."  This is the Design Specification, in which the Lord calls for the implementation of the Father's Design.  What the Father designed, the Son specified (decreed).  It will happen and no one can stop it.  The Lord's "stretched-out hand" symbolizes the approaching Divine Judgment of Assyria.  No one can turn His hand back.

Design Against Babylon

God's Design for the Ages included the rise and fall of Babylon.  God's Design is supreme. There is none higher.  And there cannot be because He is God.

Isaiah 46:9
Remember the beginning from ancient time that I am God and none else:  The God (Elohim), and there is absolutely none like Me;

God is the Sovereign God.  From the beginning of history, He designed everything that ever was or will be.  Absolutely no one is like Him, and there can be no other god because He is God (Isa 45:5-6; 43:10).

Isaiah 46:10
Declaring from the beginning the end,
And from ancient times what has not yet occurred,
Saying, "My Design Specification shall be implemented,
And the complete Design Proposal I will produce;"

There is only one Sovereign Design of God, and it covers everything that will ever come to pass.  God's Design existed in Eternity past.  Back then, it included the events of human history.

Back in Eternity past, God the Son said, "My Design Specification shall be implemented."  "Design" is the Hebrew hx*u@ (`etsah).  Here it refers to the Design Specification since the Son is speaking of the Design implementation.  "Implementation" is the Hebrew <Wq (qum), which means to arise; establish; develop, implement.  What the Father designs, the Son implements.  He specifies it into existence (Ps 33:6, 9; John 1:3; Rom 11:36; 1 Cor 8:6; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2, 3; 11:3; 2 Pet 3:5).

The Lord continues, "And the complete Design Proposal I will produce."  "Design Proposal" is the Hebrew Jp#j@ (chephetz), which means delight, good pleasure, purpose, and therefore Design Proposal.  This refers to God's Sovereign will.  It is a design summary apart from the intricacies and tolerances.  The Design Proposal will be produced.  "Produce" is the Hebrew hc*u* (`asah), which means to do, make; produce, perform, implement.  What the Son specifies, the Holy Spirit will produce, or perform.

Isaiah 46:11
Calling a bird of prey from the East,
The man of My Design from a far country.
Truly I have specified (Design Specification); truly I will bring it to pass.
I have formulated it, surely I will perform (produce) it.

The Lord will call "a bird of prey from the East," as He implements human history.  The bird of prey is an eagle or hawk, which symbolizes a Throne Angel.  Throne angels are associated with kings.  The king  from the East is Cyrus, King of Persia, who will conquer Babylon.  He is called "the man of My Design."  "Design" is the Hebrew hx*u@ (`etsah), for Divine Design.  "I have specified" refers to the Design Specification.  "Specified" is the Hebrew rb^D* (dabar), meaning to specify.  The Lord will specify, or command, the Design into existence.

Then He says, "I have formulated it."  "Formulated" is the Hebrew rx^y* (jatsar), meaning to formulate; frame, devise.  This refers to Divine Design.  What He has formulated, He will "perform."  "Perform" is the Hebrew hc*u* (`asah), meaning to produce, perform, execute.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit, who does the work and delivers the product.  Cyrus will be brought from the East to destroy Babylon, and thereby become the world ruler.

Judah's Treaty with Egypt

The Southern Kingdom of Judah rebelled against God's Sovereign Design by devising an alternative.  Rather than learn Bible Doctrine and trust the Lord, the politicians of Judah entered into a treaty with Egypt for protection against Assyria.

Isaiah 30:1
"Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD,
"Who execute a design, but not Mine,
And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit,
In order to add sin to sin;"

The Lord declared, "Woe to the rebellious children" of Judah.  They rejected the Lord and then sought protection from Egypt.  "Woe" is a word that refers to suffering.  The politicians of Judah had rejected God's Design for them as His Client Nation and were executing their own alternative design.  "Design" is again the Hebrew hx*u@ (`etsah), which in this case refers to the foreign policy of Judah.  "But not Mine" means Judah is not following God's Design for them.

Judah made an alliance with Egypt, which is a symbol of the world.  The alliance was not with God through the Holy Spirit.  It wasn't a Spiritual alliance.  It was worldly and evil.  Having rejected God, Judah has gone into reversionism.  They add "sin to sin."  They are refusing to Rebound.

Design in the Church

God's Sovereign Design is further explained in the Church Age.

Romans 8:28 Divine Design
Moreover, we know in fact that to those who Love God, He causes all things to work together for Good, to those who are called according to the purpose of the Predetermined Design.

"We know in fact" comes from the Greek oi\da, (oida), meaning to know.  This is in the Intensive Perfect, which emphasizes existing results of something that began in the past.  It is a strong way of saying that something is.  Thus, "in fact" is added for emphasis.

The verse applies to "those who Love God."  This is reciprocal Love for God.  Reciprocal Love requires the filling of the Holy Spirit.  This verse does not apply to those who do not Rebound.  They are carnal and do not Love God.  Believers who Love God will be learning Bible Doctrine and executing the Spiritual life.

God "causes all things to work together for Good" only to those who Love Him.  This does not say that all things work together for Good for a carnal believer, who is the enemy of God.  "All things" is the object of the verb, not the subject.  It doesn't say all things work together for Good, but "God causes all things to work together for Good."  This is because the Greek pa'" (pas), meaning all, is in the accusative case.  "All things" refer to the individual parts of the whole.  All things conform to the Divine Design.

"Work together" is the Greek sunergevw (sunergeo), from (sun, together) + (ergeo, work) = to work together, coordinate.  This is a  Retroactive Progressive (Durative) Present for a fact of doctrine which came to be in the past but is emphasized as a present reality.  It denotes continuation of existing results.  This means that God weaves all things together for Good in the believer's life.  There is a higher purpose for the events in life.  The good, the bad, and the ugly all contribute to Good in God's Design.  The believer is part of the "all things" in God's Design.  This means that the believer relates to all of Creation and all of Creation relates to him.  He is like a brick in a wall that is connected to the other bricks and the wall and the house and the city and the state and the country and the world and the stars above as well as the occupants of the house.  This is not hyperbole.  It is spiritual reality.  All things working together is a tall order.

So, when problems and trials and tribulations arise, this promise can be claimed to make sense of it all.  God has a purpose in every part of His Design.

"Good" is the Greek ajgaqov" (agathos), which refers to Divine Good.  It is in the accusative of purpose, which denotes a goal or object in God's Design for our life.  "Good" describes God's Design and His Glory.  The purpose of God's Design is Good as opposed to evil.  There is a higher purpose for everything.  Life has purpose and definition based upon God's Design.  The life that we are given glorifies God.  All the events and relationships of life work together for the purpose of Good in God's Design.

All of this applies to "those who are called."  This refers to believers, who are elected to privilege.  The Church Age Believer has the highest calling of human history.  "Called" refers to the time when a person is given the invitation to Salvation.

What follows is the Greek katav (kata) + provqesi" (prothesis), from (prov", before) + (qevsi", position) = design; purpose; or "Predetermined Design."  The prepositional phrase means "according to the purpose of the  Predetermined Design"  (Eph 1:11; 3:11; 2 Tim 1:9).  This is an accusative of purpose, which refers to the purpose of the Design in Eternity past.  Therefore, the phrase means "according to the purpose of the Predetermined Design."  Just as King Cyrus was called to conquer Babylon, the Church Age Believer is called "according to the purpose of the Predetermined Design."  This is Antecedent Grace, which began in Eternity past and is implemented in human history.

Ephesians 1:11 Divine Design for Creation
In whom (Christ) also we have received a destiny, having been predestined according to the Predetermined Design from the One (Father) implementing all specifications according to His Design Proposal.

As a member of the Church, the Christian has received a destiny.  Destiny is not man made.  It is provided by God in Grace in His Divine Design for each individual.  The Destiny Line in the hand runs from the base of the palm up toward the middle finger.³  Destiny is not chance.  God provides destiny.  Things provided in destiny include Right Man or Right Woman, a job, a Spiritual calling, relationships, a home, and an environment.  Right Man or Right Woman appear in the palm as a line that feeds into the Destiny Line from the outside.  When a person moves, the Destiny Line will stop, shift to the side, and then continue.  Roadblocks, pitfalls, and punishment may also be part of one's destiny.

Although God provides our destiny and it is entirely outside of our control, we can learn to recognize it.  This requires Divine viewpoint.  As a person matures in the Spiritual life, he begins to recognize and appreciate what God is doing for him.  When his life is free from worldliness and human viewpoint, he will be able to perceive what God is providing.  If Right Man or Right Woman appear before reaching this awareness, the worldly person may have no appreciation for the right one.  Esau had no use for his birthright because he was an unbeliever with no spiritual values.

To learn about destiny, it is best to look back in time.  The past is easier to understand than the future.  The major events of the past, such as finding a job or moving, must be understood from the Spiritual perspective.  When God's purpose and His support can be seen in these events, that is destiny.  If there is any doubt about making a move contrary to destiny, the believer can pray and God will inform him of whether to proceed.  When Paul decided to go to Jerusalem to offer a vow, that was contrary to his destiny, and God tried many times to inform him of his error.  He consequently spent four years as a prisoner of Rome.

The Christian is "predestined according to the purpose of the Predetermined Design" of the Father.  "Predestined" does not mean that people are without free will.  They are predestined based upon the specifications of God's Design.  "Predestined" means that God sets bounds or limits on people, but He  allows them to make their own decisions.

What follows is the same prepositional phrase as in Romans 8:28.  The Greek katav (kata) + provqesi" (prothesis), meaning design; purpose; or "Predetermined Design." The prepositional phrase means "according to the purpose of the Predetermined Design" (ref. Eph 1:11; 3:11; 2 Tim 1:9).  This is an accusative of purpose, which refers to the purpose of the Design in Eternity past.

The "Predetermined Design" comes "from the One (Father) implementing all specifications."  "Implementing" is the Greek ejnergevw (energeo), meaning to work, implement, produce.  "All specifications" is the Greek pa'" (pas), meaning all.  Since it is an adjective, a noun is implied, and it may be interpreted "all things" or "all specifications."  These are all the specifications of Divine Design.  The Father is said to be the one implementing the specifications because He is the One who is responsible.  It is His will, and He is the highest authority; but what the Father wills and designs, the Son specifies and implements.  Implementation of the Predetermined Design from Eternity past occurs in Time.

Implementation of the Predetermined Design is "according to His (the Father's) Design Proposal."   "Design Proposal" is the Greek boulhv, (boule), meaning proposal, purpose, counsel, + the Greek qevlhma, (thelema), for will, purpose, design.  The Design Proposal (reference Isa 46:10) is God's Sovereign will.  It is a general design summary of what is proposed apart from the details of how it will be done.  Implementation of the Predetermined Design will accomplish all of the objectives of the Design Proposal.  God's purpose will be completely accomplished in human history and in the life of the individual Christian.  We can fail God, but God cannot fail us.

Ephesians 3:9 Mystery Doctrine of the Church
And to bring to light [to all] what is the Dispensation of the Mystery, which has been hidden from previous ages in God, who created all things.

God's Design did not call for the Church Age to be revealed (or prophesied) in the Old Testament.  The Church Age is called the "Dispensation of the Mystery" because it was hidden from previous ages.

Ephesians 3:10 Revelation to Angels
in order that the multifarious wisdom of God might be made known in the present time to the angelic commanders and authorities in the heavenlies by the Church,

God revealed the mystery of the Church so that His wisdom might be made known to the angels.  "Commanders and authorities in the heavenlies" refer to angels and demons (Eph. 1:21; 6:12; Col. 2:10, 15).

Ephesians 3:11
According to the purpose of the Predetermined Design of the Ages, which He carried out (produced) in Christ Jesus, our Lord,

The mystery of the Church was revealed at the appropriate time according to the purpose of God's Predetermined Design.  That purpose included the introduction of Jesus Christ in Hypostatic Union to pay for the sins of the world.  "According to the purpose of the Predetermined Design" is the same Greek (kata + prothesis) that appeared previously in Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 1:11.

2 Timothy 1:9
who (God) has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose of the Predetermined Design and Grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before human history,

God saved us and called us into His Royal Family with a "holy calling" as priests.  The Church Age includes the universal priesthood of the believer.  God did not call us because of our works but because of the Sovereign purpose of His Design and because of His Grace.  This verse contains the same prepositional phrase (the Greek kata + prothesis, meaning according to the purpose of the Predetermined Design) (ref. Rom 8:28, Eph 1:11, 3:11).  His Grace in providing for us Jesus Christ was specified in His Design before human history.

Knowledge of God

Knowledge of God is required for fellowship with Him.  Knowledge of God comes through Bible Doctrine.

Hebrews 4:12 Word of God
For you see, the word of God is alive and active, and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and the spirit, of both the joints and the marrow, and is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The "word of God" is Bible Doctrine.  The "word of God is alive."  As God is alive, so is His word, which He backs actively. The word of God is "active," which is the Greek ejnerghv" (energes), meaning active (literally) or effective.  God's word brings about active production.  It does not lie dormant.  Faith can move mountains.  Doctrine in the soul is like the fuel in a nuclear reactor.

The "word of God" is the thinking of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).  It is the will of God.  It is actively backed by God and under His Divine control from Heaven.  He is actively watching over His Word.  It is the criteria for blessing and cursing over all Creation.  All of Creation is orchestrated with the Word.  Blessing comes from obeying the Word.  Cursing and Judgment come from disobeying it.  The Word is the logic that governs every aspect of life.  It is very much bound to life and a part of life.

The "word of God" is also active.  It is included in the control of both animate and inanimate Creation.  It functions in real time from the Control Room in Heaven, which governs all Creation.  The "word of God" is actively factored into every control decision that comes from God over the Universe.  The "word of God" actively supports all of Creation.  Everything works or exists the way it does because of the Word.

The word of God which is alive and active relates to Life.  The rest of the verse relates to warfare.  The word of God is sharper than a double-edged sword.  Spiritual Warfare is symbolized by the sword.  The word of God is called the "sword of the Spirit" (Eph 6:17).  It is a weapon for Spiritual Warfare.

"Piercing even to the division of the soul and the spirit" - Bible Doctrine divides and provides discernment between soulish activity and spiritual activity.

"Of both the joints and the marrow" – The joints and marrow refer to the skeletal system, which is the strength of the body.  The sword cuts not only to the bone but through it into the marrow.  Joints also symbolize the Pastor-Teacher (Eph 4:16; Col 2:19).

"And is able to judge the thoughts and the intentions of the heart"  - The word of God is able to discern the soul thinking. Sin and evil intentions are judged for what they are, and truth is exonerated.

Romans 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

The depth of God's wisdom and  knowledge is immeasurable.  The vastness of His judgments are unfathomable.  He is infinite.

Ephesians 1:17 Grace Apparatus of Perception
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (the Father).

Paul prays that the Ephesians may receive a "spirit of wisdom."  A spirit is needed to discern Spiritual information.  The word, "spirit," is anarthrous (without a definite article), which calls attention to the functionality of the "spirit."  The human spirit is such a spirit, since the human spirit enables the Christian to understand Spiritual information.   "Wisdom" is doctrine in the understanding of the right lobe of the soul.  "Revelation" is enlightenment through the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.

"In the knowledge of Him" refers to knowledge of the Father from Bible Doctrine.  "Knowledge" is the Greek epignosis, which is Spiritual understanding.  It is doctrinal knowledge in the right lobe which is transferred by faith.  This is Spiritual understanding of the Father.  Knowing the Father is required to Love Him and enjoy fellowship with Him.  So Paul is praying for the Ephesians to learn Bible Doctrine to enable them to know the Father and have fellowship with Him.

Colossians 1:9 Doctrinal Orientation - X-Axis
For this reason also, since the day we heard, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His (the Father's) will in all Spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Paul also prayed for the Colossians just as he did for the Ephesians.  Since the day he heard of their faith (Col 1:4), he interceded for them continually.  He prayed that they would be filled with the knowledge of His (the Father's) will.  Here again, "knowledge" is the Greek epignosis, which means Spiritual understanding, doctrine in the right lobe of the soul.  For them to be filled with doctrine in the right lobe, they will have to listen to doctrinal instruction and believe it on faith.  This will enable them to know the Father's will.  Fellowship with God can only be maintained by obeying His will.  Knowing His will requires knowledge of Bible Doctrine.

The knowledge of the Father's will is "in all Spiritual wisdom and understanding."  The Father's will is made known through Bible Doctrine.  Wisdom and understanding come from Bible Doctrine in the right lobe.  Doctrine must be believed in order to be transferred by faith to the right lobe, where it is available for application.  When the doctrine is verified by application to the Stage of Life, it is transferred into categorical storage of wisdom and understanding in the Edification Complex of the Soul.  The believer with Spiritual wisdom and understanding can have a mature relationship with God and know His will.

Philippians 2:13
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure.

Fellowship with God is at work in the believer.  "At work" is the Greek ejnergevw (energeo), which means to be at work, effective.  Divine Good is produced from fellowship with God.

"Both to will" means to exercise the will.  God expresses His will to us and in us (Matt 26:39, 42; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; John 6:38).  And God uses us to accomplish His will (Heb 13:21).  "And to act on behalf of His good pleasure" – God is the potter.  He has a purpose in our actions which we perform in Grace.  God uses us to act on behalf of His will and design.

1 John 3:21
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence face-to-face with God.

If our heart does not condemn us, we are in agreement with God and in fellowship with Him.

1 John 3:22
and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

God answers our prayers when we are keeping his commandments and doing the things that are pleasing to Him.

Y-Axis Fellowship

Gracious Love
Reciprocal Love
Abiding in Fellowship
Fellowship in the Light
God Dwelling with Us

Y-axis: Gracious Love, Reciprocal Love, Light

Gracious Love

God is love (1 Jn 4:8).  His love never fails (1 Cor 13:8).  God loves the world (Jn 3:16).  He loves everyone, including the unbeliever.  He loved us in Eternity past (1 Jn 4:19).

Deuteronomy 7:9
"Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His unfailing love with those who love Him and keep His commandments to the thousandth generation;

God's love is unconditional.  It is based upon His Righteous Integrity, not on who or what man is.  He has unfailing love, which is the Hebrew ds#j# (chesed), meaning Gracious love or unfailing love.  This is Divine Love from God that endures to the "thousandth generation."  His love is expressed in Grace.  It does not depend upon the object.

Psalm 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,
Slow to anger and abounding in Gracious Love and doctrine (truth).

God abounds in Gracious Love, which is the Hebrew chesed.  All four axes are related to God in this verse:

1. X-axis – doctrine (truth)
2. Y-axis – Gracious Love
3. Z-axis – mercy
4. Time-axis – slow to anger

Every verse in Psalm 136:1-26 contains the echo of the chorus in the second line about "unfailing Love."  For example:

Psalm 136:26
Give thanks to the God of Heaven,
For His unfailing Love is everlasting.

God's unfailing Love is the Hebrew chesed.

Reciprocal Love

Because God loves us first, we can respond to that love.  This is called reciprocal Love.

1 John 4:19
We love, because He (God) first loved us.

We are able to love God because He first loved us.  The Love that we have is God's Love.  The work of Christ on the Cross made it possible for God to give His Love to Christians (1 Jn 4:10).  The believer who has God's Love is able to respond to God with that Love.  Response to God's Love is called reciprocal Love (2 Cor 5:14; Eph 3:17; Rom. 5:5; 1 Pet 1:8; 1 Jn 2:5).  The one who has God's Love can also Love other people with Divine Love.

The one with God's Divine Love must have the capacity for love in order to operate within the bounds of the Edification Complex of the Soul (or Integrity Envelope).  Otherwise, he will be in a state of carnality where Divine Love is non-operational.

God first loved us in Eternity past before we loved Him in Time.  That is Antecedent Grace.  Because He loved us, He provided a way for us to love Him.  That is possible through the work of Christ on the Cross and the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Our love response to God's Love is a real time relationship, not a vicarious experience.  We experience God's Love in real time.  It is like walking into a room that is filled with the Love of God.  When we walk into the room, we receive God's Love, and are then able to respond with the Divine Love that we have from God.  We can have reciprocal Love for God, and we can Love others.  When we enter the sphere of God's Love, we are able to respond to that Love and to Love others with Divine Love.

God's Love has opened the door for us to have fellowship with Him (John 3:16; Rom 5:8; 1 John 4:9).  God's Love is always available to the believer.  The Love must be received in Grace.

Romans 8:16 Fellowship with God
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our human spirit that we are children of God.

The Holy Spirit communicates with our human spirit to bear witness from God that we are His children.  Thus, the Holy Spirit enables us to have fellowship with God the Father.

2 Thessalonians 3:5
And may the Lord direct your hearts to the Love for God and to the staying power (endurance) of Christ.

Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians is that the Lord would direct their hearts to the "Love for God."  "Love for God" is the Greek ajgavph (agape), meaning love, which is a noun of action, plus the Greek  qeov" (theos), for God as an objective genitive.   The Greek could be translated either "love of God" (subjective genitive) or "love for God" (objective genitive).  In the context it means "Love for God."  This is reciprocal Love for God, which is response to God's Love.

"Staying power" is the Greek uJpomon (hupomone), from (hupo, under) + (mone, staying), meaning endurance, stead-fastness, perseverance.  The staying power that enabled Jesus Christ to endure the Cross came from His Love for the Father.  Staying power to endure testing is available to the believer through the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5 Reciprocal Love
and confidence does not disappoint us, because the Love for God has been poured out in our hearts through the personal agency of the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us for our benefit.

"Confidence" is the Greek ejlpiv" (elpis), which literally means hope, but confidence is closer to the meaning of the Greek.  "Confidence" as explained in Romans 5:4 comes through stress testing.  Confidence comes after being tested to the maximum and approved.  "Confidence does not disappoint us" - Confidence is our relationship with God, not with the world.  Disappointment and shame would come from human viewpoint.  "Confidence" is Happiness and Blessing that corresponds to the color green.

"Because the Love for God has been poured out in our hearts."  "Love for God" is the translation of the Greek ajgavph (agape), meaning love, which is a noun of action, plus the Greek qeov" (theos), for God.  Here theos  is a plenary genitive.  The noun, theos, is both subjective and objective.  The phrase could be translated "love for God" or "love of God."  This is a complete doctrine of reciprocity, i.e. God's complete love for us and our reciprocal love for God.  In eternity past, the subjective love of God for every person, with emphasis on the believer, resulted in the believer's objective love for God in time.

When the verb for love occurs in the Greek with a noun of action in the genitive, it can be translated "for" or "of" depending on the context.  This is the basis for reciprocal Love.  In this verse both are correct, which emphasizes our response to God's love for us.  Our love relationship with God is full duplex.

The Love for God is "poured out" in our hearts.  The heart is the right lobe of the soul.  "Poured out" is the Greek ejkcevw, (ekcheo), from (ejk, out) + (cevw, pour out), meaning to pour out.  "Poured out" implies flooding the heart with Love for God.  The Holy Spirit pours out this Love in our heart.  The cup in our soul overflows with Love.  This is Divine Love produced in us by the Holy Spirit.

"The Love for God" is our reciprocal Love in response to God's Love for us.  Our Love for God is personal.  Reciprocal Love response to the Love of God produces a powerful bond that stabilizes the relationship.   The Love for God is "poured out in our hearts."  It floods our hearts with Love.  We are filled with Love.  Our cup overflows (Psa 23:5).

"Through the personal agency of the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us for our benefit" - The "Love for God" "in our hearts" comes from the production of the Holy Spirit.  It is produced in the filling of the Holy Spirit in Grace.  We don't work up this love for God.  The Holy Spirit was given to us in Grace at Salvation.  He was given for our benefit, as indicated by the Greek genitive of advantage.

Summary

1. The "Love for God" is the reciprocal Love response to God as a result of Stress Testing.
2. Stress testing (suffering) (Rom 5:3) -> endurance -> verification (Rom 5:4) ->  confidence -> Love of God -> Love for God (Rom 5:5).
3. The suffering of Stress Testing does not leave us disappointed; rather, we will have confidence, which corresponds to positive Z-axis Happiness and Blessing like the green leaves of the tree.
4. Stress Testing strengthens the capacity of the Edification Complex of the Soul (ECS), Integrity Envelope, cup in the soul.
5. The Holy Spirit can pour Love into the strengthened ECS.
6. The Love of God and Love for God meet in the believer's heart to produce a strong bond of Love with God.
7. The Love relationship with God is personal.   It is produced through the personal agency of the Holy Spirit.  It is Spiritual.
8. The Love of God is expressed in Grace, and the believer must respond with Grace Orientation.  An expression of Grace demands a grace-oriented response.

How do we know we are in fellowship with God?

1 John 2:5 Reciprocal Love for God
But whoever keeps His Word (Bible Doctrine), truly in this case the Love for God has been brought to completion.  By this we know that we are in fellowship with Him.

Obedience to Bible Doctrine is the basis for reciprocal Love for God (Jn 14:15).  "Love for God" is the correct translation in the context for agape (love) + theos (God) in the objective genitive.  The Love for God has been "brought to completion."  This is the Greek teleiovw (teleioo) in the perfect tense, meaning to bring to completion.  This is the fulfillment of the Love for God that is made possible by the completion of the Edification Complex of the Soul, which gives capacity for love.

Bible Doctrine in the soul enables the believer to know that he is in fellowship with God the Father.  "In fellowship with" is the Greek en (in) + autos (Him) in the instrumental of association.

1 John 5:3 Love for God
For you see, this is Love for God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not difficult to fulfill.

"Love for God" is reciprocal Love.  The one who loves God can only do so if he keeps His commandments.  "His commandments" are not just the Ten Commandments, but all the commandments of scripture.  Disobeying any commandment is a sin, and God will not have fellowship with sin.  His commandments are not difficult, or burdensome, to fulfill, especially with the help of the filling of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 4:16 Fellowship, Abiding in God's Love
For we have come to know, and we have believed the Love which God has for us.  God is Love.  Furthermore, the one who abides in reciprocal Love remains in fellowship with God and God remains in fellowship with Him.

"Have come to know" refers to perception of the Love of God.  The believer who metabolizes Bible Doctrine will experience the Love of God.  "Have believed" means having faith, or believing, the Love that God has for us.  This is also learned from Bible Doctrine.

"God is Love."  This does not say that God loves or is loved.  The verb is intransitive.  There is no object.  Love is the essence of God.  God's Love exists with or without an object.  His love is unconditional.  It is based upon who and what He is.  God Loved in eternity past before there were any objects.  The characteristic of God that stands out most is His overwhelming Love.

The person who loves God with reciprocal Love remains in fellowship with Him, and God remains in fellowship with him.  Our Love for God is a sign that we are in fellowship with Him.  And if we are in fellowship with Him, He has already been in fellowship with us.

1 John 4:17
Because of this, reciprocal Love has been brought to completion with us, that we may have confidence in the Day of Evaluation; because just as He is (Christ in Resurrection Body), so also are we in this world.

"Because of this" refers to the Spiritual Rapport that comes from  reciprocal Love.  The person who has reciprocal Love for God will advance to Spiritual Maturity and Spiritual Rapport where the Love will be completed with the completion of the Edification Complex of the Soul.  The believer in Spiritual Rapport will have confidence rather than fear of the Day of Evaluation following the Rapture.  He will look forward to receiving his rewards rather than watching his dead works being burned and having shame (1 Cor 3:13, 15; 1 Jn 2:28; Rev 3:18).  The Day of Evaluation (or Judgment) is the same as the Evaluation Throne of Christ (Greek bh'ma (bema)) (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10).  The one who really believes in the Rapture will advance to Spiritual Rapport to be prepared for the evaluation that follows.

"Because just as He is (Christ in Resurrection Body), so also are we in this world."  "Just as He is" refers to Christ in Resurrection Body as He is today.  "So also are we" – we are like Christ as members of the Royal Family and Priesthood.   "We in this world" – We are like Christ, but the difference is that Christ is in Heaven and we are in the world.  Although we don't yet have our Resurrection Body, we have the same operational Spiritual Life as Jesus Christ when He was on Earth in Hypostatic Union.

1 John 4:19
We love, because He (God) first loved us.

Because God loves us, we are able to respond with reciprocal Love.  See previous explanation of this verse.

1 John 4:20 Impersonal Love
If anyone says, "I love God" and hates his brother, he is a liar.  For you see, the one who is not loving his brother whom he has seen, is not able to be loving God whom he has not seen.

Here is a person who claims to love God, but he hates his brother.  "Brother" technically refers to a fellow believer.  However, it also applies to any member of the human race.  Religious people claim to love God, but they may be bitter or full of self-righteous snobbishness toward certain classes of people.  The person who has hatred in his soul does not have love.  Sin destroys Spiritual love.  Therefore, the person who says he loves God but hates his brother is a liar.  If he has God's love, he can love God and his brother; otherwise, he cannot love either (1 Jn 2:9-11).

1 John 4:21
And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

We are commanded not only to love God but to love our neighbor also (Lev 19:18; Matt 5:43-48; Jas 2:8).  We must have impersonal love for all mankind.  Impersonal love is based upon the capacity of the subject, not the attractiveness of the object.

Abiding in Fellowship

1 John 4:12
No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God is abiding in fellowship with us, and His Love is completed in us.

No one has ever seen God because He is a spirit and He doesn't make Himself visible.  The visible member of the Godhead is the Lord Jesus Christ.  If we love our neighbor, "God is abiding in fellowship with us."  "Abiding" is the present tense of the Greek meno, meaning to abide, dwell, live.  "In fellowship with us" comes from the Greek preposition en (in) + the intensive pronoun hemeis (us) in the instrumental of association.  This could also be translated "abides in us," referring to the indwelling of God.  However, the context is about fellowship.

"And His Love is completed in us."  "Completed" is the Greek teleiovw, (teleioo), perfect passive participle, meaning to complete, finish.  His Love is completed in us due to the completed ECS, Integrity Envelope, or cup for Divine Love in the soul.  Without the cup His Love cannot be completed in us.  God cannot pour His Love into a cup that does not exist in the soul.  His Love completed in us refers to fellowship with God.  His Love is a completed product (or process) in us.

1 John 4:13 Abiding in Fellowship
By this we know that we are abiding in fellowship with Him (God) and He in fellowship with us, because He has given to us from the source of His Spirit.

"Abiding" is the Greek meno, meaning to abide, dwell, live.  "In fellowship" is the Greek instrumental of association of autos (Him) and hemeis (us).  Fellowship with God is two-way.  We are in fellowship with Him, and He is in fellowship with us.  It is real time communication that is made possible by the Holy Spirit.   "He has given to us from the source of His Spirit."  The preposition ek (from) + pneuma (Spirit) in the ablative of source means "from the source of His Spirit."  "His Spirit" is the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16, 26; 1 Jn 2:20, 27; 3:24).  The Holy Spirit reveals the Father to us.

1 John 4:15 Indwelling and Fellowship
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him (indwelling + fellowship) and he in fellowship with God.

If a person acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, that person is born again and "God abides in him."  This means that God the Father indwells the body of the Christian and abides in fellowship with him.  In addition, the Christian abides in fellowship with God.

Fellowship in the Light

God dwells in unapproachable Light (1 Tim 6:16).

1 John 1:5 God is Light
This is the message which we have heard from Him (Christ) and report to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness, not one bit.

God is Light, and there is not one bit of darkness in Him.  When God created the Universe and later arranged it for man in seven days, the light symbolized the Kingdom of God, and the darkness symbolized Satan's Kingdom of Darkness (the Cosmic System) (Acts 26:18).  The Light of God, however, is not the physical light, but Spiritual Light.  Spiritual Light is the production of the Spirit.  Where the Spirit is, there is Light and Glory.  There is no "darkness" in God.  "Darkness" refers to the spiritual darkness of the Cosmic System.  God has no darkness, "not one bit."  "Not one bit" is the strong Greek negative oujdeiv" (oudeis), from (ou, not) + (de, but) + (heis, one), meaning but not one, or not one bit.

1 John 1:6 No Fellowship with God in Darkness
If we say that we have fellowship with Him (God) and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the Truth (Doctrine).

"Fellowship" is the Greek koinwniva (koinonia), meaning association, communion, fellowship, close relationship.  Walking in darkness refers to operating in the Cosmic System.  The person who claims to be in fellowship with God and yet is operating in the darkness of the Cosmic System is a liar.  He is not executing the Truth (Bible Doctrine).  Not practicing the Truth means not executing Bible Doctrine in the Spiritual life.  The person is not executing the Spiritual life.

1 John 1:7 Fellowship in the Light
But if we walk in the Light as He Himself (God) is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.

Walking in the Light corresponds to executing the Spiritual life per the analogy of the Priests in the Holy Place.  The Golden Lampstand, which symbolized Christ our Light, illuminated the Holy Place.

If we walk in the Light as God is in the Light, "we have fellowship with one another."  From the context this fellowship is with God the Father.  It does not refer to social life with other Christians – so-called Christian fellowship.  We can have fellowship with the Father because the blood of Christ purifies us from all sin.  The "blood of Christ" refers to His substitutionary spiritual death on the Cross for the sins of the world.  He paid for our sins, and therefore, we are purified from all sin.  Being purified from sin enables us to have fellowship with God the Father.

Light Summary

1.  Light refers to the Spiritual Light from God.
     - Light symbolizes the Kingdom of God.
     - Darkness symbolizes the Cosmic System (Acts 26:18)
2.  God dwells in unapproachable Light (1 Tim 6:16).
3.  Spiritual Light is the production of the Spirit; where the Spirit is, there is Light and Glory.
4.  The purpose of the Light is to enlighten (John 1:9).
5.  Being filled with the Holy Spirit insures the believer is in the Light.
6.  Walking in the Light requires executing Bible Doctrine:
    - Bible Doctrine must be metabolized.
    - Doctrine that is spiritually understood (epignosis) is available for application (validation) (Eph 5:10).
    - Doctrine that is verified on the Stage of Life is added to the ECS.
    - The ECS is the mirror in the soul; the mirror only works in the Light (2 Cor 3:18; Jas 1:23).
    - Walking in the Light means living in the Plan of God in the production of the Light (Eph 5:9).
    - When the believer walks in the Light, he responds and reacts to the trials and tribulations that God has placed in his path.  He is alert and protected by the armor of the Light (Rom 13:11-12).
7.  Validation of Doctrine:
    - What is seen in physical light must be understood in Spiritual Light.
    - The correct doctrine must be applied to understand what is received in Grace.
    - When the correct doctrinal conclusion is validated, the test is passed.
8.  The believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit is in the Light and in fellowship with God (1 Jn 1:7), who dwells in Light.
9.  The believer who walks in the Light is in Spiritual Rapport with the Father and harmonious rapport with the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world (Jn 12:35; Eph 4:13).
10.  The one who walks in darkness is in the Cosmic System in sin.  He is not in fellowship with God.

Sin is incompatible with the Light.

1 John 2:9 Hate and Darkness
The one who says he is in the Light and hates his brother is in darkness until now.

A person who claims to be in the Light cannot be in the Light if he hates his brother.  His brother is a fellow Christian or unbeliever.  "Darkness" is the Cosmic System.  The Mental Attitude Sin of hatred knocks out the Light and enters the person into the darkness of the Cosmic System.

1 John 2:10 Love and Light in Fellowship
The one who loves his brother abides in the Light, and there is no stumbling-block in him.

In contrast, the one who loves his brother abides in the Light.  "Brother" is a fellow Christian or unbeliever for whom there is impersonal love.  "In the Light" refers to fellowship with God.  It is like the light in the Holy Place.  It means glorification of God like the glow of the Lamp in the Holy Place.  Love for the brother includes fellowship with God and glorification of God.  Love for the brother is with the Divine Love which came from God.  It is not human love.

"And there is no stumbling-block in him."  A stumbling-block refers to a sin that knocks out fellowship with God, such as a Mental Attitude Sin of jealousy (Song 8:6), fear (1 Jn 4:18), or bitterness (Eph 4:31; Col 3:19; Heb 12:15; 1 Jn 2:11; 4:20).

1 John 2:11 Blackout of the Soul
But the one who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

The "one who hates his brother" has sin.  Sin knocks out the filling of the Holy Spirit and takes a person into the darkness of the Cosmic System.  The mentality of the soul is blacked out.  The frontal lobes are in darkness.

In the Cosmic System, the person walks (operates) in darkness.  He is either temporarily in the Cosmic System in a state of carnality, or he has refused to Rebound and entered into Reversionism.  In the darkness he "does not know where he is going."  Not knowing means confusion and lack of guidance. "Where he is going" refers to loss of a sense of direction; no X, Y, Z alignment; no strategic and tactical advance.

"Because the darkness has blinded his eyes."  This is a metaphor for loss of spiritual sight or discernment.  The darkness of the Cosmic System deprives the person of the ability to recognize spiritual issues.  The person is oblivious to warning signs.  He wanders around like a blind person and does not see the Light of God.

God Dwelling with Us

It has ever been God's desire to dwell among His people.

2 Corinthians 6:16 Dichotomy of Temple of God and Idols
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For you see, we are the temple of the Living God, just as God has said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people."

The Lord dwelt in the Tabernacle of Israel as the Shekinah Glory.¹  In the Gospel period Jesus Christ was on Earth with His people.  In the Church Age, the Holy Spirit is on Earth, and God the Father and Son are in Heaven.  The Holy Spirit provides a temple in the body of the believer for the indwelling of the Father and the Son.  Believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit can have fellowship with the Father and the Son, who are in Heaven.  Every believer is a priest.

In the Millennium, the Lord Jesus Christ will be on the Earth in His Resurrection Body among His people (Jer 31:1; Ezek 37:27; Heb 8:10).  The Holy Spirit will fill the souls of people to enable them to have fellowship with God, but they will not be indwelt by the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28; Ezek 39:29; Zech 12:10).  All believers will not be priests.  There will be a Levitical Priesthood on Earth.

In the Eternal State, God will finally dwell among His people.  God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will dwell on the New Earth where all the people will have Resurrection Bodies.  There will be no temple because God and the Lord Jesus Christ are its temple (Rev 21:22).  The New Earth will be illuminated by the Light of God and the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev 21:23).  There will be no night or darkness (Rev 21:25; 22:5).  The Church as the Royal Family will live in the New Jerusalem with the Lord Jesus Christ.  Israel and the other nations will live on the land outside.  Believers will have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him face-to-face (Rev 22:3).  The Church will be the only priesthood.

Next

References

1.  Larry Wood.  Grace, "The Tabernacle," Sept. 28, 2001.
2.  Brown, F., Driver, S. R., & Briggs, C. A. (2000). Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (electronic ed.) (420). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems.
3.  Larry Wood.  Hands in Scripture, "Lines of the Palm," June 13, 2011.
4.  Larry Wood.  Colors in Scripture, "Colors of Creation," May 30, 2013.