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Fellowship with God |
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Fellowship with God |
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Fellowship with God the Father
Fellowship with Christ
Z-Axis Fellowship
Time Axis
Sovereign
The Almighty
Escrow Blessing
Authority
God is Sovereign in a way that is unfathomable. The pot cannot say to the Potter, "Why did you make me that way?" The pot cannot understand the Potter. Nor can a created mind understand his Creator. God is in a higher realm than His Creation. He is so high that nothing can be higher. He is God – not a god, but the God. He is the only God, and there is no other (Isa 43:10; 45:5-6; 46:9). He is uniquely Sovereign in a way that a creature could never be. No one can become God. He would have to be God. And if there is God, there can only be one God. And that God would be Sovereign. God is that Sovereign God. He has no beginning and no end. He is eternal.
God the Father is the highest Authority in the Godhead. Although all three members of the Trinity are co-equal and co-eternal, they function as three persons. God the Father is the highest Authority, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are subordinate to the will of the Father. It was the will of the Father to create the Universe and all that is in it. The Son was the Creator of all things, and the Holy Spirit did the work.
God the Father turned over His Sovereign rule over all Creation to the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Ps 110:1; Matt 22:44; Mark 16:19; Heb 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2). And God the Holy Spirit upholds all things per the Word of the Son and the will of the Father. The Holy Spirit does not operate independently, nor does the Son. The Father wills, the Son decrees, and the Holy Spirit fulfills.
All of Creation conforms to the Sovereign Design of God. It was designed to be what it is, and nothing can change that, not even volition. Although God gave man and angels free will, they will never violate His design criteria. They can make all the decisions they want to make, but they will never be anything other than what they were designed to be. A man will never become a cow, and a horse will never become human. Angels may play God, but they will never be God. God does not create puppets, but He is the Sovereign designer, maker, and controller. Nothing can escape the Sovereign design of God – not so long as He is God.
God's Sovereign design is perfect and complete. Nothing is left to chance. Nothing catches God by surprise. Nothing is random with God. He designs all, knows all, and controls all. Even when he gives man volition, it functions within limits. People can't fly, and leopards can't change their spots. Every atom of Creation is designed to honor and glorify God. Even the evil of man shall praise Him (Psa 76:10). Everything conforms to the Integrity of its Creator. Creation in all of it intricate facets and limitless expanse bears witness of its Sovereign Creator. His testimony is on everything, so that there is no excuse for not recognizing it. God is God, and He is everywhere at all times, in every way. There is no escaping God.
In one of his last official acts, David offered a prayer before the spiritual assembly of Israel in which he thanked God for the people and material that would be used to build the Temple. In the beginning of the prayer David made references to God's Sovereignty in various ways.
1 Chronicles 29:10David addressed the prayer to highest authority in the Godhead, the Father, whom he called the LORD, the God of Israel. The LORD God is a reference to the highest authority of God. And "God of Israel" is the Sovereign God over the nation of Israel.
So David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly; and David said, "Blessed are You, O LORD, the God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever."
1 Chronicles 29:11David calls attention to the Lord's greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty as descriptions of His Sovereignty. And he adds, "everything that is in the heavens and the Earth." Everything is the Lord's. This is God's Sovereignty over all Creation. God is the Sovereign "head over all." His Sovereignty in the Divine order of Creation is symbolized by the color violet.
"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, everything that is in the heavens and the Earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all."
1 Chronicles 10:12-13"You rule over all" refers to God's Sovereignty as the ruler over all Creation. Additional references to Sovereignty are the Lord's "power and might." The Lord also has the power to "make great and give strength to everyone." He alone should be praised.
12 "Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to give strength to everyone.
13 And now, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name."
The
Sovereign power of God is operational in the life of all believers.
His commands are His enablings. Evidence of God's Sovereign Design
is all around in every color, number, person, animal, and relationship
on the Stage of Life. God's Sovereign power becomes operational in
the life of the Church Age Believer in a new and unique way through the
power of the Holy Spirit. The wall of fire has always protected believers
(Gen 15:1; Job 1:10; Zech 2:5), but the Divine Dynasphere in the Church
Age is operational outside and inside the believer through the Holy Spirit.
The power of God is available in the spirit and soul of the believer through
the Holy Spirit. When the Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Spirit connects him to the Sovereign power of God the Father.
Paul prayed that the Ephesian believers would receive God's Sovereign power through the operation of the Divine Dynasphere.
"His superior (Sovereign) power" is a Greek translation of a Hebrew idiom composed of the Greek kravto", (kratos), (might) + the Greek ijscuv" (ischus) (strength). The idiom is common to the Septuagint and refers to God's Sovereign power, or omnipotence (Isa 40:26).3 An interpretive translation would be "superior power" or "Sovereign power." The point is that God brings all of His power to bear in the life of the believer through the Divine Dynasphere and everything that surrounds it. God not only protects the believer internally through the Holy Spirit, but He surrounds him with power in an encapsulated environment. Everything in the life of the believer is from the Sovereign Design of God. God even knows the number of hairs on the head (Matt 10:30). He works for the believer in every way that is possible without compromising His essence.
The Greek kravto" (kratos) means power which one has or attains; politically, it denotes legal and valid superior power; might; supremacy; "Sovereign power." It is used for:
The Greek ijscuv" (ischus)
means strength, might, power, capability, capacity.
Colossians 1:11"Strengthened by all power" is the Greek verb dunamovw, (dunamoo), meaning to strengthen, plus the Greek duvnami" (dunamis), meaning power. This is God's Sovereign power. All the power of God is available to the Christian. The believer filled with the Holy Spirit is continuously being strengthened on the inside and outside by the power of God.
Strengthened by all power on the basis of His glorious might, resulting in all endurance and long-suffering;
God's power comes "on the basis of His glorious might." "Might" is the Greek kravto" (kratos), which means supreme or superior power, Sovereign power, might. God's might is glorious and spectacular in the Spiritual realm. As the supreme ruler of Creation, God brings all manner of Divine and angelic support to further His Plan in the life of the believer.
"Resulting in all endurance and long-suffering" – This is the result the Christian receives from the power which God pours into him. "Endurance" is the Greek uJpomonhv (hupomone), from (uJpov, under) + (monhv, staying) = patience, endurance, stead-fastness, perseverance, staying power. And "long-suffering" is the Greek makroqumiva (makrothumia), from (makrov", long) + (qumov", passion), meaning forbearance, patience toward others; long-suffering (stability in suffering). Endurance and long-suffering are the resulting production of Divine power which are needed to withstand the pressure of the Cosmic System and the enemies of the Christian life. They correspond to Capacity for Life in the believer.
1 Peter 5:11In the doxology here "Sovereignty" is ascribed to God the Father (also 1 Pet 4:11). "Sovereignty" is the Greek kravto" (kratos), meaning ruling power or sovereignty.
To Him (Father) be Sovereignty forever. Amen.
After Abraham (who was called Abram at the time) returned
from defeating Chedorlaomer (Gen 14:17), Melchizedek King of Salem came
out to meet him.
Genesis 14:18Melchizedek means my king is Righteousness. He was both a king and a priest. He was king of Salem, which later became Jerusalem. Salem means peace. Melchizedek was a Gentile believer who was priest of God Most High. "God Most High" is the Hebrew ÷/w{yl+u# la@ (El `elejon), which is a title for the Sovereign God (Ex 18:11). Melchizedek brought out bread and wine to refresh Abraham, who was weary from battle and travel.
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.
Genesis 14:19Melchizedek blessed Abraham as the servant of "God Most High," the Sovereign God. Melchizedek recognized that Abraham's victory was because of God's Sovereign Design. Abraham's victory and Chedorlaomer's defeat came from the Sovereign God, who possesses the Universe and is able to give victory in Grace to whom He wills.
And he (Melchizedek) blessed him and said,
"Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of Heaven and Earth;"
Genesis 14:20Melchizedek expressed gratitude to God Most High, who delivered Abraham's enemies into his hand. Then Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the spoils. A tenth was the portion customarily given to God. Thus, Abraham recognized Melchizedek as a priest of God.
"And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand."
He (Abram) gave him (Melchizedek) a tenth of all.
Genesis 14:21 Satanic CounterattackSatan was quick to counterattack through the King of Sodom, whose people had been taken hostage by Chedorlaomer. The King of Sodom, a Gentile unbeliever, asked Abraham to give him the hostages, but he could keep the spoils.
The King of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people but take the goods for yourself."
Genesis 14:22-24Abraham refused to take any of the spoils because he had solemnly sworn to God, who possesses all things from His Sovereignty, that he would not take a thread of what belonged to Sodom. Abraham did not, however, impose his Spiritual standards on the younger believers.
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand as a solemn oath to the Lord God Most High, possessor of Heaven and Earth,
23 that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, 'I have made Abram rich.'
24 I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share."
In this can be seen how understanding the Sovereignty of God gives humility in relationship to Him. If God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, there is no reason to think that He won't provide for us in Grace.
Nebuchadnezzar was the King of Babylon and ruler of the world. Babylon was the model of Satan's Cosmic System for world history. Nebuchadnezzar was evangelized by Daniel and his friends. Although he was a believer, he was still under the influence of Satan as an Evil King. Satan empowered Nebuchadnezzar as the symbol of the Antichrist. Yet, Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of the world due to God's will. Nebuchadnezzar was decreed to be the sovereign ruler by the decree of God based upon Divine Design. Satan was allowed to influence him, but God appointed Nebuchadnezzar.
In order for Nebuchadnezzar to understand that his appointment
was based upon the Sovereignty of God, he was severely punished.
Punishment humbles a person and gets rid of the arrogance. Nebuchadnezzar
was first warned in a dream about the punishment, and he called in Daniel
to interpret the dream. In the dream a giant tree grew up that reached
into the sky and was visible to the end of the Earth (Dan 4:10-12).
An angel gave orders to chop the tree down but leave the stump (Dan 4:13-15).
The tree symbolized Nebuchadnezzar, who was to be cut down in Divine punishment.
He would become like an animal and be sent out to eat grass like an ox
for seven years (Dan 4:16). Seven symbolizes Categorical
Punishment. The reason for the punishment was explained by an
Elect Angel called a watcher. Angelic watchers oversee the activities
of mankind and execute Divine Judgment.
Daniel 4:17"The sentence" refers to the judicial sentence to punish Nebuchadnezzar handed down from God. The decree to execute the sentence was passed down to the angelic watchers, who are called "holy ones," i. e. Elect Angels. The purpose of Nebuchadnezzar's judgment was to make known to the living people on the Earth that "the Most High" (the Sovereign God) rules over mankind. Furthermore, the Sovereign God has the Authority to bestow sovereign power over a kingdom to anyone He wills, even the lowliest person.
The sentence rests in the decree of the watchers,
And the command is the decision of the holy ones
For the purpose that the living may know
That the Most High is the ruler over the kingdom of mankind,
And He bestows it to whom He wills;
And the lowliest of mankind He sets over it.
Daniel interpreted the dream for Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:19-26). Daniel explained that the decision to punish Nebuchadnezzar came from the "Most High" (the Sovereign God) (Dan 4:24). The reason for the punishment was to teach Nebuchadnezzar that God is Sovereign and He appoints kings as sovereign rulers (Dan 4:25).
Twelve months later Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his royal palace and he reflected and said to himself, "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built?" (Dan 4:30). Immediately a voice came from Heaven that declared, "Sovereignty has been removed from you" (Dan 4:31), and Nebuchadnezzar was sent out to eat grass like an ox for seven years (Dan 4:32, 33). His body was drenched with the dew of heaven; his hair grew like eagles' feathers; and his nails like birds' claws. At the end of the period, Nebuchadnezzar's reason returned (Dan 4:34).
So, God taught the lesson of Divine Sovereignty to Nebuchadnezzar by seven years of punishment in which he lived like an animal. The condition, which is called zoanthropy or lycanthropy, includes delusions of being an animal. It was caused by a watcher angel and appears to be caused by angelic (not demonic) possession.
After the ordeal, Nebuchadnezzar gave his testimony.
Daniel 4:34When Nebuchadnezzar's reason was restored, he worshiped "the Most High" (Sovereign God). He praised and honored God, who is Eternal.
"But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom endures from generation to generation."
Daniel 4:35Nebuchadnezzar realized that man is nothing in comparison to God. God does His will with both the angels and mankind. No one can stop or restrain God, and no one can ask Him what He is doing. God is absolutely Sovereign.
"All the inhabitants of the Earth are accounted as nothing,
But He does according to His will in the host of heaven (angels)
And among the inhabitants of Earth;
And no one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, 'What are You doing?' "
Daniel 4:36After his reason was restored, Nebuchadnezzar's majesty and splendor were restored to complete the glory of his kingdom. His counselors and nobles began to seek him out as their leader and for their assignments. And even more greatness was added to him.
"At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty (kingdom), and surpassing greatness was added to me."
Daniel 4:37Nebuchadnezzar was grateful to God. He praised, exalted, and honored Him as the King (Sovereign) of Heaven. He recognized the works of God as doctrine (truth) (X-axis) and Justice (Z-axis). And he became a believer in God's ability to humble those who go about in the sin of pride.
"Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of Heaven, for all His works are doctrine (truth) and His ways are Justice, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride."
Later, when King Belshazzar saw the handwriting on the
wall, Daniel was called to interpret it (Dan 5:5, 13-17). Daniel
first gave him a summary of what happened to Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 5:18Daniel reminded Belshazzar that the "Most High God" had given sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar, his father. Belshazzar had not risen to the glory of his father.
"O king, the Most High God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father."
Daniel 5:19God gave Nebuchadnezzar the greatness as world ruler that caused all people, nations, and those of all languages to fear him. He had sovereign power of life and death and the power to promote or demote.
"Because of the greatness which He gave him, all the peoples, nations, and those of all languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated, and whomever he wished he put down."
Daniel 5:20However, Nebuchadnezzar failed the prosperity test. His heart was puffed up with arrogance. He succumbed to the lure of cosmic thinking. His human "spirit was hardened." He had Hardness of the Heart.1 Consequently, he behaved with the sin of arrogance. He didn't appreciate the Sovereignty of God, who had made him ruler of the world. Nebuchadnezzar was behaving like Satan as world ruler rather than the Lord Jesus Christ who would become world ruler in the Millennium. As punishment God took his glory away from him.
"But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him."
Daniel 5:21Nebuchadnezzar was punished by the angelic watchers so that he thought he was a beast of the field. He lived with the wild asses because he was a jackass, and he ate grass like oxen, or cattle. He lived outside, and his body was drenched with dew. His punishment lasted for seven years until he recognized the Sovereign God (Most High) as supreme ruler over mankind and understood that He promotes whomever He will. The appointment of rulers and authorities is the Sovereign decision of God (Rom 13:1).
"He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of the beast, and his dwelling place was with the wild asses. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He will."
The mountains symbolize female breasts. God Almighty is the omnipotent one over all, who comforts His children like a mother comforts the child on her breast. God comforts and provides security for the believer just as the mother does for the child.
Almighty God (El Shaddai) confirmed the Abrahamic Covenant to Abraham (Gen 17:1-9). He required Abraham to be circumcised in order to have a son and become the father of the nation of Israel (Gen 17:10-14). Sarah would receive a miracle to enable her to bear the child at age 90 (Gen 17:15-16, 19). Thus, it was El Shaddai, the breasted one, who announced to Abraham that he would be a father and Sarah would be a mother.
God appeared as El Shaddai to Abraham (Gen. 17:1; Ex 6:3), Isaac (Gen 28:3) and Jacob (Gen 35:11, 43:14; 48:3) to confirm the Abrahamic Covenant. Joseph's double blessing came from El Shaddai (Gen 49:25). And Shaddai is used for God's power and omnipotence (Ruth 1:20, 21; Job 5:17; 6:4; 8:3; 13:3; 40:2).
Jacob appealed to "God Almighty" when he sent Benjamin back with his brothers to Egypt to free Simeon, whom Joseph was holding hostage.
Genesis 43:14Jacob's prayer to God Almighty was to grant mercy before Joseph so that his sons could safely return.
"and may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he will release to you your other brother (Simeon) and Benjamin. And I, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
When Jacob gave Joseph the double blessing, he referred to God Almighty.
Genesis 49:25 Prayer for Divine BlessingJacob's prayer for Joseph was that the God of his father (Jacob) would help him. He further asked for blessing from the Almighty (Shaddai). The blessings would come from Heaven above, the deep beneath, and the breasts and the womb. "The deep" refers to the waters and the fish in them. The "breasts and the womb" refer to blessing upon the children of Right Man – Right Woman.
From the God of your father, may He help you,
And with the help of the Almighty, may He bless you:
Blessings of Heaven from above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
Genesis 49:26 Surpassing BlessingsJacob's blessings had surpassed the blessings of his forefathers. The blessings extended to "the everlasting hills," meaning all the way to the mountain ranges that had existed from the beginning. Jacob prayed that the blessings would come upon the head of Joseph and his crown since he was distinguished from his brothers by his eminence in the land of Egypt.
The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my progenitors, even to the border of the everlasting hills;
May they come upon the head of Joseph, even upon the crown of the one distinguished among his brothers.
Thus, the Almighty is not just associated with power, but great blessing in life. Joseph received the double blessing of Israel.
The Almighty is also associated with Divine punishment, as with Naomi. After the deaths of her husband and two sons, Naomi was returning from Moab with Ruth, her daughter-in-law. When she arrived in Bethlehem, she was greeted by her old acquaintances (Ruth 1:19). When they called her by her name, Naomi, meaning my pleasantness or gracious, she told them not to call her Naomi but Mara (bitter).
Ruth 1:20Mara, meaning bitter, comes from myrrh, for its bitter taste. Naomi said that the Almighty had dealt very bitterly with her in His cursing.
She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara (bitter), for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
Ruth 1:21Naomi left Bethlehem "full" with a husband and two sons, but she returned "empty" without her husband and sons. She recognized this as the punishment of the Lord, and she added "the Almighty has done harm to me." Doing harm is the Hebrew uu^r* (ra`a` ), meaning to do evil or bring calamity. The Almighty does not do evil, but He does bring severe punishment of the Sin Leading to Death, which happened to Naomi's family due to violation of Right Man – Right Woman. Ruth was meant to be the Right Woman of Boaz, and Naomi's son interfered with that, which brought cursing upon the entire family.2
"I went out full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has done harm to me?"
Job 5:17Eliphaz advised Job that God's reproof brings happiness; therefore, a person should not despise discipline from the Almighty. The Almighty is all-powerful and able to punish.
Behold, happy is the man whom God reproves;
Therefore, do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
Job 6:4Job described his suffering, which came from Satan, as being shot with arrows from the Almighty. He understood that the Almighty is the ultimate source of punishment, even if Satan is used to deliver it. Job was suffering in his spirit as if from poison arrows. His anguish was intensified because it was coming from the Almighty, whom Job served. He had become the enemy of God, and the terrors from God were attacking him.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,
Their poison my spirit drinks;
The terrors of God are arrayed against me.
The Almighty is not only omnipotent but infinite and limitless.
Job 11:7Zophar pointed out to Job that man cannot know the depths of God's knowledge, nor can he discover the limits of God, who is infinite. He continued to explain that they are higher than Heaven and deeper than Sheol; and they are longer than the Earth and broader than the sea (Job 11:8-9).
Can you discover the deep things of God?
Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
The power of the Almighty is able to bless and empower the Church Age Believer.
Ephesians 3:20 Divine DynasphereGod the Father is able to bless us "exceeding abundantly." This is the Greek uJperekperissou' (huperekperissou), meaning infinitely more than, superabundantly. His blessings are above "all that we can ask or think." They are beyond the imagination.
Now to Him (the Father) who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
God's power works in us. This is the Divine Dynasphere that connects the believer to God Almighty. The Divine Dynasphere, which is produced by the Holy Spirit, connects the Christian to all the power of Almighty God. This powerful fellowship with God enables Him to work in us and through us.
Ephesians 3:21The doxology ascribes to God the Father glory in the Church and in Christ forever. God the Father is glorified through the Church whom He called out as the Royal Family for Christ. The Father's glory will be forever.
to Him (the Father) be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:7Paul was given the Spiritual Gift of Apostle from God's Grace. The power of God was operational in Paul inside the Divine Dynasphere to empower him to preach the Gospel.
of which (Gospel) I (Paul) was made a minister, according to the gift of God's Grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
Psalm 36:7The Gracious Love (chesed) of God is precious like jewels. He protects men with His great power in the shadow of His wings.
How precious is Your Gracious Love, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
Psalm 36:8The storehouse of God provides abundance to man. People drink from the river of His delights. He satisfies their hunger, and delights them with His delicacies.
They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house;
You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
Psalm 36:9God is the source of the fountain of Eternal Life. In God's Spiritual Light believers are able to see with Divine viewpoint (2 Cor 4:18; 1 Jn 1:7).
For with You is the fountain of Life;
In Your Light we see Light.
Believers will dwell with the Almighty in the Eternal State (Heaven).
Revelation 21:22In the Heavenly Jerusalem of the Eternal State, there will be no temple because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (the Lord Jesus Christ) will be there. The reality will replace the symbols in the Temple.
I did not see a temple in it (the Heavenly Jerusalem), for you see, the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb are it's sanctuary.
In answer to his prayer, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and promised him abundance.
1 Kings 3:13God promised Solomon riches and honor greater than all the kings of Earth.
"I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be a man among the kings like you all your days."
Romans 9:23 God's Glory Given to Ordinary CABsGod's blessings for the Church Age Believer are beyond anything in the previous Age of Israel. Only a few believers in Israel were endued with the Holy Spirit. None of them had the fantastic Spiritual life of the Church in which every believer can be filled with the Holy Spirit. In the Church Age even the ordinary believer is a king and a priest. Because of the victory of Christ on the Cross, God is free to bestow on the Christian the "riches of His glory."
in order that He (God) might make known to you the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for His glory.
The riches of glory are God's superabundant Spiritual blessings that reflect the glory of God. They are Heavenly blessings bestowed on "vessels of mercy," the ordinary Church Age Believer. The "vessels of mercy" are from among the Gentiles rather than the Jews. Because the Jews rejected Christ, the Father called out the Church as His Royal Family from among the Gentiles. As the Royal Family, Church Age believers have the highest calling of any believers in history. Even believers in the Millennium will not have the status of Church Age Believers.
"Which He prepared beforehand" refers to Church Age Believers ("vessels of mercy"). This is Antecedent Grace, when God decided to call out the Church as Christ's Royal Family in Eternity past. He also set aside blessings in escrow for the Church. The blessing are "for His glory." God is glorified in blessing the Church Age Believer.
Ephesians 1:18 Personal Sense of DestinyThis is Paul's prayer for the Ephesian congregation that they might know their calling and the blessings of their inheritance. He prayed that the eyes of their heart might be enlightened. This is a metaphor for Divine enlightenment through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The enlightenment should include perceiving the hope of the Father's calling. This is their Personal Sense of Destiny. This is understanding the purpose of their New Spiritual Life.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His (the Father's) calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
The enlightenment also includes recognizing the great blessings of their inheritance from the Father. The blessings are described as the "riches of glory." These are the superabundant blessings, which God the Father set aside in escrow in eternity past to be delivered by the Lord Jesus Christ in Time. The escrow blessings are usually delivered at Spiritual Maturity and beyond when the believer develops capacity to handle them.
Ephesians 3:8"Unfathomable" is the Greek ajnexicnivasto" (anexichniastos), from (aj, not) + (ek, out) + (i[cno", track) = unable to track out; unsearchable, inscrutable, incomprehensible, fathomless. The Gentiles are the recipients of the "riches of Christ." The "riches of Christ" are the invaluable doctrines of Christ and all they entail. The Lord Jesus Christ is the King and High Priest, and Christians are members of His Royal Family and His Church (Body of Christ). In future ages Christians will rule and reign with Christ and be the Priesthood of all believers.
To me (Paul), the very least of all the saints, this Grace has been given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ.
Ephesians 3:16 Spiritual Power by GracePaul prayed for the Ephesians that God would strengthen them on the basis of "the riches of His glory." "The riches of His glory" refer to the great Spiritual wealth that God has set aside for them. The blessings glorify God, the Giver.
that He (the Father) may give you on the basis of the riches of His glory to become strong with power through His Spirit in the inner person (the soul).
He prayed that they would "become strong with power." "Become strong" refers to Spiritual Growth, which is associated with completing the Edification Complex of the Soul through the daily metabolization of Bible Doctrine. Spiritual Growth includes increasing in strength and power in the Spiritual life. "To become strong" is the Greek krataiovw, (krataioo), and "power" is the Greek duvnami" (dunamis). Power is a measure of work, which is a function of time. Full power comes from the completed ECS. Power is also a measure of capacity:
"Through His Spirit" refers to the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the agent of God the Father. The Holy Spirit produces
the strength and power in the soul of the believer. The Holy Spirit
provides the power for the execution of the Spiritual Life through the
daily metabolization of Bible Doctrine. The soul is called the "inner
person" (Rom 2:29; 7:22; 2 Cor 4:16; 1 Pet 3:4). The filling of the
Holy Spirit controls the soul.
Philippians 4:19God the Father provided for the needs of the Christian in His Divine Design. Every need will be supplied on the basis of God's "riches in glory," His wealth of blessings. Provision for our needs along with great blessings were set aside in Eternity past. The blessings for the Christian are in the sphere of Christ. God the Father blesses the Christian through his relationship with Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the agent of the Father.
And my God will supply your every need on the basis of His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Escrow blessings are also provided for Eternity.
Ephesians 2:7The Father has set aside Escrow Blessings for the Christian in the "coming ages" (Millennium and Eternal State). The great blessings, which glorify the Father, will be generously bestowed on Christians through their relationship with Jesus Christ.
that He (the Father) might show us in the coming ages (Millennium, Eternal State) the surpassing riches of His Grace by generosity toward us in Christ Jesus.
Even Christians who are slaves can look forward to great rewards in the Resurrection.
Colossians 3:23 Serving in WorkThis verse is addressed to Christian slaves. Slaves were commanded to do their work from their soul. The soul was redeemed from slavery to sin. The human spirit serves God, but the soul of the slave serves his master. The spirit is free, but the soul of the slave is not free. The slave must submit to his master's authority from his soul. The slave must do his work "as to the Lord" by obeying Bible Doctrine and submitting to authority.
Whatever you do, do your work from your soul, as to the Lord, and not to people;
Colossians 3:24 Serving ChristEternal rewards will be received from the Lord at the Evaluation Throne by Christians (slave or free) who do their job as unto the Lord. The inheritance will be received at the Evaluation Throne and in the Eternal State (1 Pet 1:4). Rewards are part of the inheritance. The inheritance and rewards will bless the Christian and glorify God for all Eternity.
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. You serve the Master Christ.
Deuteronomy 27:10Moses commanded Israel to "obey the voice of the LORD your God." This doesn't mean that the people heard the voice of the Lord. The Lord, who was the preincarnate Christ, spoke the will of God to the prophets, and the prophets spoke to the people. The people were to obey the commandments and statutes of the Mosaic Law.
"You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God and keep His commandments and His statutes which I command you today."
The only way to maintain fellowship with God is to obey His Word. Failure to obey is a sin, and God will not have fellowship with sin.
At the beginning of the Church Age when Peter and the Apostles were teaching and healing (Acts 5:14-16), the religious Jews of Jerusalem became jealous and arrested them (Acts 5:17). Every time they arrested them, an angel from the Lord would release them from prison (Acts 5:18-19). When they were reprimanded before the Sanhedrin and ordered not to teach any more about Jesus Christ, they replied:
Acts 5:29God the Father is the ultimate source of authority, but He also delegates authority. There are angelic authorities and human authorities.
But answering, Peter and the apostles said, "We must obey God rather than men."
Romans 13:1 AuthorityGod delegates authority to governments under the Laws of Establishment. Governing authorities have temporal authority from God. There are also Spiritual authorities in the Church. Everyone must obey legitimate authorities. Rejection of their authority amounts to rejection of God's authority.
Let every soul be in subjection to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except established by God, and those who exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:2 Resisting AuthorityThose who resist authority, whether believer or unbeliever, will receive Divine Judgment because they are also rejecting God's authority. Disobedience to God's authority destroys fellowship with Him. Obedience to authority includes paying taxes (Rom 13:6-7).
Therefore, the one who resists authority has resisted the ordinance of God, and those who resist will receive Judgment upon themselves.
Time Axis
Spiritual Rapport
Testing
Ecclesiastes 3:1 Time"Appointed time" means an appointed time plus duration. "A time for every pleasure," means there is also a suitable time for every event.
There is an appointed time for everything
And a time for every pleasure under Heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:2There are specific times for birth and death. These are God's Sovereign decisions. God alone determines the time, manner, and place of birth and death. There are also suitable times to plant and to plow. Solomon included a list of examples of appointed times (Eccl 3:2-8). Nations have a birth date and duration specified in God's Design (Acts 17:26).
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
Since time stamps are included for the events in God's Sovereign Design, recognizing the time of events is an indicator of God's thinking. However, the question arises as to what kind of clock God uses. The answer is that it doesn't matter to us, but what does matter is what is revealed along with the events. For example, God allows man to use his own calendar and clock, and God relates events to man's calendar and clock. In this system, the month, day, year along with the time of day are associated with historical events. Numbers for day, year, and time can be decoded by knowing the meaning of numbers.4
Additional insight can be gained by God's clocks in the heavens. His clocks are the movement of the planets of the Solar System against the backdrop of the signs of the Zodiac.5 Using these clocks the Ages of history as well as the time of day can be measured.6 The Sun advances through the 12 signs of the Zodiac every year, and the Moon completes a cycle once per month. Every day contains 24 hours. A week is a category of suffering in which the number of each day beginning with Sunday comes true per the meaning of the number.
The hands on God's clocks are the planets of the Solar System. At a given time the planets are pointing to signs of the Zodiac. The combinations have meaning, and the configurations have meaning. At each point in time, there are ten planets (counting the Sun and Moon) pointing to signs of the Zodiac. Thus, there are at least ten revelations about each point in time.
God's time measurements are also revealed in other ways. Biorhythms are cycles based upon the day of birth. A person's age is another time measurement. The number of every year comes true based upon the meaning of the number. For example, age 20 is the draft age; age 22 is cursing; and age 23 is an historical uptrend.
Understanding time is very important in synchronizing with God. Staying synchronized with God is like dancing, where He is the leader, and we are followers. The intricacies of the movements in the dance require maturity and mastery of the skills of the Spiritual life. The duration requires endurance. The objective is to have Spiritual Rapport with God.
Ephesians 3:19 Love of ChristGetting to know the Love of Christ is response to His Love with reciprocal Love. This Love is beyond human academic knowledge. Getting to know the Love of Christ requires the Edification Complex of the Soul, which is the home for Christ in the soul. The ECS has a foundation (like roots of separation from world) and superstructure (like a tree established through Spiritual Growth). Loving Christ also requires the filling of the Holy Spirit and Grace Orientation, which includes waiting on the Lord, after which the Holy Spirit will pour out the Love for Christ in the heart (Rom 5:5).
and get to know the Love of Christ which goes beyond human knowledge, that you may be filled, resulting in all the fulness from God
The love relationship with Jesus Christ will result in Spiritual growth. The purpose of this Spiritual growth is "that you may be filled resulting in all the fulness from God." Being filled refers to capacity for love for God and blessing. This is Spiritual Rapport with God. Spiritual Rapport with God includes harmonious rapport with Christ (Rom 15:29; Eph 1:23; 4:13).
Spiritual Rapport with God is the ultimate mature relationship with Him. It requires overcoming Satan and his Cosmic System. Job was promoted to Spiritual Rapport after Satan tested him. However, there are times of rapport with God and harmony with Christ along the way. There is Spiritual Rapport at Salvation, but it is lost as soon as the person sins. Rebound restores rapport with God, but immaturity produces friction, and Divine punishment is often required to reestablish priorities.
The testing between Good and evil occurs every day in human history. Individuals choose to stand with God or to sin and becomes slaves of the Old Sin Nature and Satan. During testing God allows the Righteous Christian to be attacked by Satan and his Cosmic System. This amounts to God backing away and allowing Satan to cross examine the witness. Christians in this situation are isolated and vulnerable to Satanic counterattack. They are like Daniel in the lion's den or Paul being attacked by the thorn demon. In the case of Job, the Lord stepped aside and let Satan destroy Job's lifestyle, including his family and possessions. Then Satan influenced Job's relationships with his friends.
When pressure rolls in, it is important for the Christian to remain loyal to God. During testing God will not answer the believer's prayers to remove the suffering because that would nullify the test. Prayer is not a Problem Solving Device. Testing must be passed by application of Bible Doctrine with the Problem Solving Devices. When Paul prayed for God to remove the demon that was attacking him, God refused because that would have nullified the test. During the testing, God will provide the doctrine to pass it (1 Cor 10:13). And when the test is passed, the believer will be given more Grace and promoted (Jas 4:6; 1 Pet 5:6, 10). Waiting for God to promote is important. God's time is the right time.
So, whether the beginner believer or the mature believer is being tested, the methodology for handling the test and passing it are basically the same. Testing for Spiritual Rapport is just a more mature variation of testing than the temptation of the beginner believer to sin. Both types of testing offer the believer a choice between obeying God or giving in to sin and evil. God protects the believer and only brings the level of testing that he is capable of handling (1 Cor 10:13).
The believer's perspective in testing is also very important. Our testing is for God's glory, not ours. When we serve in the Army of the Lord, the battle is bigger than us. We are simply soldiers in the Lord's battle. Whether we are casualties or victors, "the battle is the Lord's" (1 Sam 17:47). He is engaged in a war with Satan and the fallen angels. God's purpose in the battle is superior to ours. We must complete our assigned objective in the battle. We may win or lose, but victory belongs to the Lord. The battle is for Him, not for us. Even though we are tested in battle, the Lord's objectives are superior to ours.
Some tests are long and drawn out. They require not only Spiritual strength and Capacity for Life, but endurance. The death of Jesus Christ on the Cross for a period of six hours was an endurance test. He stayed on the Cross until He had finished bearing all the sins of the world. During the last three hours when He bore the sins of the world, it was a sustained endurance test that required staying power (Heb 12:2). He paid for all the sins of the world before He died physically.
Endurance tests require staying power and perseverance until the test is completed (Rom 5:3-4). Patience and longsuffering may be required. Giving up before completing the test results in failing the test. God determines how long the endurance test must be sustained. Thus, time is an issue in testing. For example, testing for the Crown of Life required ten days of being imprisoned (Rev 2:10). When the endurance test is passed, God will give more Grace in Capacity for Life, and He will promote the believer at the appropriate time.
The Christian's Fellowship with Christ
X-Axis Fellowship
Y-Axis Fellowship
Z-Axis Fellowship
Time Axis
Fellowship in the Levels of Maturity
Fellowship Through the Holy Spirit
Fellowship
with the Lord Jesus Christ begins at Salvation (1 Cor 1:9) (ref. Stages
of Growth).8 The Christian meets Jesus Christ
as His Savior at the moment of Salvation. The experience of meeting
Jesus Christ at Salvation is usually a clear and vivid memory throughout
life. Even those who never orient to their Salvation and learn about
their Savior, seldom forget that event. Even the carnal or reversionistic
believer usually has a vivid testimony of his Salvation. Many work
out the details of their Salvation to formulate a dramatic story that attracts
unbelievers and is appreciated by fellow believers. The testimony
honors and glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.
After Salvation, the love and appreciation for Christ motivates the new Christian to learn about his Salvation. He begins to attend Church where other Christians gather to worship the Lord who saved them. What should happen is the new Christian should learn the doctrines of his own Salvation and submit to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Word (Matt 11:29-30). As he learns Bible Doctrine, he makes very important decisions which alter the course of his life. This requires separating from the lifestyle of the past and finding a Grace-Oriented Church where there is accurate teaching of Bible Doctrine.
Learning the basic doctrines of Christianity can take six months or more. During this time the love for Christ gives the believer a hunger for the Word. The Christian who is positive will find his Right Pastor and begin to grow Spiritually. During this beginner phase, there will be times when there is a close personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are known through the filling of the Holy Spirit. The believer who learns to Rebound will quickly come to know about fellowship with God. He will also experience Divine punishment and will suffer for his failures. The beginner believer will be on an emotional roller coaster like a newborn baby (1 Pet 2:2). But through it all he will know his Father and never forget his Savior.
Most Christians never make it out of the baby phase. Even the so-called great theologians are often stuck in Spiritual childhood. Spiritual growth only comes through daily metabolization of Bible Doctrine under the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As more doctrine is learned, the Christian shows his love for Christ by obeying the Word and separating from the world just as the disciples of Christ left everything and followed Him when He called them (Matt 4:18-22; Mk 1:16-20). Those who love the Lord more than the world will cut the ties with the world and advance in doctrine (1 Pet 1:14). Those who do not will be stuck in the rut of carnality like the seed that fell among thorns (Matt 13:7, 22; Mk 4:7, 19; Lk 8:7, 14). Their Spiritual advance will stall out, and they will succumb to emotion. Many of these misfits work themselves into influential positions in apostate churches where their self-righteousness veneer is not recognized.
Those who pass the hurdle of separation from the world will continue demonstrating their love for Christ by learning advanced Bible Doctrine. They will become serious students of the Word, or disciples (Jn 8:31; 13:35; Lk 8:1-3; 14:26-27, 33). They will continue in this Spiritual Growth phase. Then they will be tested in Spiritual Warfare (Eph 6:12). They will be forced to use Bible Doctrine to fight Satan and his demons. During Spiritual Warfare, the Lord Jesus Christ will be the Commander, who must be obeyed exactly. He will reveal the orders, and the Christian Soldier must learn to render implicit obedience and march into battle against the enemy. The fellowship with Christ in Spiritual Warfare is the relationship of a soldier and his Commander, corresponding to the warfare in the Book of Joshua and David's battles.
The Christian Soldier who passes the testing of Spiritual Warfare will next undergo suffering (Rom 8:17; 2 Cor 1:5; Phil 1:29; 3:8, 10; 1 Pet 4:1, 13; Rev 2:10). Doctrine is the only way to pass suffering. The sufficiency of Bible Doctrine to handle suffering must be demonstrated. The suffering involves people testing, thought testing, system testing, and crisis testing. There will be Providential Preventative Suffering in which limited suffering averts larger disasters. And there will be undeserved suffering, which must be accepted in stride. The suffering is like Rudyard Kipling's poem, "If."
The Suffering phase continues until the paradigm ends. The Christian, in effect, goes to the cross (Gal 2:20). He must obey to the point of death. He must face the fiery furnace or the lion's den. When he has passed the test, he will be promoted into the new paradigm of Spiritual Maturity. He will enter Spiritual Maturity by the skin of his teeth and begin to live like a Spiritual adult. He will no longer be a spiritual child or an adolescent. He will have decorations from Spiritual combat and suffering to wear on his future Uniform of Glory in his Resurrection Body. His fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ will be that of a Spiritual adult with a completed Edification Complex of the Soul (ECS) from which he can have Reciprocal Love for Christ (Eph 3:17, 19; 1 Jn 4:19) and be like a Spiritually pure virgin (2 Cor 11:2). The completed ECS enables the mature believer to have fellowship with Christ along the strategically aligned X, Y, Z, and Time axes.
Spiritual Maturity is an opportunity to become a winner believer (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7. The mature believer will learn to function on the temporal side as a King (2 Cor 5:20; 1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6) and on the Spiritual side as a Priest (1 Pet 2:5). He will be a slave to the Master Christ, and a priest under the Lord Jesus Christ, the High Priest (Eph 1:22-23; Heb 4:16). Spiritual gifts will be operational in Spiritual Maturity, and the Christian can enter his service in the Church and have historical impact. He will become an invisible hero who influences the course of history. There will be bountiful Divine Good production through the Grace of God, and every relationship of life will be handled Spiritually. That includes Right Man – Right Woman and Marriage.
Beyond Spiritual Maturity the strategic objective is to reach Spiritual Rapport (Phil 4:7). Testing for Spiritual Rapport involves winning the victory over Satan and his Cosmic System (2 Cor 12:9; 1 Jn 4:4; 5:4-5). The believer will meet Satan and defeat him by the Grace of God. Fellowship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ will be tested by Satan and his demons. People who are under the influence of Satan and his demons, including the Evil King and Prostitute of Babylon, must also be defeated. This differs from Spiritual Warfare in that Spiritual Warfare was fighting with support from an army. This warfare is direct engagement with the enemy. The demons slap you in the face, infiltrate your thinking, and weaken your body.
Testing for Spiritual Rapport includes Evidence Testing in which the believer becomes a witness for the Lord against Satan in the Appeal Trial (Job 1:12-22; 2:6-13). Defeating Satan glorifies God. The Christian who perseveres to Spiritual Rapport demonstrates his Love for the Lord Jesus Christ through the most rigorous testing of this life. Even when the Lord delivers him into Satan's hands for testing, he demonstrates the sufficiency of Grace to handle the cursing.
Promotion to Spiritual Rapport is a great blessing in Time, and it carries with it great rewards for Eternity. Rewards include the crowns of Righteousness, Life, and Glory that are worn on the Resurrection Body. Spiritual Rapport with God includes harmonious rapport with the Lord Jesus Christ. It includes peace and harmony in the Spiritual life. This includes rest from ones own works and receiving one's inheritance in Grace.
The final objective is Dying Grace. For the Christian who has fulfilled his destiny in this life and run his course, dying is the ultimate experience. A contingent of angels will be dispatched to take him home. He will leave his body of sin and this vale of tears and be caught up to glory where he will meet His Lord and Savior face-to-face.
Psalm 116:15Death is always God's victory, but the death of His saints (Hebrew dys!j* (chasid), gracious ones) (Psalm 30:4; 31:23; 37:28; 116:15) is a glorious occasion. The believer who has fulfilled his purpose in this life will carry his testimony to Heaven. There he will be greeted with "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matt 25:23). The one who honored the Lord in life will glorify Him in death. His sweet aroma will rise from the ashes of the altar.
Precious in the sight of the LORD
Is the death of His saints (gracious ones).
Rejection of Jesus Christ will result in cursing, slavery to the world, and dying the Sin Leading to Death (Nu 14:29; Prov 14:12; Jer 21:8; Rom 6:16, 21, 23; 8:6, 13; 1 Cor 10:5; Gal 6:8; Heb 3:17; Jas 5:20).
The Holy Spirit reveals the thinking of Christ to the believer. However, there are no voices. The words have already been spoken in the Bible. Nothing new is added, but application is made to the current situation. So, fellowship with Christ is understanding the revelation of the Holy Spirit and obeying the Word (1 Jn 3:24). Living in the Word is fellowship with Christ.
Fellowship with Christ is personal. He is the King
of the Royal Family and the Lord of the Church. He knows all about
the New Spiritual life of the individual believer. He knows his destiny.
He knew it in Eternity past, and He specified all that is required to fulfill
the New Life. He leads the Christian Soldier into battle. "The
battle is the Lord's" (1 Sam 17:47). And He leads the believer-priest
in worship. "He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will
I ever forsake you' " (Heb 13:5b).
The Word
Creator
New Spiritual Species
Edification
Perception
Abiding in Faith, Doctrine
Abiding in Sanctification
John 1:1"In the beginning" refers to the beginning of Creation (Gen 1:1). When the Universe was created, the Word already existed. "The Word" did not begin at the beginning. The Word already existed.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
"The Word was with God." The Word existed with God the Father in Eternity past. "And the Word was God." The Word was coequal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
John 1:2The Word was in existence in the beginning. Before the Universe was created, when there was only God, the Word existed. The Word is the Lord Jesus Christ, who always existed as a member of the Trinity.
This One was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3The Word was the Creator of all things. All of Creation came into being by Him. That includes the Universe, angels, animals, and man. Nothing has ever come into existence apart from the Word.
All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
John 1:4In Him (Jesus Christ) was Eternal Life. He was the Savior. Those who believe in Him will receive Eternal Life. Eternal Life enables believers to see the Light of God. So, the Word was also the Light of the world, as symbolized by the Golden Lampstand in the Tabernacle.
In Him was Eternal Life, and the Eternal Life was the Light of men.
John 1:14"The Word became flesh." This refers to the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who "tabernacled among us." "Tabernacled" is the Greek skhnovw (skenoo), which means to live in a tent. This is a metaphor for living in a physical body in Hypostatic Union. The Lord Jesus Christ had the glory of God. He was "uniquely born," which is the Greek monogenhv" (monogenes), from (mono", unique) + (genov", born) = uniquely born. He was the uniquely born Son of the Father. He was born of a virgin without sin. He was undiminished Deity and perfect humanity combined in Hypostatic Union. He was the God Man. He was full of Grace and Doctrine (Truth). Bible Doctrine is the Word.
And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we saw His glory, the glory of the uniquely born from the Father, full of Grace and doctrine.
As the Word, Jesus Christ communicates the thinking of God to mankind. The Word is synonymous with scripture. When the Lord speaks, it is recorded in scripture. Scripture is the communication of Jesus Christ on behalf of the Father.
The Lord Jesus Christ will be called by the title, "The Word of God," when He returns at the Second Advent.
Revelation 19:13When the Lord Jesus Christ returns at the Second Advent, it will be to fulfill the promises in the Word.
He is clothed with a robe stained with blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
The Lord Jesus Christ as the Word came into the world in order that people might believe in Him and be saved. Just as the Word corresponds to the X-axis of the Spiritual life, so does believing, or having faith.
John 1:12Those who received Jesus Christ as Savior were given the right to become children of God. They became members of God's family. This was accomplished by believing in the name (or person) of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of His Earthly ministry during the Passover, many believed in the name of Jesus and were saved (Jn 2:23).
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
Salvation is through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Identification with the Lord Jesus Christ for Salvation is through faith, which corresponds to the X-axis.
John 3:16God the Father Loved the world so much that He provided His Son to pay for their sins, so they could have Salvation. His Son was "uniquely born," which is the Greek monogenhv" (monogenes), from (mono", unique) + (genov", born) = uniquely born. This refers to Jesus Christ, the God Man, in Hypostatic Union. Those who believe in Jesus Christ will not perish in Hell but will have Eternal Life. Salvation is by believing in Jesus Christ. This is an X-axis function.
For you see, in this manner, God Loved the world, that He gave His uniquely born Son that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have Eternal Life.
So, Jesus Christ is the Word of God. Knowledge of Him comes through scripture. He is the Word. When He speaks, He speaks as God. What the Father wills, the Son communicates. He creates all things and upholds them with the Word of His power. Knowing Jesus Christ requires knowing His Word. Faith is believing the Word. Faith for Salvation is believing in Jesus Christ, who is the Word. Fellowship with Jesus Christ, who is in Heaven, is through faith.
All the scripture that will be written before the Rapture has already been written. Following the completion of the Book of Revelation, anyone who adds to the scripture or deletes it will be cursed (Rev 22:18, 19). Therefore, Jesus Christ will not speak any words in fellowship with believers. He has already spoken. What He said is recorded in scripture. If He said anything new, that would be recorded in scripture, but that would bring a curse (Rev 22:18, 19). Thus, Jesus Christ does not speak in fellowship with the believer. He has already spoken.
Fellowship with Jesus Christ is through the Holy Spirit, who reveals Him. The believer is very much aware of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Love and fellowship are there, but He is not visible, and He is silent. However, He bears witness of His Word, and the Christian who knows the Word also knows the Lord Jesus Christ and knows His will. Being in fellowship with Jesus Christ requires obeying the scripture through faith.
In personal fellowship with Jesus Christ, the believer is aware of His presence. This is like two people being alone together. It is very real and very personal, but it is Spiritual. Communication is Spiritual. It is silent and without words. The thoughts and impressions are real, but they are not verbal. Understanding is through faith. Those who understand Bible Doctrine will be able to understand their relationship with Jesus Christ. Those who do not will not recognize Him.
Fellowship with Jesus Christ is not emotional. The connection to Jesus Christ is Spiritual. It is clear and free of emotion, like a digital connection over fiber optics. Emotion is a soulish reaction or response. Relationship with God is Spiritual. God does not have emotion, and our relationship with Him is not emotional. Love and Happiness are part of fellowship with God, but they are Spiritual, not emotional.
Psalm 33:6In the first act of Creation, the Lord (the preincarnate Christ) specified, or decreed, the Universe into existence (Gen 1:1). Before the Universe was created, there only existed God. God is one in essence with three functions, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all one. They do not talk to each other. They are all together and never separate. They function in conjunction as the X, Y, and Z axes.
By the Decree of the LORD the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
Before
the Creation of the Universe God never spoke. He didn't need to because
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all one. And speaking is external
communication. There was nothing with which to communicate.
The first time God ever communicated externally was when the Universe
was created. At that time, the Lord specified, or decreed, the existence
of the Universe. "Decree" is the Hebrew rb*D*
(dabar), which means specification, decree, or command. The
Lord specified, or commanded, the Universe to exist. He called into
being what never existed before. He had the power to do so.
And when it was created, the Universe was under the authority of the Lord.
According to the Divine order of Creation, the specification of the Universe
into existence by the Lord Jesus Christ is symbolized by the color blue.
The Decree of the Lord to create the Universe was not a verbal command. The Lord did not say anything. References to the Lord speaking at Creation are anthropomorphisms and metaphors. Another analogy is the Potter, whose mind controls his hands to make a pot. The mind corresponds to the Lord, and the hands correspond to the Holy Spirit. The pot corresponds to the Universe.
After the Universe was created, the Lord created the angels, called "their host." The angels were given the Spirit of angelic life. This is called metaphorically "the breath of His mouth," since breath symbolizes Spirit and the mouth is for communicating. Jesus Christ specified, or decreed, the angels into existence, and the Holy Spirit gave them life. After the angels were created, the Lord spoke to them in an angelic language. He appeared to angels as the Angel of the Lord, and he spoke their language.
Psalm 33:9What the Lord declared was done. "Declared" is the Hebrew rm^a* ('amar). This was non-verbal communication. The Lord was calling the Universe into existence. He commanded the Universe, and it came into being under His authority. The Holy Spirit produced what the Lord commanded. When the Lord commanded, the Universe stood fast. It came into being. It was instantiated. The Lord Jesus Christ as the Word created all things (Jn 1:1, 3).
For He declared, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
Psalm 148:5The heavens symbolize praise for their Creator. The Lord commanded and they were created. "Created" is the Hebrew ar*B( (bara'), which means to create from what never existed before. The Lord's command was to the heavens (the Universe).
Let them (the heavens) praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.
Psalm 148:6The Lord established the heavens to exist through the ages of history. With the Creation of the Universe, the Lord made a law to govern them. This law includes the laws of physics, which will not be transgressed (or violated). The Sun rises each day because of the law of God that governs the Universe.
He established them forever and ever;
He made a law which will not be transgressed.
Romans 11:36God is the source of all things. "Him" refers to God, although each member of the Godhead had a part in Creation. The Lord Jesus Christ, who reveals God, is also referred to as the Creator of all things.
For from Him (God) and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 8:6God the Father is the source of all things of Creation. However, all things of Creation came into existence through the Lord Jesus Christ, who specified them into existence.
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
Colossians 1:16Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things in the heavens and on Earth. He created man and angels. He created the Universe and all creatures in it (John 1:3; Heb. 1:2, 10). The hierarchy of angelic creation is:
For by agency of Him (Christ) all things were created in the heavens and on Earth, visible (mankind) and invisible (angels), whether thrones (Throne Angels), or Angelic Powers, or Commanders, or authorities (Managers) – all things through Him and for the purpose of Him have been created.
Hebrews 1:2 God Spoke by His SonJesus Christ, the Son, speaks for the Father. The Father made the ages of history through the Son. "The ages" includes everything that exists in Time, which began with the Creation of the Universe.
But now, in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the ages,
Hebrews 1:3 Glory of Christ in Hypostatic UnionThe Lord Jesus Christ, who is the essence of God, controls all of Creation with verbal communication. "Essence" is the Greek uJpovstasi" (hupostasis), from (uJpov) + (stavsi", stand) = standing under; essence; to take upon oneself something extra without losing what was had. Jesus Christ stood under Deity. He has the same essence as the Father and Holy Spirit. "His power" is produced by the work of the Holy Spirit. Everything, whether inanimate or animate, is controlled by the spoken Word of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ holds the Universe together. All created things are held together in their exact X, Y, Z, and Time relationships.7
Who, being the effulgence of His glory, and the exact representation of His essence, also upholding all things by the verbal communication of His power, having Himself accomplished purification for our sins, sat down at the right side of the Majesty on high.
Hebrews 11:3 Divine Implementation of History"Faith" is a non-meritorious means of perception. It refers to believing something without proof. We accept the fact that God is the One who created the ages. "The ages" refers to the Universe and ages of time. This refers to all the ages: the original creation (Gen. 1:1) and subsequent restoration (Gen. 1:3ff.) of the Universe (Isa 45:18) and ages of time (Heb 1:2). "Decree" is the Greek rh'ma, (rhema), meaning spoken word, decree; expression, communication. The "decree" from the source of God does not mean that God is speaking. God is responsible, but the Lord Jesus Christ decrees. The "decree" is the specification of God's Design by the Lord Jesus Christ. God's Design is predestined to come about (1 Cor 2:7).
By Faith we perceive that the ages have been prepared by the decree from God, with the result that what is seen has not originated from the source of the things which are visible.
2 Peter 3:5The heavens (Universe) existed from ancient times. They were created a long time ago. The Earth was also created along with the Universe, but it was refashioned for man during the more recent recreation in seven days. The Earth was covered with ice, which had to be melted as a part of the seven days of recreation (Gen 1:2, 6, 9; Psa 24:2; 136:6). All of Creation is held together by commands of the Word of God. The Word is able to move mountains (Matt 17:20; 21:21; 1 Cor 13:2).
For you see, in maintaining this, it escapes their notice that the heavens existed from ancient times, and the Earth out from water and by water, holding together by means of the Word of God,
Author: Larry Wood, Released - September 12, 2013 - Revised June 3, 2016
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