Thursday, December 15, 2011
The Dependence of The Soul by Rabon Byrd
A few years ago, I was involved in a search concerning the High Priest, and I ran across a verse in Hebrews that I had heard many times yet I had never heard it or understood it in the context of that portion of the letter. Hebrews 10:25, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Again, I had heard this verse many times as a Christian, but unfortunately, it was always being used as a means to condemn people for not attending church. I remember having people through the years of my going to "Christian" meetings, when I would not show up for a service; express their disapproval by saying 'You know the Bible says 'forsake not the assembling of yourselves.' However, it was not until many years later that the Lord began to show me the context of that statement. It is a direct reference to Christ our Great High Priest and our being assembled or gathered within Him. I began to understand that you can be in a building together and still forsake your assembling. You can be in the same room and not be there in the acknowledgement of your being assembled as One, in One. When that is your state, you are walking in contradiction to the Truth as it is in Christ. You can be present every time a sermon is preached, and every time the door is opened and you can still walk contrary to this reality. The only way that the knowing of that assembling takes place is by the same means as it was made known in the Old Testament. It is the seeing of the One in whom we are gathered.
As I consider the Day of Atonement and the importance of that day, one thing that occurs to me as never before is the state of absolute dependence in which Israel found itself. When Israel saw their High Priest, they saw themselves gathered in that one man (by reason of the breastplate he wore) and that one man became, in their view, in their midst, the living embodiment and personification of the Salvation that at one time was hidden behind a veil, but now is made openly manifest by His appearing. It is this appearing and this seeing that will cause us to never forsake the reality of our being gathered together in Him Who is our Great High Priest.
On this Day, Israel was gathered at the tabernacle, yet because of the veil they were unable to observe that which was accomplished (when all was accomplished) in heaven (holy of holies). Of course, we know that in Christ, the veil is done away, but according to Paul, that veil remains upon the heart of man until it turns to see the Lord in His appearing. So, how is Israel to know what is now finished? How can they come to an acknowledgement of what their High Priest has accomplished? How can they become partakers and participants in this great atonement? Here we see the depths of their dependence. We see that for them to come to the knowledge of this finished work, they are dependent upon something to take place that is not within their power or capacity to make happen. They must be in the right posture, which is waiting and looking with expectation for Him, for they are dependent upon HIS APPEARING in their midst, for that work to become the abounding realization in which they shall live, move and have their being. My point is that we who are in Christ are just as dependent upon the appearing of Christ within our souls if we are to know and experience, in truth, anything of this Great Salvation of which He is the source and the abiding substance.
With that in mind, we now look at Colossians 3:1, "If ye then be risen with Christ" Although the King James phrases this using a conditional statement, most commentaries will say that Paul is speaking of a condition that has been realized or fulfilled. In other words, Paul is stating this state of union with Christ as a realized and fulfilled FACT. Ye ARE risen with Christ. Kenneth Wuest says, "In view of the fact, therefore, that you were raised with Christ. I read that one day, and the word "fact" just grabbed me and I became more aware that in Christ we are dealing with the eternally established FACT of God. We are not dealing with types and figures now; we are dealing with eternal reality.
Salvation is a fact that God not only intended to have, but NOW HAS in His Son. To me that means so much, because I am seeing my dependence on the Spirit more than I ever have to make known that fact in my heart. I read and I study, and we all do, and we see things. However, I am talking about this eternal fact of God being made known in our souls. That is an absolute necessity. It is one thing for us to be in Christ in Whom all that God has intended is realized, but it is an altogether other thing to have that same Christ revealed within by the Spirit so that what God has accomplished and realized in His Beloved Son, may become the abounding and transforming realization of our souls. I have been awakened to the necessity of that taking place, but in view of that necessity, I am more conscious of the dependence of the soul upon the Spirit of God to reveal Christ in order for us to know anything and I do mean anything of the Great Salvation we have in Him. If that does not take place, I am left with vain imaginations and opinions. I am left "with a veiled heart". However, such conjectural thoughts are remedied by one work of God: The Appearing of our Lord in our hearts.
There is no way to know this eternal fact except HE appear. Knowing, just as with the High Priest, is inseparably bound up with seeing Him. The knowing of which the New Testament speaks is not the result of academic learning and scholarly pursuits. So many times that becomes a hindrance to true knowledge. We can become so occupied with the accumulation of theological intelligence from without (external sources), that it can unfortunately become a substitute for the knowledge of God being made known by the revealing of Christ within.
This New Testament knowing is an inner acknowledgement, an intimate encounter and participation with the Person of The Truth Himself. We must understand the dependence of our souls with regard to knowing in this way. Most are ignorant of that dependence; therefore, they do not come to the Lord in the proper posture of heart.
As I considered this, I was reminded of Bartimaeus who had heard that Jesus was coming by the way. (Mark 10:46-52) When he knew He was there he cried out, and they told him to shut up. Mark 10:48, "And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me." I looked up this word mercy in the Greek and it means to have compassion and pity. In the Vine's Dictionary it is stated like this, "it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources sufficient to meet the need on the part of him who shows it." Bartimaeus cries out understanding that he has a need, but he cries out to the One he knows has the "sufficient resources" to meet that need. Jesus, the Son of David, the Messiah promised of God was the only one who could bring light and illumination to this blind man's state of darkness and ignorance to all that is around him. Now, in this account, we are talking about natural sight being given, but I believe it speaks beyond that to the sight that only the Messiah, the Christ of God can give us. However, who of us will confess our blindness and our ignorance to all that He has done and all that He is, and cry out "the more a great deal" for His mercy?
We cry out to God for mercy when we find ourselves in situations we deem to be impossible for ourselves, but can I be so bold as to say that if we are in Christ, we have been brought into such a situation. We have been brought into a state of being that is impossible for us to know, or comprehend, or walk in except the Spirit of Truth cure our blindness of heart by revealing Christ in us. You can have opinions and doctrinal ideas about being in Christ and what it means, but you will not know in truth this Great Salvation except this miraculous work of the Spirit takes place in your soul. Yet, I must repeat that we must cry out to God knowing the necessity of such a work.
This account says that when Jesus heard this blind man crying for mercy He stood still. I will not go into that, but this is a heart condition that will get His attention. I think it is because when someone comes to the Lord confessing that he is truly blind and that his blindness is not just an alternative way of looking at spiritual reality, that is a soul in which He can work and bring His Light and understanding. Please keep in mind that this is not a one-time occurrence. As you continue in knowing Christ, you will constantly have to come to Him confessing your blindness and ignorance with regard to Him and He will always be faithful to give sight by appearing in you as the True Light and Vision by which you must see.
After Jesus stood still, He instructed His disciples to bring Bartimaeus to Him. Bartimaeus then came to Jesus. Now in Mark 10:50 it says, "And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus." He took off his outer garment: and that says so much. I am not going to take the time now to look at all that statement means, but it shows a putting off, a casting away, a counting as loss that must take place for this sight to be given. He comes to Him and Jesus says what would you have Me do? Bartimaeus says that my eyes may be opened. That is the mercy of God for which our souls need to cry out that I MAY SEE! Not that I may preach, not that I may know more than my brother does so I can thrash him in a debate. That I may see. Just as Bartimaeus, we are dependent upon the eyes of our souls being unveiled and enlightened that we may know the reality unto which we have come as those born of His Spirit. If you read the letters of the Apostle Paul, you will see that this man understood the necessity of spiritual sight being given to the eyes of the soul of every believer. Christ, The Son of David, the Messiah, the Anointed One He and He alone can give unto us and in actuality becomes in us this sight and seeing that is necessary in the New Creation. The reality is that you cannot know this New Creation by the same means and faculties through which you have known the Old Creation.
Most of us do not come to Him knowing that we are in need of that mercy. We do not understand our dependence on the Light of His Countenance to fill our souls, because we are ignorant of the depth of our blindness. Martin Luther said, "Man sees his blindness as the highest of wisdom." We must finally confess our blindness of heart that we may be made to see.
Again, such a sight, such an unveiling is necessitated because we have been brought into and made partakers of God's eternally established fact in Christ Jesus. So, with regard to Kenneth Wuest's translation, I looked up the word "fact" and here is the definition. This is from Webster's Dictionary.
A fact is
1. A thing done.
2. The quality of something being actual, an actuality.
3. Something that has actual existence.
4. Something having objective reality.
The phrase objective reality is very important as we consider these things. For something to have objective reality means that it is not dependent upon our understanding of it, our acceptance of it, or our ignorance of it. A fact stands regardless of our opinion toward it. Our refusal to accept it or agree with it does not diminish its substantiality and validity. What God has done, what God has made an actuality, what God has made to exist and abide in Christ is not dependent upon any of those things. It is a fact. Such a reality stands untainted by our personal feelings or emotions. It is no less a reality because we have knowingly or unknowingly substituted our vain thoughts and doctrines for it. Such a refusal or substitution on our part never affects God's established work in Christ, but it does indeed keep our souls in a constant state of ignorance with regard to that work and thus it robs us of the present work of the Spirit that God desires to do within. That work of the Spirit is to reveal in us and form in us the Son who is the indwelling embodiment of that eternal fact. Our Salvation is an objective reality in that God has comprehended and summed up everything of His eternal plan and intention in the Person of Christ. He is satisfied with His finished work. In God's mind, all things are full and complete. That is so whether we ever accept it or not. In a simple phrase: God's reality demands the soul's realization.
It is with exact reference to this that Paul writes in Colossians 2:2-3, "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
This word "acknowledgement" is tremendously important. These people are born again, they are in Christ, and they have been delivered out of the realm of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of His Dear Son. What a miraculous work of God! What a tremendous reality! However, we cannot be content in our hearts with knowing by the scripture and believing that such a reality exists in Christ. We cannot be content with our acceptance of the fact that we are in Him and He is in us as our very Life and Salvation. I think we have preached the reality and many have believed the reality, but in view of such a tremendous fact, we cannot be content with simple doctrinal agreement and we must not treat it as another theological acquirement that we have added to our own doctrinal portfolio. Such truth must cause us to turn our hearts from all else to see Christ, so that the Spirit of Truth can bring us from a mere mental agreement with regard to scriptural truths, to a soul transforming acknowledgment and encounter with the Person of The Truth. He is the Eternal Fact of God.
Paul understood that such a reality demands this inner realization or acknowledgment. I never remember Paul writing, "Just read my letters until you understand what I mean." He understood that they could read his letters until the ink faded from the parchment, and still be unable to comprehend the meaning. He knew that the same soul transforming revelation that enabled him to write the letters was essential if they were to understand the letters to any degree and more importantly the indwelling Salvation that his letters declared. Throughout his letters, we are continually confronted with the necessity of Christ being revealed in us.
As I consider the Day of Atonement and the importance of that day, one thing that occurs to me as never before is the state of absolute dependence in which Israel found itself. When Israel saw their High Priest, they saw themselves gathered in that one man (by reason of the breastplate he wore) and that one man became, in their view, in their midst, the living embodiment and personification of the Salvation that at one time was hidden behind a veil, but now is made openly manifest by His appearing. It is this appearing and this seeing that will cause us to never forsake the reality of our being gathered together in Him Who is our Great High Priest.
On this Day, Israel was gathered at the tabernacle, yet because of the veil they were unable to observe that which was accomplished (when all was accomplished) in heaven (holy of holies). Of course, we know that in Christ, the veil is done away, but according to Paul, that veil remains upon the heart of man until it turns to see the Lord in His appearing. So, how is Israel to know what is now finished? How can they come to an acknowledgement of what their High Priest has accomplished? How can they become partakers and participants in this great atonement? Here we see the depths of their dependence. We see that for them to come to the knowledge of this finished work, they are dependent upon something to take place that is not within their power or capacity to make happen. They must be in the right posture, which is waiting and looking with expectation for Him, for they are dependent upon HIS APPEARING in their midst, for that work to become the abounding realization in which they shall live, move and have their being. My point is that we who are in Christ are just as dependent upon the appearing of Christ within our souls if we are to know and experience, in truth, anything of this Great Salvation of which He is the source and the abiding substance.
With that in mind, we now look at Colossians 3:1, "If ye then be risen with Christ" Although the King James phrases this using a conditional statement, most commentaries will say that Paul is speaking of a condition that has been realized or fulfilled. In other words, Paul is stating this state of union with Christ as a realized and fulfilled FACT. Ye ARE risen with Christ. Kenneth Wuest says, "In view of the fact, therefore, that you were raised with Christ. I read that one day, and the word "fact" just grabbed me and I became more aware that in Christ we are dealing with the eternally established FACT of God. We are not dealing with types and figures now; we are dealing with eternal reality.
Salvation is a fact that God not only intended to have, but NOW HAS in His Son. To me that means so much, because I am seeing my dependence on the Spirit more than I ever have to make known that fact in my heart. I read and I study, and we all do, and we see things. However, I am talking about this eternal fact of God being made known in our souls. That is an absolute necessity. It is one thing for us to be in Christ in Whom all that God has intended is realized, but it is an altogether other thing to have that same Christ revealed within by the Spirit so that what God has accomplished and realized in His Beloved Son, may become the abounding and transforming realization of our souls. I have been awakened to the necessity of that taking place, but in view of that necessity, I am more conscious of the dependence of the soul upon the Spirit of God to reveal Christ in order for us to know anything and I do mean anything of the Great Salvation we have in Him. If that does not take place, I am left with vain imaginations and opinions. I am left "with a veiled heart". However, such conjectural thoughts are remedied by one work of God: The Appearing of our Lord in our hearts.
There is no way to know this eternal fact except HE appear. Knowing, just as with the High Priest, is inseparably bound up with seeing Him. The knowing of which the New Testament speaks is not the result of academic learning and scholarly pursuits. So many times that becomes a hindrance to true knowledge. We can become so occupied with the accumulation of theological intelligence from without (external sources), that it can unfortunately become a substitute for the knowledge of God being made known by the revealing of Christ within.
This New Testament knowing is an inner acknowledgement, an intimate encounter and participation with the Person of The Truth Himself. We must understand the dependence of our souls with regard to knowing in this way. Most are ignorant of that dependence; therefore, they do not come to the Lord in the proper posture of heart.
As I considered this, I was reminded of Bartimaeus who had heard that Jesus was coming by the way. (Mark 10:46-52) When he knew He was there he cried out, and they told him to shut up. Mark 10:48, "And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me." I looked up this word mercy in the Greek and it means to have compassion and pity. In the Vine's Dictionary it is stated like this, "it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources sufficient to meet the need on the part of him who shows it." Bartimaeus cries out understanding that he has a need, but he cries out to the One he knows has the "sufficient resources" to meet that need. Jesus, the Son of David, the Messiah promised of God was the only one who could bring light and illumination to this blind man's state of darkness and ignorance to all that is around him. Now, in this account, we are talking about natural sight being given, but I believe it speaks beyond that to the sight that only the Messiah, the Christ of God can give us. However, who of us will confess our blindness and our ignorance to all that He has done and all that He is, and cry out "the more a great deal" for His mercy?
We cry out to God for mercy when we find ourselves in situations we deem to be impossible for ourselves, but can I be so bold as to say that if we are in Christ, we have been brought into such a situation. We have been brought into a state of being that is impossible for us to know, or comprehend, or walk in except the Spirit of Truth cure our blindness of heart by revealing Christ in us. You can have opinions and doctrinal ideas about being in Christ and what it means, but you will not know in truth this Great Salvation except this miraculous work of the Spirit takes place in your soul. Yet, I must repeat that we must cry out to God knowing the necessity of such a work.
This account says that when Jesus heard this blind man crying for mercy He stood still. I will not go into that, but this is a heart condition that will get His attention. I think it is because when someone comes to the Lord confessing that he is truly blind and that his blindness is not just an alternative way of looking at spiritual reality, that is a soul in which He can work and bring His Light and understanding. Please keep in mind that this is not a one-time occurrence. As you continue in knowing Christ, you will constantly have to come to Him confessing your blindness and ignorance with regard to Him and He will always be faithful to give sight by appearing in you as the True Light and Vision by which you must see.
After Jesus stood still, He instructed His disciples to bring Bartimaeus to Him. Bartimaeus then came to Jesus. Now in Mark 10:50 it says, "And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus." He took off his outer garment: and that says so much. I am not going to take the time now to look at all that statement means, but it shows a putting off, a casting away, a counting as loss that must take place for this sight to be given. He comes to Him and Jesus says what would you have Me do? Bartimaeus says that my eyes may be opened. That is the mercy of God for which our souls need to cry out that I MAY SEE! Not that I may preach, not that I may know more than my brother does so I can thrash him in a debate. That I may see. Just as Bartimaeus, we are dependent upon the eyes of our souls being unveiled and enlightened that we may know the reality unto which we have come as those born of His Spirit. If you read the letters of the Apostle Paul, you will see that this man understood the necessity of spiritual sight being given to the eyes of the soul of every believer. Christ, The Son of David, the Messiah, the Anointed One He and He alone can give unto us and in actuality becomes in us this sight and seeing that is necessary in the New Creation. The reality is that you cannot know this New Creation by the same means and faculties through which you have known the Old Creation.
Most of us do not come to Him knowing that we are in need of that mercy. We do not understand our dependence on the Light of His Countenance to fill our souls, because we are ignorant of the depth of our blindness. Martin Luther said, "Man sees his blindness as the highest of wisdom." We must finally confess our blindness of heart that we may be made to see.
Again, such a sight, such an unveiling is necessitated because we have been brought into and made partakers of God's eternally established fact in Christ Jesus. So, with regard to Kenneth Wuest's translation, I looked up the word "fact" and here is the definition. This is from Webster's Dictionary.
A fact is
1. A thing done.
2. The quality of something being actual, an actuality.
3. Something that has actual existence.
4. Something having objective reality.
The phrase objective reality is very important as we consider these things. For something to have objective reality means that it is not dependent upon our understanding of it, our acceptance of it, or our ignorance of it. A fact stands regardless of our opinion toward it. Our refusal to accept it or agree with it does not diminish its substantiality and validity. What God has done, what God has made an actuality, what God has made to exist and abide in Christ is not dependent upon any of those things. It is a fact. Such a reality stands untainted by our personal feelings or emotions. It is no less a reality because we have knowingly or unknowingly substituted our vain thoughts and doctrines for it. Such a refusal or substitution on our part never affects God's established work in Christ, but it does indeed keep our souls in a constant state of ignorance with regard to that work and thus it robs us of the present work of the Spirit that God desires to do within. That work of the Spirit is to reveal in us and form in us the Son who is the indwelling embodiment of that eternal fact. Our Salvation is an objective reality in that God has comprehended and summed up everything of His eternal plan and intention in the Person of Christ. He is satisfied with His finished work. In God's mind, all things are full and complete. That is so whether we ever accept it or not. In a simple phrase: God's reality demands the soul's realization.
It is with exact reference to this that Paul writes in Colossians 2:2-3, "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
This word "acknowledgement" is tremendously important. These people are born again, they are in Christ, and they have been delivered out of the realm of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of His Dear Son. What a miraculous work of God! What a tremendous reality! However, we cannot be content in our hearts with knowing by the scripture and believing that such a reality exists in Christ. We cannot be content with our acceptance of the fact that we are in Him and He is in us as our very Life and Salvation. I think we have preached the reality and many have believed the reality, but in view of such a tremendous fact, we cannot be content with simple doctrinal agreement and we must not treat it as another theological acquirement that we have added to our own doctrinal portfolio. Such truth must cause us to turn our hearts from all else to see Christ, so that the Spirit of Truth can bring us from a mere mental agreement with regard to scriptural truths, to a soul transforming acknowledgment and encounter with the Person of The Truth. He is the Eternal Fact of God.
Paul understood that such a reality demands this inner realization or acknowledgment. I never remember Paul writing, "Just read my letters until you understand what I mean." He understood that they could read his letters until the ink faded from the parchment, and still be unable to comprehend the meaning. He knew that the same soul transforming revelation that enabled him to write the letters was essential if they were to understand the letters to any degree and more importantly the indwelling Salvation that his letters declared. Throughout his letters, we are continually confronted with the necessity of Christ being revealed in us.
Let me share with you a beautiful definition of this word acknowledgement, which I found in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. This word "emphasizes understanding rather than sensory perception and it is a perception of things as they are, not an opinion about them The truly real is timeless reality that is constant in every change The one who knows in this way, encounters the eternal and participates in it."
This is the work of the Spirit of which I am speaking. It is the work that brings our souls into the acknowledgement of our Great Salvation.
The understanding and knowing of Christ is not from without, but from within. I do not mean that we do not preach and teach the word, but I cannot nor can any other man teach you the reality that God has established in His Son, only the Spirit can teach you this established fact of God and He does it by revealing that Son in us. This is the meaning of 1 John 2:27, "Ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." It does not say that there is no need for teachers of the Gospel. The meaning is that "with regard to the learning and knowing of the Truth" man is not your source of instruction. We, as ministers, speak in accordance to the Truth we are beholding Christ to be in us. However, for the hearer or reader actually to experience the reality of that Gospel, they must turn and submit their own souls that the Spirit may do in them what is not in the capacity of man to do. We see this work that the Spirit does described in 2 Corinthians 4:6, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Notice that this light shines IN our hearts; not "into" our hearts as from an external source, but IN our hearts. That we might know the things that are freely given of God.
1 Corinthians 2:14, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." He cannot know naturally. It is impossible. Do you see how dependent our hearts are for the Spirit to reveal Him? That is the point I really want to make. We cannot know them for they are spiritually discerned. If you go to Isaiah 64:4, which is the verse from which Paul is quoting, it says, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him." Notice it says "beside thee": only HE knows, because it is something that He has established. No man will and no man can know this reality except the eyes of the soul, which were created for no other purpose but the beholding of the Lord, are enlightened in the appearing of the Light of Life Himself. John Gill said the following in his commentary. "The gospel, nor any part of it is a human device or a human discovery. It is not after man nor according to the carnal reason of man. It is above the most exalted and refined reason of man. It has in it what eye has not seen, what ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to conceive of it. It is true so that the things of God which the Spirit of God searches and reveals, and which men, when left to the light of his nature and the force of his reason, must have been forever ignorant of, and could never have discovered. This could never have been found out by flesh and blood. No man knows The Son but The Father, and he to whom He reveals Him. He bears witness of Him, and declares Him to be His Son in whom He is well pleased. And happy are those who are blessed with the outward revelation of Jesus Christ in the gospel, but more especially those to whom The Father reveals Christ in them, the hope of glory." Blessed are those of us who are hearing the gospel preached an external revelation. That is wonderful in itself. How uncommon it is to hear the Truth preached, but how exceedingly more wonderful it is for those IN WHOM God is revealing His Son. That is beautiful! Our souls are dependent upon that Work of the Spirit and we must turn and come to Him, knowing that dependence. We must come in submission of our hearts, and say, Lord, we are ignorant of this. We are not asking you to give us a "better" understanding because there is no improvement to what we imagine ourselves to know. Just replace it with yourself! That is what He desires to do and what our souls are dependent upon Him to do if we are to truly know Salvation as it is.
Rabon Byrd is a Bible Teacher, writer, and editor at the C.M.I. Bible Research Center in Leslie, Arkansas. For more Christ-centered writings, audio and video teachings from Rabon and fellow laborers in Christ, visit cmintl.org or rabonbyrd.blogspot.com. Feel free to email him at rabonbyrd@ymail.com
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com
Fulfillment As From The Beginning by Rabon Byrd
Fulfillment As From The Beginning By Rabon Byrd
May 21, 2011! Do you remember that infamous date? It was plastered on billboards across America and I am sure in other parts of the world. I was an eyewitness to one of these billboards and along with the date there were the words The End of the World but it did not end there. It also stated The Bible Guarantees It. Now that date came and went, but the damaging affect that such a fallacy left upon the hearts of many people will remain for some time.
What is my point for bringing that up. Well, in my opinion, it speaks to something very wrong with the Christian religion's perspective. My heart breaks to see souls that are hungry and desirous of Christ being deviated from the present reality that Christ is in and is made unto the soul of every born again believer. Recently, my heart has been captivated with the thought of the faithfulness of our God. Our God is faithful. That is a statement with which any believer will agree. However, on what side of that statement do you fall. Is your concept of God's faithfulness summed up in the statement, "God will do and perform what He promised"? Or is your understanding and rejoicing in God's faithfulness found in this statement: "God hath fulfilled all of His promises, He has done all that He said He would do". Paul states it this way in Acts 13:32-34, 'And we to you do proclaim good news that the promise made unto the fathers, God hath in full completed this to us their children, having raised up Jesus, as also in the second Psalm it hath been written, My Son thou art I to-day have begotten thee. 'And that He did raise him up out of the dead, no more to return to corruption, he hath said thus I will give to you the
faithful kindnesses of David." (YLT) I wish when people make the statement that we need to get back to the book of Acts, they would realize that this is what is necessary. That is we need again to declare and hear the preaching of the Gospel which is the declaration of God's faithfulness in that He "HATH IN FULL COMPLETED" all that He had promised. What a Gospel!
The Gospel directs the soul properly and gives the soul the proper expectation, which is based upon fulfillment and not upon unfulfilled promises. No wonder Paul can say in Romans 16:25-27, "And to Him who is able to establish you, according to my good news, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the secret, in the times of the ages having been kept silent, and now having been made manifest, also, through prophetic writings, according to a command of the age-during God, having been made known to all the nations for obedience of faith to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to him [be] glory to the ages. Amen." (YLT) It is according to the Gospel that the Spirit of Truth can establish the soul within the confines of the eternal reality in which it presently resides. However, the Spirit of THE TRUTH will work upon no other ground than the TRUTH. It is the Gospel (Christ in you being the fulfillment of all things) that brings the soul upon the proper ground for seeking God and when that soul is on that ground and in that posture, the Spirit can then guide us and carry us on into the full measure of the Truth that Christ is in us.
Notice what Paul says in the latter part of these verses in Romans. The Good News (in the Greek it is worded) even the preaching of Jesus Christ. But that preaching is according to something. According to the revelation of the secret or mystery which was kept hidden in that age of shadows, but has now been made manifest. Now, this should cause your mind to immediately go to Colossians 1. Colossians 1:25-27, "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." This is very important to what I want to say in this article. The fullness or fulfillment that is presented by the preaching of the Gospel is stated here. He says that the Gospel he preached was according to the revelation of the mystery that was once hidden. So, the Gospel upon which the Spirit is able to work in us is that what was at one time hidden is now made manifest and is Christ in you. The Gospel is Christ in you as the fulfillment of all the promises and prophecies of God; the substance unto which that age leaned forward in expectancy. The preaching of the Gospel is the resulting declaration that proceeds from a soul that is beholding that indwelling Christ as the fulfillment of all things.
Why is this important? Because as stated earlier, the world and the Church world seems to be looking for fulfillment and consummation. However, they are looking for it in a realm in which it is never found, for fulfillment is only defined as Christ in you. That is fulfillment. Now, the question is are we knowing fulfillment and living in the light of that fulfillment presently? That is the question that must be asked. It is not has God fulfilled, but have we turned our hearts to see the fulfillment that God has wrought in and as His indwelling Son.
I want us to consider fulfillment as I believe it to be for us in Christ. I call it fulfillment as from the beginning. That sounds weird perhaps, but hopefully it will become clearer. Let me preface the proceeding words by stating that spiritual reality and fulfillment is never seen in or made known by "seen, external, or observable" things. Nothing apparent to the natural faculties constitutes fulfillment, but sadly that is where most attempt to define it or expect to behold it.
In an article it is difficult to expand the thought to much but I would at least like to introduce this so that you can take it and search these things out yourself.
In Hebrews 10:1, we read that the Law was a shadow of the good things to come and NOT the very image. That is crucial. A shadow refers to a mere copy in contrast to the reality or true and essential being. It is a copy but it is not the Very Substance which it reflects. The term very image according to Adam Clarke is the model or object according to which anything is formed. Therefore, it is said that these things never pleased or satisfied God because they were not the very image of those things. It is this Very Image that God desires to reveal in our souls and it is only as a result of that work of the Spirit of God that our souls will know or experience fulfillment and spiritual reality.
Now, with this in mind we go to Hebrews 11:3. I believe Kenneth Wuest translates the verse exceptionally well. "By means of faith we perceive that the material universe and the God-appointed ages of time were equipped and fitted by God's word for the purpose for which they were intended, and it follows therefore that that which we see did not come into being out of that which is visible." The writer is saying that the visible, seen, observable elements neither of the natural creation, nor of the Old Covenant age had natural origin. Their origin and source was not another seen thing. Therefore, the fulfillment of those seen things can never be more "seen things". The fulfillment of those things must be the coming of the unseen source and origin of their visible testimony. When was the purpose of those seen things fulfilled? It was when the very image (the unseen substance in view of Whom they were all formed) appeared. When are the seen things realized to be of no significance to us today? It is when that very image and unseen substance is revealed in our souls. We come to know and live in the acknowledgement of fulfillment when God reveals in us the reality that eye cannot see and ear cannot hear; the Eternal Source and Intention that was God's exclusive perspective before anything that was made was made and in view of Whom all that was made was made. All of the seen things of that Old Covenant Age were in anticipation of their Author and Fountainhead. Every shadow had intrinsically designed into its makeup an expectation of the appearing of The Fulfillment. They were until the coming of their Spiritual Reality and Source. Unfortunately, most seem to think that fulfillment has to do with and is measured by more external things we can or will physically see.
Now, we go to John 1:1-3, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." This verse gives us the identity of the unseen source of the visible things spoken of in Hebrews 11:3. It is this One Who was in the beginning. The One Who stood (and stands) as the Eternal Perspective of the Father. It is in this One that God has always defined and measured fullness, fulfillment and reality. John 1:14-16, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me." Here we see John, as the final embodiment of the testimony of the Law and the Prophets (Matt. 11:13). He says this One Who comes "after" me is preferred "before" me for He was "before" me. This gives us the same picture as Hebrews 11:3. Now this is the thing that floored me and caused me to view fulfillment and fullness as I never have before. John 1:16, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace."
Think of this in relation to the Word Who was in the beginning. The Word in view of Whom and by Whom all things were made. Oh, the faithfulness of our God that has made it possible for these words to be penned with regard to that Eternal Source and Origin Of His Fullness Have All We Received. It is the One Who was in the Beginning being resident and being revealed in our souls. Fulfillment and Fullness is a reality from the moment of His coming to dwell within. However, we begin to comprehend Him as fulfillment when our souls are unveiled to His presence. That is knowing and experiencing fulfillment as from the beginning. That is our Salvation: of His fullness have all we received. Salvation is fulfillment. It is not waiting for it, but being indwelt by the Person of fulfillment Himself. That is why we must not look for fulfillment anywhere other than the Christ of God Who abides within.
That is why it is by faith that we comprehend that the seen things have unseen and eternal origin; because if faith is not the dominating vision and view of our hearts, we will look at tangible and outwardly observable things and call them real. God desires to unveil our souls to the only thing that is real.
We have come to the mountain that cannot be touched. This speaks to the fact that what we have come to in Christ is the unseen fullness that was always expected. However, it is not touchable or temporal, but eternal in the Person of the indwelling Son of God. It must be understood also that this matter of fulfillment does not only pertain to the Old Covenant elements, so let me ask this question in summation. Where do you look for the fulfillment and full measure of Righteousness, Love, or Holiness? Do you look at yourself or others to exhibit the reality of those things or is your soul beholding the One Who was the essential being of those things even before there was a man to attempt to be or demonstrate those things? At one time Peace for me was defined by the absence of contrary situations, but I have seen it as from the beginning. For now peace has been and is being defined in my heart as the One Who was peace even before there was an adverse situation in which to find myself.
May our souls begin and continue to know our Salvation in its eternal context and experience fulfillment as from the beginning in the revealed presence of the Son of God.
Rabon Byrd is a Bible Teacher, writer, and editor at the C.M.I. Bible Research Center in Leslie, Arkansas. For more Christ-centered writings, audio and video teachings from Rabon and fellow laborers in Christ, visit cmintl.org or rabonbyrd.blogspot.com. Feel free to email him at rabonbyrd@ymail.com
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com
May 21, 2011! Do you remember that infamous date? It was plastered on billboards across America and I am sure in other parts of the world. I was an eyewitness to one of these billboards and along with the date there were the words The End of the World but it did not end there. It also stated The Bible Guarantees It. Now that date came and went, but the damaging affect that such a fallacy left upon the hearts of many people will remain for some time.
What is my point for bringing that up. Well, in my opinion, it speaks to something very wrong with the Christian religion's perspective. My heart breaks to see souls that are hungry and desirous of Christ being deviated from the present reality that Christ is in and is made unto the soul of every born again believer. Recently, my heart has been captivated with the thought of the faithfulness of our God. Our God is faithful. That is a statement with which any believer will agree. However, on what side of that statement do you fall. Is your concept of God's faithfulness summed up in the statement, "God will do and perform what He promised"? Or is your understanding and rejoicing in God's faithfulness found in this statement: "God hath fulfilled all of His promises, He has done all that He said He would do". Paul states it this way in Acts 13:32-34, 'And we to you do proclaim good news that the promise made unto the fathers, God hath in full completed this to us their children, having raised up Jesus, as also in the second Psalm it hath been written, My Son thou art I to-day have begotten thee. 'And that He did raise him up out of the dead, no more to return to corruption, he hath said thus I will give to you the
faithful kindnesses of David." (YLT) I wish when people make the statement that we need to get back to the book of Acts, they would realize that this is what is necessary. That is we need again to declare and hear the preaching of the Gospel which is the declaration of God's faithfulness in that He "HATH IN FULL COMPLETED" all that He had promised. What a Gospel!
The Gospel directs the soul properly and gives the soul the proper expectation, which is based upon fulfillment and not upon unfulfilled promises. No wonder Paul can say in Romans 16:25-27, "And to Him who is able to establish you, according to my good news, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the secret, in the times of the ages having been kept silent, and now having been made manifest, also, through prophetic writings, according to a command of the age-during God, having been made known to all the nations for obedience of faith to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to him [be] glory to the ages. Amen." (YLT) It is according to the Gospel that the Spirit of Truth can establish the soul within the confines of the eternal reality in which it presently resides. However, the Spirit of THE TRUTH will work upon no other ground than the TRUTH. It is the Gospel (Christ in you being the fulfillment of all things) that brings the soul upon the proper ground for seeking God and when that soul is on that ground and in that posture, the Spirit can then guide us and carry us on into the full measure of the Truth that Christ is in us.
Notice what Paul says in the latter part of these verses in Romans. The Good News (in the Greek it is worded) even the preaching of Jesus Christ. But that preaching is according to something. According to the revelation of the secret or mystery which was kept hidden in that age of shadows, but has now been made manifest. Now, this should cause your mind to immediately go to Colossians 1. Colossians 1:25-27, "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." This is very important to what I want to say in this article. The fullness or fulfillment that is presented by the preaching of the Gospel is stated here. He says that the Gospel he preached was according to the revelation of the mystery that was once hidden. So, the Gospel upon which the Spirit is able to work in us is that what was at one time hidden is now made manifest and is Christ in you. The Gospel is Christ in you as the fulfillment of all the promises and prophecies of God; the substance unto which that age leaned forward in expectancy. The preaching of the Gospel is the resulting declaration that proceeds from a soul that is beholding that indwelling Christ as the fulfillment of all things.
Why is this important? Because as stated earlier, the world and the Church world seems to be looking for fulfillment and consummation. However, they are looking for it in a realm in which it is never found, for fulfillment is only defined as Christ in you. That is fulfillment. Now, the question is are we knowing fulfillment and living in the light of that fulfillment presently? That is the question that must be asked. It is not has God fulfilled, but have we turned our hearts to see the fulfillment that God has wrought in and as His indwelling Son.
I want us to consider fulfillment as I believe it to be for us in Christ. I call it fulfillment as from the beginning. That sounds weird perhaps, but hopefully it will become clearer. Let me preface the proceeding words by stating that spiritual reality and fulfillment is never seen in or made known by "seen, external, or observable" things. Nothing apparent to the natural faculties constitutes fulfillment, but sadly that is where most attempt to define it or expect to behold it.
In an article it is difficult to expand the thought to much but I would at least like to introduce this so that you can take it and search these things out yourself.
In Hebrews 10:1, we read that the Law was a shadow of the good things to come and NOT the very image. That is crucial. A shadow refers to a mere copy in contrast to the reality or true and essential being. It is a copy but it is not the Very Substance which it reflects. The term very image according to Adam Clarke is the model or object according to which anything is formed. Therefore, it is said that these things never pleased or satisfied God because they were not the very image of those things. It is this Very Image that God desires to reveal in our souls and it is only as a result of that work of the Spirit of God that our souls will know or experience fulfillment and spiritual reality.
Now, with this in mind we go to Hebrews 11:3. I believe Kenneth Wuest translates the verse exceptionally well. "By means of faith we perceive that the material universe and the God-appointed ages of time were equipped and fitted by God's word for the purpose for which they were intended, and it follows therefore that that which we see did not come into being out of that which is visible." The writer is saying that the visible, seen, observable elements neither of the natural creation, nor of the Old Covenant age had natural origin. Their origin and source was not another seen thing. Therefore, the fulfillment of those seen things can never be more "seen things". The fulfillment of those things must be the coming of the unseen source and origin of their visible testimony. When was the purpose of those seen things fulfilled? It was when the very image (the unseen substance in view of Whom they were all formed) appeared. When are the seen things realized to be of no significance to us today? It is when that very image and unseen substance is revealed in our souls. We come to know and live in the acknowledgement of fulfillment when God reveals in us the reality that eye cannot see and ear cannot hear; the Eternal Source and Intention that was God's exclusive perspective before anything that was made was made and in view of Whom all that was made was made. All of the seen things of that Old Covenant Age were in anticipation of their Author and Fountainhead. Every shadow had intrinsically designed into its makeup an expectation of the appearing of The Fulfillment. They were until the coming of their Spiritual Reality and Source. Unfortunately, most seem to think that fulfillment has to do with and is measured by more external things we can or will physically see.
Now, we go to John 1:1-3, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." This verse gives us the identity of the unseen source of the visible things spoken of in Hebrews 11:3. It is this One Who was in the beginning. The One Who stood (and stands) as the Eternal Perspective of the Father. It is in this One that God has always defined and measured fullness, fulfillment and reality. John 1:14-16, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me." Here we see John, as the final embodiment of the testimony of the Law and the Prophets (Matt. 11:13). He says this One Who comes "after" me is preferred "before" me for He was "before" me. This gives us the same picture as Hebrews 11:3. Now this is the thing that floored me and caused me to view fulfillment and fullness as I never have before. John 1:16, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace."
Think of this in relation to the Word Who was in the beginning. The Word in view of Whom and by Whom all things were made. Oh, the faithfulness of our God that has made it possible for these words to be penned with regard to that Eternal Source and Origin Of His Fullness Have All We Received. It is the One Who was in the Beginning being resident and being revealed in our souls. Fulfillment and Fullness is a reality from the moment of His coming to dwell within. However, we begin to comprehend Him as fulfillment when our souls are unveiled to His presence. That is knowing and experiencing fulfillment as from the beginning. That is our Salvation: of His fullness have all we received. Salvation is fulfillment. It is not waiting for it, but being indwelt by the Person of fulfillment Himself. That is why we must not look for fulfillment anywhere other than the Christ of God Who abides within.
That is why it is by faith that we comprehend that the seen things have unseen and eternal origin; because if faith is not the dominating vision and view of our hearts, we will look at tangible and outwardly observable things and call them real. God desires to unveil our souls to the only thing that is real.
We have come to the mountain that cannot be touched. This speaks to the fact that what we have come to in Christ is the unseen fullness that was always expected. However, it is not touchable or temporal, but eternal in the Person of the indwelling Son of God. It must be understood also that this matter of fulfillment does not only pertain to the Old Covenant elements, so let me ask this question in summation. Where do you look for the fulfillment and full measure of Righteousness, Love, or Holiness? Do you look at yourself or others to exhibit the reality of those things or is your soul beholding the One Who was the essential being of those things even before there was a man to attempt to be or demonstrate those things? At one time Peace for me was defined by the absence of contrary situations, but I have seen it as from the beginning. For now peace has been and is being defined in my heart as the One Who was peace even before there was an adverse situation in which to find myself.
May our souls begin and continue to know our Salvation in its eternal context and experience fulfillment as from the beginning in the revealed presence of the Son of God.
Rabon Byrd is a Bible Teacher, writer, and editor at the C.M.I. Bible Research Center in Leslie, Arkansas. For more Christ-centered writings, audio and video teachings from Rabon and fellow laborers in Christ, visit cmintl.org or rabonbyrd.blogspot.com. Feel free to email him at rabonbyrd@ymail.com
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com
Friday, December 2, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
If Thou Knewest The Gift of God by Rabon Byrd
John 4:10, "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."
I have been considering this verse for the last few days. In fact, my heart has been fixed upon a small portion of this verse. Consider this statement made by Jesus Himself to this woman, "If thou knewest the gift of God" Now I am aware that so much more is said here and we will consider some of those things, but take a moment and concentrate upon that short and grand statement, "If thou knewest the gift of God" As I gazed at these words, I realized that my heart was being spoken to. I was made aware that these words are not exclusive to this setting or the woman being primarily addressed. They were the Lord speaking to our hearts with regard to spiritual reality and the necessity that such reality presents.
First, we must notice that Jesus presents Himself to her as the Gift of God. Those of us who are born from above, have been given this "unspeakable Gift" through the indwelling of Christ. We have been given "all things which pertain unto Life and Godliness" through the union of our souls with the Eternal Spirit of The Son of God. We have been "blessed with all spiritual blessings" through His abiding presence. In this Gift given of God, in whom resides all of the fullness of God, we are made complete and full, by being partakers of his own completeness. In view of the fact that the indwelling Christ is the Gift of God given unto us, why is it that so many are still vainly expecting what we assume to be something "more" than Him? It is because many do not and are not knowing the Gift of God who has been given.
It is my conviction that if our hearts were truly laying hold of Christ and apprehending Him as He is, then our souls would become constrained within the confines of His Person; knowing that there is nothing more for us to get nor for God to give than the One Unsearchable Gift of God who has already been given unto us. As I consider all of our pursuits for what we believe to be spiritual things, I am brought back to this admonition, "If only you knew the gift of God." He is saying if you knew who I AM, then you would realize that I alone can bring satisfaction to your soul. We look for something more and something better because we have no idea who it is that abides within.
With regard to this, the Samaritan woman said something that caught my attention. She said, "Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?" That struck me because it speaks to a natural mind attempting to understand spiritual reality and the impossibility of it ever happening. She was equating the water with which she was "familiar" and the Water of which Jesus was speaking. In other words, her understanding of water and His understanding of water were diametrically opposed. So, in that misunderstanding she asks this question.
She is telling Jesus that he is insufficiently equipped to draw water from the well because of the depth of the well. But Jacob's well was not the well of which he spoke, nor did he speak of the water that was in that well. He was speaking of Himself and in that context, she was the one ill-equipped to draw. It could be stated this way, the thing that you are truly in need of and which will satisfy your soul cannot be drawn by the means with which you may be familiar; for you are correct, this well is DEEP indeed.
Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
1 Corinthians 2:9-12
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Spiritual reality cannot be discovered or apprehended by natural or religious means, not even what we would consider to be enhanced means. It is known only by the Spirit of God revealing the Gift of God in our souls.
Notice this, "we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." Why does Paul say that we have the Spirit, which is of God? It is so that we might know what has been freely given to us of God. The Greek word for "freely given unto us" is not the same word as Gift in John 4, but it means the same thing. In fact, it is the word that we often times see translated as Grace in the New Testament. Therefore, Paul is saying that the Spirit is given unto us, so that we may know, comprehend, and become cognizant of, the Gift of Grace that has been given unto us. This Gift of Grace is Christ Himself in all of His eternal fullness. However, such fullness and depth cannot be known or draw out by the natural mind, for no man can know the things of God, but the Spirit of God knows and will reveal them, for "the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God".
The well of Salvation is deep and the mind of man can never plumb or measure the depths of such a Great Salvation. The unsearchable and immeasurable depth of Salvation is embodied in the Person of the indwelling Son of God and is only known when that Son is revealed in us.
Just like this woman, so many of us have our concepts of a certain spiritual aspect, but our concept is always in opposition to the Gift of God who has been given. We may have our concept of righteousness, love, peace, or joy, but they will always be natural in their scope and measurement. However, the reality is that they do not have different measurements, but they are only found and partaken of in the Person of the One Gift given of God. Paul says it this way, "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30) The problem is not that we have not been given this glorious Gift, but that we do not know the Gift of God that has been given.
Recently, I was reading someone's comment about this encounter between Jesus and this Samaritan woman. The author stated how great of a tragedy it would have been for this woman to be sitting beside the Messiah and never to have been made aware of who He was. That is true, but how much more tragic would it be for those of us who have the Messiah dwelling in our souls, to never come to the God given awareness of who He is within. The Spirit of God is at work in us to bring us to such an awareness, to bring our souls to the acknowledgment of the Gift of God who has been given unto us, in whom resides all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. May we submit our hearts to Him and by His work begin to, with joy, draw from this deep Well of Salvation.
Rabon Byrd is a Bible Teacher, writer, and editor at the C.M.I. Bible Research Center in Leslie, Arkansas. For more Christ-centered writings, audio and video teachings from Rabon and fellow laborers in Christ, visit cmintl.org or rabonbyrd.blogspot.com. Feel free to email him at rabonbyrd@ymail.com
While We Look Not... by Rabon Byrd
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:18
Paul, in every epistle, declares that we who are born of the Spirit, have by union with Christ, been brought out of the earth, out from the natural and earthly. We have been brought from that age of observable elements and external symbolisms to the Spiritual Substance in view of whom all of those elements stood and by reason of whom they existed. One place Paul says this is in Galatians 1:4, "Who did give himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of the present evil age, according to the will of God even our Father." He is speaking to them concerning their having been raised, up out from that evil Old Covenant age. What made it an evil age? We know that it was not evil as long as its testimony was legitimate, but it ceased being a valid testimony and became an evil perversion when the elements of it were held to and Christ, their spiritual meaning and fulfillment was disregarded. They held to the external elements that testified of the perfection of Christ and had intruded into those things attempting to become the intended measure of their testimony. In other words, they had held to the righteousness they perceived themselves to possess through their external observances and actions, but had refused the inward and unseen reality embodied in the person of Christ Himself. Paul said that it was a "present evil age", so what did he mean by present? He meant that the visible elements of that age, which God had put away by the Cross, were still standing among them possessing an external and material presence. However, the Galatians had been brought into a spiritual and eternal fulfillment which had no earthly or natural evidence at all, but that into which they had been brought was evidenced only by Faith; which is to say "God revealing The Son in them as the spiritual consummation of every testimonial element that stood before them". The external and material edifice of that system, which God had by His Cross abolished, remained visibly present. God did not take away, those visible elements immediately.
There is a school of Theology that teaches that the New Covenant, The Kingdom, Full Salvation, etc. did not actually come and was not actually available until the visible emblems of that Old Covenant system were destroyed in 70AD. However, that is not true at all. If it is, Paul was declaring a Salvation that was not yet available, an indwelling Kingdom that had not arrived, a New Covenant that was still on hold. Yet, that disregards the finished work of the Cross and the sufficiency of the indwelling of Christ in our souls. Paul was always praying for the Church that they would inwardly experience, inwardly come to the realization and enjoyment of that present perfect salvation given in the Person of the indwelling Christ. You see, His soul was experiencing a reality that superseded anything that could be erected by man, any edifice that stood, any external observance that continued, or event that would take place. His comprehension of reality and his confidence in its validity was not contingent upon any external, physical manifestation or natural destruction. The rites, ceremonies, and edifices of that system of externalities, did not have to be removed from eyesight for the soul to experience that better thing, that greater glory that Christ is made unto it.
What does this have to do with us? Why have I interjected such an example? I believe that the same condition that is sited above is a condition that is prevalent in the church world today. The verse with which I started this article states what should be the perspective of the believer. It sounds unnatural does it not? That is because it is not natural at all. Such a view, such a perspective is called Faith. I recently heard someone define faith as looking at "heavenly, unseen things", until they become visible in the earth. However, that is a misconception? Faith is a God given comprehension and perspective, which peers into that eternal realm into which the natural faculties cannot reach. Faith beholds the substance and the evidence that CANNOT be evidenced or observed by the eyes of man.
I say this because the Christian religion is bound to external manifestations and bound to outward measurements that they can perceive with their natural eyes. Such a condition keeps the heart looking at the improper object (that which is seen) and inhibits the soul to ever see, know and experience the Life that can only be perceived by Faith, can only be seen when God reveals that Life (Christ) IN US. Sooner or later, spiritual reality has to supersede visibly evident things in our hearts. The Righteousness which is of Faith has to finally replace, in our comprehension, that which I judge to be Righteousness because it meets with my concept of Righteousness and I naturally perceive the attributes that I believe to be attributes of Righteousness. Righteousness is never achieved or perceived by us, but is revealed in us.
Just as Abraham, we have come into the "land" that must be SHOWN unto us! The characteristics of this realm of Spirit and Truth can only be known by those in whom the source and substance of that realm is made known or revealed. Again, in Galatians you see Paul experiencing a transition in his soul from the external elements of the religion of the Jews, to the overriding spiritual fullness of the indwelling Christ. Such a transition took place when God revealed His Son in Paul. Many do not believe that Love, Righteousness, etc. have true validity until they are observed by the natural eye, but the true essence of these SPIRITUAL attributes are not defined, measured, or validated by observable manifestations. Just as with those who believe that the destruction of the external elements of the Old Covenant system made the New Covenant a valid and available entity; many believe that our observable demonstrations of "spiritual" attributes validate the reality itself. Yet, I believe Paul is saying that external things never determine spiritual reality. What is externally observable (manifestations, buildings, events, etc.) does not determine the efficacy of the reality of the Spirit.
The Spirit of God works in our souls upon the basis of that eternal and unseen substance that Christ is. Not so that we can ultimately manifest it externally, but so that our souls will be fully occupied in and transformed by that unseen reality of Christ which supersedes anything that is outwardly observable. I do not mean to imply that external actions and activities will not result from beholding the eternal reality in the face of Jesus Christ. I am simply saying that none of them give "evidence" to the spiritual reality that Christ is in us and is being known to be in us. Our single desire, the one unto which our affection should be set is the inward revelation of Jesus Christ. We should not waste our time debating, imagining, or attempting to define what the resulting effects of that revealing will be. I assure you that they will always be totally other than what we have imagined. The revealing of Christ will first be devastation to my measurements and definitions. The way I have supposed righteousness, love, holiness, etc. to "look" will be fully erased in the Light of the excellency of Him. Whatever actions that may result from such an inward realization and judgment will be rightly seen to be but a by product of the true manifestation of Christ taking place in us. They will not be perceived to be the intended end and emphasis of the work of the Spirit.
It is important to notice the basis of such a statement as, "we look not" 2 Corinthians 4:6 -For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Not looking at that which is seen (by ocular evidence) is not something we decide to do, but is an automatic in the soul that has seen and is seeing the superseding excellence of the Eternal Son of God. May we who are above, set our affection upon that which is above; that which is only known and experienced by the Faith of the Son of God working in us.
Rabon Byrd is a Bible Teacher, writer, and editor at the C.M.I. Bible Research Center in Leslie, Arkansas. For more Christ-centered writings, audio and video teachings from Rabon and fellow laborers in Christ, visit cmintl.org or rabonbyrd.blogspot.com. Feel free to email him at rabonbyrd@ymail.com
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITER
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Partakers of Spiritual Fullness
Ephesians 1:3
Blessed [is] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did bless us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. -YLT
Colossians 2:9-10
Because in him doth tabernacle all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are in him made full, who is the head of all principality and authority. - YLT
2 Peter 1:3-4
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. - KJV
John 1:16
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. KJV
The preceding verses stress a reality that seems to be unknown in the heart of so many believers today. The assertion is that in Christ, we have been made to be partakers of all spiritual fullness. How? It is because the Beloved Son, in Whom all spiritual substance is embodied, now abides within our souls. Understand that the fullness is not something He gives to us or that we acquire through different religious efforts, nor is it a fullness that we are still awaiting until a future time. The fullness of which we are now partakers is Christ Himself and because He indwells our souls, our souls are the dwelling place of His fullness, His allness, His completeness. There is absolutely no scriptural argument against that. I did not say that many would not argue against such a statement, but I am saying that no such argument has any scriptural support.
To so many, such fullness seems to be vacant because the evidence of that fullness seems to be lacking. I remember a time when that was my condition. I cried out daily to the God that I loved, "This cannot be everything, there has to be something greater than what I have". The fact is that there was nothing greater than what I already had residing in my soul, but I was unaware of the fullness that was present. What we, as believers, perceive to be an issue of accomplishment on God's part is a matter of comprehension on our part.
Union with Christ has indeed made us partakers of all things pertaining unto life and godliness. Christ is now made unto our souls all that He is. However, it is possible to have been made to be a present partaker of spiritual fullness by union with Christ and not be inwardly partaking of that fullness by the revelation of Christ. Unfortunately, most born again believers, who have within their souls such fullness by reason of Christ's presence, have absolutely no inward realization of their present state because they are living in ignorance of Him Who is present. While it is true that our ignorance of the indwelling fullness of Christ does not diminish or nullify that fullness in any way; such ignorance does hinder our soul from actively partaking of Christ as that fullness.
One reason I believe that this is so prevalent is because we have been taught to look for the evidence of spiritual fullness in a realm in which it will not and cannot be observed. That was my condition. I was expecting to observe the validation or proof of my Salvation with my natural faculties. This caused me to seek after a vain expectation for many years. Sadly, most sincere Christians are actively pursuing "false evidences" by which to define or identify the spiritual fullness for which their souls are longing. In other words, we are seeking on the earth the evidence of a reality, which can only be realized or evidenced in heaven. Not heaven as a place we will go, but heaven as the present state of being in which we live as those who are blessed with all spiritual blessing in heaven, in Christ and as those who have been quickened, raised and seated together in heaven, in Christ.
Jesus plainly states that the Kingdom of God does not come with observation. The actual Greek word for observation there is defined as "ocular evidence". Nevertheless, we are told that we are still to look for that very kingdom and the evidence of its presence to be observable to our natural faculties. Remember, He also said that the Kingdom of God is within us, so that should give us some idea of where the evidence of that Kingdom will be made known. So, how do we observe the evidence of spiritual fullness? It is by faith. For it is faith that beholds the evidence of that which was not, is not and cannot be naturally perceived. Faith is not, our believing for something that is invisible to the natural eye until it becomes visible to the natural eye. Faith is God revealing in us that spiritual substance that will never be made visible to the base faculties of man. Faith is the soul beholding the indwelling Christ as the evidence and substance that we have in our ignorance sought for on the earth or in ourselves.
In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." We quote this verse, but what does that mean? He says the same thing in 2 Corinthians 4:18, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." This is not admonishing us to live in some invisible fantasy world, but is declaring that the view of our souls should be set within a realm that is much more real than anything the natural eye can behold. The Greek word for "look" in this verse is transliterated skopeo. It is from this word, that we get the English word scope. Paul is saying that the scope of our perception, the range of our observation, if we are to behold the spiritual fullness of which we are partakers, cannot be through the means of natural sight, but must be the spiritual sight called faith. In other words, the extent of our view cannot be constrained within the parameters of this natural realm of sight and sound, but in Christ, Who is the length, breadth, depth, and height of all spiritual fullness. Paul gives us the means and the basis of such a view in 2 Corinthians 4:6, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Man's viewpoint is naturally bound to the earth. We must 'lift up now our eyes' that God may reveal in our souls the present and glorious Christ. In His revealed presence, our souls are ushered into a participation with eternal fullness that we may have been told was only possible in the distant future.
If my natural eyes can observe it, there remains no need for the Spirit of God to reveal it. Therefore, such naturally perceived happenings or manifestations can never give evidence to spiritual fullness, for spiritual fullness can only be discerned and revealed by the Spirit of God. That which comes with ocular evidence is always contrary and stands in opposition to spiritual reality. Whether it be righteousness, holiness, perfection, glory, love, peace or power; except Christ be revealed in us as their spiritual evidence and eternal definition, we will still vainly seek for them to be evidenced on the earth and that will never happen. We may convince ourselves or deceive ourselves into believing that such outward evidence exists, but it does not.
My point is that we can be made to be partakers of fullness and still not be actively partaking of that fullness. Therefore, we can continually believe that there is something missing or something lacking, but there is only a lack of faith, an absence of spiritual comprehension. I have said many times that we have a perfect Salvation, but an imperfect comprehension of that perfect Salvation. In your soul presently dwells the fullness that you may believe to be lacking, but the eyes on your head will not observe its evidence. It is the eyes of your soul or as Paul says, "The eyes of your understanding" that must be flooded with Light. The eyes on your head were not created for that vision; only the eyes of the soul were created to behold such substance.
I am reminded of the angel's words to those who came to the tomb after Jesus had risen. A very literal translation is, 'Why do you seek the Living One among the dead ones'. He was telling them, 'The One you are seeking will not be found by you or made evident to you within the realm in which you seek, for He is not present in that realm, He is risen.' Then Paul, would say to us, 'In view of the fact that you are risen with Christ, seek that which is above, not that which is on the earth'. The attitudes or moral codes of humanity will never evidence righteousness or holiness. Glory is never evidenced by flashes of light or outbursts of emotion. Peace is never evidenced by the absence of hardships or the presence of agreeable situations. The power of God is given no evidence by physical or any other external manifestation. I am not say that these things are wrong or that they do not happen; I am saying that these things and others like them can never give evidence to the spiritual reality of which they speak. These and every other aspect of spiritual reality are embodied in the indwelling Christ and are only evidenced in our souls when the Father reveals that same Christ.
Blessed [is] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did bless us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. -YLT
Colossians 2:9-10
Because in him doth tabernacle all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are in him made full, who is the head of all principality and authority. - YLT
2 Peter 1:3-4
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. - KJV
John 1:16
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. KJV
The preceding verses stress a reality that seems to be unknown in the heart of so many believers today. The assertion is that in Christ, we have been made to be partakers of all spiritual fullness. How? It is because the Beloved Son, in Whom all spiritual substance is embodied, now abides within our souls. Understand that the fullness is not something He gives to us or that we acquire through different religious efforts, nor is it a fullness that we are still awaiting until a future time. The fullness of which we are now partakers is Christ Himself and because He indwells our souls, our souls are the dwelling place of His fullness, His allness, His completeness. There is absolutely no scriptural argument against that. I did not say that many would not argue against such a statement, but I am saying that no such argument has any scriptural support.
To so many, such fullness seems to be vacant because the evidence of that fullness seems to be lacking. I remember a time when that was my condition. I cried out daily to the God that I loved, "This cannot be everything, there has to be something greater than what I have". The fact is that there was nothing greater than what I already had residing in my soul, but I was unaware of the fullness that was present. What we, as believers, perceive to be an issue of accomplishment on God's part is a matter of comprehension on our part.
Union with Christ has indeed made us partakers of all things pertaining unto life and godliness. Christ is now made unto our souls all that He is. However, it is possible to have been made to be a present partaker of spiritual fullness by union with Christ and not be inwardly partaking of that fullness by the revelation of Christ. Unfortunately, most born again believers, who have within their souls such fullness by reason of Christ's presence, have absolutely no inward realization of their present state because they are living in ignorance of Him Who is present. While it is true that our ignorance of the indwelling fullness of Christ does not diminish or nullify that fullness in any way; such ignorance does hinder our soul from actively partaking of Christ as that fullness.
One reason I believe that this is so prevalent is because we have been taught to look for the evidence of spiritual fullness in a realm in which it will not and cannot be observed. That was my condition. I was expecting to observe the validation or proof of my Salvation with my natural faculties. This caused me to seek after a vain expectation for many years. Sadly, most sincere Christians are actively pursuing "false evidences" by which to define or identify the spiritual fullness for which their souls are longing. In other words, we are seeking on the earth the evidence of a reality, which can only be realized or evidenced in heaven. Not heaven as a place we will go, but heaven as the present state of being in which we live as those who are blessed with all spiritual blessing in heaven, in Christ and as those who have been quickened, raised and seated together in heaven, in Christ.
Jesus plainly states that the Kingdom of God does not come with observation. The actual Greek word for observation there is defined as "ocular evidence". Nevertheless, we are told that we are still to look for that very kingdom and the evidence of its presence to be observable to our natural faculties. Remember, He also said that the Kingdom of God is within us, so that should give us some idea of where the evidence of that Kingdom will be made known. So, how do we observe the evidence of spiritual fullness? It is by faith. For it is faith that beholds the evidence of that which was not, is not and cannot be naturally perceived. Faith is not, our believing for something that is invisible to the natural eye until it becomes visible to the natural eye. Faith is God revealing in us that spiritual substance that will never be made visible to the base faculties of man. Faith is the soul beholding the indwelling Christ as the evidence and substance that we have in our ignorance sought for on the earth or in ourselves.
In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." We quote this verse, but what does that mean? He says the same thing in 2 Corinthians 4:18, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." This is not admonishing us to live in some invisible fantasy world, but is declaring that the view of our souls should be set within a realm that is much more real than anything the natural eye can behold. The Greek word for "look" in this verse is transliterated skopeo. It is from this word, that we get the English word scope. Paul is saying that the scope of our perception, the range of our observation, if we are to behold the spiritual fullness of which we are partakers, cannot be through the means of natural sight, but must be the spiritual sight called faith. In other words, the extent of our view cannot be constrained within the parameters of this natural realm of sight and sound, but in Christ, Who is the length, breadth, depth, and height of all spiritual fullness. Paul gives us the means and the basis of such a view in 2 Corinthians 4:6, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Man's viewpoint is naturally bound to the earth. We must 'lift up now our eyes' that God may reveal in our souls the present and glorious Christ. In His revealed presence, our souls are ushered into a participation with eternal fullness that we may have been told was only possible in the distant future.
If my natural eyes can observe it, there remains no need for the Spirit of God to reveal it. Therefore, such naturally perceived happenings or manifestations can never give evidence to spiritual fullness, for spiritual fullness can only be discerned and revealed by the Spirit of God. That which comes with ocular evidence is always contrary and stands in opposition to spiritual reality. Whether it be righteousness, holiness, perfection, glory, love, peace or power; except Christ be revealed in us as their spiritual evidence and eternal definition, we will still vainly seek for them to be evidenced on the earth and that will never happen. We may convince ourselves or deceive ourselves into believing that such outward evidence exists, but it does not.
My point is that we can be made to be partakers of fullness and still not be actively partaking of that fullness. Therefore, we can continually believe that there is something missing or something lacking, but there is only a lack of faith, an absence of spiritual comprehension. I have said many times that we have a perfect Salvation, but an imperfect comprehension of that perfect Salvation. In your soul presently dwells the fullness that you may believe to be lacking, but the eyes on your head will not observe its evidence. It is the eyes of your soul or as Paul says, "The eyes of your understanding" that must be flooded with Light. The eyes on your head were not created for that vision; only the eyes of the soul were created to behold such substance.
I am reminded of the angel's words to those who came to the tomb after Jesus had risen. A very literal translation is, 'Why do you seek the Living One among the dead ones'. He was telling them, 'The One you are seeking will not be found by you or made evident to you within the realm in which you seek, for He is not present in that realm, He is risen.' Then Paul, would say to us, 'In view of the fact that you are risen with Christ, seek that which is above, not that which is on the earth'. The attitudes or moral codes of humanity will never evidence righteousness or holiness. Glory is never evidenced by flashes of light or outbursts of emotion. Peace is never evidenced by the absence of hardships or the presence of agreeable situations. The power of God is given no evidence by physical or any other external manifestation. I am not say that these things are wrong or that they do not happen; I am saying that these things and others like them can never give evidence to the spiritual reality of which they speak. These and every other aspect of spiritual reality are embodied in the indwelling Christ and are only evidenced in our souls when the Father reveals that same Christ.
Seeing that we are Raised with Him, and are complete in Him in Whom dwells all spiritual fullness, let us set the affection and attention of our souls on Him Who is above and no longer occupy our time attempting to know Him, define Him, or validate Him on the earth. May the evidence of our perfect Salvation be revealed in us this day.
About the Author:
Rabon Byrd is a Bible Teacher, writer, and editor at the C.M.I. Bible Research Center in Leslie, Arkansas. For more Christ-centered writings, audio and video teachings from Rabon and fellow laborers in Christ, visit cmintl.org or rabonbyrd.blogspot.com. Feel free to email him at rabonbyrd@ymail.com
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Church Universal and Eternal by JW Luman
This was a session taught by JW Luman at our last Summer Conference. It dealt with the Eternal Nature of the Church. I recommend also watching the previous 2 classes by following the link to the Streaming Videos of the conference.
Video streaming by Ustream
Friday, October 7, 2011
When The Perfect Appears
1 Cor 13:11-13
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is
charity.
charity.
What is Paul’s meaning in these verses of scripture? I believe that Paul is comparing two understandings ofSalvation. The Old Covenant understanding which was given in pieces and fragments and the New Covenant understanding which is the Person of Christ revealed in our hearts as the substance of the pieces and fragments.Those who have not come to a New Covenant comprehension of Salvation will continue to live in such a state of puzzlement and confusion. If we look at the word “darkly” which Paul uses, we will see that this is exactly what he is saying.
Darkly
en (NT:1722) ainigmati (NT:135). Literally, "in a riddle or enigma," the word expressing the obscure "form" in which the revelation appears. Compare di' (NT:1223) ainigmatoon (NT:135) "in dark speeches," Num 12:8.
(from Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
1 Cor 13:12[Darkly] Margin, "In a riddle" en (NT:1722) ainigmati (NT:135).
en (NT:1722) ainigmati (NT:135). Literally, "in a riddle or enigma," the word expressing the obscure "form" in which the revelation appears. Compare di' (NT:1223) ainigmatoon (NT:135) "in dark speeches," Num 12:8.
(from Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
1 Cor 13:12[Darkly] Margin, "In a riddle" en (NT:1722) ainigmati (NT:135).
The word means a riddle; an enigma; then an obscure intimation. In a riddle a statement is made with some resemblance to the truth; a puzzling question is proposed, and the solution is left to conjecture. Hence, it means, as here, obscurely, darkly, imperfectly. Little is known; much is left to conjecture; a very accurate account of most of that which passes for knowledge. (from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
Let me stress that this is not the obligatory state of born again believers, contrary to the “we will only know the truth when we die” mentality that is in the Christian religion. This is speaking of an Old Covenant understanding being carried over into the hearts of New Covenant Christians. Under the Old Covenant, God used pieces, parts and fragments of information to speak of the Eternal Substance of His Son, but in the New Covenant, those pieces and fragments are gathered up and made known in Christ. This is exactly what the writer of Hebrews said: Heb 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. Here are a couple of translations of that verse. Whereas, in many parts and in many ways of old, God spake unto the fathers, in the prophets, At the end of these days, He hath spoken unto us in his Son… (Rotherham Translation) In many parts, and many ways, God of old having spoken to the fathers in the prophets, in these last days did speak to us in a Son… (Young’s Literal Translation)
In the Old Covenant, God spoke in parts and pieces to the fathers by the prophets. The writers point is not to say that what God said was not true or faithful, but that what He had said in different fragmented ways has now come to be fully realized in the Person of His Son. The problem is that without FIRST seeing Christ, these pieces are left open ended. Holiness and Righteousness are not correctly seen as the Nature of the Indwelling Son of God, but suddenly get defined by codes of dress and codes of conduct. So being Holy or Righteous becomes a futile and frustrating exercise of self-denial instead of the Nature of The Living Christ transforming our souls into His image.
But what is it that frees us from seeing Salvation as a pile of scattered pieces and confusing riddles? Seeing The Perfect One face to face! 1 Cor 13:10, But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. The word Perfect is from the Greek word teleios, which means ‘lacking nothing necessary to completeness’. How contrary that is to our fragmented and self centered understanding of Salvation. We are always noticing our failure to be holy or to be righteous, or to love, but that is because we have not seen Christ Who is our Holiness, Righteousness, and Love. In Him there is nothing lacking. In Him there is nothing missing. In Him there is nothing that falls short. And in Him we live, move and have our being. Why do we insist on continually gathering fragments into our “I love Jesus” basket and not just turn our hearts to behold Him in Whom all the fragments are gathered and nothing is lost.
This is the face to face encounter of which Paul is speaking in 1 Corinthians 13 and it is not a future time or event, but the Revelation of Christ IN US. Not just God revealing “things or information” to us, but God revealing THE PERSON WHO IS THE FULNESS OF ALL THINGS IN OUR SOULS. Most look for what they call “nuggets of revelation”, but Paul did not say that it pleased God to reveal “nuggets of truth” to him, but it pleased God to reveal the Son in Him. In the New Testament the words elements, rudiments, and principles are used and in each of those cases the law is being addressed. But when I began to look at the definition of these words I realized that they speak of that, which is a part of a whole. One definition said that we call our alphabet “elements” of language, but one letter does not make up the whole of our language. It is like we seek to find the “A” of God or the “Z” of God and we preach or teach a letter, but we have not yet had the Living Word, The Language of God, Who is Christ, revealed in us. Nothing of Truth can be communicated until The Truth; The Word of Truth is unveiled in our souls. That is what Paul understood when He said in Galatians 1:15-16 that it pleased God to reveal His Son in him that he might preach him. Paul knew that no ministry could take place until the Person was revealed.
The Person of our Salvation must be made known in us by the Spirit of Truth, Who’s only purpose is to reveal Christ, not in pieces, but in the fullness of His Person. What I mean is that God does not reveal Faith to us, but reveals the Son in us Who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith. God does not reveal Love to us, but reveals the Son Who is His Love in us. When He is revealed and I behold Him, Who is the One Vision of God, my soul is transformed (2 Cor. 3:18). Then I no longer seek the rules and methods to be Holy, but I look unto Him Who is My Holiness. I no longer seek to be Righteous by my efforts and works, but I look unto Christ Who is My Righteousness. Now the pieces have been defined by the Person. Here is a sure sign of growing up in Christ. We put away the pieces and lay hold of the Perfect. (1 Cor. 13:11) Paul’s prayer for the Church was not that God would show them more pieces of the puzzle, but that He would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of HIM
Eph 1:17
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. That’s why Paul did not say that it pleased God to reveal spiritual things to him so that he could preach about Jesus, but that it pleased God to reveal the Son in him. God reveals the Person. Wisdom, Revelation, Knowledge, just finally comes for us to be HIM. Not different pieces of the puzzle, but a glorious Person that dwells in us and in Whom we dwell. We are not to come to the full knowledge of Faith or Love or Holiness, but of HIM. Paul never presented Salvation as pieces, but as the Indwellingerson of Christ being revealed and working in us. He never separates the aspects of Christ from Christ. How can you do that? How can you separate holiness from The Holy One? We can say that about every aspect we try to grasp as if it were separate from Him. Paul is saying the same thing in 1 Corinthians 13 and in 2 Corinthians 3:18. When we will turn to the Lord to know Him, He will be seen as the substance of all spiritual things and as we behold Him our soul is transformed from the glory of the pieces to the more glorious substance of the Person. If faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, to walk in faith is to walk in the comprehending of Christ as the substance of the things that have been hoped for and the evidence of what could at one time not be seen, but is now REVEALED IN US by the Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:9-10)
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. That’s why Paul did not say that it pleased God to reveal spiritual things to him so that he could preach about Jesus, but that it pleased God to reveal the Son in him. God reveals the Person. Wisdom, Revelation, Knowledge, just finally comes for us to be HIM. Not different pieces of the puzzle, but a glorious Person that dwells in us and in Whom we dwell. We are not to come to the full knowledge of Faith or Love or Holiness, but of HIM. Paul never presented Salvation as pieces, but as the Indwellingerson of Christ being revealed and working in us. He never separates the aspects of Christ from Christ. How can you do that? How can you separate holiness from The Holy One? We can say that about every aspect we try to grasp as if it were separate from Him. Paul is saying the same thing in 1 Corinthians 13 and in 2 Corinthians 3:18. When we will turn to the Lord to know Him, He will be seen as the substance of all spiritual things and as we behold Him our soul is transformed from the glory of the pieces to the more glorious substance of the Person. If faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, to walk in faith is to walk in the comprehending of Christ as the substance of the things that have been hoped for and the evidence of what could at one time not be seen, but is now REVEALED IN US by the Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:9-10)
Therefore, the Church needs a face to face encounter with the I AM. No, not the I DO or the I GIVE, but the I AM. It is seeing the I AM that will transform our souls. Let’s look at a familiar example: Martha’s brother had died and she was upset that Jesus did nothing to save him. When Jesus assured her that her brother would live again, she pulled out one of her “fragments” and presented it to Jesus. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. (John 11:24) Martha knew about a resurrection, but she knew it as a piece of the religious puzzle. It was an aspect that she believed and knew was true, but she had not yet come to KNOW the Resurrection. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. (John 11:25) Now, a fragment has been gathered. Now the Resurrection has been defined in I AM. I think this is one of the great fragments that still hinder Christians from walking in the Newness of Life in Christ NOW. They have been told that Eternal Life is for the future, but I will tell you as one who has had I AM revealed in his soul, that Eternal Life is NOW IN CHRIST JESUS. The I AM Resurrection and Life Now dwells in our souls and He must be revealed in us, that as Martha we will put away the pieces for the Person.
We can even look at Paul:
Phil 3:8, Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
Paul thrived under the Old Covenant. Yet when the Perfect One appeared, Paul put away and counted as loss the fragments of the Old Covenant (“all things”) for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. At one time the fragments were a means of boasting for Paul, but now his boasting is the Lord Himself Who had appeared in Him and Who has become the substance of those things he had at one time zealously believed. Yet now he has gone from just believing things to seeing the substance of what He had believed. When he says “for whom I have suffered the loss of all things”, he does not mean that he cast it away “for” Jesus, but the definition of the word “for” is “by reason of”. So putting away the fragments of the Old is not an option for those who have truly seen the Perfect, because the knowledge that exceeds has come in the face of Jesus Christ. Therefore, may we turn away from our pieces, regardless of how true they may be and how strongly we may believe them, and turn our hearts to see the One in Whom there is nothing lacking necessary to completeness. Then and only then can we be established upon the solid and unshakable foundation of Christ and not the fragmented and unsteady ground of our own understanding.
Phil 3:8, Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
Paul thrived under the Old Covenant. Yet when the Perfect One appeared, Paul put away and counted as loss the fragments of the Old Covenant (“all things”) for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. At one time the fragments were a means of boasting for Paul, but now his boasting is the Lord Himself Who had appeared in Him and Who has become the substance of those things he had at one time zealously believed. Yet now he has gone from just believing things to seeing the substance of what He had believed. When he says “for whom I have suffered the loss of all things”, he does not mean that he cast it away “for” Jesus, but the definition of the word “for” is “by reason of”. So putting away the fragments of the Old is not an option for those who have truly seen the Perfect, because the knowledge that exceeds has come in the face of Jesus Christ. Therefore, may we turn away from our pieces, regardless of how true they may be and how strongly we may believe them, and turn our hearts to see the One in Whom there is nothing lacking necessary to completeness. Then and only then can we be established upon the solid and unshakable foundation of Christ and not the fragmented and unsteady ground of our own understanding.
Christ: Our More Sure Word of Prophecy
Most believers today seem to be more that just interested in “end time” or “prophetic” issues. They seem to be undeniably obsessed with thoughts and questions of what will transpire in the months, years, decades, or millennia to come. The big question in their mind is, “What is next on God’s calendar?” I will consider that question in this article. I would like us to start with a verse of scripture that seems to be either ignored or misinterpreted in the Christian world today.
2 Peter 1:16-20
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you thepower and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
I like the way Peter presents this to his readers. He tells them that his gospel is not made up tales and stories that he hopes will cause them to follow him or his teachings. He says that when he was with them that he made known to them the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but Peter’s gospel and manner of living for that matter was not according to some whim or fairy tale he imagined. What was the basis of Peter’steaching? What was the reference point for all that Peter had said and will say? Peter was an eyewitness of the Majesty of Christ. He had seen Jesus.
Now, we know that Peter walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry, but did this constitute the seeing of Jesus? No. Because seeing Jesus is not something we do with the natural eyes, but is a work of the Spirit of God revealing in us the very same Christ who lives in us. Paul says it this way in 2 Cor 5:16, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” Paul’s validation of Salvation was not the Jesus who walked on the earth, but the Risen Lord who brought forth by the power of His Resurrection a New Creation.
2 Peter continues and says something I would like to focus on, “We have a more sure word of prophecy”. First, let us consider what that does not mean. Peter does not mean that Jesus ensures for the believer that the prophecies for which the church is waiting will happen. He does not mean that the Church has more certain promises for a future fulfillment. So what does Peter mean when he says that we have a more sure word of prophecy? For the answer, we begin to look at basic Greek word definitions. The term “more sure” is the from the Greek word “bebaios”. This word means stable,sure, steadfast, in effect, valid. Vincent’s New Testament Word Study translates this verse, “we have the word of prophecy made more sure”. The New King James Version translates it, “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed”. The New International Version reads, “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain”. Finally, the Rotherham Bible says, “And we have, more firm, the prophetic word”. If we read verse twenty we notice that Peter is speaking concerning the prophets of the Old Covenant. He says that these prophets did not speak according to their own personal convictions and ideas, but spoke as the Spirit of God moved them. Jesus tells us in John 15:26 that the Spirit will only speak of Him. Do we then think that the same Spirit of God moved upon these prophets to testify of something or someone other that Christ? Do we think that these men declared events on calendars instead of spiritual reality that find summation and certainty in Christ Jesus the Lord?
They were declaring what the Spirit of God only declares and that is the realty of Christ and Him Crucified. Barnes Commentary says of this scripture, “There can be no doubt that the apostle refers here to what is contained in the Old Testament; for, in 2 Peter 1:21, he speaks of the prophecy as that which was spoken "in old time, by men that were moved by the Holy Ghost. The point to which the prophecies related, and to which Peter referred, was the great doctrine respecting the coming of the Messiah, embracing perhaps all that pertained to his work, or all that he designed to do by his advent." These men were speaking of a reality that would be brought about by and in Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection. This brings us back to the question of what does Peter mean by saying, “we have the prophets made certain”. He is simply saying that Christ is now, for the Church, the certainty and the substance of every word that was spoken by the Old Covenant prophets. Everything that Israel looked for and desired, the Church is now made to be partakers. How? We are made to be partakers of Christ. In Him, every utterance of God finds its ultimate Amen. Of course, we read this in 2 Corinthians 1:20: For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Let us ponder the word all in this verse. All the promises of God, this takes in every aspect of God’s speech in time past. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews starts his letter by saying the same thing. Hebrews 1:1-2, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son”. God did at one time speak by the prophets. He spoke through them concerning Christ, but now He speaks in His Son. Christ has now come as the effectual Word of God. God has brought forth His final and perfect utterance in Christ. Therefore, Peter is not speaking of anything future, but the sure and certain Word of The Living God Who did not return unto the Father void, but accomplished (finished, perfected) that for which He was sent (Isa. 55:11). Remember, Peter is making this comment because of his experience on the Mountain.
Matt 17:1-9
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
There is so much to see in this passage, but I will only comment on a few points. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the mountain. Peter got excited about what he was seeing and requested to build three tabernacles, one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus. Moses is the lawgiver and in him, we see the Law being represented. Elijah is the prophet of God and in him; we see the prophets and prophecies represented. Therefore, when Peter sees this, he is seeing the Law, the Prophets, and Jesus and he wants to hold on to all three. Is this not what the Church world wants today? They want to abide by the letter of the Law. They want to hold to the prophecies of old and put them as a future hope. Yet, they also want to boast of the Salvation they have in Jesus. I submit that you cannot have all three. God will not allow this. Notice the scripture says that as Peter was still speaking about the three tabernacles, God overshadowed them with a cloud.
While the cloud was covering them, God spoke saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, HEAR YE HIM. Jesus then comes to them and causes them to Arise. What a beautiful picture of the Resurrection. They were raised in the power of His Life and the authority of His Word. The Law and Prophets spoke of Him, but only the Living Word can give Life. Then when they lifted up their eyes they saw no man, they saw only Jesus. Here is the truth and reality of His Resurrection. No man lives, but by Him.
In this article, I only have the time to mention this point. God says, This is my beloved Son… Hear Him. What is God saying? More importantly, what is God summing up with this statement? God is saying in this, of all that Moses (the Law) said and all that Elijah (the prophets) declared, my Son is the More Sure Word. He is the Word in Whom I find delight. The church today wants all three: The Law, The Prophets, and Jesus, but there is only ONE Living Word and He fulfills all that ever spoke, for they only spoke of HIM. HEAR HIM. Hear Him: Now we who are in Christ have and are to apprehend the more sure Word of prophecy. Christ is the Word that sums up every utterance of God. Hear Him. He is the Word, the hearing of which brings the Faith that now is evidence and substance. This Word is not heard by repeating scripture to ourselves, but by the Father revealing His Word in our hearts. Let us hear the Eternal Word that we may walk in the certainty and partake of the reality the prophets said would come, as it has now come in Christ. Hear Him.
References:
Rom 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rev 19:11-13
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
1 John 1:1-2
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us).
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