The call from God to Himself through Jesus the Christ remains. His word of power to
repent and believe the gospel
has not, and will never diminish in its ringing throughout the creation in His assignment. God has spoken it into the creation through the mouth of Jesus the Christ, but we dare not count such as anything ever less than true God’s speaking. Of same power and intent light came into being by His word, and such is not diminished in any sense by being spoken through the mouth of a man once in the earth. For even if what was once perceived as a tabernacle of clay, He who was:
born of a woman, born under the law
has shown Himself in all of spirit and the true tabernacle when what was outwardly torn down for the release of that spirit in his going away as seemingly once only, or mere, material. In His having submitted to appearing outwardly only as any other man might. Indeed, in that “taking away” of the outer to which He submitted in the
joy set before Him
we find Him testifying to His own of its expediency. His response to their grief was not of indulgence of it, but rather to a correction:
But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
Saying:
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
There is much we must learn of this, and in this “going away” accomplished on our behalf. For as we follow we learn of many obstacles and vexations that seem in all impossible to overcome…because they are to our own presence. Of ourselves…even with what we would consider “best intent(s)” they are encountered and made present to us. Yet it is in our “going away” by the power of the spirit to reveal we have already died in Christ, that it is no longer the former I facing them but Christ Himself.
What can be frustrated must be (for all will be frustration to the power of our own selves) even to such provoking of crying out for light that we learn it is neither by might nor power but by the Lord’s spirit alone things are set to order. Yes, we have been provided a “going away” through the Lord’s death for us that we too are comforted by the ineffable power of the Lord’s spirit. But if, or yet while we may strive to overcome, unconvinced to whatever measure yet of the Lord’s victory in all, we will find ourselves…relying on our own selves…to frustration. But this has a salubrious working in us, for we may learn the truth and gift of being “taken out of the way” that it is now Christ Himself confronting such matters to all victory and the (even His) manifestation thereof.
This word of repent and believe continually echoes in the earth, even in our earth of which we temporarily inhabit as tent. And such even, of frustrations and vexations due to lack of sight, must give way if we believe, they cannot but take their place in the Lord’s ordering in His now tabernacle of which the believer is. Yes:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
But if, or while we may remain confused as to this (the Lord knowing such training of disciples is both costly in endurance and bearing…as has been borne by He, Himself) He does not renege upon nor is reluctant to affirm:
In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.
And till such time this word is made full in us it would be quite queer to us to rejoice in such encounter of tribulation, trial, and yes, even seeming frustration. Nevertheless the writer is bold, no doubt having learned this himself, in himself, as from being in the Lord:
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
And we learn indeed not only could not such be written as by a natural (or carnal man) to another as good instruction, it would be fruitless to all resistance. Only the man of the spirit can speak it in truth, and only the man of the spirit can hear it and receive it. It is quite opposed to all that is natural. No man of himself will ever find joy in being made subject to testing and trials, unless He has seen (by faith in the resurrection of Jesus the Christ) His full overcoming in, and of, all. And such faith, by the revelation to a man that Jesus is indeed alive and very active gives not only testimony to, and of His resurrection, but of God’s grace in imparting of such faith. And such is the faith of the Son of God that saves us…a gift in all.
No man can prove to another anything of these matters, anymore than Peter by some clever figuring could arrive at speaking:
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God
And we might admit we may have all had such excursions at times or other into such argument that to us appeared clever whereby we could cause another to submit to our own reasoning(s). If none other has ever engaged, so be it, but I know I have. Been a man quite clever in my own eyes, and unashamed to seek to make this as public (even in the faith) as possible.
I can testify of myriad rebukes, surely and consistently…and would rather speak to my own shame than deny that even in and through those necessary rebukes, the Christ of God in ministry of all correction by the Holy Spirit has proved Himself consistently true and faithful; to not only do so, but to much more minister grace for the bearing of such chastening(s).
For I know apart from such comfort found to sustain in even (what were to me) most grave rebuke(s)…I could not recover lest one also provide comfort. We learn the mighty hand can indeed humble us without letting go of us, and that is our salvation. Not in seeking to grasp at being (as I have done so very very vainly) to be “right” and self justified…but rather that His righteousness alone is worth the seeking after, and can only be done so when all of my own righteousness appears to my shame. Do you know the way of this? For my part I can only confess to not knowing how much more of “my own” is so easily confused for His that I might most stridently present.
And what remains to be dealt with, God knows.
God’s word issues from God alone through His Christ. Religion can neither contain it nor even speak of it except in derivative terms of like to like as in comparisons. Religion cannot control it, nor dispense it, try as it might to think itself so…as in “God is found here…in this thing of our practices, ordinances, creeds, and houses made by hands”
Let no man deceive you with “their” articles of faith by and through which joining can only occur…even if you agree with them. Being joined to the Lord is for no man’s endorsement, and surely no man’s denial. For to submit to man as the “yes or no” as holding what God does and can do, or cannot do, be wise. For one has then “turned over Lordship” to be in the hands of one less than God over all. This does not mean resist all men at every turn, but to rather understand the attitude of Paul and embrace it to wisdom:
But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
For to fall to the esteem of what some others hold for some others will only leave one in rather faithlessness as Jesus described if long continued down that path.
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
And yes…men seek to be…impressive. And there is much joy to be found in the receiving of stripes and many rebukes of such…when finally heeded. We do not stand upon any man’s standing nor opinion of us…but to the Lord alone.
But we who believe have been delivered from such matters as like to like and into the very presence of God through the faith of Jesus Christ, to even appear there as unblemished through that faith. What yet remains of the earth and earthy is being perfectly handled as our minds, being renewed from that place of blamelessness are being changed…while yet we even occupy in these tents of clay.
God reveals an unblemished man to a man; not only as testimony to His perfect righteousness in all, but no less and also, by the faith that manifests to that man receiving, he is already in Heavenly places…for otherwise…he could not see. Yes, Jesus the Christ is the man who occupies Heaven. Is seen there, and is only seen truly…from there. Even while we here appear to occupy in earth. And His desire is that we fully occupied “there”…that He occupy…even and still in all power in “our” here. “Let” Him loose by your being bound to Heaven.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Perhaps you have often wondered, even as I, this curious working of which Paul (once Saul) spoke to such wonder in:
When it pleased God to reveal His Son in me
Of God’s choosing and sovereignty undeniable in doing so. The rain falls upon all, yet not all see God’s hand of mercy in it, not all know the glory of God in Christ that covers the earth as the waters cover the seas in the presence of His holy Spirit poured into and over the earth. But God tell us the how so of His working that is both irresistible and undeniable when we come to understand Jesus the Christ as the very Word of God; neither up for equivocation or explanation(s) and His being (as He is) over all:
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
“and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
Just as:
Repent and believe the gospel
yet rings throughout the whole of creation, God having spoken it through the Son of His love born into time for us; yet so does His sovereignty over all matters in the creation to accomplish all of His good pleasure in that to which He has determined to send it.
Be pleased to be such a thing the Word of God has made home to accomplish all of His good pleasure and work in, and upon.
And if need be, or more is needed, I could easily tell of myriad and fruitless exercise in myself to both be to myself, and thence for display to others…more than just a thing. Rather let any who are called to wonder…wonder at what God can do with such a thing. It will, and does, require an acknowledgment of exchange. But that is not in any man’s hands to accomplish, bring about, nor rest upon his endorsement nor agreement. What has been done has been between Christ and the Father…even if all done is done to our eternal benefit. May we not forget in what the treasure is held, nor of Whom such treasure…is given.
Men strive to do and be more than they know themselves to be.
God, never.
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