Hello To All:
On the day that Adam and Eve "did eat": how is it, that they died? With this question, we ended our last essay; and with this question, we begin the process of finding the answer, in the King's Book, to this all important question: How is it, that they died? To find our answer, we must look to the evidence, contained in the Genesis text; and elsewhere, in the King's Book:
1. (Genesis 3:7a): "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked..." In the previous verse, they both ate of the forbidden fruit. In Genesis 2:17 God said: "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Upon eating of the forbidden fruit, the first thing that happened to them, in the day of their death, was: "the eyes of them both were opened..." The next thing that happened is that: "they knew that they were naked..."
Here we have the first dramatic evidence, of how it is that they died, in the day that they ate of the fruit. At the moment of their death, when they ate of the fruit, their eyes were opened; and they instantly became very self aware; and centered on who they were; and what their condition was. They were no longer exclusively focused on the Lord their God! Their focus on their nakedness, gives us proof of their new reality of being self centered and not God centered.
2. We see further evidence of this self centered condition, in the second half of Genesis 3:7, where we find written: "...and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." When God created them, He did not see a need to cover their nakedness, nor was their nakedness troublesome to Adam and Eve. We find written at Genesis 2:25: "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." Prior to having eaten of the fruit; and thus prior to their death: they "were not ashamed." Their focus was on God and not on themselves.
3. (Genesis 3:8): "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden." In their death, Adam and Eve were no longer eager to be in the "presence of the Lord God." Now they are ashamed. They have seen themselves for who they are; and they hide themselves, from the "presence of the Lord God." Their fellowship with God has been broken, by their death, which was a consequence of their sin: "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Their death compelled them to hide from the "presence of the Lord God."
4. (John 4:24): "God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Our fellowship with God, our communion with God, our worship of God, is a spirit to spirit reality. Prior to their "death," Adam and Eve were centered on God. Their spirits were in communion with His spirit. Thus, we are compelled to conclude that in the day of their death: it was their spirit that died. In the death of their spirit, their focus was shifted from being centered on God; to being centered on themselves. In the death of their spirit: their eyes were opened, they knew they were naked, and they hid themselves from God.
When we next meet, we shall go deeper into our understanding of the spirit of Adam and the death of Adam. Between now and then, please consider the following text from a Psalm of David: (Psalm 51:10-11) "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me." David certainly seems to have a deep understanding of the relationship between his spirit and his God and his sin.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The temple of God: our spirit - part two:
Hello To All:
Let us begin part two by going back to part one; and by stating, again, the revelation of thought contained in the Genesis texts:
"God created man in His own image" - "man became a living soul" - "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" - "she...did eat" - "he did eat" - "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" - "God sent them forth from the garden of Eden" - "He drove out the man" - "God created man in the likeness of God...in the day when they were created" - "Adam...begat a son in his own likeness - after his image."
God said (Genesis 2:17): "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Please note: God said "in the day." He did not say at the end of their life. He did not say sometime in the future. He did not say at the end of time. God said: "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
In John 5:24, we find written, these words of Jesus: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Please note, that Jesus identifies a believer as one who "is passed from death unto life." This is a present tense reality: before believing, a person is dead; and after believing, a person "is passed from death unto life."
We find a similar statement, regarding the believers condition, recorded at First John 3:14, where we find written: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." Note again, the present tense reality of the believers condition of having "passed from death unto life." It also must be noted, that "brethren" refers to other believers (please see posting of 12/17/09, titled: "Evidence of Discipleship"). It also must be noted that: "He that loveth not his brother abideth in death."
Every person that has ever lived, throughout all of history, from the time of Adam's fall, up to and including the moment that is at hand; and prior to their conversion to Jesus Christ: "abideth in death." We live and move and have our being. We do our work. We marry and have children. We laugh, we cry, we go to war, we have peace; but, in all of these things, apart from Jesus Christ, we: "abideth in death." We look in a mirror; and it seems that we are alive; but, the King's Book tells us, that if we are not converted to Jesus Christ, then we: "abideth in death."
How is it, that a person can appear to be alive; but, the reality is, is that the person is dead? On the day that Adam and Eve "did eat": how is it, that they died? This is a question, that we shall seek to answer, when we next meet.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Let us begin part two by going back to part one; and by stating, again, the revelation of thought contained in the Genesis texts:
"God created man in His own image" - "man became a living soul" - "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" - "she...did eat" - "he did eat" - "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" - "God sent them forth from the garden of Eden" - "He drove out the man" - "God created man in the likeness of God...in the day when they were created" - "Adam...begat a son in his own likeness - after his image."
God said (Genesis 2:17): "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Please note: God said "in the day." He did not say at the end of their life. He did not say sometime in the future. He did not say at the end of time. God said: "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
In John 5:24, we find written, these words of Jesus: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Please note, that Jesus identifies a believer as one who "is passed from death unto life." This is a present tense reality: before believing, a person is dead; and after believing, a person "is passed from death unto life."
We find a similar statement, regarding the believers condition, recorded at First John 3:14, where we find written: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." Note again, the present tense reality of the believers condition of having "passed from death unto life." It also must be noted, that "brethren" refers to other believers (please see posting of 12/17/09, titled: "Evidence of Discipleship"). It also must be noted that: "He that loveth not his brother abideth in death."
Every person that has ever lived, throughout all of history, from the time of Adam's fall, up to and including the moment that is at hand; and prior to their conversion to Jesus Christ: "abideth in death." We live and move and have our being. We do our work. We marry and have children. We laugh, we cry, we go to war, we have peace; but, in all of these things, apart from Jesus Christ, we: "abideth in death." We look in a mirror; and it seems that we are alive; but, the King's Book tells us, that if we are not converted to Jesus Christ, then we: "abideth in death."
How is it, that a person can appear to be alive; but, the reality is, is that the person is dead? On the day that Adam and Eve "did eat": how is it, that they died? This is a question, that we shall seek to answer, when we next meet.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Monday, March 12, 2012
The temple of God: our spirit - part one:
Hello To All:
"God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
In our last essay ("The temple of God: The Mystery"), the above words, from John 4:24, were set before us, followed by these questions: "Can we, my beloved brethren, see the mystery in such a text as this? If we cannot comprehend the mystery of this text, how can we claim to be able to fully worship the Lord our God?"
As I look at this text, I find that part of the mystery is contained in the question: What is my spirit? There is a lot of language, that gets tossed around, concerning the Spirit of God and our spirit. But, if your experience is similar to my own, then you are probably feeling as puzzled as I, once felt. There is a lot of language. There is a lot of teaching. There is a lot of preaching. But, I cannot recall any language, or any teaching, or any preaching, that gave me a right understanding of my spirit and the relationship between my spirit and the Spirit of God.
The task, that our Lord Jesus Christ, now sets before me, is to share the understanding, that I believe that He has given me. It is, with a certain amount of apprehension, that I do this; but, do it I must!
This is not something new for me. For a good number of years, the Lord our God has been opening up my understanding, to these things, that will be revealed in these essays regarding: "The temple of God." But, these teachings may be very new, for you, my beloved brethren.
Let it be said again, as it has been said before: If you cannot see these things, written in this blog, as the truth of the King's Book; then, you must not incorporate them into your walk with Jesus Christ. It is only the truth of the King's Book, that can draw us closer to Jesus Christ; and thus cause us to rejoice in: "Victorious discipleship in Jesus Christ."
But, let it also be said, that I write these essays, believing them to be a true revelation of the King's Book. If you think that I am in error, please, I beg you, take me to the Word of Christ and show me my error. But, if you cannot open the King's Book; and put your finger on the text; and show me why you believe that I am in error; then, please, and I again beg you, please consider the possibility that these teachings, regarding "The temple of God" (and all of the teachings of this blog), are, in fact, the truth of the King's Book! Can we say Amen?
If we are to rightly understand the nature of our spirit, we must go back to the beginning, to the time of our creation. Please consider the following texts; and the progression of revelation, from the King's Book:
1. (Genesis 1:27) "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
2. (Genesis 2:7) "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
3. (Genesis 2:16-17) "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
4. (Genesis 3:6-8) "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden."
5. (Genesis 3:23-24) "Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."
6. (Genesis 5:1-3) "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth."
Please consider this progression of revelation, from the above texts:
"God created man in His own image" - "man became a living soul" - "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" - "she...did eat" - "he did eat" - "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" - "God sent them forth from the garden of Eden" - "He drove out the man" - "God created man in the likeness of God...in the day when they were created" - "Adam...begat a son in his own likeness - after his image."
As you consider this progression of revelation and the texts from which they are extracted; please ask the Spirit of God to bring you to a right understanding of what this has to teach us regarding the question: "What is my spirit?" We shall continue, in our efforts to answer this question, the next time we meet.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
"God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
In our last essay ("The temple of God: The Mystery"), the above words, from John 4:24, were set before us, followed by these questions: "Can we, my beloved brethren, see the mystery in such a text as this? If we cannot comprehend the mystery of this text, how can we claim to be able to fully worship the Lord our God?"
As I look at this text, I find that part of the mystery is contained in the question: What is my spirit? There is a lot of language, that gets tossed around, concerning the Spirit of God and our spirit. But, if your experience is similar to my own, then you are probably feeling as puzzled as I, once felt. There is a lot of language. There is a lot of teaching. There is a lot of preaching. But, I cannot recall any language, or any teaching, or any preaching, that gave me a right understanding of my spirit and the relationship between my spirit and the Spirit of God.
The task, that our Lord Jesus Christ, now sets before me, is to share the understanding, that I believe that He has given me. It is, with a certain amount of apprehension, that I do this; but, do it I must!
This is not something new for me. For a good number of years, the Lord our God has been opening up my understanding, to these things, that will be revealed in these essays regarding: "The temple of God." But, these teachings may be very new, for you, my beloved brethren.
Let it be said again, as it has been said before: If you cannot see these things, written in this blog, as the truth of the King's Book; then, you must not incorporate them into your walk with Jesus Christ. It is only the truth of the King's Book, that can draw us closer to Jesus Christ; and thus cause us to rejoice in: "Victorious discipleship in Jesus Christ."
But, let it also be said, that I write these essays, believing them to be a true revelation of the King's Book. If you think that I am in error, please, I beg you, take me to the Word of Christ and show me my error. But, if you cannot open the King's Book; and put your finger on the text; and show me why you believe that I am in error; then, please, and I again beg you, please consider the possibility that these teachings, regarding "The temple of God" (and all of the teachings of this blog), are, in fact, the truth of the King's Book! Can we say Amen?
If we are to rightly understand the nature of our spirit, we must go back to the beginning, to the time of our creation. Please consider the following texts; and the progression of revelation, from the King's Book:
1. (Genesis 1:27) "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
2. (Genesis 2:7) "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
3. (Genesis 2:16-17) "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
4. (Genesis 3:6-8) "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden."
5. (Genesis 3:23-24) "Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."
6. (Genesis 5:1-3) "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth."
Please consider this progression of revelation, from the above texts:
"God created man in His own image" - "man became a living soul" - "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" - "she...did eat" - "he did eat" - "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" - "God sent them forth from the garden of Eden" - "He drove out the man" - "God created man in the likeness of God...in the day when they were created" - "Adam...begat a son in his own likeness - after his image."
As you consider this progression of revelation and the texts from which they are extracted; please ask the Spirit of God to bring you to a right understanding of what this has to teach us regarding the question: "What is my spirit?" We shall continue, in our efforts to answer this question, the next time we meet.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The temple of God: The Mystery!
Hello To All:
Often, during the unfolding revelations of this blog, the mystery of God has challenged us. The call to comprehend, apprehend and embrace this mystery, as an essential foundation to "victorious discipleship in Jesus Christ," has been set before us, in a variety of ways; with each of those ways, being rooted and grounded in the King's Book: The holy and inspired word of God.
I must confess, that it is with a certain amount of apprehension, that I submit to God's direction to speak more fully of this Mystery, revealed in and through His Son Jesus Christ. My apprehension comes from considering the question: Who am I, to be able to comprehend the Mystery that is God? But, God reminds me, that this is a question that is relevant to each of us: Who are any of us, who are able to comprehend the Mystery that is God? The answer, of course, is that none of us are able; but, if we are willing to embrace the Mystery; if we are willing to submit to the Mystery; if we are willing to be converted to the Mystery: then the Lord our God will reveal Himself, in and through His Son Jesus Christ. Can we say thank you Jesus?
The word mystery, has been capitalized, here and in the title for this essay, because: The Mystery is God; and God is the Mystery! This Mystery, is not something, that we in the west, are very comfortable with. In fact, we, generally speaking, are very uncomfortable with any discussion concerning mystery and the relation of mystery to the Lord our God. Western thinking has been trained and developed to be very rational and very orderly. Mystery, to our way of thinking, is not rational. Mystery, to our way of thinking, is not orderly. Thus, because of our way of thinking, we most often avoid any consideration of "mystery;" and, as a result of this avoidance, we often fall short of the fullness that Jesus Christ has for us!
We like to think that everything has a natural explanation that can be readily discovered in the natural realms. Discussions, regarding the supernatural realms, tend to make us nervous. Our room, with "no windows," (please see essay of 12/13/11, titled: "Can we see the trees?"), rarely allows for an adequate consideration of the mystery of the supernatural realms. But, the King's Book tells us (John 4:24), that: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." Can we, my beloved brethren, see the mystery in such a text as this? If we cannot comprehend the mystery of this text, how can we claim to be able to fully worship the Lord our God?
As we make progress, in our examination of the relationship between the temple made with human hands; and the temple not made with human hands; we should find ourselves, in a better position to answer the question posed, with regards to the above text (John 4:24); and to more fully comprehend and apprehend and embrace the Mystery that is God. Can we say Amen?
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Often, during the unfolding revelations of this blog, the mystery of God has challenged us. The call to comprehend, apprehend and embrace this mystery, as an essential foundation to "victorious discipleship in Jesus Christ," has been set before us, in a variety of ways; with each of those ways, being rooted and grounded in the King's Book: The holy and inspired word of God.
I must confess, that it is with a certain amount of apprehension, that I submit to God's direction to speak more fully of this Mystery, revealed in and through His Son Jesus Christ. My apprehension comes from considering the question: Who am I, to be able to comprehend the Mystery that is God? But, God reminds me, that this is a question that is relevant to each of us: Who are any of us, who are able to comprehend the Mystery that is God? The answer, of course, is that none of us are able; but, if we are willing to embrace the Mystery; if we are willing to submit to the Mystery; if we are willing to be converted to the Mystery: then the Lord our God will reveal Himself, in and through His Son Jesus Christ. Can we say thank you Jesus?
The word mystery, has been capitalized, here and in the title for this essay, because: The Mystery is God; and God is the Mystery! This Mystery, is not something, that we in the west, are very comfortable with. In fact, we, generally speaking, are very uncomfortable with any discussion concerning mystery and the relation of mystery to the Lord our God. Western thinking has been trained and developed to be very rational and very orderly. Mystery, to our way of thinking, is not rational. Mystery, to our way of thinking, is not orderly. Thus, because of our way of thinking, we most often avoid any consideration of "mystery;" and, as a result of this avoidance, we often fall short of the fullness that Jesus Christ has for us!
We like to think that everything has a natural explanation that can be readily discovered in the natural realms. Discussions, regarding the supernatural realms, tend to make us nervous. Our room, with "no windows," (please see essay of 12/13/11, titled: "Can we see the trees?"), rarely allows for an adequate consideration of the mystery of the supernatural realms. But, the King's Book tells us (John 4:24), that: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." Can we, my beloved brethren, see the mystery in such a text as this? If we cannot comprehend the mystery of this text, how can we claim to be able to fully worship the Lord our God?
As we make progress, in our examination of the relationship between the temple made with human hands; and the temple not made with human hands; we should find ourselves, in a better position to answer the question posed, with regards to the above text (John 4:24); and to more fully comprehend and apprehend and embrace the Mystery that is God. Can we say Amen?
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
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