"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34).
Hello To All:
The manifestation of the Kingdom of God is directly related to the Presence of the power of God. This is evidenced by our opening text. We are to "love one another," as Christ has first loved us. How can this be? How can we, even in our redeemed condition, love as Jesus of Nazareth loves? The answer is found in His manifesting Presence, to empower us to love as He has first loved us!
This is a commandment! This is not an option! We must understand that if we are not loving as Christ has first loved us, then we are less then we should be and can be! Obedience to the new commandment is an essential component to "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ." Apart from Jesus Christ, obedience cannot be achieved!
The Apostle Paul spoke of this manifesting power of Christ. We find written at Colossians 1:29, the following: "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." It is only "according to his working," which is capable of working "mightily" in us, to empower us to love as He, that is Jesus of Nazareth, hath first loved us, that makes it possible for us to truly love one another. His presence is manifested in our love one to another.
The commandment status of this love principal is confirmed at 1 John 3:23, where we find written: "And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." As we have come to recognize that the fullness of the gospel is Jesus Christ, so should we also recognize that the only way that we can love one another is in and through Jesus Christ. This is the visible evidence of our status as the redeemed children of God.
As we ponder the realities of the visible evidence of our status, please carefully and prayerfully consider a portion of what has come to be called our Lord's high priestly prayer, recorded at John chapter 17.
20. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;"
21. "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
22. "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:"
23. "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
Twice our Lord reminds us (verse 21 and verse 23), that the world will have the certain knowledge that Christ has been sent by the Father, in the context of our being one as He and the Father are one! If there is a lack of visible oneness, the world will not recognize this saving truth of Christ being sent.
For centuries we have been a visibly divided church. We are not visibly one! The manifesting presence of Christ in us, will make us visibly one. But, this will not happen if we are set one against the other. Our divisions oppose the visible manifestation of Christ's kingdom.
In a previous letter, we were reminded that the first step, in this journey to visible oneness, is the acceptance of the truth that Christ might not be manifesting Himself in us. He will not involve Himself in our divisions!
If we are willing to submit to Christ's willingness to empower us to love one another as He has first loved us; then we will have taken our next step towards the visible oneness that will happen at the end of this age. This will happen because Christ will manifest Himself in us, to empower us to love one another as He has first loved us! This is the outward mark of our presence in His visible kingdom!
Until next time my beloved brethren, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Monday, August 27, 2018
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
The Manifestation of His Kingdom: His Presence!
"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15).
Hello To All:
The King's Book has a great deal to say with regards to His Kingdom! Much of it relates to His second coming and the visual establishment of His eternal Kingdom. But there is also the stated realities of the here and now of His Kingdom. Each of us, as disciples, has an opportunity to be a part of the here and now of His Kingdom, in the time line of our personal and corporate journey! The challenge for us is to comprehend, and to apprehend and then: to embrace the realities of the here and now of His Kingdom. This is a challenge that cannot be accomplished on the basis of our own strength; nor on the basis of our own will to do so.
When Jesus manifested Himself to the world, in His preaching, He preached "the gospel of the kingdom of God." The question must be asked: From the perspective of Jesus of Nazareth: What is the "gospel of the kingdom of God?" If we look to our opening text, we shall find a clear statement of the meaning of this "gospel." Jesus clearly preaches this: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
What has happened that causes the "kingdom of God" to be "at hand?" What has changed in the world, in the creation, that causes the "kingdom of God" to be present, when before it was not present? What does it mean when the text says: "The time is fulfilled."
What has happened? - what has changed? - what does it mean?: are all questions that have the same answer: Jesus of Nazareth is Present! The presence of Jesus Christ in the world, is the presence of the Kingdom of God in the world! Where ever Christ is, there is the Kingdom! Since He is the King, His presence, where ever it might be, establishes the presence of His Kingdom!
In our opening text, Jesus also equates the "gospel," with the Kingdom of God. When we think of the gospel, often our conclusions are self-centered! We think of the good news that we are justified before God. We think of the good news that our sins are forgiven. We think of the good news that we have been declared to be holy and blameless in the sight of God. We think of the good news that we have received the Holy Spirit. We think of the good news that we have eternal life.
But, the reality is that, in our self-centered thinking, we have allowed ourselves to be deceived! What we often think of as the good news; what we often think of as the "gospel," is in reality, the fruit of the real good news! The enemy does not want us focused on the reality of the gospel. If he can keep our focus on self and the benefits to self of the gospel, then he has succeeded in limiting the realities of the fullness of victory that Jesus of Nazareth has for us; and offers to us.
Please carefully consider the following realities of the good news of the fullness of the "gospel."
(Luke 9:1) "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases."
(Luke 9:2) "And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick."
(Luke (9:6) "And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where."
(Luke 10:1) "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come."
(Luke 10:9) "And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."
(Acts 5:40) "And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go."
(Acts 5:41) "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."
(Acts 5:42) "And daily in the temple, and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."
Do we recognize the good news that: "The kingdom of God is come nigh unto" US? The disciples "ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." They did this because the kingdom of God had come nigh unto them! They recognized that Jesus and the Kingdom are one and the same reality. Apart from Jesus Christ, there is no gospel! Apart from the kingdom of God, there is no gospel!
Where Jesus of Nazareth is present, so also, is the Kingdom of God present! This is the good news! This is the Gospel!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Hello To All:
The King's Book has a great deal to say with regards to His Kingdom! Much of it relates to His second coming and the visual establishment of His eternal Kingdom. But there is also the stated realities of the here and now of His Kingdom. Each of us, as disciples, has an opportunity to be a part of the here and now of His Kingdom, in the time line of our personal and corporate journey! The challenge for us is to comprehend, and to apprehend and then: to embrace the realities of the here and now of His Kingdom. This is a challenge that cannot be accomplished on the basis of our own strength; nor on the basis of our own will to do so.
When Jesus manifested Himself to the world, in His preaching, He preached "the gospel of the kingdom of God." The question must be asked: From the perspective of Jesus of Nazareth: What is the "gospel of the kingdom of God?" If we look to our opening text, we shall find a clear statement of the meaning of this "gospel." Jesus clearly preaches this: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
What has happened that causes the "kingdom of God" to be "at hand?" What has changed in the world, in the creation, that causes the "kingdom of God" to be present, when before it was not present? What does it mean when the text says: "The time is fulfilled."
What has happened? - what has changed? - what does it mean?: are all questions that have the same answer: Jesus of Nazareth is Present! The presence of Jesus Christ in the world, is the presence of the Kingdom of God in the world! Where ever Christ is, there is the Kingdom! Since He is the King, His presence, where ever it might be, establishes the presence of His Kingdom!
In our opening text, Jesus also equates the "gospel," with the Kingdom of God. When we think of the gospel, often our conclusions are self-centered! We think of the good news that we are justified before God. We think of the good news that our sins are forgiven. We think of the good news that we have been declared to be holy and blameless in the sight of God. We think of the good news that we have received the Holy Spirit. We think of the good news that we have eternal life.
But, the reality is that, in our self-centered thinking, we have allowed ourselves to be deceived! What we often think of as the good news; what we often think of as the "gospel," is in reality, the fruit of the real good news! The enemy does not want us focused on the reality of the gospel. If he can keep our focus on self and the benefits to self of the gospel, then he has succeeded in limiting the realities of the fullness of victory that Jesus of Nazareth has for us; and offers to us.
Please carefully consider the following realities of the good news of the fullness of the "gospel."
(Luke 9:1) "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases."
(Luke 9:2) "And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick."
(Luke (9:6) "And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where."
(Luke 10:1) "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come."
(Luke 10:9) "And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."
(Acts 5:40) "And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go."
(Acts 5:41) "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."
(Acts 5:42) "And daily in the temple, and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."
Do we recognize the good news that: "The kingdom of God is come nigh unto" US? The disciples "ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." They did this because the kingdom of God had come nigh unto them! They recognized that Jesus and the Kingdom are one and the same reality. Apart from Jesus Christ, there is no gospel! Apart from the kingdom of God, there is no gospel!
Where Jesus of Nazareth is present, so also, is the Kingdom of God present! This is the good news! This is the Gospel!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)