Our mission is to take the Gospel out to the whole world whether on Church on the streets in the grocery store or on this site.
It's "shouldn't" be common that any Christian would refute that.
My post, and reply to Brother Ronald was concerning our mission.
However,
let's talk about Glorifying God for a moment in relations to what I posted.
Here goes.
An article on distractions.
"Remembering Jesus' Prayer for Unity
We all know the narrative in John 17. But let's revisit it.
John 17:11
"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE.
This was the last thing on Jesus' mind before he went to the cross. He could have been praying about anything, but he chose to pray about unity.
There is the heading Gigi to this whole conversation.
When we are as one we Glorify the Lord, not when we are divided.
Look at the previous verse.
John 17:10. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I AM GLORIFIED IN THEM.
We are many members but yet one body, one Spirit, and one Lord.
We glorify the Lord by carrying on his mission in Love not chaos.
God set up these different offices within the body for that cause!
I will post a few scriptures for lack of time and space.
Ephesians 4:1-3.
Ephesians 4:4.
Ephesians 4:7-8.
And last but certainly not least. Ephesians 4:11-13.
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST:
Till we all come in the UNITY of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST:
We have built for a mission that Glorifies Christ!!
We all know the narrative in John 17. But let's revisit it.
John 17:11
"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE.
This was the last thing on Jesus' mind before he went to the cross. He could have been praying about anything, but he chose to pray about unity.
What does that mean for us? It means we have to be willing to break down barriers that exist among us.
Because if we don't, here's what happens:
The separation becomes more important than the story. The conflict becomes more important than the command. And the division keeps us distracted from accomplishing anything that actually matters.
Before we jump to some specific sources of division, I want to also remind us of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control ( Gal. 5:22-23). There's one thing that each of these things require: unified community.
The essence of the evidence of the Spirit working in our lives requires us to live in unity.
So let's get specific. Here are 6 of many distractions plaguing the Church today:
1) The Distraction of Preference
We all like things done a certain way. It's part of our nature.
We like the service to be in a particular order. We like the music to be a particular style (and as we all know, some people are very particular about the volume of that music). We like our schedules to look like they're supposed to. We like our community to feel a certain way.
It's okay for us to have preferences. But the moment HOW we do ministry becomes more important than WHY we do ministry, we're in big trouble.
Methods should never guide our ministry or our interactions with others. Mission should.
A conversation based on predestination and election and determining if "we're special".
Today; in the midst of competing a discussion on Psalm 2; somehow I made a fleeting statement on how I believed in Predestination (maybe related to those who perish in Revelation who take the mark of the Beast). In any event; along with a disagreement I had with one lady who is the most vocal at this Bible Study and who is a diehard Catholic she stated that we shouldn't consider ourselves "special" related to what she considered a misguided opinion that indeed I was called and chosen (her issue was that Christ died for everyone).
Of course; even a diehard Calvanist will be the first to tell you that we aren't picked because we have any value-it is simply God's grace. My point is now that we are saved and know it; how do we define this blessing now; and in the future when He exalts us in heaven? Being His adopted children now certainly is "special"; even though as Paul said he was treated as the scum of the world ( 1 Cor. 4:13). Jesus; of course whose visage was marred more than any man for our sake on the way to the cross ( Isaiah 52:14) was uniquely loved by the Father and has a singular exaltation as Creator above all of creation as He should.
As His children we are called to be different from the world and part of His Body (see John 17:15-21). We are to be "salt and light" ( Matthew 5:13-16) and His sheep hear His voice ( John 10:27-28). What draws all men to Himself ( John 12:32) started with His Resurrection; but I would argue continues with the Spirit of God convicting men that lives within His church. To not have the power of sin and the fear of damnation as a reality is something which no one apart from His children can experience.
We should stand out; not as arrogant but as truly blessed; which comes of course from our character as well as our reverence for His Word and instructions of living; prayer and sanctification. John 15:18 shows the world hates us.
The glory of saints in light is same as the glory of the Son. "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do./And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." ( John 17:4-5). The new name tells it all. 'To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receivethit."(Re.2:17)
Another aspect of their inheritance in Trinity. He was created "in our image and after our likeness." We already covered Body and Spirit and Soul is signified by the Lamb who was worthy to break open the book with seven seals. The body the church is female, the Bride while Christ is the Head. Soul of individual saint represents his kinship to the head. The everlasting covenant explains the Son "Male and female created he them".
Glory of Power and Wisdom is the soul aspect of Trinity so How does the Spirit explain the mercy of God? "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Is.59:9-12) The rationale behind parables, similies and allegories, the entire gamut of narrative mode the Spirit uses is to give glory so soul of man is nourished thereby. Ps.1 compares soul of man as the tree planted by the water. The Tree touches heaven and rooted from the earth. Jesus was like a tender plant ,"and as a root out of a dry ground." The covenant specifies that it was good. (Ge.1:11-12). Soul has to be good if man is planted by God. "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Jesus said this to the Jews. (Matt.15:13)
"The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations./ Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."(Ps.33:11-12) This explains the essentials of the everlasting covenant.
What is the counsel of the Lord? It is the divine Will, which is a mystery"(Ep.1:9-13) and St Paul refers "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:/ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance."God first trusted in the Man so his glory was his and as the Apostle says 'In whom ye also trusted," This chapter ought to be studied closely in order to understand the nature of our inheritance ("and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"-v.18) and it fulfills all the seven days drawn in the covenant.
The counsel of the Father gives us inheritance in the light. 'Let there be light' He commanded and there was light. God "The Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:/Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son," has shown us what is his Son. He is upon where his heart is. So we have the heart compared to the apple of his eye. "For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye." (Ze.2:5) Israel in rejecting the Son is not part of the covenant. Coming to the key text, "the thoughts of his heart to all generations./ Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance," the Spirit is referring to the saints in light. God has chosen them.
Their glory is same as the glory of the Son. John 17:4-5; A new name tells it all. Re.2:17
You're welcome,Andre4risca,I enjoyed a lot your post.I thank you very much for your kind and wise reply.I confess that I was very surprised and amazed by your response.
Yes,among theologians,and believers,followers of them,there is a conception the Planet Earth is around 6,000 years old,what is a false conception.
In the other hand,the scientific conception about the age of the Earth also is empiric,I would say the empiric conception of science on Earth's age is also false and a nonsense.
That said,what matters and prevails is the Truth.Once the two conceptions above described are wrong,both are good for nothing,I will not be brought under the power of any,I will not allow myself to be carried away by either,but where I will find the Truth?This reminds me of Pilate.What is Truth?For me what matters is the Truth, exclusively.
What I know is that JESUS' own testimony about Himself is wonderful,and reveals to us in depth the mystery of His existence in the greatness of the Universe created by GOD,the Word,GOD Father,full of heavenly bodies,and here on Earth,specifically,He populated the planet with living beings,and sat in the CIRCLE of the Earth,as is written in Isaiah 40:21-22:
21Have ye not known?have ye not heard?hath it not been told you from the beginning?have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22It is GOD that sits upon the CIRCLE of the Earth,and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers;
I remember what JESUS said from His own existence: John 17:4-5,as follow:
4I have glorified thee-Father-on the earth:I have finished the work which thou gave me to do.( John 1:3 & 5:17,and Hebrews 1:1-2 testify about this that JESUS said.Take a look)
5And now,O Father,glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the WORLD was. John the Baptist,the angel of the LORD,testified about this,saying: John 1:18- No man hath seen GOD at any time,the only begotten Son,which is in the bosom of the Father,He has declared Him.
Some seems to prefer to minister to only other believers and have very little to say to unbelievers.
They are quick to judge and tell them where they are going but don't offer them the only way of escape. The Gospel.
In John 17:20 we see Jesus praying for our ministering to them.
"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
I once copied an article on Evangelism. Here's how it reads.
Part 1.
To evangelize means to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone else. Personal evangelism should be the lifestyle of every true Christian. We've been given a great gift, and our Master left us with clear instructions: "Go into all the world and make disciples of every nation" Matthew 28:19. Before we can "make disciples," we must evangelize. There are other reasons, besides Jesus' command, that should also motivate us to share the greatest news in the world with people who haven't heard it:
Evangelism is an act of love. Love must be the defining characteristic of every follower of Jesus Christ John 13:35; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, so anyone who walks in the Spirit will demonstrate love in dealing with people Galatians 5:16, 22-23. We possess the best news in the world, and love propels us to share it with those who haven't heard. Love wants everyone to have a chance to respond to God's offer of salvation. Withholding news that could save someone's life is the utmost cruelty; therefore, those who truly love God will love the people whom Jesus came to save John 3:16-18; 1 John 4:20.
Evangelism builds our own faith. Nothing helps us learn a subject like teaching it to someone else. When we make a practice of sharing our faith with those in our lives, we strengthen our own beliefs. Regular evangelism forces us to wrestle through the hard questions, find answers for ourselves, and prepare to respond to the questions of others.
I have friends that may be unsaved judging by their testimony, lives, response to certain things such as worldly things and Church things or "Spiritual things"
I have one friend in particular that has no Spiritual insight, void of peace and have no love for what he calls "Religious people" but he enjoys to dabble in the chaotic ways of the world.
When we first met I told him I was a Christian. He doesn't go to Church for reasons I won't get into but I don't think he ever knew what Christian means or how to define one.
However, I believe he found something unique about my way of life and noticed my firm stance for what I believed in.
He began to watch his steps and began to trust and take counsel from me and left off trying to counsel me with his worldly take on life and his ignorance of God.
Today he has gained a respect for the word of God.
Our relationship to the lost world is to introduce Christ.
We do that "Not by acting out a performance" but by truth, and his word.
The word and our deeds should align. (That's God's doing).
TRUTH.
They'll understand by listening and watching us that we are not perfect but we follow that which is. (Jesus )
We have a name we must uphold. We can't follow them in this world. "The darkness that it has to offer"
We are to be a light for them to lead them out of it. We are light bearers that shines light on Christ. We show a lost world that the way to the father is through the Son.
So to your friend you are here to be a leader and not a follower. Philippians 2:15.
You are to be a Evangelist to them in some way.
The Apostles set the foundation and was left here to do this and we are here to build on it.
John 17:14-21 says it best. We don't separate ourselves from them. We separate ourselves from all aspects of their way of life.
PUT THIS IN YOUR MIND - THE RED SEA AND THE RED DRAGON
I believe you know that the Hebrews had to cross the Red Sea,and walk through a desert,walk until they got to the Promised Land after 40 years of pilgrimage.What about GOD's people now or in this current time?
Now GOD's people will have to go through(I mean win a war)against the Red Dragon,that's exactly it,a Red Dragon yes,this is no coincidence,it was predicted millennia ago.He's a false messiah who will soon manifest,just ahead,with great signs of lying,he will manifest in Israel like a lamb with two horns,he's a Jew,of course, and he'll speak like a Dragon. Revelation 12.3-17 and Revelation 13: 11-18.
Let's get ready to go through this not easy FINAL journey of GOD's people here until the glorious,marvelous,and day of exceedingly joy - the day 1335.Amen.
Remembering and understanding that the departure of the Hebrew people from Egypt was not without first having taken place a battle against Pharaoh(by the way,there and now is Satan himself),and when the march began for the departure of GOD's people from Egypt, then the enemy army persecuted the Hebrews,the same will happen now,initially the persecution will be by the man Beast of the sea,it is he who will first persecute the Christian believers- Revelation 13:5 - for 42 months,that is the first half of the last week, week 70th Daniel 9:v.27.This POINT is only and only the half of the way -3,5 years or 42 months,the GOD's people will need to march more 3,5 years,so the murch will last 7 years,it will not be easy this journey of course.
Again:Let's get ready to go through this not easy FINAL journey of GOD's people here until the glorious,marvelous,and day of exceendigly joy-the day 1335. Amen.
JESUS in His prayer to the Father,said: John 17:15 - I pray not that thou take them out of the world, but that thou keep them from the evil.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5
The dire/horrible/heinous/hair-raising picture of the current world of Devil,as you so well have described,it is the reflection the wicked and devilish nations of the Devil's world are already descending into hell as a whole,by the power of the Word of GOD,except the sons of GOD- John 1:12-13-of course,in LITERAL fulfilment of Malachi 4:1-3:->1For, behold,the Day cometh(seventh and last GOD's Day or seventh and last millennium),that shall burn as an oven;and all the proud,yea, and all that do wickedly,shall be stubble:and the day that cometh shall burn them up,saith the Lord of hosts,that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;and ye shall go forth,and grow up as calves of the stall( Isaiah 43:2) .
3And ye shall tread down the wicked;for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the Day(seventh)that I shall do this,saith the Lord of hosts( 1Corinthians 15:24-26).
As you know,JESUS in His prayer to the Father,said: John 17:9-10 and 15-17:
9I pray for them:I pray not for the world,but for them which thou hast given me;for they are thine.
10And all mine are thine,and thine are mine;and I am glorified in them.
15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16They are not of the world,even as I am not of the world.
17Sanctify them through thy truth:thy Word is Truth.
Malachi 3:16-18
16Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
17And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that Day when I make up my JEWELS;and I will spare them,as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18Then shall ye return,and discern between the righteous and the wicked,between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
15We say unto you by the Word of the Lord,that we which are alive and remain unto the COMING of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep.
(Comment:Daniel prophesied:Dan.12:1
- At that time(END of Time) shall Michael stand up to fight against the red Dragon,whose satanic religious body has 7 heads,10 horns and a TAIL- Revelation 12:9-12;
- then there shall be a time of trouble (great tribulation), such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time( Matthew 24:21);
- and at that time(current time)thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book ( Revelation 7:1-14).
Furthermore,in this current time or now,even now,from now on,the Devil shall be cast down into the bottomless pit(Re.20:1-3).
Daniel 12:2-THERE WILL BE RESURRECTION SIMULTANEOUSLY
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake(according to the prophecy of Isaiah 26:19-21.Take a look), some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Comment: So, there also shall be resurrection in fulfillment of prophecy of Isaiah combined with 1Thessalonians 4:16, as follow:
16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout (shall descend from the 3rd heaven,we believers are still in the 2nd heaven-Ephesians1:3-8 combined with Philippians 3:20-21),with the voice of the archangel-MICHAEL- , and with the trump of GOD: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1 Thes. 4:17 - Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds( Isaiah 60:8, and 1Corinthians 15:51 combined with Philippians 3:20-21 and Revelation 5:8-14), to meet the Lord in the air(in the 3rd heavenly environment-3rd heaven-far above of the current second heaven- Luke 20:35-36 combined with Matthew 25:6): and so shall we ever be with the Lord.(Where?- Revelation 11:15-18 and Re. 5:10, and Matthew 5:5, and John 17:24. Take a look).
This upper room has been prepared for a special occasion. Who had it prepared for Jesus? In the Gospel of St John Jesus assured his disciples, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."( John 14:3). "For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God." (He.3:4) As with the colt for his Son to go to Jerusalem God had provided all thing for life and godliness for his Son. God had appointed himas the heir of all things.
When Jesus said of foxes having holes and the birds their nests he was stating his own case as a man. In the world each one is so particular to flaunt their fashionable address God chose the upper room, and the Spirit has not given as one except that whatever God chose was in his Power and glory.
Jesus assured "My Father and I are one" and wherever he walked and abode signaled his Father to testify. "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."(1:11). Psalmist refers to this relationship of the Father. "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." (Ps.139:8)
The Last supper enacted in that upper room evokes for us the same betrayal when Satan betrayed the trust of the Most High. For this reason Jesus refersto Judas as the son of perdition. "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." ( John 17:12)
We have several instances where what are presented before us is a kangaroo word in terms of the eternal Word. Thus the alabaster box is a kangaroo word for the woman who prepared the body of the Son for his burial. Ezekiel thus ingesting the roll that God gave him becomes a double for the Son. "Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel."(Ez.3:1)
"What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Here the man in question is Adam. By making him a living soul he is set down in the Lucan genealogy as the son of God. On day six he was blessed and placed all his creation under his hands (Ge.1:28-29). 'Male and female created him sets him in terms of his will stated as a forerunner of Christ and his bride. Only after He sanctified the day seven Eve, was taken out of his ribs. Later He brought all his creation for his review and no helpmeet was found from them. Only then God set about creating flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones. The everlasting covenant between God and Man gives us a final separation, as with Day and Night and waters above and below the firmament and it is a precursor for the ministry of reconciliation for the Word become flesh. It is to this St Paul refers, "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church." (Ep.5:29. )Christ and his body is therefore implied in day Six. Creation of Eve in the following chapter thus creates a family tree connecting Jesus Christ to Adam in Luke Ch.3.
The breath of God made all the difference to Adam who was formed of the ground. He correctly guessed his calling and did not find anyone worthy from without. He was created in 'his likeness' which is the head. For this reason Jesus referred the deep sleep of Adam was precursor to his own death. He as the word become flesh made himself chaste. Compare his saying, "and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it."(Matt.19:12) With Jesus Christ came grace and truth. What God has joined together referred to his own case. In human likeness he nourished and cherished what God had entrusted him with. His prayer makes it clear. ( John 17:11-12)
Introdution: According to 1 Thessalonians 5:9 we are not appointed to wrath. Romans 9:22 seems to indicate that there are indeed "vessels of wrath" doomed for destruction which seems to fulfill what some call "double predestination" or wicked destined for hell. We do know that all those who are NOT written in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world will accept the Mark of the Beast and in fact worship him. ( Rev. 13:8; 17:8 and also in chapter 20). Whether we just play out what is already determined; or God knows ahead of time what we will choose is something we can argue about.
Since this Antichrist is indeed the "man of sin" ( 2 Thess. 2:3) and we can also call the son of perdition in John 17:12 as representing Judas Iscariot who also was destined to betray God and be lost according to the prophecy in Psalm 55 along with the same fate for this Beast from these and other passages; we once again see God's hand in this. God is the one according to Thessalonians that sends "strong delusion" ( 2 Thess. 2:11). That is because people loved sin so much that they didn't want to repent; and we see this with the behaviors that occur during the Trumpet judgments in particular.
These facts are sobering; we know that if it weren't for His grace we would never see clearly our sin nature and hence we all would fall for this false Messiah. This world system has nothing to offer; nor does any man who is unregenerate to give lasting peace. Neither sacrifices of animals or man's own sufferings procure any justification or forgiveness of sins; and God is not impressed with any of our accomplishments. Self gratification no doubt will be a large part of the universal appeal; along with self preservation that eventually leads to the acceptance of this infamous mark. Luke 12:12 may have double fulfillment; both for the Apostles facing martyrdom and the end time saints who refuse the mark.
Scripture is clear Jesus had no sin, Hebrews 4:151 Peter 2:221 John 3:5Romans 5:12-15.
Do you believe that the Father and the Son are one as Jesus said in Jn. 17 or that He and the Father are "in" one another and if they see Jesus, they see the Father?
Both, Jesus said I and my Father are one John 10:30 and in other places, one means unity. Jesus was one with the Father not because Jesus was God but because He was filled with the Spirit and God dwelt in him, John 14:10, as we see God was in Christ 2 Corinthians 5:19
God dwelt in Jesus and empowered Him by His Spirit that gave Jesus the power and authority like Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered to Jesus of His Father, Jesus did not have it, all was given to Him. God was manifest in Jesus, John 12:49John 14:10. This is why Jesus said if you have seen me, you have seen the Father, John 14:9.
Jesus in His prayer asked the Father that we may be one, as He and His Father are one through the words of the disciples, John 17:20-23. God and Jesus will dwell in us and we in them, 1 John 4:13-161 John 3:23-24.
How is it that Jesus AND the Father send the Holy Spirit if there is only one person as God?
Jesus said He would pray to the Father to give another comforter, John 14:16, we see in John 14:26 the Father will send in Jesus's name. In John 15:26 Jesus said I will send but this is from the Father and the Spirit of truth that proceedeth from the Father. This is not a person it is the Spirit of God.
Please don't take this wrong, in the Trinity there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each Person is fully God, coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial. I'm sorry my understanding, is Scripture does not support that, Scripture is clear the Father is above all.
Thank you, GiGi, I hope this is what you wanted I am not the best at this.
His authority came from his deity. "I and my Father are one" As his Son the voice from heaven claimed his humanity so "Trinity" was not merely a doctrine but validated the everlasting covenant. " And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased./And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness." (vv.11-12) The Spirit the third office in Trinity led him as the Lucan Gospel says. He was among men but his deity was never in jeopardy. So His power and glory is his as he makes clear in his prayer, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."( John 17:5)
As the Word become flesh his presence among them was a sign. "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."( John 14:10)
He works so all the healing we have in vv.21-45 we shall fill the dots all the way to the throne of God. Thus the healing validated the blessings mentioned in Ge.1:28. "God blessed them" and it was through his Son.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. Here is another, "And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."
"And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
" Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory," v.31 must be understood in its correct setting. Jesus in his humanity emptied himself of the glory so in all things he shall like men, -namely of the seed of Abraham. Matt.1:1 so begins as the son of Abraham; "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people"(He.2:17) Nevertheless the Holy Spirit enumerates generation of Jesus as following those of heavens. (Ge.2:4)
Here we shall examine the glory factor related to the Alpha Omega aspect of the Son. In his prayer to his Father he speaks of it. "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."( John 17:5). This glory is based on the word. "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him./And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." The cloud of witnesses were thus part of his glory. and sanctified by truth. So Jesus prays, "Sanctify them by truth: thy word is truth" (John17:10)
In his transfiguration on the mount the three disciples were present. Jesus wanted them to hold it a secret till he had completely perfected the will of his Father. From the above we see how man trivializes this glory by playing to the gallery and for the praise of men? In our Savior we are assured of life eternal. "that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Instead of truth how false teachers make Jesus with limited salvation. Such doctrine of man shall do much worse. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."
"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."(11:3)
Who is the authority to confer power on men but the Lord from heaven, who is heavenly? "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." The risen Christ in his humanity was the Word become flesh, so his authority stretched from Alpha the beginning. In his Ascension he was to be seated on the right hand of the Most High so Omega aspect, the ending referred to fulfilling the divine Will of his Father. " Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power"(Ps.110:1-3). Firstly the two witnesses belong to 'thy people'. These were given to the Son. "and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are."( John 17:11)
The chapter began with a golden reed and the angel directing John what to leave out and what to include requires attention. "for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months." This reed is a single measurement. "And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel."(Re.21:17) Gold signifies faith and here single measurement is of the angel,- the fellow-servant of John and of the man to whom the Son has given authority. Power of the little ones and their angels positioned to behold the face of the Father always defines the golden reed. Every other scale is false.
Prophesy is another feature and the two witnesses would do it for "a thousand two hundred and threescore days. "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John."(Matt.11:11)
The days is a tag supplied the Spirit to indicate the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. By the same token the Gentiles are allowed to operate for 42 months. This conflict reveals two laws, of the Spirit and of the sin.
Holiness of God is a name, glory of which is invested in his testimony which is the glorious gospel entrusted to his Son. So when He sent his only begotten Son what is the Will of God? " Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." His concern is for the glory of everlasting life that the one sheep carries. God so loved the world is to bring the glory of the cloud of witnesses match exactly with those who are in the world of the body.
"I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word."( John 17:6)
"That they may be one" is what the ministry of reconciliation yet remaining. "And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them./And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are".(vv.10-11).And when Jesus Christ says,"It is done" it is a signal that way to the tree of life is found. "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb./In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life."(Re.22:1-2)
"Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."
Speaking of the Will we have in this prayer of Jesus, the utter sorrow of our Savior Lord over Judas, "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled."( John 17:12). 'That the scripture might be fulfilled' refers to the blessings written in the covenant. (Ge.1:28) God blessed them at one lever was about Christ and the church. "Male and female created he them" applied to each believer who stood equally in direct frame of reference to the Wisdom principle (female) and also the Power principle.(Male). In the Lord's prayer we have the power and glory, in which this glory is a constant reminder of the body of Christ. "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." Forever is a tag for the Son. While we say 'Amen' we are declaring the creed of being one with the Faithful and true witness. When a believer treats like a nostrum and mumbles on auto-pilot mode it is a pointer to the imposter religion salvaged from a pagan cult of Rome has spread inroads into one's worship. Similar to the joy in heaven over one soul finding way back to the sheepfold we are witnessing Jesus with his fan ready to cast the chaff where the wind shall take where it will.
In the king's dream the ten toes tell the miry clay mixt with iron is under judgment. Like the stone cut not with hands judgment should come in series of shocks. there is an earth quake, and the tenth part of the city fell, it is what we read in Re.18:21. Seven thousand of men (7x1000) speaks it is predetermined. The hour of his judgment,- And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen," Babylon is interchangeable with Jerusalem. (Re.11:8). Loss of even one is diminishment to the glory of God.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
Vision is precisely what St Paul says, "We walk by faith and not by sight."(2 Co.5:7) It is borne out of knowledge,-St Paul calls it the glory of the same quality as of the spiritual body because it is from God,- who gives it a glory as with the see. So the seed ('whose sed is in itself-Ge.1:11) is part of the Abstract that shall never change. This glory is Person specific. "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. In short the vision that we speak here is to hold on to both worlds of the Spirit and of the body as one. St Paul gives us the context in v.1. "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
Israel took pride in the Law of Moses but they perished just the same, save Joshua and Caleb because they had no vision. It began much earlier when the turned to the golden calf soon after Moses went up the mount. Their lack of vision would trouble them when during the time of the kings there were two places for golden calf worship one at Dan and at Bethel. "An eye for an eye" as set in the law characterize them now so the nation stands guilty of genocide. So as fulfillment of the Law that Jesus taught us 'to turn the other cheek also. He also showed with his life. God gave as a commandment: "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:"(Ge.1:28) His vision was clear and knew the reason God blessed 'then' on the sixth day from this prayer, "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." ( John 17:11)
Christ's ultimate sacrifice: Primary purpose was to do God's will.
In studying Christ's death on the cross and the resulting salvation of our souls it is no small thing to focus attention and time on such a matter on a regular basis. At least from our perspective the meaning to us personally must be considered with all due reverence for how He took us from death to life. John 17:6-8 makes clear that God was the one who gave Christ all the ones who were to be saved. The following verses ask for unity among them all; and to be in the world but not of it (in general). These verses prayed during His agony in Gethsemane are the summation of much of the earlier chapters in John clearly showing that God was the one who predetermined (predestined) all those who would be saved and hear His voice as His sheep.
However you slice it; there are some who will and will not come to Christ. Also God knows ahead of time who these people are so therefore certainly could have designated ahead of time who would be sheep and who would be a goat; who would be wheat and who a tare; etc. In other words; it wasn't up to Christ to give out any information that could lead someone to the truth in a merely intellectual manner and therefore much of His ministry was spent teaching in parables. Compare Mark 4:12 with Luke 8:12. The lack of insight given so that people can be saved is clear from the first passage; but Satan is used as the agent to blind men's hearts in the second example in Luke of the seed by the wayside.
There are as Deuteronomy 29:29 states some things in the Divine counsel which men are not privy to. Certain things can be searched out; however ( Proverbs 25:2). John 3:16 states that God so loved the world and sent His Son. We should keep in mind here that Christ came first and foremost to do the Father's will. All those called and chosen would be saved EXCEPT for the prophesied son of perdition (see Psalm 69:25; Psalm 41:9; Psalm 109).
Chris, my belief regarding JESUS sat at the right hand of the Father, it is not by your very poor testimony of Him, but by the Word of GOD, the Word is GOD Himself, GOD the Father, understand? Hebrews 1:1-3 among other biblical references.Take a look. The testimony of the Word -the Word is GOD - it is greater than yours, understand? Or isn't it?
You called God "(Theos); Father (Patter;Abba-more intimate); Lord(Kurios), well, by the Word of GOD, the Word is GOD, you are saying nothing, your testimony about GOD in your post is irrelevant, insignificant, it was not by the Spirit of Christ, and it was not by the Spirit of Truth and John 16:12-15 confirm / endorse what I am just saying. Unfortunately you keep snaking in devilish doctrines and tares sowed by the Wicked one. --> By the way, "It is GOD that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers- Isaiah 40:22. Indeed, this revelation which GOD did give to Isaiah explains or suggests why there is not Life in whole Universe except in the Earth, I mean out of the Earth there is not in whole Universe the variety of Life that there is in the Earth, because GOD is sat upon the circle of the Earth.
To finish, you have cited in your posts the NAME of GOD as being the esoteric, and kabbalistic, and spiritist JEHOVAH, YAHWEH, YHWH, ADONAI, EL SHADAI, HaSHEM, so I quoted John 17:6 where my Lord JESUS in His prayer said to the Father that He had MANIFESTED His NAME to the MEN that He, GOD the Father, had given to Him, So I asked UNTO you: What is the GOD's NAME my Lord JESUS MANIFESTED to the men?
Now, now, from your knowledge you said here the names mentioned above are NAMES of GOD, so I wanted to know which of these NAMES of GOD my Lord JESUS would have manifested to the men? The question is mine, not yours, I'm waiting you response.
Let's speak of the Word of GOD, the Word is GOD, the Word is GOD Himself, understand? I quoted to you and to ALL what my Lord JESUS said in His PRAYER to the Father. JESUS said to GOD the Father: John 17:6 - " I have MANIFESTED thy NAME unto the MEN which thou GAVEST me out of the WORLD: thine they were, and thou gavest them me;and they -the MEN- have kept thy Word.
In fact JESUS MANIFESTED the NAME of GOD to the MEN. Your answer is an announcement, a declaration, or even clearly leaves a CONFESSION that you DO NOT KNOW the NAME of GOD the Father, NAME MANIFESTED unto the MEN by my Lord JESUS.
So, in a defensive position because you don't have an answer within the Scriptures, you come in unpolished manner to tell me that I "cannot be more in the know of Name than the Son". What you said is fake. What matters and prevails is what my Lord JESUS said: Matthew 11:27 - "No MAN knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any MAN the Father, save the Son,and he to whomsoever the Son will REVEAL Him. As you and ALL can see, it is by REVELATION,not by speculations, presumptions, and so on.
Your answer is an announcement, a declaration, or even clearly leaves a CONFESSION that you DO NOT KNOW the NAME of GOD the Father, NAME MANIFESTED by my Lord JESUS unto the MEN.
Furthermore, you cited the esoteric, and kabbalistic, and spiritist NAMES of GOD (this is a blaspheme), such as JEHOVAH, YAHWEH, YHWH, ADONAI, EL SHADAI, HaSHEM as if were the NAMES OF"GOD",but there are more esoteric and kabbalistic names of"GOD" besides these, according the devilish esoteric and kabbalistic and spiritist Judaism,and you believe in this satanic doctrine and testify and spread their idolatries and sorceries here.
My Lord JESUS said: "No MAN knoweth the Son,but the Father; neither knoweth any MAN the Father,save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will REVEAL Him. As you and ALL can see, it is by REVELATION only, exclusively.
I'm a disciple of JESUS, who said from He himself " I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning( Genesis 1:1) and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the ALMIGHTY.
My Lord JESUS in His pray to the Father, said: John 17:5-6
5 Now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the WORLD was.
6 I have manifested thy NAME unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy Word.
Chris, what GOD's NAME was manifested by my Lord JESUS?
As you know, the Bible is about two Covenants- The OT and NT.
What we are commenting is about the OT, not about the NT, for there is not that NAME or nickname in the NT. Remember: You quoted Isaiah 12:1-2.
Isaiah 16:-1-2 in the OT -Nevin'im(Prophets) Yeshayahu(Isaiah) is written as follow:
1 And you shall say on that day, I will thank You, O Lord, for You were wroth with me, may Your wrath turn away and may You comfort me.
2 Here is the God of my salvation, I shall trust and not fear; for the strength and praise of the Eternal the Lord was my salvation.
In fact that name was added in the translations inadvertently, but the name you have mentioned it is not the only fictitious name or nickname added in the OT (not added in the Bible as a whole-OT&NT), there are several others: I have listed YHWH, Yahweh, Yehovah,Elohim, Adonai, HaShem, Yahusha, YEHshia, Jehovah, YEHvah, these names are not NAMES of GOD, quite the opposite, all these names listed are strictly the names of the father of the Jews- John 8:44 combined with Revelation 12:3-4.
JESUS in His prayer to the Father, said: John 17:6 - I have manifested thy NAME unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: ... -->What's NAME?)
Again, thank you for your comments Ronald, & I can see that this discussion will need to end. But before that & to respond to some of your comments here, Colossians 1:15-17 shows that Jesus (in His pre-Incarnate Form) was involved in creation, & not simply a Thought or Word in God's Mind. 'For by Him were all things createdall things created by Him & for Him He is before all things & by Him all things consist'. For Paul to make a declaration as this & then we should force a meaning that Jesus was not the Creator & Sustainer within the Godhead, would exceed the limits of my comprehension. I'm sorry. As well, the use of 'Him, He' (Gk. auto), tells us that we are reading of a Person (albeit within the Person of God), Who is creating & not simply a Thought in God's Mind.
And I selected John 17:5 as a very apt verse to show how clearly Jesus Himself considered the Glory He once had with God, Who is now His Father through the incarnation; that Glory He laid aside for the sake of becoming human & thus for the "suffering of death" (for God indeed cannot die). I planned to also bring in the other Scriptures that I had given a few days earlier, for your interpretation & understanding, but used this one as a 'case-in-point' to learn of your thoughts. To Page 2.
Vs 5 The plan of God, predetermined glory, Jesus knew the Scriptures. All that was to happen to Him and the glory He would receive after He suffered on the cross had already been spoken by the prophets in the past tense as though they had already happened.
As Jesus was on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:25-26, He talks about them not believing what the prophets had written about what was to happen to Jesus. The first man to be raised from the dead in a glorified body and God placed Him on His right hand on the throne a man, not a god.
Jesus was a man who was tempted like us and fulfilled all His Father asked Him we see hundreds of prophecies Jesus fulfilled and the man Jesus did it without one sin. Only a man could undo what the first man did. God could not do that because He cannot sin or die. The law was made for man and the curse of sin was on man, not God.
In Verses 20-22, Jesus had not yet been crucified and the glory the Father had given Him Jesus has given it to us today "but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;" This glory we will receive when Jesus returns and we are resurrected in our glorified bodies, we have it now, but it will not be manifest until Jesus returns.
If Jesus was a co-equal God in the three-person God, how could He be given anything He would already have it? Malachi 3:6 says God does not change so God cannot change, Numbers 23:19Isaiah 46:10Psalm 33:11Acts 17:26 The glory Jesus was asking for, He would receive when He resurrected.
The Spirit could not be given because Jesus had not been glorified (resurrected) John 7:39 Things were hidden from the disciples until Jesus was glorified (resurrected) John 12:16.
2 Timothy 1:9-10 It was given before creation so, John 17:24 we will be where He is when we are resurrected, Jesus was given glory with the Father before all creation in God's mind and plan. Ephesians 1:4
I hope this makes sense I am not the best at this.
Yet, since we've been given more insight to the 'origin' of this Son of God, we are compelled to give that due consideration. I realize that you have your interpretation of certain of those verses, e.g. John 1:1 & you've even given John 17:3 in your comment here. But in Jesus' prayer to His Father, He didn't stop there; He also said John 17:5. Maybe, your thoughts on what He meant, for I have labored over this verse & cannot re-construct it to fit any other meaning than what is given. Who then is this Jesus? Just a created Man from Holy Seed or One coming from the Person of God, Who shared in God's Glory, Who created the worlds, Who alone could live a sinless life to set men free from sin's grip & resulting damnation?
Lastly, you asked, "If the Trinity is true and is so important, why is it not once taught in Scripture?" I believe that the Trinity is taught in Scripture (a few pertinent verses were previously given), just as we learn of the major doctrines: of God, of Jesus, of the Holy Spirit, of Salvation, of Satan, of the Future. It's just not given to us in a special Book or under a special Heading, "Herewith is the complete & unabridged Doctrine of ..". As in all matters spiritual, we have to learn from the reading of all Scripture, yet "rightly divided" & Spirit-guided. My natural mind wants to believe that Jesus came as God's Son, through a Divine Birth, having no previous Form within God's Person. But for me to hold to that belief means I would have to throw out a whole lot of Scripture that tells me that there is more to this Son of God than what I would like to believe. My hunger for God's Word & Truth will simply not allow me to avoid or reject those verses. And I write this purely as an arrow piercing my own heart & understanding & not pointed to anyone else, as we all have to be clear in conscience before God in the treatment of His precious Word - and I'm particularly sensitive to that - even as I "tremble at His Word". Blessings.
Thank you again, from my heart, the truth is my search not to offend. It all goes back to one verse when I read it, it stood out in my heart, Corinthians 11:4. I know I am alone here on this, but saying Jesus is part of the Triune God, who eternally exists and expresses himself as three distinct persons with one essence all three co-equal. One God in three persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This to me denies the Son, 1 John 2:23
What I see in the Bible is the relationship between the Father and the Son, the Son is obedient to the Father. Jesus said His Father is greater than Him, John 14:28. Jesus has said the Father is His God, John 20:17Revelation 3:12.
The Bible defines God's nature as eternal and unchanging; there is only one throne of God and through the Bible, only the Father is on the throne until the Father raised His Son from the dead and placed Him on His right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, there is nothing about the Holy Spirit.
As we see in Revelation Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple and the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. 21:22-23 no Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit, not another person.
Jesus confirmed there is only one true God, Mark 12:28-34, in Jesus's prayer to His Father said in John 17:3. All the greetings in the New Testament are from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Galatians 1:3Ephesians 6:231 Thessalonians 1:12 Timothy 1:2Titus 1:42 John 1:3 and more but no Holy Spirit.
If the Trinity true and is so important, why is it not once taught in Scripture? God cannot change and God cannot die, so how do we understand John 3:16 if God the Father did not send his actual begotten Son to die for our sins? We see Jesus also had His own will, Luke 22:42.
Our purpose is to glorify God.
Our mission is to take the Gospel out to the whole world whether on Church on the streets in the grocery store or on this site.
It's "shouldn't" be common that any Christian would refute that.
My post, and reply to Brother Ronald was concerning our mission.
However,
let's talk about Glorifying God for a moment in relations to what I posted.
Here goes.
An article on distractions.
"Remembering Jesus' Prayer for Unity
We all know the narrative in John 17. But let's revisit it.
John 17:11
"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE.
This was the last thing on Jesus' mind before he went to the cross. He could have been praying about anything, but he chose to pray about unity.
There is the heading Gigi to this whole conversation.
When we are as one we Glorify the Lord, not when we are divided.
Look at the previous verse.
John 17:10. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I AM GLORIFIED IN THEM.
We are many members but yet one body, one Spirit, and one Lord.
We glorify the Lord by carrying on his mission in Love not chaos.
God set up these different offices within the body for that cause!
I will post a few scriptures for lack of time and space.
Ephesians 4:1-3.
Ephesians 4:4.
Ephesians 4:7-8.
And last but certainly not least. Ephesians 4:11-13.
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST:
Till we all come in the UNITY of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST:
We have built for a mission that Glorifies Christ!!
See Part 2. Staying right here in Ephesians.
Part 1
Remembering Jesus' Prayer for Unity
We all know the narrative in John 17. But let's revisit it.
John 17:11
"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE.
This was the last thing on Jesus' mind before he went to the cross. He could have been praying about anything, but he chose to pray about unity.
What does that mean for us? It means we have to be willing to break down barriers that exist among us.
Because if we don't, here's what happens:
The separation becomes more important than the story. The conflict becomes more important than the command. And the division keeps us distracted from accomplishing anything that actually matters.
Before we jump to some specific sources of division, I want to also remind us of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control ( Gal. 5:22-23). There's one thing that each of these things require: unified community.
The essence of the evidence of the Spirit working in our lives requires us to live in unity.
So let's get specific. Here are 6 of many distractions plaguing the Church today:
1) The Distraction of Preference
We all like things done a certain way. It's part of our nature.
We like the service to be in a particular order. We like the music to be a particular style (and as we all know, some people are very particular about the volume of that music). We like our schedules to look like they're supposed to. We like our community to feel a certain way.
It's okay for us to have preferences. But the moment HOW we do ministry becomes more important than WHY we do ministry, we're in big trouble.
Methods should never guide our ministry or our interactions with others. Mission should.
See part 2.
Today; in the midst of competing a discussion on Psalm 2; somehow I made a fleeting statement on how I believed in Predestination (maybe related to those who perish in Revelation who take the mark of the Beast). In any event; along with a disagreement I had with one lady who is the most vocal at this Bible Study and who is a diehard Catholic she stated that we shouldn't consider ourselves "special" related to what she considered a misguided opinion that indeed I was called and chosen (her issue was that Christ died for everyone).
Of course; even a diehard Calvanist will be the first to tell you that we aren't picked because we have any value-it is simply God's grace. My point is now that we are saved and know it; how do we define this blessing now; and in the future when He exalts us in heaven? Being His adopted children now certainly is "special"; even though as Paul said he was treated as the scum of the world ( 1 Cor. 4:13). Jesus; of course whose visage was marred more than any man for our sake on the way to the cross ( Isaiah 52:14) was uniquely loved by the Father and has a singular exaltation as Creator above all of creation as He should.
As His children we are called to be different from the world and part of His Body (see John 17:15-21). We are to be "salt and light" ( Matthew 5:13-16) and His sheep hear His voice ( John 10:27-28). What draws all men to Himself ( John 12:32) started with His Resurrection; but I would argue continues with the Spirit of God convicting men that lives within His church. To not have the power of sin and the fear of damnation as a reality is something which no one apart from His children can experience.
We should stand out; not as arrogant but as truly blessed; which comes of course from our character as well as our reverence for His Word and instructions of living; prayer and sanctification. John 15:18 shows the world hates us.
The glory of saints in light is same as the glory of the Son. "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do./And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." ( John 17:4-5). The new name tells it all. 'To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receivethit."(Re.2:17)
Another aspect of their inheritance in Trinity. He was created "in our image and after our likeness." We already covered Body and Spirit and Soul is signified by the Lamb who was worthy to break open the book with seven seals. The body the church is female, the Bride while Christ is the Head. Soul of individual saint represents his kinship to the head. The everlasting covenant explains the Son "Male and female created he them".
Glory of Power and Wisdom is the soul aspect of Trinity so How does the Spirit explain the mercy of God? "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Is.59:9-12) The rationale behind parables, similies and allegories, the entire gamut of narrative mode the Spirit uses is to give glory so soul of man is nourished thereby. Ps.1 compares soul of man as the tree planted by the water. The Tree touches heaven and rooted from the earth. Jesus was like a tender plant ,"and as a root out of a dry ground." The covenant specifies that it was good. (Ge.1:11-12). Soul has to be good if man is planted by God. "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Jesus said this to the Jews. (Matt.15:13)
"The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations./ Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."(Ps.33:11-12) This explains the essentials of the everlasting covenant.
What is the counsel of the Lord? It is the divine Will, which is a mystery"(Ep.1:9-13) and St Paul refers "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:/ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance."God first trusted in the Man so his glory was his and as the Apostle says 'In whom ye also trusted," This chapter ought to be studied closely in order to understand the nature of our inheritance ("and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"-v.18) and it fulfills all the seven days drawn in the covenant.
The counsel of the Father gives us inheritance in the light. 'Let there be light' He commanded and there was light. God "The Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:/Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son," has shown us what is his Son. He is upon where his heart is. So we have the heart compared to the apple of his eye. "For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye." (Ze.2:5) Israel in rejecting the Son is not part of the covenant. Coming to the key text, "the thoughts of his heart to all generations./ Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance," the Spirit is referring to the saints in light. God has chosen them.
Their glory is same as the glory of the Son. John 17:4-5; A new name tells it all. Re.2:17
Yes,among theologians,and believers,followers of them,there is a conception the Planet Earth is around 6,000 years old,what is a false conception.
In the other hand,the scientific conception about the age of the Earth also is empiric,I would say the empiric conception of science on Earth's age is also false and a nonsense.
That said,what matters and prevails is the Truth.Once the two conceptions above described are wrong,both are good for nothing,I will not be brought under the power of any,I will not allow myself to be carried away by either,but where I will find the Truth?This reminds me of Pilate.What is Truth?For me what matters is the Truth, exclusively.
What I know is that JESUS' own testimony about Himself is wonderful,and reveals to us in depth the mystery of His existence in the greatness of the Universe created by GOD,the Word,GOD Father,full of heavenly bodies,and here on Earth,specifically,He populated the planet with living beings,and sat in the CIRCLE of the Earth,as is written in Isaiah 40:21-22:
21Have ye not known?have ye not heard?hath it not been told you from the beginning?have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22It is GOD that sits upon the CIRCLE of the Earth,and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers;
I remember what JESUS said from His own existence: John 17:4-5,as follow:
4I have glorified thee-Father-on the earth:I have finished the work which thou gave me to do.( John 1:3 & 5:17,and Hebrews 1:1-2 testify about this that JESUS said.Take a look)
5And now,O Father,glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the WORLD was. John the Baptist,the angel of the LORD,testified about this,saying: John 1:18- No man hath seen GOD at any time,the only begotten Son,which is in the bosom of the Father,He has declared Him.
Evangelizing.
Some seems to prefer to minister to only other believers and have very little to say to unbelievers.
They are quick to judge and tell them where they are going but don't offer them the only way of escape. The Gospel.
In John 17:20 we see Jesus praying for our ministering to them.
"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
I once copied an article on Evangelism. Here's how it reads.
Part 1.
To evangelize means to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone else. Personal evangelism should be the lifestyle of every true Christian. We've been given a great gift, and our Master left us with clear instructions: "Go into all the world and make disciples of every nation" Matthew 28:19. Before we can "make disciples," we must evangelize. There are other reasons, besides Jesus' command, that should also motivate us to share the greatest news in the world with people who haven't heard it:
Evangelism is an act of love. Love must be the defining characteristic of every follower of Jesus Christ John 13:35; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, so anyone who walks in the Spirit will demonstrate love in dealing with people Galatians 5:16, 22-23. We possess the best news in the world, and love propels us to share it with those who haven't heard. Love wants everyone to have a chance to respond to God's offer of salvation. Withholding news that could save someone's life is the utmost cruelty; therefore, those who truly love God will love the people whom Jesus came to save John 3:16-18; 1 John 4:20.
Evangelism builds our own faith. Nothing helps us learn a subject like teaching it to someone else. When we make a practice of sharing our faith with those in our lives, we strengthen our own beliefs. Regular evangelism forces us to wrestle through the hard questions, find answers for ourselves, and prepare to respond to the questions of others.
See part 2.
I have friends that may be unsaved judging by their testimony, lives, response to certain things such as worldly things and Church things or "Spiritual things"
I have one friend in particular that has no Spiritual insight, void of peace and have no love for what he calls "Religious people" but he enjoys to dabble in the chaotic ways of the world.
When we first met I told him I was a Christian. He doesn't go to Church for reasons I won't get into but I don't think he ever knew what Christian means or how to define one.
However, I believe he found something unique about my way of life and noticed my firm stance for what I believed in.
He began to watch his steps and began to trust and take counsel from me and left off trying to counsel me with his worldly take on life and his ignorance of God.
Today he has gained a respect for the word of God.
Our relationship to the lost world is to introduce Christ.
We do that "Not by acting out a performance" but by truth, and his word.
The word and our deeds should align. (That's God's doing).
TRUTH.
They'll understand by listening and watching us that we are not perfect but we follow that which is. (Jesus )
We have a name we must uphold. We can't follow them in this world. "The darkness that it has to offer"
We are to be a light for them to lead them out of it. We are light bearers that shines light on Christ. We show a lost world that the way to the father is through the Son.
So to your friend you are here to be a leader and not a follower. Philippians 2:15.
You are to be a Evangelist to them in some way.
The Apostles set the foundation and was left here to do this and we are here to build on it.
John 17:14-21 says it best. We don't separate ourselves from them. We separate ourselves from all aspects of their way of life.
More on Evangelism.
I believe you know that the Hebrews had to cross the Red Sea,and walk through a desert,walk until they got to the Promised Land after 40 years of pilgrimage.What about GOD's people now or in this current time?
Now GOD's people will have to go through(I mean win a war)against the Red Dragon,that's exactly it,a Red Dragon yes,this is no coincidence,it was predicted millennia ago.He's a false messiah who will soon manifest,just ahead,with great signs of lying,he will manifest in Israel like a lamb with two horns,he's a Jew,of course, and he'll speak like a Dragon. Revelation 12.3-17 and Revelation 13: 11-18.
Let's get ready to go through this not easy FINAL journey of GOD's people here until the glorious,marvelous,and day of exceedingly joy - the day 1335.Amen.
Remembering and understanding that the departure of the Hebrew people from Egypt was not without first having taken place a battle against Pharaoh(by the way,there and now is Satan himself),and when the march began for the departure of GOD's people from Egypt, then the enemy army persecuted the Hebrews,the same will happen now,initially the persecution will be by the man Beast of the sea,it is he who will first persecute the Christian believers- Revelation 13:5 - for 42 months,that is the first half of the last week, week 70th Daniel 9:v.27.This POINT is only and only the half of the way -3,5 years or 42 months,the GOD's people will need to march more 3,5 years,so the murch will last 7 years,it will not be easy this journey of course.
Again:Let's get ready to go through this not easy FINAL journey of GOD's people here until the glorious,marvelous,and day of exceendigly joy-the day 1335. Amen.
JESUS in His prayer to the Father,said: John 17:15 - I pray not that thou take them out of the world, but that thou keep them from the evil.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5
Get ready, yeah, get ready
Greetings in Christ
The dire/horrible/heinous/hair-raising picture of the current world of Devil,as you so well have described,it is the reflection the wicked and devilish nations of the Devil's world are already descending into hell as a whole,by the power of the Word of GOD,except the sons of GOD- John 1:12-13-of course,in LITERAL fulfilment of Malachi 4:1-3:->1For, behold,the Day cometh(seventh and last GOD's Day or seventh and last millennium),that shall burn as an oven;and all the proud,yea, and all that do wickedly,shall be stubble:and the day that cometh shall burn them up,saith the Lord of hosts,that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;and ye shall go forth,and grow up as calves of the stall( Isaiah 43:2) .
3And ye shall tread down the wicked;for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the Day(seventh)that I shall do this,saith the Lord of hosts( 1Corinthians 15:24-26).
As you know,JESUS in His prayer to the Father,said: John 17:9-10 and 15-17:
9I pray for them:I pray not for the world,but for them which thou hast given me;for they are thine.
10And all mine are thine,and thine are mine;and I am glorified in them.
15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16They are not of the world,even as I am not of the world.
17Sanctify them through thy truth:thy Word is Truth.
Malachi 3:16-18
16Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
17And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that Day when I make up my JEWELS;and I will spare them,as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18Then shall ye return,and discern between the righteous and the wicked,between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Paul prophesied:1Tessalonians 4:15
15We say unto you by the Word of the Lord,that we which are alive and remain unto the COMING of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep.
(Comment:Daniel prophesied:Dan.12:1
- At that time(END of Time) shall Michael stand up to fight against the red Dragon,whose satanic religious body has 7 heads,10 horns and a TAIL- Revelation 12:9-12;
- then there shall be a time of trouble (great tribulation), such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time( Matthew 24:21);
- and at that time(current time)thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book ( Revelation 7:1-14).
Furthermore,in this current time or now,even now,from now on,the Devil shall be cast down into the bottomless pit(Re.20:1-3).
Daniel 12:2-THERE WILL BE RESURRECTION SIMULTANEOUSLY
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake(according to the prophecy of Isaiah 26:19-21.Take a look), some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Comment: So, there also shall be resurrection in fulfillment of prophecy of Isaiah combined with 1Thessalonians 4:16, as follow:
16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout (shall descend from the 3rd heaven,we believers are still in the 2nd heaven-Ephesians1:3-8 combined with Philippians 3:20-21),with the voice of the archangel-MICHAEL- , and with the trump of GOD: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1 Thes. 4:17 - Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds( Isaiah 60:8, and 1Corinthians 15:51 combined with Philippians 3:20-21 and Revelation 5:8-14), to meet the Lord in the air(in the 3rd heavenly environment-3rd heaven-far above of the current second heaven- Luke 20:35-36 combined with Matthew 25:6): and so shall we ever be with the Lord.(Where?- Revelation 11:15-18 and Re. 5:10, and Matthew 5:5, and John 17:24. Take a look).
That's for your meditation
This upper room has been prepared for a special occasion. Who had it prepared for Jesus? In the Gospel of St John Jesus assured his disciples, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."( John 14:3). "For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God." (He.3:4) As with the colt for his Son to go to Jerusalem God had provided all thing for life and godliness for his Son. God had appointed himas the heir of all things.
When Jesus said of foxes having holes and the birds their nests he was stating his own case as a man. In the world each one is so particular to flaunt their fashionable address God chose the upper room, and the Spirit has not given as one except that whatever God chose was in his Power and glory.
Jesus assured "My Father and I are one" and wherever he walked and abode signaled his Father to testify. "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."(1:11). Psalmist refers to this relationship of the Father. "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." (Ps.139:8)
The Last supper enacted in that upper room evokes for us the same betrayal when Satan betrayed the trust of the Most High. For this reason Jesus refersto Judas as the son of perdition. "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." ( John 17:12)
We have several instances where what are presented before us is a kangaroo word in terms of the eternal Word. Thus the alabaster box is a kangaroo word for the woman who prepared the body of the Son for his burial. Ezekiel thus ingesting the roll that God gave him becomes a double for the Son. "Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel."(Ez.3:1)
"What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Here the man in question is Adam. By making him a living soul he is set down in the Lucan genealogy as the son of God. On day six he was blessed and placed all his creation under his hands (Ge.1:28-29). 'Male and female created him sets him in terms of his will stated as a forerunner of Christ and his bride. Only after He sanctified the day seven Eve, was taken out of his ribs. Later He brought all his creation for his review and no helpmeet was found from them. Only then God set about creating flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones. The everlasting covenant between God and Man gives us a final separation, as with Day and Night and waters above and below the firmament and it is a precursor for the ministry of reconciliation for the Word become flesh. It is to this St Paul refers, "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church." (Ep.5:29. )Christ and his body is therefore implied in day Six. Creation of Eve in the following chapter thus creates a family tree connecting Jesus Christ to Adam in Luke Ch.3.
The breath of God made all the difference to Adam who was formed of the ground. He correctly guessed his calling and did not find anyone worthy from without. He was created in 'his likeness' which is the head. For this reason Jesus referred the deep sleep of Adam was precursor to his own death. He as the word become flesh made himself chaste. Compare his saying, "and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it."(Matt.19:12) With Jesus Christ came grace and truth. What God has joined together referred to his own case. In human likeness he nourished and cherished what God had entrusted him with. His prayer makes it clear. ( John 17:11-12)
Introdution: According to 1 Thessalonians 5:9 we are not appointed to wrath. Romans 9:22 seems to indicate that there are indeed "vessels of wrath" doomed for destruction which seems to fulfill what some call "double predestination" or wicked destined for hell. We do know that all those who are NOT written in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world will accept the Mark of the Beast and in fact worship him. ( Rev. 13:8; 17:8 and also in chapter 20). Whether we just play out what is already determined; or God knows ahead of time what we will choose is something we can argue about.
Since this Antichrist is indeed the "man of sin" ( 2 Thess. 2:3) and we can also call the son of perdition in John 17:12 as representing Judas Iscariot who also was destined to betray God and be lost according to the prophecy in Psalm 55 along with the same fate for this Beast from these and other passages; we once again see God's hand in this. God is the one according to Thessalonians that sends "strong delusion" ( 2 Thess. 2:11). That is because people loved sin so much that they didn't want to repent; and we see this with the behaviors that occur during the Trumpet judgments in particular.
These facts are sobering; we know that if it weren't for His grace we would never see clearly our sin nature and hence we all would fall for this false Messiah. This world system has nothing to offer; nor does any man who is unregenerate to give lasting peace. Neither sacrifices of animals or man's own sufferings procure any justification or forgiveness of sins; and God is not impressed with any of our accomplishments. Self gratification no doubt will be a large part of the universal appeal; along with self preservation that eventually leads to the acceptance of this infamous mark. Luke 12:12 may have double fulfillment; both for the Apostles facing martyrdom and the end time saints who refuse the mark.
Part 5 and last Trinity discussion,
Do you believe that Jesus lived a sinless life?
Scripture is clear Jesus had no sin, Hebrews 4:15 1 Peter 2:22 1 John 3:5 Romans 5:12-15.
Do you believe that the Father and the Son are one as Jesus said in Jn. 17 or that He and the Father are "in" one another and if they see Jesus, they see the Father?
Both, Jesus said I and my Father are one John 10:30 and in other places, one means unity. Jesus was one with the Father not because Jesus was God but because He was filled with the Spirit and God dwelt in him, John 14:10, as we see God was in Christ 2 Corinthians 5:19
God dwelt in Jesus and empowered Him by His Spirit that gave Jesus the power and authority like Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered to Jesus of His Father, Jesus did not have it, all was given to Him. God was manifest in Jesus, John 12:49 John 14:10. This is why Jesus said if you have seen me, you have seen the Father, John 14:9.
Jesus in His prayer asked the Father that we may be one, as He and His Father are one through the words of the disciples, John 17:20-23. God and Jesus will dwell in us and we in them, 1 John 4:13-16 1 John 3:23-24.
How is it that Jesus AND the Father send the Holy Spirit if there is only one person as God?
Jesus said He would pray to the Father to give another comforter, John 14:16, we see in John 14:26 the Father will send in Jesus's name. In John 15:26 Jesus said I will send but this is from the Father and the Spirit of truth that proceedeth from the Father. This is not a person it is the Spirit of God.
Please don't take this wrong, in the Trinity there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each Person is fully God, coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial. I'm sorry my understanding, is Scripture does not support that, Scripture is clear the Father is above all.
Thank you, GiGi, I hope this is what you wanted I am not the best at this.
God bless,
RLW
His authority came from his deity. "I and my Father are one" As his Son the voice from heaven claimed his humanity so "Trinity" was not merely a doctrine but validated the everlasting covenant. " And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased./And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness." (vv.11-12) The Spirit the third office in Trinity led him as the Lucan Gospel says. He was among men but his deity was never in jeopardy. So His power and glory is his as he makes clear in his prayer, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."( John 17:5)
As the Word become flesh his presence among them was a sign. "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."( John 14:10)
He works so all the healing we have in vv.21-45 we shall fill the dots all the way to the throne of God. Thus the healing validated the blessings mentioned in Ge.1:28. "God blessed them" and it was through his Son.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. Here is another, "And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."
"And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
" Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory," v.31 must be understood in its correct setting. Jesus in his humanity emptied himself of the glory so in all things he shall like men, -namely of the seed of Abraham. Matt.1:1 so begins as the son of Abraham; "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people"(He.2:17) Nevertheless the Holy Spirit enumerates generation of Jesus as following those of heavens. (Ge.2:4)
Here we shall examine the glory factor related to the Alpha Omega aspect of the Son. In his prayer to his Father he speaks of it. "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."( John 17:5). This glory is based on the word. "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him./And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." The cloud of witnesses were thus part of his glory. and sanctified by truth. So Jesus prays, "Sanctify them by truth: thy word is truth" (John17:10)
In his transfiguration on the mount the three disciples were present. Jesus wanted them to hold it a secret till he had completely perfected the will of his Father. From the above we see how man trivializes this glory by playing to the gallery and for the praise of men? In our Savior we are assured of life eternal. "that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Instead of truth how false teachers make Jesus with limited salvation. Such doctrine of man shall do much worse. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."
"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."(11:3)
Who is the authority to confer power on men but the Lord from heaven, who is heavenly? "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." The risen Christ in his humanity was the Word become flesh, so his authority stretched from Alpha the beginning. In his Ascension he was to be seated on the right hand of the Most High so Omega aspect, the ending referred to fulfilling the divine Will of his Father. " Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power"(Ps.110:1-3). Firstly the two witnesses belong to 'thy people'. These were given to the Son. "and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are."( John 17:11)
The chapter began with a golden reed and the angel directing John what to leave out and what to include requires attention. "for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months." This reed is a single measurement. "And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel."(Re.21:17) Gold signifies faith and here single measurement is of the angel,- the fellow-servant of John and of the man to whom the Son has given authority. Power of the little ones and their angels positioned to behold the face of the Father always defines the golden reed. Every other scale is false.
Prophesy is another feature and the two witnesses would do it for "a thousand two hundred and threescore days. "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John."(Matt.11:11)
The days is a tag supplied the Spirit to indicate the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. By the same token the Gentiles are allowed to operate for 42 months. This conflict reveals two laws, of the Spirit and of the sin.
Holiness of God is a name, glory of which is invested in his testimony which is the glorious gospel entrusted to his Son. So when He sent his only begotten Son what is the Will of God? " Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." His concern is for the glory of everlasting life that the one sheep carries. God so loved the world is to bring the glory of the cloud of witnesses match exactly with those who are in the world of the body.
"I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word."( John 17:6)
"That they may be one" is what the ministry of reconciliation yet remaining. "And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them./And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are".(vv.10-11).And when Jesus Christ says,"It is done" it is a signal that way to the tree of life is found. "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb./In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life."(Re.22:1-2)
"Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."
Speaking of the Will we have in this prayer of Jesus, the utter sorrow of our Savior Lord over Judas, "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled."( John 17:12). 'That the scripture might be fulfilled' refers to the blessings written in the covenant. (Ge.1:28) God blessed them at one lever was about Christ and the church. "Male and female created he them" applied to each believer who stood equally in direct frame of reference to the Wisdom principle (female) and also the Power principle.(Male). In the Lord's prayer we have the power and glory, in which this glory is a constant reminder of the body of Christ. "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." Forever is a tag for the Son. While we say 'Amen' we are declaring the creed of being one with the Faithful and true witness. When a believer treats like a nostrum and mumbles on auto-pilot mode it is a pointer to the imposter religion salvaged from a pagan cult of Rome has spread inroads into one's worship. Similar to the joy in heaven over one soul finding way back to the sheepfold we are witnessing Jesus with his fan ready to cast the chaff where the wind shall take where it will.
In the king's dream the ten toes tell the miry clay mixt with iron is under judgment. Like the stone cut not with hands judgment should come in series of shocks. there is an earth quake, and the tenth part of the city fell, it is what we read in Re.18:21. Seven thousand of men (7x1000) speaks it is predetermined. The hour of his judgment,- And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen," Babylon is interchangeable with Jerusalem. (Re.11:8). Loss of even one is diminishment to the glory of God.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
Vision is precisely what St Paul says, "We walk by faith and not by sight."(2 Co.5:7) It is borne out of knowledge,-St Paul calls it the glory of the same quality as of the spiritual body because it is from God,- who gives it a glory as with the see. So the seed ('whose sed is in itself-Ge.1:11) is part of the Abstract that shall never change. This glory is Person specific. "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. In short the vision that we speak here is to hold on to both worlds of the Spirit and of the body as one. St Paul gives us the context in v.1. "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
Israel took pride in the Law of Moses but they perished just the same, save Joshua and Caleb because they had no vision. It began much earlier when the turned to the golden calf soon after Moses went up the mount. Their lack of vision would trouble them when during the time of the kings there were two places for golden calf worship one at Dan and at Bethel. "An eye for an eye" as set in the law characterize them now so the nation stands guilty of genocide. So as fulfillment of the Law that Jesus taught us 'to turn the other cheek also. He also showed with his life. God gave as a commandment: "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:"(Ge.1:28) His vision was clear and knew the reason God blessed 'then' on the sixth day from this prayer, "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." ( John 17:11)
In studying Christ's death on the cross and the resulting salvation of our souls it is no small thing to focus attention and time on such a matter on a regular basis. At least from our perspective the meaning to us personally must be considered with all due reverence for how He took us from death to life. John 17:6-8 makes clear that God was the one who gave Christ all the ones who were to be saved. The following verses ask for unity among them all; and to be in the world but not of it (in general). These verses prayed during His agony in Gethsemane are the summation of much of the earlier chapters in John clearly showing that God was the one who predetermined (predestined) all those who would be saved and hear His voice as His sheep.
However you slice it; there are some who will and will not come to Christ. Also God knows ahead of time who these people are so therefore certainly could have designated ahead of time who would be sheep and who would be a goat; who would be wheat and who a tare; etc. In other words; it wasn't up to Christ to give out any information that could lead someone to the truth in a merely intellectual manner and therefore much of His ministry was spent teaching in parables. Compare Mark 4:12 with Luke 8:12. The lack of insight given so that people can be saved is clear from the first passage; but Satan is used as the agent to blind men's hearts in the second example in Luke of the seed by the wayside.
There are as Deuteronomy 29:29 states some things in the Divine counsel which men are not privy to. Certain things can be searched out; however ( Proverbs 25:2). John 3:16 states that God so loved the world and sent His Son. We should keep in mind here that Christ came first and foremost to do the Father's will. All those called and chosen would be saved EXCEPT for the prophesied son of perdition (see Psalm 69:25; Psalm 41:9; Psalm 109).
You called God "(Theos); Father (Patter;Abba-more intimate); Lord(Kurios), well, by the Word of GOD, the Word is GOD, you are saying nothing, your testimony about GOD in your post is irrelevant, insignificant, it was not by the Spirit of Christ, and it was not by the Spirit of Truth and John 16:12-15 confirm / endorse what I am just saying. Unfortunately you keep snaking in devilish doctrines and tares sowed by the Wicked one. --> By the way, "It is GOD that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers- Isaiah 40:22. Indeed, this revelation which GOD did give to Isaiah explains or suggests why there is not Life in whole Universe except in the Earth, I mean out of the Earth there is not in whole Universe the variety of Life that there is in the Earth, because GOD is sat upon the circle of the Earth.
To finish, you have cited in your posts the NAME of GOD as being the esoteric, and kabbalistic, and spiritist JEHOVAH, YAHWEH, YHWH, ADONAI, EL SHADAI, HaSHEM, so I quoted John 17:6 where my Lord JESUS in His prayer said to the Father that He had MANIFESTED His NAME to the MEN that He, GOD the Father, had given to Him, So I asked UNTO you: What is the GOD's NAME my Lord JESUS MANIFESTED to the men?
Now, now, from your knowledge you said here the names mentioned above are NAMES of GOD, so I wanted to know which of these NAMES of GOD my Lord JESUS would have manifested to the men? The question is mine, not yours, I'm waiting you response.
Be careful or else get ready
Let's speak of the Word of GOD, the Word is GOD, the Word is GOD Himself, understand? I quoted to you and to ALL what my Lord JESUS said in His PRAYER to the Father. JESUS said to GOD the Father: John 17:6 - " I have MANIFESTED thy NAME unto the MEN which thou GAVEST me out of the WORLD: thine they were, and thou gavest them me;and they -the MEN- have kept thy Word.
In fact JESUS MANIFESTED the NAME of GOD to the MEN. Your answer is an announcement, a declaration, or even clearly leaves a CONFESSION that you DO NOT KNOW the NAME of GOD the Father, NAME MANIFESTED unto the MEN by my Lord JESUS.
So, in a defensive position because you don't have an answer within the Scriptures, you come in unpolished manner to tell me that I "cannot be more in the know of Name than the Son". What you said is fake. What matters and prevails is what my Lord JESUS said: Matthew 11:27 - "No MAN knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any MAN the Father, save the Son,and he to whomsoever the Son will REVEAL Him. As you and ALL can see, it is by REVELATION,not by speculations, presumptions, and so on.
Your answer is an announcement, a declaration, or even clearly leaves a CONFESSION that you DO NOT KNOW the NAME of GOD the Father, NAME MANIFESTED by my Lord JESUS unto the MEN.
Furthermore, you cited the esoteric, and kabbalistic, and spiritist NAMES of GOD (this is a blaspheme), such as JEHOVAH, YAHWEH, YHWH, ADONAI, EL SHADAI, HaSHEM as if were the NAMES OF"GOD",but there are more esoteric and kabbalistic names of"GOD" besides these, according the devilish esoteric and kabbalistic and spiritist Judaism,and you believe in this satanic doctrine and testify and spread their idolatries and sorceries here.
My Lord JESUS said: "No MAN knoweth the Son,but the Father; neither knoweth any MAN the Father,save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will REVEAL Him. As you and ALL can see, it is by REVELATION only, exclusively.
Wake up, it's midnight
I'm a disciple of JESUS, who said from He himself " I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning( Genesis 1:1) and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the ALMIGHTY.
My Lord JESUS in His pray to the Father, said: John 17:5-6
5 Now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the WORLD was.
6 I have manifested thy NAME unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy Word.
Chris, what GOD's NAME was manifested by my Lord JESUS?
Adam
As you know, the Bible is about two Covenants- The OT and NT.
What we are commenting is about the OT, not about the NT, for there is not that NAME or nickname in the NT. Remember: You quoted Isaiah 12:1-2.
Isaiah 16:-1-2 in the OT -Nevin'im(Prophets) Yeshayahu(Isaiah) is written as follow:
1 And you shall say on that day, I will thank You, O Lord, for You were wroth with me, may Your wrath turn away and may You comfort me.
2 Here is the God of my salvation, I shall trust and not fear; for the strength and praise of the Eternal the Lord was my salvation.
In fact that name was added in the translations inadvertently, but the name you have mentioned it is not the only fictitious name or nickname added in the OT (not added in the Bible as a whole-OT&NT), there are several others: I have listed YHWH, Yahweh, Yehovah,Elohim, Adonai, HaShem, Yahusha, YEHshia, Jehovah, YEHvah, these names are not NAMES of GOD, quite the opposite, all these names listed are strictly the names of the father of the Jews- John 8:44 combined with Revelation 12:3-4.
JESUS in His prayer to the Father, said: John 17:6 - I have manifested thy NAME unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: ... -->What's NAME?)
Again, thank you for your comments Ronald, & I can see that this discussion will need to end. But before that & to respond to some of your comments here, Colossians 1:15-17 shows that Jesus (in His pre-Incarnate Form) was involved in creation, & not simply a Thought or Word in God's Mind. 'For by Him were all things createdall things created by Him & for Him He is before all things & by Him all things consist'. For Paul to make a declaration as this & then we should force a meaning that Jesus was not the Creator & Sustainer within the Godhead, would exceed the limits of my comprehension. I'm sorry. As well, the use of 'Him, He' (Gk. auto), tells us that we are reading of a Person (albeit within the Person of God), Who is creating & not simply a Thought in God's Mind.
And I selected John 17:5 as a very apt verse to show how clearly Jesus Himself considered the Glory He once had with God, Who is now His Father through the incarnation; that Glory He laid aside for the sake of becoming human & thus for the "suffering of death" (for God indeed cannot die). I planned to also bring in the other Scriptures that I had given a few days earlier, for your interpretation & understanding, but used this one as a 'case-in-point' to learn of your thoughts. To Page 2.
Part two
Vs 5 The plan of God, predetermined glory, Jesus knew the Scriptures. All that was to happen to Him and the glory He would receive after He suffered on the cross had already been spoken by the prophets in the past tense as though they had already happened.
As Jesus was on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:25-26, He talks about them not believing what the prophets had written about what was to happen to Jesus. The first man to be raised from the dead in a glorified body and God placed Him on His right hand on the throne a man, not a god.
Jesus was a man who was tempted like us and fulfilled all His Father asked Him we see hundreds of prophecies Jesus fulfilled and the man Jesus did it without one sin. Only a man could undo what the first man did. God could not do that because He cannot sin or die. The law was made for man and the curse of sin was on man, not God.
In Verses 20-22, Jesus had not yet been crucified and the glory the Father had given Him Jesus has given it to us today "but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;" This glory we will receive when Jesus returns and we are resurrected in our glorified bodies, we have it now, but it will not be manifest until Jesus returns.
If Jesus was a co-equal God in the three-person God, how could He be given anything He would already have it? Malachi 3:6 says God does not change so God cannot change, Numbers 23:19 Isaiah 46:10 Psalm 33:11 Acts 17:26 The glory Jesus was asking for, He would receive when He resurrected.
The Spirit could not be given because Jesus had not been glorified (resurrected) John 7:39 Things were hidden from the disciples until Jesus was glorified (resurrected) John 12:16.
2 Timothy 1:9-10 It was given before creation so, John 17:24 we will be where He is when we are resurrected, Jesus was given glory with the Father before all creation in God's mind and plan. Ephesians 1:4
I hope this makes sense I am not the best at this.
God bless,
RLW
Yet, since we've been given more insight to the 'origin' of this Son of God, we are compelled to give that due consideration. I realize that you have your interpretation of certain of those verses, e.g. John 1:1 & you've even given John 17:3 in your comment here. But in Jesus' prayer to His Father, He didn't stop there; He also said John 17:5. Maybe, your thoughts on what He meant, for I have labored over this verse & cannot re-construct it to fit any other meaning than what is given. Who then is this Jesus? Just a created Man from Holy Seed or One coming from the Person of God, Who shared in God's Glory, Who created the worlds, Who alone could live a sinless life to set men free from sin's grip & resulting damnation?
Lastly, you asked, "If the Trinity is true and is so important, why is it not once taught in Scripture?" I believe that the Trinity is taught in Scripture (a few pertinent verses were previously given), just as we learn of the major doctrines: of God, of Jesus, of the Holy Spirit, of Salvation, of Satan, of the Future. It's just not given to us in a special Book or under a special Heading, "Herewith is the complete & unabridged Doctrine of ..". As in all matters spiritual, we have to learn from the reading of all Scripture, yet "rightly divided" & Spirit-guided. My natural mind wants to believe that Jesus came as God's Son, through a Divine Birth, having no previous Form within God's Person. But for me to hold to that belief means I would have to throw out a whole lot of Scripture that tells me that there is more to this Son of God than what I would like to believe. My hunger for God's Word & Truth will simply not allow me to avoid or reject those verses. And I write this purely as an arrow piercing my own heart & understanding & not pointed to anyone else, as we all have to be clear in conscience before God in the treatment of His precious Word - and I'm particularly sensitive to that - even as I "tremble at His Word". Blessings.
Thank you again, from my heart, the truth is my search not to offend. It all goes back to one verse when I read it, it stood out in my heart, Corinthians 11:4. I know I am alone here on this, but saying Jesus is part of the Triune God, who eternally exists and expresses himself as three distinct persons with one essence all three co-equal. One God in three persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This to me denies the Son, 1 John 2:23
What I see in the Bible is the relationship between the Father and the Son, the Son is obedient to the Father. Jesus said His Father is greater than Him, John 14:28. Jesus has said the Father is His God, John 20:17 Revelation 3:12.
The Bible defines God's nature as eternal and unchanging; there is only one throne of God and through the Bible, only the Father is on the throne until the Father raised His Son from the dead and placed Him on His right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, there is nothing about the Holy Spirit.
As we see in Revelation Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple and the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. 21:22-23 no Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit, not another person.
Jesus confirmed there is only one true God, Mark 12:28-34, in Jesus's prayer to His Father said in John 17:3. All the greetings in the New Testament are from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Galatians 1:3 Ephesians 6:23 1 Thessalonians 1:1 2 Timothy 1:2 Titus 1:4 2 John 1:3 and more but no Holy Spirit.
If the Trinity true and is so important, why is it not once taught in Scripture? God cannot change and God cannot die, so how do we understand John 3:16 if God the Father did not send his actual begotten Son to die for our sins? We see Jesus also had His own will, Luke 22:42.
God bless,
RLW