LIFE IN THE SON - Part III

LIFE IN THE SON - Part III

Please allow me to repeat this very important point: It is mission critical that we make a complete commitment to the recognition and reception of JESUS CHRIST, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE and THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH.  Because whoever gets THE SON…GETS EVERYTHING!  

Let us prayerfully ponder the following scripture passages:

I John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: that GOD has given to us eternal life, and this life is in HIS SON.  He who has THE SON has life; and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Ephesians 4:13-15 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may GROW UP IN ALL THINGS INTO HIM who is the head--CHRIST.

To enhance our understanding of our covenant connection with the person and work of Jesus Christ, let’s take a closer look at our fore-parent, ADAM.  First, please be reminded that GOD is never surprised by whatever GOD CREATES!  Therefore, God was not blindsided or shocked by Adam’s sin; and God is never surprised by our sins!  Believe it or not, God made Adam with full knowledge that Adam would eventually mess up!  Because the intent-of-creation (what The Designer originally had in mind) was NOT the first Adam, but the second Adam, JESUS CHRIST!  Indeed, this is a mystery, but I contend that God created man with full and free will.  All will agree with that; some may disagree with this: In God’s permissive will, He allowed man to descend the ladder-of-sin, which gave GOD a reason to become like MAN, so that MAN could have a season to become like GOD!   Ponder this prayerfully.  God was neither shocked nor surprised by Adam’s sin.

On the 6th day of creation, all the stuff-of-the-universe was complete.  And God said “That’s good!”  However, there was nothing in creation that LOOKED-LIKE-GOD!  Let me explain this way.  As much as you love and emotionally connect with your pet, you are not actually the same being as Lassie or Fido or Rex!  Therefore, as close as you might be to Fido, in the final analysis, (relationship-wise) your pet cannot possibly provide ALL of the emotional fulfillment that might be attained in a relationship with another human being.  No matter how intelligent your cat seems to be, you can never derive full conversation!  Admittedly, you can talk to Caesar, but however you interpret his purring and mewling, Caesar is simply incapable of full communication with you.  Your pet might sense your emotional state, but s/he cannot completely commiserate with you, simply because s/he cannot understand the details or nuances of your darkest hour.  Ultimately, you need something more human (someone more LIKE you) with which to connect and commune!  [Editor’s Note to Pet Owners: Please understand the ‘spirit’ of my discourse because I know that you truly ADORE your pets!]

Since all truth is parallel, first I have presented natural truth; now we may more readily discern a spiritual truth.  On the 6th day of creation, notwithstanding the infinite variety of flora and fauna that were present in the universe, THE CREATOR needed something more!  I submit to you that GOD created US from the same mindset and with the same love that we experience emotionally at the birth of our children.  Mothers and fathers, we know those feelings quite well.  There is an indescribable pride and joy in your first gaze upon the face of baby Brian or cuddly Cindy.  Indeed, you see SOMETHING-OF-YOURSELF laying in that bassinet.

ON THE SIXTH DAY, GOD BREATHED SOMETHING OF HIMSELF INTO ADAM.  Think about that.  It is both a natural and spiritual truism that you cannot place your lips on something without that something becoming part of you, and without you becoming part of that something.  Now hear this: Be careful who you kiss!

On a more serious note, even though Adam was created from dust and brought to life by the very PNEUMA or breath of God, he soon fell from God’s grace, headlong into sin and shame.  And it was incumbent upon GOD to provide an efficacious remedy because fallen man could not possibly save himself.  To wit, the gospel of John records the miracle of KENOSIS, i.e. that God poured out of Himself, THE ETERNAL WORD, into JESUS CHRIST, THE LIVING WORD. (John 1:14) That’s what I call PHASE ONE of the salvation plan.  In PHASE TWO, Jesus embraced a substitutionary death on our behalf.  And as recorded in John 20:22, Jesus “BREATHED on them [us], and said unto them [us], Receive the Holy Spirit.”  That is, Jesus Christ pours out HIMSELF, THE LOGOS (the Living Word) into US, and we are baptized into the BODY OF CHRIST.  In PHASE THREE, which is “The Great Commission,” recorded in Matthew 28:19-20, THE LORD declares our obligation (after we receive JESUS CHRIST, THE LIVING WORD) to pour out a deposit of ourselves (i.e., CHRIST IN US, “the hope of glory”) into unbelievers everywhere. (Colossians 1:27) WOW!  What all-wise, sovereign, gracious, merciful and mighty God we serve!

Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!