Always, when least expected, scripture provides the insight. Theologians often seem to refute scripture. They, on occasion, profess Christ but confess Darwin, philosophers, historians, and scientists. The Word must supersede all other doctrines! If it fails to, then it is not theology, but philosophy.
Since childhood, people have been taught that philosophy is
rational and logical but faith is nothing more than hope. In other words, religion,
specifically Christianity, is an “opiate” to get depressed people through life
(Karl Marx). Although Marx was diminishing Christianity, he did have a point
there. Life is tribulation, and indeed, Christians do cope with the world with the
Comfort of the Holy Ghost of Jesus. He is not an “opiate” and the joy for a
true “Utopia;” not just a Owenite one, and that is what makes this world
tolerable. Yes, even Christians look beyond the troubles of the world for a
Haven (sic) without distress!
Utopias are paradises made by men. They are societies
wherein love should abound and harmony exists. Robert Owen named his Utopian society,
“New Harmony” in Indiana. “Harmony” lasted two years and then the society fell
through in chaos. Satan disrupts harmony faster than it can be achieved.
Harmony is a great
moral characteristic, but harmony can never be achieved in this world. There is
an obstacle to harmony, and that obstacle is human beings. It is not so
much Satan who divides but the nature of mankind to feel superior. In reality, the
god of all is Narcissus. Mankind are reflections of that false God who it turns
out are people themselves.
Last night, Brother Brian Borth preached about joy. Joy is
the comfort when in harmony with God. Sometimes God makes sinning Christians
uncomfortable, and there is little joy in “Guiltville.” This world is full of
sin and so long as sinners feel guilty and contrite, God will continue His Good
Work in His children. The key verse for today is just that, to wit:
KEY VERSE: Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (1 Thes 1:6)
Brother Borth focused on that passage. He began with the
word “confident.” Indeed, joy would be for those with confidence in their future
state.
Sinners, obviously, would have no joy since they have no
reason to rejoice. Rejoicing would begin when rebirth commences, and falter
when that process is interrupted. Sinning Christians should not feel joy but
disappointment.
Joy, like faith, is a process, and they seem to correlate
very well; the greater the faith — confidence — the greater the joy. The more
the doubt; the lesser the joy. God’s work in Christians varies when Satan and
his demons introduce chaos. Job was tested by Satan. There was little joy in “Jobville.”
There was, however, much travail. The faith of job wavered but he kept the
faith. Finally, when Satan was convinced that Job was impeccable, Job’s faith yielded
fruit; and his joy returned.
Joy, chara in the Greek, means “cheerfulness” or “gladness”
(Strong’s Dictionary). Christians are not always cheerful. That is ecstasy and
is more emotional than “gladness,” which is with great satisfaction. If “joy”
is limited to gladness, then joy is better understood because cheerfulness
is difficult when life serves anyone boils, as Satan did with Job.
Life, even for a Christian is not always joyful… full of
joy. Scripture says to “rejoice.” Rejoice is to have joy again, a return to
gladness: “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven”
(Mat 5:12). When chaos waxes and harmony wanes, rejoice and be glad again. “Joyful”
demonstrates the extent of joy. When filled with the Ghost of Jesus, therefore,
joy is full! What would make one joyful? Certainly not the death of Jesus, but because
Jesus lives, Christians can live again.
Ironically, rather than the focus on Jesus, the focus seems
to be on the reward for Christians in heaven. There it is again — Adam’s kind
still focuses on what is in it for them!
Love is good will toward God and others, as for the Christians
themselves. It is empathy for the suffering of Jesus and for the peril of those
not reborn. There is little joy in the world for Christians when those they love
shall perish. Thus, joy varies from no joy for the unrepentant, to some
joy for Christians to joy-full for those full of the Holy Ghost. There…
the focus is on Jesus alone!
Joy is transferable as David had said long before: “Thou
shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance” (Acts 2:28). David was speaking
of Jesus, and His “countenance” was the Presence of God. Joyfulness abounded
with Jesus right there and would continue with those who knew the countenance
of Jesus was still with them as the Holy Ghost of Jesus.
What would build confidence and create joy? “That He which
hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Who is “He?” He IS God. What work did God begin? He breathed life unto Adam — our
kind. [i] God
generated life from inanimate substances. God animated mankind by filling Adam
and his kind with the Holy Spirit. He began that work and He will complete it!
What kind of work did God do? “It was very good!” [ii] God
worked, then He rested on the seventh day, because He was nearly finished
with what He had begun. God had created mankind — Adam’s kind and His kind
because Adam was made in the image of God! [iii]
Albeit Adam was generated, God was not quite done! He continued
with His Word, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Gen 1:26). In
that likeness, God had spiritual Adam in Mind, hut he also had Jesus in Mind as
well. John wrote that Jesus was there in the beginning. [iv]
He was there in Spirit but not in the Flesh. Adam was made in the image of God
— in Mind, Body, and Spirit. Adam was as Jesus and in the Presence of God.
He was full of joy because only Goodness abounded. Adam had been generated in
Glory by the Glorious One full of Glory! That was the “good work” that God had begun
in His children.
Then, chaos ensued. There was no joy in “Gardenville.” Adam
and Eve felt remorse because they had terminated God’s Work prematurely. There
was one last test; they were given their own wills. Was their will in harmony
with God’s Will for them? Did they have Good Will like God or evil will as
Satan? They failed the test of Satan who was cleverly disguised as the Serpent.
They would have both good will and evil will and be out of harmony with God’s
Will for them. That was the work that God had begun in them, and it required completion.
God would someday make them “whole.”
God would wait until He made the “Second Adam” to complete
what He had begun. When He continued his good work the first time, “Noah found grace.”
[v] “Thy
faith hath made thee whole” (Mat 9:22).
When Jesus came, those who would be born gain [vi]
found Grace as well in Jesus. Jesus returned after 400 years of silence to
complete what He had begun. His work was to complete what was begun in the Garden.
For those who found grace, God provided faith, just as with Noah. Grace is
found easily (on the Cross) but faith must be worked out. Paul referred to
that: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12)… Hold
the joy for a moment until the work continues!
God gave the gift of faith to those who found Jesus. [vii]
The Greeks found Jesus because they “would see Jesus.” [viii]
When Jesus is seen as God, then the gift of faith is given, not to hide
away and give back as in the parable of the talents, but to work [ix]
and give back to God multiple times what He has given. Faith must be grown from
a seed to a mature “tree” so to speak.
Now that the work that Jesus continued is what His Father
and He had begun, what would be continued? “Marvel not; ye must be born again”
(John 3:7). That is not going back into the mother’s womb or even to the innocence
of childhood. It is a return to the work at hand. Mankind was “born” good
in the Garden of Eden. Rebirth is a return to that “goodness” or as theologians
call it, “glorification.” Not “very good” but “entirely good” as God intended
all along (ibid). Perfection is achieved in Paradise when the corruptible flesh
is replaced with incorruptible.
On the Day of Jesus, “The dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor 15:52). That is the “work” that
was begun and will be finished when Jesus comes again.
Theologians refer to the “second coming of Christ” but ignore
the Glorious Day of the Lord. Jesus specifically shall “come” as is written, “We
which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout”
(1 Thes 4:15-16). Three things will happen: (1) They shall see Jesus as He comes
to complete His good work, (2) The dead shall be given new incorruptible flesh,
and (2) the living shall be “changed” — most certainly from sinful flesh to
righteous flesh. Then and only then will God’s work that He began will come to
completion.
Adam’s kind will be regenerated just as they were generated
in the beginning but rather than with the will of Satan, with the Will of God.
Only then will good will toward God and man be achieved and peace reign. Is
that not the purpose of the coming of Jesus? “Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace, good will toward men” Luke 2:14).
It was finished on the Cross. What was finished? The Will of
God. The Father’s purpose was finished. To present His Son a Living Sacrifice. Then,
it is the turn of the Christians — to present themselves a living sacrifice. [x]
Christians must do what Jesus did. He died to render Satan and sin impotent.
Leading up to the finish of Jesus was the death of Judas who
was hanged on a tree. He did that “work” himself and spilled his guts for it.
He was not lanced but fell to earth just as he had long ago as Lucifer! [xi]
God was finished with the purpose of Jesus, but He was not
finished with man. God would perfect His work. The good work was not completed in
the Garden, but when Jesus comes again, and the children of God — the seed of
Adam — will become like Jesus in Mind, Body, and Spirit. That is “regeneration.”
It is more than resurrection to the state as generated but perfected from what
God had begun. Rather than “very good” with a new harmonized will with the Will
of God, mankind will be entirely good… just like Jesus was accused of being! [xii]
Therefore, “regeneration” is not as the theologians claim. It is more than rebirth but carrying that new beginning to completion of God’s Work. Then when the Good Work is finished, God will rest again during His thousand-year “Sabbath.” [xiii] Then there will be full joy in Paradise without Satan there to disrupt it! With that said, in Christians the work is yet to be completed. Regeneration shall continue to completion until the Day of Jesus with His true second coming.
(picture credit: Wordpress,com; "Ancient Tools & History of Woodworking")
No comments:
Post a Comment