I have been showing how we are made the Righteousness of GOD and how after becoming One with HIM through Christ. We are seen by GOD as being Holy which I should finish today. The next one I will tackle is Godliness. I am doing this because of the err in the worlds ungodly religious churches who foster doctrines that teach contrary to GOD's word, these strong Bible Truths. But first a word from Pastor Hoekstra on the Grace revelation of Christ being within us. Then I will use the ESV translation as it has become my own habit to so. And if the LORD givens some enlightenment I will edit where and when HE does so.
"Christ in Us, Our Hope of Glory"
"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)
"We have been considering the wondrous Truth that we who believe in Jesus are in Christ. "Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). And because HIS status changed at HIS ascension He is now returned to HIS original state of LORD and Christ Who rules and reigns from the receptive heart of man. All that GOD has for us is ours "in Christ." We can now enjoy the Benefits of Who Christ is and all that HE has accomplished for us, because we are in HIM. Our present verse adds another extraordinary dimension. Not only are we "in Christ," but Christ is also in us: "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
GOD wants to make something known among all the nations: "to make known... among the Gentiles." The message HE desires to reveal is glorious in spiritual richness: "the riches of the glory of this (secret) mystery." However, it truly is a mystery, in the New Testament use of that term. A biblical mystery is something that can only be known by the revealing work of GOD. The mysteries of the scriptures cannot be discovered or understood by intellectual investigation or personal experience. GOD Himself must make them known. The LORD does this through Grace-empowered, Spirit-empowered proclamation of HIS Life in the Living word. Here, the great mystery GOD wants to unfold is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
What a grand hope this message brings! Jesus, the Son of GOD, is willing to come and dwell within us to assure us of making it to glory (heaven), while we remain here on earth we are still seated with HIM in the Heavens today, being a part of the ever active NOW of the I AM. Meanwhile, Christ wants to reside at the very core of our being: "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Ephesians 3:17). As we are Trusting in Him, He is living in, and working through, our hearts. Then, from this strategic point of Intimacy and Access, He gives us heavenly hope. That confident expectation includes the joyous fact that He is coming again: "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great GOD and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). Yet, His return is not our only hope. HE, Himself, is our day by day hope: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of GOD our Savior and the LORD Jesus Christ, our hope" (1Timothy 1:1). Jesus is our comprehensive hope!"
Holiness Enjoined (Commanded upon us):
Exodus 19:1-9 "On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to GOD. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel." So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD. And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever."
Leviticus 11:41-45, 19:2 and 1Chronicles 16:29 "Every swarming thing that swarms on the ground is detestable; it shall not be eaten. Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, any swarming thing that swarms on the ground, you shall not eat, for they are detestable. You shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarms, and you shall not defile yourselves with them, and become unclean through them. For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am Holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the LORD Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your GOD. You shall therefore be holy, for I am Holy."
Leviticus 19:1-4 "The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your GOD am Holy. Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the LORD your GOD."
1Chronicles 16:25-33 "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and HE is to be feared (reverenced and revered) above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His place. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of Holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!" Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for HE comes to judge the earth."
Luke 1:67-79 (John the baptist) "His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the LORD GOD of Israel, for HE has visited and redeemed His people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as HE spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the Oath that HE swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the LORD to prepare His way, to give Knowledge of Salvation to His people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
2Corinthians 7:1 and Ephesians 4:24 "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing Holiness to completion in the fear of God."
Ephesians 4:17-24 "Now this I say and testify in the LORD, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the Life of GOD because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the Truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life (of deadness toward GOD) and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of GOD in true Righteousness and Holiness."
Hebrews 12:14-17 "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the Holiness without which no one will see the LORD. See to it that no one fails to obtain the Grace of GOD; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears."
1Peter 1:13-16 "Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the Grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as HE Who called you is Holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am Holy.""
2Peter 3:11-13 "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of Holiness and Godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of GOD, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which Righteousness dwells."
No comments:
Post a Comment