Spiritual Warfare - "Our Spiritual Competition"! Part 1.

I think we all want to live a life which is more abundant. We all want to live powerful lives, victorious lives, with each day an adventure in living. That kind of life is available.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus Christ came so we could have an amazing life, but unfortunately there's a thief who comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy and that's why at times life can be anything but fun.

          Romans 8:37
          Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This verse does not say we are more than conquerors by our own muscles or brain power, or by the amazing solutions we figure out all by ourselves, it says we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. This concurs with John where it said that the more abundant life was made available by Jesus Christ. Both of these verses are in harmony with Philippians.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

  The more abundant life, therefore, is not something we make available, it is something God makes available through Jesus Christ. Note that the verse does not say God is going to do it all for us either. It says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. In other words, this is not automatic. We have a part to play in this.

Ephesians 3:20
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to(by means of) the power [Greek - dunamis] that worketh [energeō] in us,

  God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power, the dunamis, the inherent power that works in us. We get words like dynamo and dynamic from this Greek word dunamis. It is potential power, latent, inherent power. Worketh is the Greek word energeō, from which we get the words energy and energise. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the potential power, the inherent power that is energised in us. 
 What is this power and how is it energised? We read the bible to find out. The bible is the manual on how to energise this power and learn how to live the abundant life Jesus Christ came to make available. This power is what is referred to in Philippians 4:13 when it says I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. When this power is energised, it opens the door to God doing exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Of course, if this power is not energised it will do nothing, even though it is there.

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [metamorphoō] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 This is a promise to us, it is something we get to do if we renew our minds. We can prove that God's will is good, acceptable, and perfect. 
  If you read the bible and apply the principles, you get to enjoy an abundant life.
  The god of this world spreads his lies into the world through television, movies, newspapers, magazines, computer games, the internet, and a thousand other ways so he can steal, kill and destroy. He pumps a continuous diet of poisoned filth into the world that makes us mentally sick, that strips our souls of vitality and passion. We are to put it off by renewing our minds according to God's word. We change our mental diet. Instead of the world's filth, we feed our minds with a healthy, clean, vital, nutritious, delicious, strengthening diet of God's word.

Look, the world spews its poisons into homes, schools and universities, into politics and business, in hundreds of languages and dialects, in every country on the face of the planet, every minute of every day of the year, yet no one forces you to turn on your television instead of reading your bible, do they? Does the world march in, twist your arm, chuck your bible into a closet, and force you to watch TV? No, it is a decision you make. If you want mental health and the power of God in your life, change your mental diet.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 This isn't about cutting off the world and having no fun, it is about having a healthy, sane mind so you can enjoy life. A healthy daily diet of the word brings deliverance and strength.
 Reading and understanding the bible isn't drudgery, pain and boredom, it is refreshing and invigorating. Understanding the word gives us life in all of its abundance. A healthy daily diet of God's word is the way of life for us today, just as it always has been. So if you want life, if you want strength to be more than a conqueror every day, make a decision to eat and digest a healthy diet of God's word.

Jeremiah 15:16
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Did Jeremiah eat scrolls? No, this is a figure of speech emphasising that Jeremiah did more than just snack at God's word a couple of times a week. He ate it, he digested it, it provided the mental strength he needed to do his spiritual job, which was to walk by the spirit in his day and time.

Regarding figures of speech, is there a figure of speech God employs to illustrate this power we can energise? Let's see.

John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on [in] them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost [holy spirit]:

Jesus Christ was instructing his disciples on how to energise the power when it arrived.
  The word on is the Greek word en and should be translated in. Jesus Christ breathed in, and said, receive holy spirit. He took a deep breath, and told them that was how they were to receive the holy spirit when it eventually came. And that's exactly what the apostles did.

Acts 2:1,2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind [a heavy breathing], and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

The words as of a rushing mighty wind are as of a heavy breathing in the text. The twelve apostles did what they had been instructed to do, and they all took deep breaths to receive the gift of holy spirit. The heavy sound of their deep breathing filled the temple because of the superb acoustics. Those old temples didn't have state of the art sound systems, but they did have state of the art acoustics to ensure anyone sitting anywhere in the temple heard what was being said on the main stage. The heavy breathing of these twelve men filled the temple.

Acts 2:3,4 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled wtih the Holy Ghost [holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

  Think of your study of God's word, your renewing of your mind as your mental diet, and speaking in tongues as your spiritual breath, your spiritual breathing. As we breathe spiritually, as we speak in tongues, as we walk by the spirit, we have power for abundant living.
 Who is responsible to look after our mental diet and keep ourselves healthy and strong? God? No, we are. God gave it, but what we do with our minds is up to us. God does not possess us. Who gave us eternal life, the power from on high, the gift of holy spirit? God did. Who is responsible to energise it, to ensure we grow and mature, so we walk by the spirit and not by the senses? God? No, we are. God gave it, but what we do with that spirit is our business.

The more abundant life is here. The power is available. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, but only according to the power that is energised in us. We really can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. No matter what the world does, we can be more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Death to LIFE!

Death to Life!
Every single person on earth was born without spirit as a consequence for man's disobedience back in Genesis and will die because of it. There is nothing anyone can do to raise themselves from this condition of death. No one can beat his chest, march up to God and demand eternal life because they are so nice to everyone. The only way out of death is to be born again and accept what God has made freely available.


Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:


God blessed us with all spiritual blessings. God did it. These blessings come with the new birth. When we are born into God's family, these blessings come wrapped up with the Christ in us. With sonship comes all spiritual blessings. With sonship comes rights. When we are born into God's family, for example, from that moment we are holy and without blame.


Ephesians 1:4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:


Why are we holy and without blame? We've all done terrible things, yet we're holy and without blame? Yes, that's what the word says. It's not what the world tells you, but it is what the word says. Who are you going to believe? The devil is a liar, God tells the truth.

The gift of holy spirit, the Christ in us, is perfect. It is incorruptible seed and eternal life, which means it lives forever. If it is incorruptible, it is not corruptible. There is nothing you can do to corrupt that eternal life within you. Regardless of anything you have done or ever will do, that Christ in you cannot be corrupted. That's why we are holy and without blame. We have been raised from the dead, we have Christ in us the hope of glory, and it is that spirit that is holy and without blame.

If you are born again, you can ignore the word and have a miserable time on earth, but there is nothing you can do to mess up your holy spirit. Incidentally, as it is our spirit that is holy and without blame, attempting to make our bodies and souls holy and without blame as well is a waste of time and effort. That is what religion attempts, and it is guaranteed to fail. The bible does not teach us to transform the old man into something nice, it teaches us to put the stinky thing off.


Ephesians 4:22-24
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.


The point is, we are holy and without blame because of the price that was paid for us and the Christ in us we received at the time of the new birth, not because of anything we have done or ever will do with our body and soul abilities. We have been raised from death into a new life.


2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.


This is something God did for us, not something we did for ourselves. Jesus Christ was the fulfilment of God's plan for us, so we could have eternal life. God desired to have a family, to have children, and we are it. Children have nothing to do with whether or not they are born the first time into natural life, and they have nothing to do with their being raised from the dead into the new supernatural life either. We simply confess Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, and suddenly we're born into a new life.

When we are born again we are holy and without blame because one of the rights that comes with the gift of holy spirit is righteousness. No one can earn righteousness by their own works. The righteousness of God comes with the new birth. We receive that righteousness when we are born again. It's encoded in the nature of the Christ in us. Before we were born again, our nature was children of wrath - that was who we were.

Called by God in Christ Jesus

Who is called by God through Christ?

Hey "Calvinistic characters" - chew on this, "ONE time!

Romans 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.

Ephesians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,


God chose us from before the foundation of the world, and we were predestinated according to God's good pleasure. So does this mean we had nothing to say about it? Does this mean then that no matter what we would have done with our lives, we had absolutely no say whatsoever in whether or not we would become God's children? Is everything that happens to us therefore totally beyond our control? I think you can begin to smell the stink already. Let's look more closely at this.


Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.


This must be one of the most misused scriptures in the whole bible. It is usually quoted to make people feel bad about themselves when they make mistakes. It also paints God in a bad light, as if he is poking around with a stick looking for someone worth keeping. When people make mistakes and fall short, as we all do, this scripture is often used against them as a weapon, to make them feel guilty and unworthy.

There are a number of important keys to the word's interpretation, and one of them is that a scripture must be in harmony with all the other scriptures relating to the same subject. If we have many clear verses on a subject and one apparently contradictory verse, do we ignore the many clear verses and focus solely on the unclear verse? Not if we are interested in an honest handling of the word of God, we don't. Here are a few scriptures that clearly teach that God is no respecter of persons.


Romans 2:11
For there is no respect of persons with God.

Ephesians 6:9
...neither is there respect of persons with him.

1 Timothy 2:3,4
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.


Without labouring the point, God isn't fussy about whom he chooses. Therefore, if Matthew 22:14 teaches that God is choosy about people, it contradicts the rest of the bible.

Another key to the interpretation of the word is that all scripture interprets itself in the verse, in its context, or where it has been used before. The immediate context of Matthew 22:14 happens to be a parable. A parable is a figure of speech, in this case, an extended simile. A simile is the simplest figure of speech in language and as such makes only one point of comparison. For example, if we say a person runs like a cheetah, the only point we are making is that the person is a fast runner. We are not implying that the person has four legs, a spotty fur coat, and likes to eat monkeys. That would be absurd. The only comparison the simile makes in this example is regarding the person's speed as a runner. Similarly, this parable, which is an extended simile, makes only one point of comparison and one point only. You cannot spiritualise every single point in this parable as if it were an allegory.

Jesus Christ used this parable, this simile, to paint a picture in the minds of his listeners. He used their culture and their language to illustrate one point regarding the kingdom of God - many are called, but few are chosen. Therefore, if we can understand the meaning of the parable, we will understand the meaning behind those words. The entire parable illustrates this one spiritual truth, nothing else.


Matthew 22:1,2
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son


The words like unto tell us this is the figure of speech simile.


Matthew 22:3-7
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.


Remember, this is a parable with only one point of comparison. It is not an allegory. You cannot take each aspect of this parable and spiritualise it, as it only makes one point of comparison. There is nothing to learn spiritually from the parable so far as it is merely part of an illustration from their culture that Jesus used to paint a picture for those listening. It is fiction, a made up story, not a real life event. This has never happened and this king never existed in real life. He is merely building a mind picture for them using words they understood so that at the end he could make a single spiritual truth live for them in a very real, unique, and special way. If you were to try to say this is referring to Israel in the old testament then are you also saying that it was God who did all this killing and burning? This was a story he made up that they would understand so he could illustrate a single point regarding the kingdom of God.


Matthew 22:8-14
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which are bidden were not worthy,

Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

And he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

For many are called, but few are chosen.


Now we need to check another key to the word's interpretation - all scripture must be understood according to its biblical usage. The bible is an eastern book filled with eastern customs and we often need to understand these orientalisms to get to the truth behind the words. Understanding eastern culture is the key to understanding this parable and the truth it illustrates.

In Jesus' day, guests did not wear their own clothes to a royal wedding. The king personally sent out wedding clothes to everyone on the guest list. It was the king's responsibility to provide tux and tails for the gentlemen and dresses for the ladies. That was their culture. Of course, everyone Jesus Christ was talking to here would have known that. They would have also known that to turn up at a royal wedding in your own clothes, having deliberately refused to wear the clothes provided by the king, would have been an unpardonable breach of etiquette. It would be a bit like turning up for dinner with the queen at a State banquet dressed in tatty jeans and a rude t-shirt, only much worse. Refusing to wear the royal wedding garment would have been an unpardonable act of disrespect, like spitting in the king's face in public.

When this person was confronted, he was speechless. What could he say? He had been freely given a royal wedding garment and had knowingly and willingly refused to wear it, showing unbelievable disrespect for the king, and breaking every cultural protocol imaginable. It was his choice to do so because he had freedom of will.


Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.


Whether we choose to clothe ourselves with what God has made freely available, is our choice. We decide whether or not we are one of the chosen few. It is our choice, our decision. We can decide to clothe ourselves with what God has made freely available, or we can choose to ignore the invitation. If you want to march into God's presence and tell him that what he has freely made available isn't good enough for you, fine, go ahead. Let's look again at those verses in Ephesians.


Ephesians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,


Is eternal life available to all? Yes, it is. Who decides whether or not we are one of the chosen? We do. It is our choice. We, by the freedom of our will, decide to become one of God's chosen. God in his foreknowledge knew we would believe before the foundation of the world and, therefore, he foreordained us to the adoption of children. He knew we would believe, but it was we ourselves by our freedom of will that made the choice to become God's child. How did we do that?


Romans 10:9,10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved [sōzō].

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.


Confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts are decisions we make. Without believing and confessing as stipulated in Romans 10:9, we would not receive the gift of holy spirit, we would not be clothed with power from on high. The receiving of the gift of holy spirit is entirely conditional on us carrying out the instruction given in Romans 10:9. When we confess with our mouths Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we are saved (Greek sōzō), made whole, referring to once again being complete, being whole, with body, soul and spirit.

Does God force us to believe? No. God never forces anyone to do anything. He gave us freedom of will and it is up to us whether we choose to believe God and his word or not. Therefore, predestination here is simply a reference to God's foreknowledge. He knew way back in the beginning that we would believe, and so we were predestined, foreordained to become sons and daughters of God.
BONUS: (example and explanation)
Yeah, Lydia like Cornelius, was simply willing to receive what she was taught with open-mindedness, as it is with every one of us, who must receive God's word, with meekness!!
Now; the three "R's" of receiving from God:

Receive, Retain, Release

James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

God or Calvin? STUPID!!
Predestination
God knows ahead of time who is going to believe His Word. Therefore, God calls them according to His eternal purpose (to have a family).
God knew ahead of time (foreknowledge) that you and I would believe. Consequently, God predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son. Predestination is a very misunderstood concept.

God does not pre-arrange what you and I are going to do!!! God pre-arranged or predestinated that which HE was going to do as a result of our believing. God decided (according to HIS purpose) that HE WOULD GIVE US holy spirit making us His children. Predestination in the Word of God is God deciding ahead of time what He is going to do - not what we are going to do.
Again, God does not pre-arrange what you and I are going to do!!!

Body, Soul, & Spirit

Body, Soul & Spirit
I Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the beginning (Genesis 1:1) God created the heaven and the earth including all the elements that make up the physical body of man.
Soul is life. It is the life that all creatures that move and breathe (including man) have in common. Plants which grow have life. But plants do not have "breath life" that was created in Genesis 1:20. Soul life in man makes man an alive moving being.

In Genesis 1:27 God created man in his own image. The image of God is spirit according to John 4:24. Spirit is also life but it is on a higher plane; just as soul life is a higher life form that the growth life present in plants. When God gave man spirit he put man in His own category of life.
God's nature lost!
Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
God formed the body of man from the elements He had created in Genesis 1:1. God placed in man (breathed into his nostrils) the soul life He had created in Genesis 1:21 and thus he made man a living moving being.
The Word of God uses the word "create" when God brings something into existence for the first time. In the case of "spirit", which is the nature of God, the Word always uses the word "create" indicating that an act of God is necessary to create spirit in any individual. Spirit cannot be passed from person to person as body and soul elements are at birth. Only by an act of God can a man become a spiritual being. In the beginning this spiritual nature was created in man on a conditional basis:
Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
When Adam and Eve violated this condition they did surely die that very day. Spiritually they died. They no longer had the nature of God abiding within them. They were no longer three-fold beings in God's category. They still had life. They had growth life as do plants and they had soul life (moving breathing life) as do all living creatures. But they no longer had spiritual life. This was the fall of man. This was the event that left man in the state of needing a savior - a redeemer. Man needs spirit to be that which God intended man to be in the beginning: a spiritual being in God's category.

The promise of holy spirit
Throughout the old testament when God wanted to communicate with man or direct His chosen people He would place spirit upon a very limited number of individuals. The spirit was always conditional and was removed when a man or woman failed to walk with God. However, throughout this time God's promise of a redeemer and the coming of spirit on a permanent basis where all mankind would have the opportunity to once again be body, soul, and spirit beings in God's category was looked forward to by those who held the Word of God in esteem.
The promise of God was that a redeemer would come and that God would be able to pour out His spirit to all who believe unto salvation.
Jesus Christ came to redeem man and make spirit available. He reminded a Pharisee ruler named Nicodemus of God's promise:
John 3:5-7, 9-10 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water [body & soul] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh [body & soul] is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit...Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Jesus was surprised that a Pharisee did not understand about the promise of spirit to come. The spirit that would be poured out by way of the accomplishments of Jesus Christ would be born within man. No longer on a condition - it would be seed born within a man or woman who believed. Jesus understood this and expounded God's Word to a woman drawing water from a well:
John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is [almost here!] when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Jesus spoke to his disciples and those he taught about the coming of holy spirit:
John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost [spirit] was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [not conditional] Even the Spirit of truth [the true spirit]; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit] not many days hence.

FINALLY the day arrived!
Acts 2:1,4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place...And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted [talking about Jesus], and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,[holy spirit] he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Today the promise of holy spirit is available by believing Romans 10:9-10. When we confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead we too become, as God originally intended, BODY, SOUL, and SPIRIT.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation [wholeness - spirit is the missing part needed to be whole]: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Today the spirit of God is born in us when we believe. It is not conditional. It is incorruptible seed. It is eternal life! It is the nature of the living God born in us. We are once again in God's category: Spiritual men and women with eternal life!

Jesus Christ the Son of God exalted

Try this and think honestly:

Jesus Christ
Seated at the Right Hand of God
Acts 2:22-24, 32-36 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Verse 22 A man approved of God
Verse 23 crucified and slain
Verse 24,32 God raised him from the dead
Verse 33 God exalted him
Verse 34 God seated him at His right hand
Verse 36 God made him Lord & Christ
Jesus Christ was a man. He was approved of God, yet still a man. He was not one third of a triune God. He was the promised Christ. The man who would walk the walk the first man, Adam, failed to walk. He was crucified and slain - the true passover lamb chosen out of the flock (again a man) and sacrificed for our sins. He was raised from the dead by God. He did not raise himself. God raised him. He was exalted by God and sits today at God's right hand. God does not sit beside Himself. Jesus Christ sits at God's right hand. God has made Jesus to be our Lord and Christ. He walked the walk for us. He was our substitute and we have an identification with him.
The Right Hand
In the Bible the right hand is the hand of blessing. Gen. 48:13-19 tells how Joseph's younger son (Ephraim) received Jacob's blessing instead of his firstborn (Manasseh). Jacob laid his right hand on Ephraim signifying blessing. The right hand also is used to signify strength and salvation. Psalm 20:6 declares that "the Lord saveth ...with the saving strength of his right hand." God has placed Jesus Christ at His right hand to bless and to save us and to show forth His strength.
Intercession
I Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
I John 2:1b...we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Romans 8:34...Christ, ...who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Jesus Christ sits at God's right hand as our advocate and mediator making intercession for us when we fail to live up to God's Word. He has taken our sins upon himself and now pleads our case to the Father continually. We do not need a priest or to perform sacrifices to purge our sins. Jesus Christ has accomplished it all and sits at God's right hand as our constant advocate.

Was Christ born(or created?) before he was born?
This doctrine is derived most prominently from the gospel of John, and in particular from the phrase in John 1:14 (KJV): "And the Word was made flesh…." But was "the Word" synonymous with "the Messiah" in Jewish understanding? Hardly. The Jews would have understood it to mean "plan" or "purpose," that which was clearly and specifically declared in Genesis 3:15—a "seed" of a woman who would destroy the works of the Devil. This plan of God for the salvation of man finally "became flesh" in Jesus Christ. This verse is not establishing a doctrine of Incarnation contrary to all prophetic expectations, nor a teaching of pre-existence. It is a teaching of God's great love in bringing into existence His plan to save mankind from their sin.
A pre-existent divine being taking on human flesh and being raised by regular human parents sounds so mythological that it has often been derided by critics, especially Jews and Muslims.

Haven't you figured out by now that Jesus Christ is not God!?
Matthew 1:18
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit]. “…before they came together” means that before Joseph and Mary had sexual intercourse Mary was already pregnant, and the child she was carrying was conceived in her by God, who is the Holy Spirit”.
THE GIVER and HIS GIFT -- The Holy Spirit is God(Jehovah) our Creator(Elohim). The God and the Father of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the offspring of God, only begotten, physically, by Divine conception of God, the Giver; Holy Spirit! God's gift is holy spirit, which is power from on high. We are baptized by this gift from God, the Giver.
Scripture tells us that God is “immortal,” which means “not subject to death,” but Jesus died. - 1 Timothy 1:17.

Jesus Christ was the offspring of Mary and God. Thus he was born with no sinful nature in him (as the life of the flesh which was corrupted by sin is passed from father to son by the seed of the father), yet he was totally a man. He had to grow and mature and learn to walk with God just as any other man. He had to learn of his mission to redeem man and he had to fulfill all the genetic requirements of the promised seed of the woman. He had to be a descendent of Adam, Abraham, and David. He was and is God's plan for the redemption of man. He is the only begotten son of God.

God is His WORD(LOGOS)! John 1:14 And the Logos was made flesh, . . . God's plan for restoring order was made or became flesh in the person of His son, Jesus Christ. God did not become flesh; His plan did. Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie . . . John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time . . . 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; How can God be a mediator between Himself and another party? Further, years after Jesus Christ's ascension and his installation at his Father's right hand - his Father still calls him a man; he was not God and did not become God. Jesus Christ is the first fruit of the dead with a new spiritual body, the same that the saved are promised.
The revolving god syndrome of our witty religuous folk: "oneness"!
How many sons have you known that became their father? How many fathers are their own son? HUH??
Sons are born by the natural process that God established in the beginning, and God can not transgress his own laws of nature, hence, Genesis 3:15, the promise, that is Jesus Christ today.

Christ makes known God - what do you think "the way" means anyway!
He is the faithful son of his literal Father, God; simple now hey?

Who do you say that i am!?

Matthew 16:15-17 KJV
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Trinitarians have three gods with one nature, while they say that Jesus has two natures(let them do the math here; and believe me, they sure will try). And we thought "common core" is bad! This theological heresy "takes the cake"; hands down at that(emphasized).
This is a monumental obstacle of the faith, and demonstrates great disrespect to the integrity of Christ's accomplishments, as well as stripping God of his rightful magnitude.
Now look at John 14:12 and tell me that you can relate to this truth!

John 14:12
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

No! Nobody is gonna do works that is great, huh, GREATER?? than God!!

Mark 14:36
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Galatians 4:6
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
God is unchangeable, God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent.
. God is eternal and immortal; God can not die; God can not be born; God is Spirit; God has no form or comliness.

...concerning Jesus Christ ....

Have you not read?

God's son:
Matthew 2:15
and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Matthew 3:17
and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 11:27
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and 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.
Matthew 17:5
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Mark 8:38
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Luke 10:22
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
John 8:28
Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
John 14:13
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Acts 13:33
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
Romans 1:9
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Hebrews 1:5
For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Hebrews 5:5
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
2 Peter 1:17
For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Jesus said "my God"- scripture:
Matthew 27:46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
John 7:17
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
John 8:42
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
John 8:54
Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
John 20:17
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Acts 13:33
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
2 Corinthians 6:16
and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2 Peter 1:17
For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Revelation 3:12
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Revelation 21:7
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

My Father is greater than I’ (John 14:28) ‘My father is greater than all.’ (John 10:29) ‘God is not a man nor a son of man’ (Numbers 23:19) The Bible often calls Jesus ‘a son of man’ or ‘the son of man.’ I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 5:30) Going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) ‘the man Christ Jesus’ (Tim. 2:5) ‘When you pray, say Our Father which art in heaven.’ (Luke 11:2) ‘he continued all night in prayer to God.’ (Luke 6:12) ‘Just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve’ (Matthew 20:28) ‘The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.’ (Acts 3:13) ‘your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.’ (Acts 4:27) ‘I live because of the Father.’ (John 6:57) ‘All power is given unto me.’ (Matt 28:18) ‘‘God has made this Jesus both Lord and Christ.’ (Acts 2:36) This means that Lord does not equal God. ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.’ (John 20:17) IS HE LYING .? DID HE WORSHIP HIMSELF ? DO CHRISTIANS WORSHIP THE WORSHIPER ? By all these verses we can easily tell that Jesus is not God. It is clear.

Our Hope of Glory - The Body of Christ!

THE GENEVA BIBLE AND SIX PRIOR BIBLES BEFORE KING JAMES USED THE WORD " A DEPARTING" OR "DEPARTURE" INSTEAD OF A "FALLING AWAY" IN 2THESS2, SEE BELOW (2THESS2:3)
 GENEVA 1587 BIBLE:
 2Th 2:1 Nowe we beseech you, brethren, by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, and by our assembling vnto him, 2Th 2:2 That ye be not suddenly mooued from your minde, nor troubled neither by spirit, nor by worde, nor by letter, as it were from vs, as though the day of Christ were at hand. 2Th 2:3 Let no man deceiue you by any meanes: for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that that man of sinne be disclosed, euen the sonne of perdition, 2Th 2:4 Which is an aduersarie, and exalteth him selfe against all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he doeth sit as God in the Temple of God, shewing him selfe that he is God. 2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I tolde you these things? 2Th 2:6 And nowe ye knowe what withholdeth that he might be reueiled in his time. 2Th 2:7 For the mysterie of iniquitie doeth already worke: onely he which nowe withholdeth, shall let till he be taken out of the way. 2Th 2:8 And then shall that wicked man be reueiled, whome the Lorde shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall abolish with the brightnes of his comming, 2Th 2:9 Euen him whose comming is by the effectuall working of Satan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders, 2Th 2:10 And in al deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes, among them that perish, because they receiued not the loue of the trueth, that they might be saued. 2Th 2:11 And therefore God shal send them strong delusion, that they should beleeue lies, 2Th 2:12 That all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes. 2Th 2:13 But we ought to giue thankes alway to God for you, brethren beloued of the Lord, because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and the faith of trueth, 2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospel, to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ. 2Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast & keepe the instructions, which ye haue bene taught, either by worde, or by our Epistle. 2Th 2:16 Now the same Iesus Christ our Lord; and our God euen the Father which hath loued vs, and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 2Th 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in euery worde and good worke.
NOTE "A DEPARTING"COMES FIRST, "AND THAT THAT MAN OF SIN WILL BE DISCLOSED". DON'T FORGET IT ALSO SAYS “NOW YOU KNOW WHAT WITH HOLDITH" AND "HE WHO LETS SHALL LET TILL HE BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY." WHAT OR WHO DO YOU BELIEVE WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY? IT MAKES ALSO MAKES NO SENSE THAT PAUL WOULD TELL A VERY NEW AND SMALL CHURCH IN THESSALONIA, THAT A SIGN OF BEGINNING OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION WOULD BE A FALLING AWAY FROM THE CHURCH WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MANY CHRISTIANS THERE TO FALL AWAY. ALSO HE WAS REFERRING TO SOMETHING HE HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT BEFORE. WHAT HAD HE PREVIOUSLY TOLD THEM? 1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE HE TOLD THEM ABOUT “A DEPARTING OR DEPARTURE” THEN A FALLING AWAY. AS A MATTER OF FACT PAUL DID NOT DESCRIBE “A GREAT FALLING AWAY” AT ALL AND ACTUALLY SAID IN 1TIMOTHY 4:1 THAT ONLY “SOME SHALL DEPART FROM THE FAITH” 1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; SO ALTHOUGH HE BELIEVED EVEN THEN, THE TIMES WERE EVIL, HE DID NOT EXPECT A GREAT FALLING AWAY OF BELIEVERS BUT THAT THE EVIL WOULD GET WORSE. 2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. AND TO THE CORINTHIANS PAUL SAID THIS: 1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

OTHER TRANSLATIONS THAT USED DEPARTING OR DEPARTURE. The first seven English translations of apostasia all rendered the noun as either " departure" or " departing." They are: the Wycliffe Bible (1384); Tyndale Bible (1526); Coverdale Bible (1535); Cranmer Bible (1539); Breeches Bible (1576); Beza Bible (1583); Geneva Bible (1608).

Bible study to bless the saints of the "Body of Christ".
Be sure to look at all of the verses in this study.

The Body of Christ will not go through Israel’s tribulation. To begin with, Israel and the Body of Christ are not the same. Neither are God’s plans for them. God’s plan for Israel concerns Christ returning to earth in a spectacular event called the Revelation – to inaugurate His Kingdom in Jerusalem (Matt. 24-25; Rev. 19-20. This plan was “spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21; see Luke 1:70). God’s plan for the Body of Christ is completely different. It concerns our heavenly inheritance, not an earthly kingdom. Jesus revealed this program to Paul only as a mystery “kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25; see Eph. 3:3-9). In that it began as a mystery, it will likewise disappear in a mystery called the Rapture; an any moment event whereby Jesus returns for us in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-17), snatches us from earth, and takes us back to Heaven with Him as He promised (John 14:2-3) – when “the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25). Then comes “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; see Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15) – aka tribulation. The tribulation - as it is most commonly known (Moses: Deut. 4:30; Jesus: Matt. 24:21, 29; John: Rev. 7:14) - is part of God’s earthly program for Israel. It is also called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15), Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Dan. 9:26-27), and “the hour of temptation” (Rev. 3:10. It has no bearing on the mystery Body of Christ, which will be gone before it begins. From the beginning it was prophesied to Israel (Deut. 4:30), and thus is primarily for Israel (Jer. 30-31; Dan. 12:1, Zeph. 1:15; Matt. 24:21, 29). Its purpose is to punish sin and sinners (Jer. 30-31; Zeph. 1; Joel; Rev. 6-19), and prepare earth and Israel for the Revelation of the Messiah and the Jewish (Millennial) Kingdom promised to David in perpetuity through Covenant (2 Sam. 7:8-16), and sealed with an oath (Psa. 89:3-4, 20-37; see Luke 1:31-33). While the prophets revealed the tribulation as a horrific but integral component in the Day of the Lord (Isa. 2:12, etc ), it was Daniel’s prophecy where its duration was revealed as the final week of seven years in his seventy week prophecy for Israel (Dan. 9:24-27; see Rev. 11:2-3; 12:14). To wit, while we can easily find Israel and the anti-Semitic Gentile nations on earth during “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15), the heavenly Body of Christ - which has been promised deliverance from this divine punishment (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; 2 Thess. 2:5-7;) - is conspicuously absent (Rev. 2-19). There isn’t a prophecy or a single verse anywhere in the Bible conclusively identifying the Body of Christ on earth during Israel’s tribulation without pulling from context and redefining the words “saints” and “elect” - which in Daniel, the Olivet Discourse, and Revelation specifically refer to Israel. In lieu of these factors and others we are convinced that the Body of Christ will not go through Israel’s tribulation!

The Mystery

So what is this Age of Grace, this Administration of the Mystery, this time in which we live? What is so special about it? What sets this administration apart from all the others? Corinthians has some intriguing information.


1 Corinthians 2:6
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect [mature]: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:


The princes of this world refers to the god of this world and his devil spirits. We don't speak their horseshit, like climate change and homosexuality, because the wisdom of this world comes to nothing.


1 Corinthians 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:


Here we find a reference to the mystery, often referred to as the great mystery or the hidden. A mystery is something that is hidden. If something is hidden, we don't know about its existence. From this we also learn that the mystery was ordained by God for our glory, it was for our benefit.


1 Corinthians 2:8
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.


Had the god of this world and his devil spirits known the mystery, they would not have murdered Jesus Christ. They didn't know anything about it because it was hidden. God kept the mystery a secret. No one knew anything about it, not even the god of this world. No one knew anything about it until God revealed the mystery to the apostle Paul.


Romans 16:25,26
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:


Peter refers to the Administration of the Mystery, the age of Grace in one of his epistles.


1 Peter 1:10,11
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched [exereunaō] diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.


This Greek word exereunaō is only used once in the bible. Thayer defines it as to search out diligently, while Bullinger defines it as to explore, to search diligently. As it is only used once in the bible, we really need to look at ancient Greek literature to get a taste for the word, and there we find it used in reference to dogs sniffing out game. Dogs are used to flush out birds such as grouse and pheasant. The dogs sniff around and follow scent until they flush the birds out. That's this word exereunaō.

The old testament prophets, such as Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah and Isaiah, sniffed through the scriptures on the scent of this hidden mystery. They searched the scriptures diligently and prophesied of it, knowing there was something between the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. They knew there was something missing and they searched diligently through the old testament scriptures to try to flush it out. However, they didn't find it because it was hidden. Peter tells us that in addition to searching they also enquired about it, they asked God about it. Here's the record of Moses doing just that.


Exodus 33:18,21-23
And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee [God], shew me thy glory.

And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.


The back parts of God here refers to the understanding of the old testament scriptures, while his face refers to the hidden time period of the grace administration which Moses knew was sandwiched between the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Moses knew there was something hidden and asked God to reveal it to him, but God told him that knowledge was not available. In the context of the mystery being hidden, look what Corinthians says about it.


1 Corinthians 2:8,9
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.


The knowledge of the mystery was not seen by any eye, it was not heard of by any ear, in fact it never even entered into the wildest imaginations of man's heart. The revelation of the mystery, the revealing of what it actually is, was something Jesus Christ discussed with his disciples.


John 16:12,13
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Howbeit when he [it], the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.


Jesus Christ told his disciples that the spirit of truth was coming and that when it came, it would guide them into the all truth. The spirit of truth is a reference to the gift of holy spirit which came on the day of Pentecost. This prophecy regarding the all truth was fulfilled when God revealed the mystery to the apostle Paul. Before God revealed it to Paul, it was not available to know about it because it was a mystery, it was hidden. Even angels wanted to look into it.


1 Peter 1:12
Unto whom it was revealed [the mystery] ... which things the angels desire to look into.


So what is the mystery? Well, we know that if the devil and his ruling spirits had known about it, they would not have murdered Jesus Christ. So whatever it is, it must be something astonishing. As the mystery has now been revealed in the all truth given by revelation to the apostle Paul, let's discover what it is. Moses and all the other old testament prophets couldn't find it, but it's there for us to discover.


Ephesians 3:2-4
If ye have heard of the dispensation [oikonomia - administration] of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge [sunesis] in the mystery of Christ)


The revelation of the administration of the grace of God was given to Paul, which he mentioned previously in few words back in Romans 16 which we've already looked at. It is only by reading Paul's epistles that the understanding of the mystery comes. You can read the old testament scriptures exhaustively and you will never find the mystery in them. Why? Because it was hidden from old testament eyes. God had to keep it a secret so the devil wouldn't know of his plans. Had the devil suspected anything about it, he would not have crucified Jesus Christ.

This word knowledge, sunesis in the Greek, is defined by Thayer as a running together, a flowing together with, and it was used in Greek literature of the confluence of two rivers, the place where two rivers joined and flowed together. As we read Paul's epistles with a background understanding of the old testament scriptures, knowledge will flow together in our minds as the two meet.


Ephesians 3:5
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;


The knowledge of the mystery was not made known to anyone before this administration. The old testament prophets searched diligently for it, but it was hidden, it was a secret, it was a mystery. God revealed it to Paul and here it is written in Ephesians.


Ephesians 3:6
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:


This is what the mystery is, a concise definition of it, but it encompasses everything within the gift of holy spirit and what it means to us. To be fellowheirs with Christ, of the same body, and partakers of the promise encompasses being born again, having the seed of God born within us, having the gift of holy spirit, having eternal life. It is everything being God's child means. It is the ability to walk by the spirit with Christ as our head. In this administration it is available to become a new creation, a child of the creator with his spiritual incorruptible seed born inside us. And it is not just exclusively available to Judeans, it is also available to Gentiles, to anyone anywhere on earth regardless of ethnic, cultural, religious, or educational background.


Ephesians 3:7,8
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable [untraceable] riches of Christ;


The mystery was unsearchable, untraceable, untrackable through the old testament, but it was revealed to Paul, and he revealed that information to us in his epistles which make up the all truth spoken of by Jesus Christ.


Colossians 1:25-27
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation [administration] of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:


It is the Christ in you, the Christ in me that was hidden, and of which the devil suspected nothing. In the old testament, men and women had no spirit, they were dead. In this administration, men and women can be raised from the dead with power to operate the gift of holy spirit, walk with Christ as their head, and raise more people from the dead.


Ephesians 5:14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.


Every time we get someone born again, we raise them from the dead. These are the greater works that Jesus Christ referred to back in John 14:12. We really can do greater works than Jesus Christ did. Jesus Christ could not raise anyone from the dead and give them eternal life. We can.

When the devil and his spirits orchestrated the murder of Jesus Christ they had no idea what was coming. If they'd had even an inkling, they would not have crucified him. When Jesus Christ was alive and had the full measure of the spirit that was available then, he could only be in one place at one time. Now, in this Age of Grace, the Administration of the Mystery, everyone who is born again has Christ in them. The god of this world would rather have had Jesus Christ the son of God on earth by himself than have you and me walking around raising people from the dead. Man, the power and authority we have if we only knew it.

 All before Darby (and I am still researching more): Irenaeus (130 A.D. - 202 AD) Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp who learned his Christian faith from the apostle John, who wrote the Book of Revelation.  Both Polycarp and Irenaeus knew John personally. Irenaeus also believed in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church.  In  "Against Heresies 5:29" he wrote:  "And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, "There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be."  Irenaeus' used "caught up."  - the exact same Rapture terminology used in 1 Thes 4. Cyprian (200 AD - 258 AD) Cyprian taught his followers that, "God has not appointed us to wrath, but salvation..." and joyfully encouraged his church to expect to be "taken away" before the Tribulation began. Victorinus (300AD) "And the heaven withdrew as a scroll that is rolled up." For the heaven to be rolled away,that is, that the Church shall be taken away. "And every mountain and the islands removed from their places intimate that in the last persecution all men departed from their places; that is, that the good will be removed, seeking to avoid persecution." Ephraem of Nisibis (306-373AD) “All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins.” Brother Dolcino (1307AD) Dolcino and his followers believed they would be transferred into Paradise, in which are Enoch and Elijah. And in this way they will be preserved unharmed from the persecution of Antichrist. And that then Enoch and Elijah themselves would descend on the earth for the purpose of preaching [against] Antichrist. Balthasar Hubmaier (1480-1528AD) “Although Christ gave us many signs whereby we can tell how near at hand the day of his coming is, nevertheless, no one but God knows the exact day. . . . Take heed, watch and pray; for you known either the day nor the hour." John Calvin (1509-1564AD) “[Jesus] wishes [the disciples] to be uncertain as to his coming, but to be prepared to expect him . . . every moment.” “Today we must be alert to grasp the imminent return of Christ.” (Nothing needs to happen first.) Cotton Mather (1639-1723AD) Mather was the first President of Harvard College. This Puritan scholar taught "that the saints would be caught up into the air beforehand, thereby escaping the final conflagration (tribulation)." Peter Jurieu (1687AD) In his book "Approaching Deliverance of the Church " He spoke of a secret Rapture prior to Jesus' coming in glory and judgment at Armageddon. John (Gill) Asgill (1748AD) "Jesus will stay in the air, and His saints shall meet Him there, and whom He'll take up with Him into the third heaven, till the general conflagration and burning of the world is over, and to preserve them from it...." Thomas Collier (1674AD) Frank Marotta challenged a two-stage Second Coming taught by Collier. This reveals again that such a view was in circulation hundreds of years ago. It is apparent that Collier certainly considered the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture." Philip Doddridge (1738AD) The term Rapture was used by Philip Doddridge in his New Testament commentary, with the idea that believers would be caught up prior to judgment on the earth and Jesus' Second Coming. Bernard Lambert (1738-1813AD) Pierre Jean Agier, a French jurist, argued with Bernard Lambert's teaching and the published conclusions of Lacunza that taught the Second Coming of Christ had to occur in two-stages. His first return is to gather His people and His second return is to commence the Millennium. Morgan Edwards (1742-1744AD) Edwards was the Founder of Brown University "The dead saints will be raised, and the living changed at Christ's 'appearing in the air, but will he and they abide in the air all that time? No.They will ascend to paradise, or to some one of those many 'mansions in the Father's house." James McKnight (1763AD) and Thomas Scott (1792AD) taught that the righteous will be carried to heaven, where they will be secure until the time of judgment is over. Joseph Mede (1586-1639AD): "I will add this more, namely, what may be conceived to be the cause of this Rapture of the Saints on high to meet the Lord in the Clouds, rather than to wait his coming to the Earth. What if it be, that they may be preserved during the Conflagration of the earth and the works thereof, 2 Pet. 3. 10. that as Noah and his family were preserved from the Deluge by being lift up above the waters in the Ark; so should the Saints at the Conflagration be lift up in the Clouds unto their Ark, Christ, to be preserved there from the deluge of fire, wherein the wicked shall be consumed? " Peter Jurieu in his book Approaching Deliverance of the Church (1687AD) taught that Christ would come in the air to Rapture the saints and return to heaven before the battle of Armageddon. He spoke of a secret Rapture prior to His coming in glory and judgment at Armageddon. Philip Doddridge's commentary on the New Testament (1738AD) and John

Gill's commentary on the New Testament (1748) both use the term Rapture and speak of it as imminent. It is clear that these men believed that this coming will precede Christ's descent to the earth and the time of judgment. The purpose was to preserve believers from the time of judgment. James Macknight (1763) and Thomas Scott (1792AD) taught that the righteous will be carried to heaven, where they will be secure until the time of judgment is over. Frank Marotta (1674AD) a brethren researcher, refutes Thomas Collier's reference to a pre-tribulational Rapture, which proves his awareness that such a view was being taught in the late seventeenth century.