ii
THE UNSEARCHABLE
RICHES OF CHRIST
STEPHEN S. BIKO
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THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST
Copyright © 2018 by Stephen S. Biko
Published in Kenya All rights reserved
Email: [email protected]
No part of this book may be reproduced including photocopying without the permission of the publisher, with the exception of
brief excerpts in magazines, articles, reviews etc.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Scripture quotations marked (Amp) are from the NIV and Amplified Side–by-Side Bible published by Zondervan Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49530 USA
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Dedication
I dedicate this book to the Head of the church, our
LORD JESUS CHRIST and to the wonderful HOLY
SPIRIT who has inspired me to put down in writing, the
unsearchable riches of Christ that introduces in us the
hunger and thirst to understand the breadth and the
depth of Life that has been lavishly bestowed on us.
Jeremiah.30:2
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PREAMBLE
We have come to the “last days” and if we are to have a part in the
new Jerusalem, we must have relentless thirst for the impartation
of the righteousness and holiness of GOD on a practical level. Time
was when decisions could be made over a longer period of time, but
today important decisions are made in split seconds. If our
decisions are to be what we shall want them to be, we must know
of a surety what we believe and why. All of Christ’s unsearchable
riches are the endless spiritual blessings with which the Father has
blessed us in the heavenlies and in Christ (Eph.1:3). The
outstanding aspects of Christ’s riches reveals that the content and
the structure of the gospel of GOD are the incomparably rich Christ
as our righteousness, life and faith for the accomplishment of His
eternal economy. Rom.1:17 is the key to unlocking the treasure
house of Christ. It is the key word concerning the incomparably rich
Christ as the structure and the content of the gospel of GOD. When
we pay attention to the words, righteous, life and faith in Rom.1:17,
The righteous shall have life and live by faith. GOD dispenses
Himself to His chosen people through the procedure of His
righteousness and by the appropriation and substantiation of faith
in His believers.
We who were once mere sinners are now “the righteous” because
we have been justified by GOD (Rom.3:24). Christ is the
righteousness of GOD to us, as the procedure of GOD’s salvation,
to satisfy GOD’s judicial requirements for our justification. Christ
is the life of GOD to us to carry out the purpose of GOD’s salvation
within us so that we can be saved in out spirit by regeneration, in
our souls by transformation, and in our body by glorification.
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Finally, Christ is the faith of GOD to us for our realization and
appropriation of the riches of His Person as our righteousness.
Thus, the unsearchable riches of Christ is the content and structure
as well as the extract and essence of the entire gospel of GOD.
Rom.1:17 is quoted from Habakkuk 2:4. The name Habakkuk
means “embracing” or “clinging to” which shows us in a condensed
form the highest peak of divine revelation. GOD embraced us by
becoming a man for our judicial redemption and reconciliation to
Him so that we might cling to Him and become His children in life
and nature.
“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that
he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an
appointed time, but at the end it will speak, and it
will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it, because it
will surely come. It will not tarry.” (Hab.2:2-3)
The LORD told Habakkuk to write the vision and render it plainly
on tablets, so that even he who runs by, may read it. On the other
hand, we need to see this great vision and proclaim it to others, so
that even if they are running by, they will not miss it. On the other
hand, when all us see this great vision, we will be burdened to run
and proclaim it. We have to inscribe this vision of the saving Christ
on the tablets of men’s hearts to make them living letters of Christ
for all to read. (2 Cor.3:3). The vision seen by Habakkuk was “for
the appointed time” There was an appointed time for this vision to
be opened up and proclaimed. Today is the appointed time, at the
end of this age, for this vision to be released and proclaimed. We
want to be one with the LORD so that we can be like Paul in his
faithfulness to live and proclaim this vision, thus declaring, “I was
not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” (Acts.26:19).
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Hebrews 10:37 say, “For yet a little while, and he who is coming
will come and will not tarry” This is a quotation from Habakkuk.
Habakkuk says that the vision “is yet for the appointed time” and
that, “it will surely come; it will not delay.” However, in the New
Testament, an addition is made that brings more clarification, it
says, “He who is coming will come and will not tarry.” This is a
reference to the LORD Himself! This vision is actually the person
of Christ.
The vision that Habakkuk saw is also the vision of GOD’s judgment
on mankind (Hab.2:5-20). Under GOD’s judgment, all sinners,
whether Jews or Gentiles, are destined to die. (Rom.6:23). How can
sinners escape GOD’s judgment and be saved eternally? There
must be faith in the LORD Christ and a zeal for the appropriation
of His righteousness in the regenerate soul. There must be a
discovery of the riches of Christ within the spiritual landscape, that
discovery is essentially the wisdom of GOD. This is a New
Testament gospel in an Old Testament prophetic book.
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Contents
Divine Predisposition 1
Wisdom at the Crossway 20
The Revelation of Grace 27
Hypostasis of Christ 55
1
1
Divine Predisposition
“Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you - the sure mercies of David.”
- Isa.55:3
he moment of spiritual regeneration is never an end in itself,
but rather a means to an end. There is a niche or a place in
the process of this regeneration that GOD surely intends
every regenerated soul to come to. Within the vast spiritual
landscape, this place is singled out as the most essential ground
that every believer must stand on, to concretize his or her
Christianity. An expedition to this place is punctuated by the call
highlighted in Isaiah.55:3 and GOD starts this conversation by
saying, “HO! Every one that thirsts, come to the waters…” (cf.
Isa.55:1). Then later, He now says, “…and your soul shall live…”
(Isa.55:3). That means our souls shall live if only we come to the
waters, which again underscores the need for thirst. Therefore, this
call implies gravity since in it is the substance of redemption.
T
1
2
This call is essentially a solemn invitation to everyone who is
thirsty to come to a place where there is complete satisfaction. That
is, where there is joy unspeakable and full of glory and peace that
surpasses all human understanding. This is where there is
satisfaction on GOD’s favor and salvation, regardless of your
outward condition. David describes the intensity with which we
ought to approach this place. He said, “O GOD, You are my God;
early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs
for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water….to
see Your power and Your glory…” (Ps.63:1-2). David wrote this
psalm while he was in the wilderness of Judah and it paints a grim
picture of a dire situation and he brings the connotation of this dire
situation to himself; he likens the despondent situation of the
wilderness to what his soul experiences. Thence, he says, “…my
soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You…” Meaning, he longed
for a spiritual renewal brought about by the power and the glory of
GOD. Again, somewhere he uses the analogy of a desert condition
that is fraught with distress to indicate the intensity of dryness and
thirst in such a manner that, that desert seems to literally cry out
for water so to speak. He uses that condition to describe the
yearning of his soul. He said, “I spread out my hands to You; my
soul longs for You like a thirty land.” (Ps.143:6).
He emphasizes this aspect further when he says, “One thing I
have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in
the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the
beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.” (Ps.27:4).
David is here expressing the desire of his poor soul which is to
always dwell in the presence of GOD to behold His beauty.
3
In His beauty or delightful loveliness, is deliverance, joy,
righteousness and eternal salvation. When David found this place
in the spiritual landscape, he was so enraptured with the
experience of profound satisfaction that he desired to live there
forever. He could say. “…that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life…” He wanted to stay there forever! Like
David, we must express this thirst, zeal and zest for GOD because
the beauty of the LORD is only realized by it and when our
preoccupation is to learn His ways, that is, to know and partake of
His righteousness and to experience His favor, then this desire to
dwell in His mighty presence will not go unfulfilled. He says,
“Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of
salvation.” (Isa.12:3) and in another place, He reiterates this as,
“For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul
with goodness.” (Ps.107:9).
However, the key point here is “thirst” because this is what
underpins our Christianity such that, without this thirst, we remain
dry. This thirst is not in vain since there is fulfillment and joy in the
end. There is a definite promise attached to it! “Blessed are those
who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be
filled.” (Matt.5:6). Thirst for GOD coveys us to a place of
fulfillment or complete satisfaction in the Holy Spirit. The contrast
of thirst breeds dryness which is typifies death, but GOD
emphasizes that He will pour water only upon who is thirsty. He
says, “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods
upon the dry ground…” (Isa.44:3). Because man of himself is as
the dry and barren land, GOD promises that He will moisten him
with the waters of His Holy Spirit. Water is the emblem of the Holy
Spirit; as water refreshes, cleanses, and makes the earth fruitful, so
do the Spirit of GOD influences the soul.
4
This gift of the Holy Spirit is the great blessing, the plentiful
pouring out of which GOD kept for the latter days. Where GOD
gives His Spirit, He will give all other blessings. Hereby shall be a
great increase of the church. Christ in His capacity as the Wisdom
of GOD says, “…Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will
make my words known to you.” (Prov.1:23). This is a promise
only to those who thirst for Him, who have a zeal for His
righteousness and are on fire for Him.
There was an Ethiopian eunuch, a man of great authority under
Candace queen of the Ethiopians who had come to Jerusalem to
worship the LORD, and while on his chariot returning, he read the
scriptures in the book of Isaiah.53:7-8 but his soul was troubled
because he could not understand what he was reading (cf.
Acts.8:26-39). His soul yearned, was filled with thirst to
understand the part of scripture he read and owing to his thirst, the
Holy Spirit swiftly responded by sending His servant, Philip who
opened up the scriptures for him and he understood and believed
that Jesus Christ is the Son of GOD and was baptized. At this, he
went on his way rejoicing (cf. vs.39). The centre of attention in this
whole event is the fact that if we dare to wholeheartedly desire to
be ever endowed with spiritual things, such that our souls are
marked with unrest until the thirst is quenched. Then GOD will
reveal Himself when He opens up our eyes to perceive and ears to
understand. How can we ever know the ways of GOD without His
Spirit? Dryness pervades a soul that is only complacent with the
born-again experience and is not thirsty for more of GOD. The
Christian is dry but is not aware! He wallows in his worldly success;
he is wealthy and rich, he has all that he would need.
5
These are the things that he came to GOD to seek and found
them (cf. Eccl.6:2) but GOD silently brings to his attention the
depth of his deficiency. He says, “I know your works, that you
are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So
then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I
will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Rev.3:15-16). How
heartrending! The LORD Jesus Christ is here drawing out a
comparison of hydrology situation in Laodicea to explain the
spiritual condition of the church there. Hierapolis was a place
nearby to Laodicea and its hot waters were known for its medicinal
qualities, whereas Colossae was known for its cold, pure water.
Laodicea was forced to receive water by aqueduct or a conduit from
other areas such as Hierapolis and by the time that water arrived at
Laodicea, it was lukewarm and provoked nausea. So, the works of
the Laodicean church were as worthless as the city’s lukewarm
water, the church there lacked genuine faith.
When the church there thought that she is one of the bona-fide
or unquestionable beneficiaries of GOD’s blessings, the LORD
startles her with a dispirited report that highlights her spiritual
tepidness which enlists her to be spewed out. In His estimation, the
LORD swiftly prehends her thought process and reports, “Because
you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing’ - and do not know that you are wretched, miserable,
poor, blind, and naked.” (vs. 17). This latter report characterizes
dryness in a soul, a soul that superficially displays somewhat the
blessings of GOD yet so sick. It is a report that brings to our
attention the element of pretentious spiritual complacency which
typifies a lack of thirst for GOD.
6
The LORD nudges the lethargic and complacent soul that has no
spiritual value to awake out of sleep and beckons him to come to
the waters, but He elaborates and puts it this way, “I counsel you
to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich;
and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame
of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes
with eye salve, that you may see.” (vs.18). This is the work of the
Holy Spirit upon a soul that thirsts, so the LORD tenders an ideal
counsel that requires us to resolve to completely surrender to Him.
This invitation radiates the thought expressed in Isa.55:3 where
GOD says, “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul
shall live…” Again, this implies the LORD’s invitation in John.7:37-
38 in which He said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and
drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of
his heart will flow rivers of living water.” This is a call that is
so specific as is suggested by “If” which subordinates a happening
to a condition. That, whenever you thirst, come to Him and your
thirst shall be quenched. Therefore, this is an appeal to only those
who have a spiritual enthusiasm, that is, they who cleave to, trust
in or rely on GOD!
The city of Laodicea was famous for its wealth, its bankers, its
medical school, its popular eye-salve, and its textile industry. This
made the church there to keep abreast with these developments to
denote true blessedness but spiritually, they were poor, blind and
naked. True wealth is found only in GOD’s grace and bestowed by
the Holy Spirit and that bestowal foremost cleanses, and then
refreshes and then brings fruitfulness. Therefore, the LORD’s
counsel in Rev.3:18 presents a dichotomy between true blessedness
and the prevailing ideology in the Laodicean church.
7
The church had no spiritual value so the LORD advises them to
buy of Him gold tried in the fire that they may be spiritually rich,
they had no virtue so He implores them to clothe themselves in
white garment to cover the shame of their nakedness and lastly,
they had no vision so He presents to them an opportunity to anoint
their eyes with eye-salve that they may see. He urges the church at
Laodicea and likewise we, to repent of our lack of spiritual
enthusiasm and understanding. The undisputed credibility of our
Christianity lies in our quest for GOD and moreover, we wouldn’t
want to miss out on that life-time opportunity of GOD’s relentless
call to come to the waters. Heedlessness to this call, especially now
that we have found out that GOD is appealing only to those who are
thirsty would right away make us of no spiritual value. But we must
be the poor in spirit who always yearn for GOD. We cannot do
without Him for He is our life and He is all we have. The level of
intensity of that desire for GOD is properly represented in Ps.42:1.
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for
You, O God.” These are they who are humble, who rate themselves
insignificant and therefore, submit to the will of GOD.
We must have known that GOD in His elaborate plan of
redemption delivers us from the dwelling place of sin, the realm of
darkness and brings us to His Cross and since He loves to hide (cf.
Isa.45:15), He leaves us there at the Cross and goes beyond to a
place of Wisdom or Truth so that we may seek Him and definitely
find Him as He has promised (cf.Matt.7:7). The LORD Jesus Christ
is neither on the cross nor in the tomb for He is risen and is seated
at the right hand of the Majesty on high (cf. Eph.1:20). The
deliverance from darkness to the cross is intended to create an
opportunity of hunger and thirst in our souls for Him.
8
Henceforth, we yearn for more of Him, more of His goodness
and as we press toward the mark for the prize of high calling of
GOD (cf. Phil.3:14), we get deeper into the light and its intensity
upon us increases which gradually wears out sin. Then we become
locked in the place of Wisdom or Truth.
This is the place where the LORD encouraged the new Jewish
converts to come to. He told them, “…If you abide in My word,
you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn.8:31-32). This is a place
where the holiness and righteousness of GOD is realized and it
owes its relevance up to date. In our quest for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ, we must come to such a wonderful place in
our spiritual landscape and experience that glorious joy in the
Spirit and chorus with Paul the apostle saying, “I have been
crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives
in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith
in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
(Gal.2:20). My GOD!
However, the contrast of this is appalling and breeds spiritual
stagnation and worthlessness and the LORD Jesus Christ gave a
slight indication in the second segment of His statement on the
condition of those who have subscribed to this spiritual inactivity.
He said, “He has filled the hungry with good things; and the
rich He has sent away empty.” (Lk.1:53). Those who see their
need of Christ, and are desirous of righteousness and life in Him,
He fills with good things while He sends the self-sufficient away
empty handed without a gift. These are they who are full of
themselves and are self-righteous, who look upon themselves as so
significant that GOD needs them more than they need Him.
9
They are the elite in their local churches who demand to be held
in high esteem by most. And often they have a thought that says,
“God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are…” (cf.Lk.18:11).
They are deluded and complacent with their present state of
spirituality who in their own wisdom, believe they are apprehended
of Christ Jesus and are waiting for Him to “rapture” them out of the
world and take them home. Shockingly, the LORD GOD says to
them, “…behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be
ashamed.” (Isa.65:13).
As we hunger and thirst for GOD, He fills us with good things
which essentially implies His bestowal of righteousness and
holiness, and all the other things that accompany this rectitude.
The bestowal of these “good things” in actual fact makes us wise
Christians. They characterize true Christianity unlike the foolish
virgins (cf. Matt.25) who failed to appreciate the overwhelming
need to abide in the Truth but squandered that noble opportunity
in their moments of recklessness and were ashamed in the end. We
grasp these “good things” when we take into account that Christ is
fundamentally our righteousness, sanctification, redemption and
wisdom. Wisdom is the principle thing as it provides the
foundation upon which other works of grace are built. This wisdom
is hidden from man and only revealed to men who are apt to
recognize with gratitude the pricelessness of it.
Therefore, this wisdom is incomparable to the thought of mere
acquisition of intellectual skills, but it is essentially the gaining of
spiritual discernment as demonstrated in the Cross. It is within this
context and with a view to being partakers of Christ Jesus our
LORD, that GOD endears to us this infallible wisdom.
10
This is expressed in the theme scripture of this book which is
Isaiah.55:3. “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your
soul shall live…” This is a beckoning to draw close and hear, and
the content of what we are to hear is demonstrated in Prov.2:1-2.
“MY son, if you receive my words, and treasure my
commands within you, so that you incline your ear to
wisdom….” And in another place, it says, “Wisdom calls aloud
outside…” (Prov.1:20). This shows us that attaining to this
wisdom occupies the centre of our Christian call such that without
it, all our other Christian duties are vanity. Our pursuit of eternal
life is meaningless without the valid quest for this wisdom, for this
wisdom is CHRIST HIMSELF!
GOD is therefore asking for our attention or aptness to
understand spiritual truths communicated in the word of GOD.
The spiritual truth that we are all implored to incline unto is the
Wisdom of GOD. “So that you incline your ear to wisdom…”
(Prov.2:2). “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get
wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
(Prov.4:7) This means wisdom is the chief, the primary, the main
or the most important element of our spirituality yet it is hidden
from many. (cf. Job.28:21). It is a worthy attribute that must be
sought diligently since it confirms the validity of our Christianity.
Once again, the degree of intensity applied in seeking for wisdom
is properly captured in Prov.2:4-5. “If you seek her as silver, and
search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will
understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of
God.”
11
Job wondered where the place of wisdom is. Miners open shafts
in forgotten places and descend into them searching for the
preciousness of the earth. The silver, the gold, the sapphires, the
pearls and even iron! They make channels and passages through
the hard rocks beneath the earth, they dam up the streams that
water may not trickle into the mines and the thing that is hidden in
the deep of darkness, they bring forth to light. However, the
wisdom of GOD is neither in the land of the living nor beneath the
land. How precious is gold which man puts tremendous efforts to
discover? The price of the wisdom of GOD cannot be compared in
value to gold. “Neither gold nor crystal can equal it…”
(Job.28:17). This precious wisdom is the satisfaction of the need
of man, she supplies that peace and fulfillment of the soul. “For
wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may
desire cannot be compared with her.” (Prov.8:11).
However, man have attempted to find a sense of this fulfillment
and solace in material possession and other mundane things only
for his soul to experience emptiness and vanity. Money can provide
you the best mansion but only this wisdom procures you peace
beyond human understanding in it. Money can give you the best
bed but only this wisdom can bring in the much needed and quiet
sleep. Money can get you the best doctors and hospitals in the world
but only this wisdom will grant health. Money will give you that
emotional happiness or joviality but only this wisdom will supply
the real joy which is constant under all conditions, whether
favorable or unfavorable. When David, a man after GOD’s own
heart went beyond and found out the key that unlocks the mystery
that is the wisdom of GOD, he said, “The fear of the LORD is
clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true
and righteous altogether.” (Ps.19:9).
12
Then listen to this, he further goes on to surely confirm the
subject of this introduction in verse 10. He says, “More to be
desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; sweeter
also than honey and the honeycomb.” My GOD! And look at
what prophet Jeremiah had to say concerning this, “Your words
were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy
and rejoicing of my heart…” (Jer.15:16). When he found it, his
soul was filled with the joy of the LORD. And prophet Ezekiel
described the pleasantness of the word of life as sweet as honey. He
said, “And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill
your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it
was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.” (Ezek.3:3).
Whereas David actually found it to be sweeter than honey. That
means that the joy that comes with the revelation of this hidden
wisdom is indescribable. Peter the apostle calls it, “…joy
unspeakable…” (cf. 1 Pet.1:8). It is actually inexpressible!
Therefore, with the kind of intensity man applies in seeking for
silver or gold, it is with that same intensity we ought to apply in our
quest for wisdom. How treasurable is this! Proverbs.2:5 ventilates
or unpacks the concept of this wisdom. “…Then you will
understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”
Its two major attributes are given out in this verse which are to
understand the fear of GOD and to find the knowledge of GOD.
These two combined gives a brief definition of wisdom but look at
what Job found out. “…Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is
wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.”
(Job.28:28) So Job essentially brings to us that understanding is
to depart from evil or sin. To discern, comprehend and interpret
the will of GOD in the word of God is understanding.
13
This tells me that the word of GOD is actually an encoded
message which I must work to decode. That work is expressed by
an attitude which is inclined to decipher the word of GOD and that
which we must decipher in the word of GOD is a treasure that has
been kept hidden from the beginning. This is what the LORD Jesus
Christ came to reveal to those who have the aptness to hear and
submit, consent and understand the will of GOD. The amplified
Bible articulates it this way, “Incline your ear [submit and
consent to the divine will and come to Me; hear, and your soul
will revive…” (Isa.55:3)
Now we begin to understand why the LORD Jesus Christ would
put across His speech in form of parables. The intention was to
target those that are attentive or inclined to hear so that they may
discover the hidden wealth. GOD would say, “GIVE ear, O my
people, to my law: Incline your ears to the words of my
mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark
sayings of old.” (Ps.78:1-2). This surely tells you that we must go
deeper past the apparent worth of the word, to a full understanding
of it. This is so important that GOD had to tell Joshua that, “This
Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you
shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do
according to all that is written in it. For then you will make
your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
(Joshua.1:8).
This was to ensure that Joshua maintains his fear of the LORD
and so that meditation or deeper reflection on the word would
grant Joshua a profound understanding of it, hence exact
knowledge of the subject. So, Joshua and like us, was expected to
unravel something precious and hidden in the book of the law
which would make his way prosperous and to have good success.
14
Now we clearly perceive why the LORD spoke in parables,
especially in regard to His parable of the hidden treasure. He said,
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a
field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes
and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matt.13:44).
This discovery brings joy unspeakable and full of glory! This
discovery is what explains your unflinching love for GOD whom
you have not seen. Now He says that when a man discovers this
hidden treasure in a field, because of joy he goes and sells all that
he has and buys that field. The man considers it a worthy
investment! But what is the manner of this investment? Paul the
apostle tells us that when he was on his way to Damascus to
persecute the church, he met the LORD Jesus Christ. Then we see
Paul changing his direction and that tells me that when you meet
the LORD, you can’t remain the same. Wisdom changes your ways;
your thought-life, your talks, your perceptions and the like.
Therefore, a good part-summary on wisdom goes, “I have taught
you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.”
(Prov.4:11). Thus, when Paul found wisdom, he had to abort his
mission in Damascus and to start walking the right way.
To recap on his ways before he met our LORD, Paul listed seven
of his religious credential or “bragging rights” on which he dared to
rely for salvation. He so believed in those credentials that it took an
astonishing disclosure of truth to dissuade him from this error. He
highlighted his merits as, “Circumcised the eight day, of the
stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the
Hebrew; concerning the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal,
persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which
is in the law, blameless.” (Phip.3:5-6).
15
When we go through each of Paul’s credential, then we will find
out that surely those credentials are actually harmful to
Christianity. They do more harm than good! He begins by first
listing a ritual that was at the centre of the Judaizers’ teaching –
Circumcised the eight day. Unlike the Ishmaelite who was
circumcised after his thirteenth year, and the proselyte, that is a
new convert especially a gentile converted to Judaism who was
circumcised in adulthood, Paul had the rite performed on him by
punctilious parents in accord with the letter of the law.
Secondly, Paul ascertained that he was from the nation of Israel
– Of the stock of Israel. Israel was the covenant name of GOD’s
ancient people. The Israelites’ descent from Abraham was shared
with the Ishmaelites; his descent from Isaac was shared with the
Edomites. The Israelite alone could claim to descend from Jacob or
Israel who wrestled with GOD and prevailed. Thirdly, Paul asserts
that he was - Of the tribe of Benjamin, meaning he was a member
of one of the two most prestigious of the 12 Jewish tribes. Fourthly,
he further asserts himself as a – Hebrew of the Hebrews, that tells
you that he was a true-blooded Jew coming from a pure line of
Jews, tainted with no Gentile admixture. And his ancestors had, to
some degree, retained the Hebrew language and customs, thus
showing fidelity to the old culture.
Then fifthly, Paul could confirm that - as concerning the law, a
Pharisee. That tells you that as a Pharisee, Paul belonged to the
denomination that was the most orthodox defender, observer, and
expounder of the Old testament, and was a former student of their
great teacher Gamaliel.
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The sixth credential concerned Paul’s zeal – Persecuting the
church. Paul was so zealous for the Jewish religion that he once
persecuted Jesus’ followers to stamp out Christianity. Then lastly
the seventh, Paul could crow saying, - concerning the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless, Paul is saying here,
“concerning righteousness which is in accord with the law, I was
blameless”, that is, outwardly, no one could fault him for failing to
keep any point of the law. These seven credentials are what kept
Paul in his deranged version of spirituality. He was not aware that
his credentials that he held so dear were essentially, liabilities in his
quest for truth. Trusting in all these religious privileges and human
attainments for salvation had not brought him closer to GOD, but
farther away from Him. However, when he met Wisdom, his pricy
religious privileges and attainments had to be swallowed up in a
dawn of reality. At that moment, Paul realized the extent of his
delusion and he could later confess, “But what things were gain
to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also
count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all
things, and do count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
(Php.3:7-8)
No wonder wisdom is the principle thing! Those credentials
occupied the place of wisdom, but when wisdom showed up in
Paul’s life, she had to replace his mistaken preferences. Paul had to
let go of self and grasp the truth that was able to save his soul. When
he uncovered the hidden treasure, he sold all that he had and
bought that whole field. Precious one, look at this! There was
remarkable exchange of rubbish for wisdom. Christ must be at the
centre of it all to ensure that our Christianity is meaningful and full
of joy.
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There can be no joy in your Christian life without that landmark
discovery of that hidden treasure – wisdom of GOD. Wisdom is the
substance of Christ Jesus our LORD! There must be an attitude! An
attitude that does not give up easily until the results are achieved.
This is an attitude that seeks to understand the truth and is never
satisfied with parables. GOD gives a picture of this attitude by
tendering an offer of mercy to all that would incline their ears and
come unto Him.
He says, “Ho! Every one that thirsts, Come to the waters,
And you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come,
buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do
you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for
what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is
good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Then He
says, “Incline your ear, and come to Me…” (Isa.55:1-3). This is
wonderful and I want to ask. How can you buy without money?
There is an offer made here to the effect that, come and buy wine
and milk without money and price! That tells you that the offer is
free and an invitation is made to those who are spiritually hungry
and thirsty. All that is required of us to “purchase” wine and milk is
simply self-surrender that accepts the blessing, and so we suddenly
realize that there is an exchange of abandoning the self for this. So
self-surrender is the unit of exchange! You no longer need to
depend on your religious credentials and human attainments like
Paul once did, to try and purchase this free gift of salvation but
rather, only a giving-up of these is needful. This is spectacular!
Once we have done our purchase, now GOD says, “…let your soul
delight itself in abundance.”
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That means now your soul can have that profuseness of spiritual
joy. My GOD! This is reliable, trustworthy and true that upon
purchase of this – wine, milk and bread, there is profuseness of
spiritual joy which is akin to the joy experienced when you find the
hidden treasure of Matthew.13:44. Then that again tells you that
the wine, milk and the bread are actually hidden treasures which
essentially constitute the unsearchable riches of Christ.
When Paul the apostle had purchased this, look at his ensuing
assignment. He said, “To me, who am less than the least of all
saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the
Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see
what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all
things through Jesus Christ. To the intent that now the
manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church
to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.”
(Eph.3:8-10). Halleluiah! Paul was preaching what he knew which
is, Christ the wisdom of GOD! He was preaching Life! He was
preaching the power of GOD! This same Paul who said, “I press
toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus.” (Phil.3:14), also said, “…I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith.” (2 Tim.4:7) That he as a good workman and called
by GOD, he expounded to the Gentiles this mystery of godliness!
The mark was his objective of knowing Christ and the power of His
resurrection (cf.Phil.3:10).
Therefore, Paul had gained the joyful personal satisfaction of
having attained it, as well as the divine commendation and reward
to be granted in heaven for having reached this goal on earth. Paul
the apostle was therefore, preaching and imparting to the Gentiles
the revelation knowledge of Christ, the Wisdom of GOD.
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He was not only talking about what he had exact knowledge of
but was also fully persuaded! They which thirst or are inclined to
partake of the spiritual things of GOD through knowledge of the
truth shall reign in life, such that they will no longer be in bondage
to sin and evil. This inclination is of the soul and it is to hear with
your heart and that is why Isaiah.55:3 also refers to the outcome of
inclining to the will of GOD, as, ….and your soul will revive. David
said, “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
forever, to the very end.” (Ps.119:112).
When he had inclined and found how treasurable it is to obey
GOD’s will, he had to let go of all that would be dear to him in
exchange for it. Then he said, “Therefore I love Your
commandments more than gold; yes, than fine gold!”
(Ps.119:127). Therefore, we incline our hearts to get what is not
easily perceptible or openly visible and the need to discern or
comprehend or become aware of it is imperative. This tells you that
the word of GOD is a parable that when you decode, you end up
with wisdom. “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.” (Col.2:3). These treasures are hidden in Christ
Jesus our LORD, who is the Word of GOD!
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Wisdom at the Crossway
“The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, “Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, and all you of Judah, who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD’” Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.” - Jeremiah.7:1-3.
he LORD had to command Jeremiah to stand at the entrance
to the LORD’s house and make a proclamation. The gate of
the temple was constantly a busy place with human traffic as
people went in and out of the temple by it and so it was a strategic
place for Jeremiah to proclaim the word of the LORD. Actually,
every passer-by would get wind of the LORD’s instruction.
However, those who passed through that gate to worship the LORD
had already compromised the standards of worship of the GOD of
Israel. There was a systematic deviation from trusting in GOD to
trusting the lying words of false prophets who maintained that
GOD will not bring people to judgment inspite of their evil ways but
protect Jerusalem altogether since His temple is there.
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Therefore, the worshippers ended up being confused and
complacent in their wickedness; they did not execute justice
between every man and his neighbor, they oppressed the orphans,
the widows and shed innocent blood by oppression and by judicial
murders.
They also went after other gods to their own hurt, while at the
same time reporting in the temple to worship the GOD of Israel.
Then the LORD asked, “Will you steal, murder, commit
adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after
other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand
before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say,
We are delivered to do all these abominations?” (Jer.7:9-10).
This suggested the height of their delusion because they could dare
come to the house of the LORD and continue in worship without
regard to their evil ways. They thought that by coming to the temple
regularly, they would be excused from judgment in discharging this
religious formality. Coming from the temple, they would relapse to
their wickedness and abominations. In fact, the temple was to
them, a place of temporary retreat between acts of impropriety.
“Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of
thieves in your eyes?” (Jer.7:11) asked the LORD.
This formal religion was also condemned by the LORD Jesus in
Matt.21:12-13. The LORD’s agitation to cleanse the temple
indicated His disdain for the corruption of organized religion which
lacked purity of life and the power of GOD. In light of the
seriousness of what He had come to do, the LORD Jesus could not
tolerate such gross perversion of the temple.
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The false prophets that contended with prophet Jeremiah were
actually the genesis of decay at the temple since there false
prophesies brought complacency that made the worshippers take
GOD lightly and live carefree lives. The fear of GOD had left the
temple and a rigorous process of reclaiming the right worship had
to be initiated, and this is what informed the LORD’s injunction to
send prophet Jeremiah to stand at the gate and proclaim a word of
restoration. “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause
you to dwell in this place.”
Within this agitation for restoration of the temple was that
principle of the hidden wisdom of GOD. In the midst of confusion,
complacency and run-away wickedness, wisdom speaks out as she
takes her stand at a strategic crossroad to be noticed and to capture
attention of the people. “She takes her stand on the top of high
hill, beside the way where the paths meet. She cries out by the
gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors.”
(Prov.8:2-3). What that hidden wisdom communicates is so
essential to the well-being of man yet in man’s deranged demeanor,
that wisdom sounds nonsensical or devoid of good sense. Many at
times, she is disregarded, neglected or abandoned to man’s peril,
yet that wisdom contains the life-blood of both spiritual and
physical wellness of man. This was the mainstay of apostle John’s
prayer when he said, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in
all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3
Jn.2). It is the central cohesive source of support and stability of
our Christianity, and so prosperity materially, physically and
mostly spiritually are what is drawn out by this superlative wisdom.
23
However, wisdom has to aim to capture the attention of people
because it is easy to remain baptized in the mire of delusion than to
raise above it. It surely takes the power of GOD in the hidden
wisdom not only to deliver from that murky mire, but also to create
in us the consciousness of the need to be delivered.
Then, “When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is
pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you,
understanding will keep you.” (Prov.2:10-11). When people are
eager to maintain the status quo, even after conversion, then such
a people deny themselves the lavish ability to walk with GOD in
holiness and righteousness and form the caliber of Christians that
Timothy once referred to as, “Always learning and never able to
come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim.3:7). Thence, GOD
would usually assign them to an appalling condition that seals their
fate, unless they quickly sanitize their lives in true repentance.
Otherwise, the adage, “…keep on hearing, but do not
understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.” (Isa.6:9)
befalls them. This is the lot that do not care to have that inclination
to gain knowledge of the truth but would rather retain a form of
godliness without power.
Wisdom is the chief, the principal, the main or primary element
that authenticates our Christianity and without which our
Christianity becomes a lifeless venture and really with no hope. But
again, as already determined before, wisdom has to be where it can
be recognized on the top of high hill yet remains hidden to the
extent that she must be sought diligently. Realization of wisdom
begs spiritual discernment since they are spiritually discerned. (cf.
1 Cor.2:14). Therefore, to those who will not rest until they perceive,
their eyes gets illuminated to behold the beauty of wisdom, to such,
she no longer remains hidden, but gradually unfolds for them.
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It was needful for the children of Israel to perceive that integral
divine requirement in prophet Jeremiah’s ‘Message in the Temple
Gate’ but they failed to perceive GOD’s instructions and thence
GOD said, “…I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but
you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer.”
(Jer.7:13).
That means the message of wisdom was completely neglected or
disregarded. Wisdom appeared as though it was folly and they
could not come to terms with it and the penalty for this gross and
blatant disobedience was severe because GOD said, “And I will
cast you out of My sight…” (Vs.15). This is very worrying
especially when you consider that these people would regularly go
to the temple to serve GOD, they were diligent to worship the LORD
like many in the church today but before GOD Almighty, the holy
One, they were being cast out of His sight. Many are not aware
today, that their string of ill fortunes or afflictions generates from
their formal religious lifestyles. If that false standard of life
procured judgment then, it will today also because GOD’s threshold
of righteousness remains the same. In fact, this dispensation of
grace has made it a lot easier to attain to that threshold!
The flesh will often resist the revelation of GOD which for us
contains life, health and righteousness. It does this imperceptibly
by slowly and gradually bringing in another way. The Galatian
church fell victim to this unseemly conspiracy and Paul the apostle
had to bring to their attention this unfolding event in their lives. He
said, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him
who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.”
(Gal.1:6).
25
They turned away from the true way and subscribed to another
way of a different kind. That new way seemed right to them as it
was much easier to adapt to and so delusion and consistent
desertion of truth had crept into the ranks of the Galatian church.
Motivational preaching, new-age teachings and modernism in
the church today are some of the new ways that have sought to
eclipse the right way, which is centered on the noble discussions on
the cross and the blood of Christ. Based on such prevailing spiritual
mix-up, GOD oftentimes prescribes a turning back to where these
ways meet, that is, where that mix-up started. At that junction, in
the midst of that mix-up is where wisdom makes a proclamation.
For example, motivational preaching, new-age teachings and
modernism are some of the new ways today but there is also the
true way of righteousness. One would start walking the way of
righteousness but as he goes on along the way, he is lured or
tempted to walk another way of new-age teachings and he soon
begins to embrace it, and in the end the true way of righteousness
is overshadowed in his life.
He starts to insensibly concede ground and allows things that he
strongly abhorred before but is not somewhat worried because he
believes he is still walking the right way. The verse that says,
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the
way of death.” (Prov.16:25), looks as it were, pale to him. He has
lost his perceptibility of the true way because his light has gone out.
He has become only a religious Christian busy with church
programmes, junkets from impious revival meetings to break-
through conferences, and such like.
26
The enemy has blinded and kept him busy with these religious
ventures and not allowing him the opportunity to reflect on his
personal Christian life. He has even become unconscious of the
injunction, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the
faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus
Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified” (2
Cor.13:5).
The challenge is on him to ascertain whether he is a genuine
believer or a fake! And as he continues this way, he starts to
experience systematic ill-fortunes or adversities in his Christian life
and begins to wonder why things aren’t going well in his life as
before in spite of being a dutiful Christian. Then the LORD says in
His mercy, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old
paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find
rest for your souls…” (Jer.6:16). This is a call to repentance! A
turning back to the old paths which is the good way. The way of true
righteousness which that Christian used to walk before he
embraced the new-age gospel for example. Therefore, to the
proponents of formal religion devoid of purity of life and power of
GOD, the LORD holds to His standard of sanctity and says, “…I
know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but
you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which
remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works
perfect before God.” (Rev.3:1-2).
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The Revelation of Grace
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” - Titus.2:11.
he appearance of grace is the flood-tide of GOD’s plan of
salvation of mankind. From the Book of Genesis through to
Revelation are dotted with unfolding events that
conspicuously affirms this scheme of salvation. The dispensation of
grace is the highest superlative in the plan of redemption which
insists upon the inseparable connection between creed and
character, doctrine and life and intimates the close relations
between the past, the present, and the future in the Christian
scheme of salvation. There are certain facts in the past which must
be believed; and there is a kind of life in the present which must be
lived; and there are things in store for us in the future which must
be looked for. Thus, the three great virtues of faith, love, and hope
are inculcated and this grace contains and ministers them to a
thirsty soul.
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Christ Jesus the LORD is the emblem of grace such that when
He came in the flesh, that is, when He revealed Himself in the flesh
and lived awhile among us, then John the Baptist says he saw His
glory - His honor and majesty! A little while, John goes on to
identify the outstanding elements of His glory he did behold, he
now says, “…the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full
of grace and truth.” (John.1:14). This imports to us a far-
reaching knowledge of His glory, that it is full of grace and truth!
Prophet Isaiah also realized beforehand the dispensation of this
grace and gave a prophesy of its revelation. He said, “The glory of
the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isa.40:5). The
prophet gave this prophesy when he was looking beyond Judah’s
imminent captivity to such a dispensation that will bring with it
salvation.
Therefore, it was a consoling prophesy to the people of GOD who
are in covenant relationship with Him. We are indeed living in such
times of fulfillment of that prophecy and ministration of this
profound grace. When the Word was made flesh and dwelt among
us, it was a powerful revelation of grace and truth! This grace is out
of all proportion to the fall of man that took place through Adam,
this means that if many died through one man’s falling away, much
more profusely did GOD’s grace abound for the benefit of many.
This also means that grace brings a complete restoration and in
describing this restoration, Isaiah says, “The wilderness and the
wasteland shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice
and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and
rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall
be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
29
They shall see the glory of the LORD, the excellency of our
God.” (Isa.35:1-2). Then in the preceding verses, GOD is defining
the spiritual condition of His subjects that warrants divine
intervention. They are as dry as the wilderness and solitary, and
because His glory is revealed to them, which signifies a supply of
water in the wilderness, they shall be restored. In determining the
spiritual condition of His subjects as manifested in their physical
situation, He shines a ray of hope saying, “Strengthen the weak
hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are
fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God
will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He
will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be
opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the
lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing:
for waters shall burst for in the wilderness.” (Isa.35:3-6). This
restoration is a product of the revelation of grace!
As it brings restoration to our physical conditions, it
communicates also restoration to our spiritual situations. The signs
and wonders the LORD ever does are never for entertaining
purposes but they are always with a view to communicate a
spiritual recall. Henceforth, the subjects of the LORD are no longer
weak, but they are strong in the faith (cf. Rom.4:20); they are no
longer blind, but they can now perceive (cf. Eph.1:18); they are no
longer deaf, but their ears are opened to understand (cf.
Matt.13:16); they are no longer lame and leap as before, but they
now walk with the LORD neither turning aside to the right hand
nor to the left (cf. Deut.5:32).
30
This means that in the revealed grace of GOD is the salvation of
man who have fallen short of the glory of GOD. This grace has come
forward for the deliverance from sin and eternal salvation for all
mankind but how have each one of us taken stock of this grace?
Have we used it to better our lives or abused it to disorient our lives
the more? There is a glaring possibility of abusing this grace in such
a manner as to construe that a judicial pardon from sin guarantees
practical Christian living as some have errored by such a
proposition. Due to such a possibility, Paul the apostle earnestly
requests that we receive not the grace of GOD in vain (cf. 2 Cor.6:1).
This is a request to the effect that we must bear in mind, the
application of the righteousness of GOD in Christ Jesus on a
practical level. So, Titus continues to highlight this practical aspect
of GOD’s grace that forms its inherent purpose. “Teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present age. Looking
for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great
God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Tit.2:12-13).
The grace of GOD has ever offered salvation, but in Jesus our
LORD it was brought to our doors. In its first appearance, it came
to teach; in its second appearance, it will bring us glory. Have we
sat sufficiently long in the school of grace, that our gentle Teacher
may instruct us how to live? It must be soberly in regard to
ourselves, righteously toward others, and godly toward GOD. We
cannot realize any one of these unless we resolutely deny
ungodliness and worldly lusts. This was the aim and purpose of the
LORD Jesus Christ in coming to die for us. He wanted to redeem
us from all iniquity, purify us as His own and use us in all manner
of good works.
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It is a solemn question whether that supreme purpose has been
realized in your own experience. If not, why not? Attributable to
this, we realize that there must be an inclination towards GOD to
draw out the spiritual things hidden in the expanse of grace.
These hidden has been surely brought to our doors and He who
stands at our doors says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will
come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
(Rev.3:20). If we are thirsty for GOD, we would open that door at
the first instance of His knock, but if not, we would leave it closed
and as well close our ears to the persistent sound of the knocks but
the result of that heedlessness is death. The Gospel has a better
chance with the openly profane and godless than with those who
have been brought up under its influence and are so far unaffected.
The mischief with men generally and even within the Christian
circles is that many do not know themselves, and do not want to
know; and they are equally ignorant of the rich stores of
blessedness that Christ waits to bestow. We think that we abound
in gift and grace, when in Christ’s eyes we are most pitiable. Yet, at
this moment, He is standing at the door, laden with the gifts of
heaven.
Surrender and admit Him, or at least disembark the latch from
its groove so that He may push the door back and enter. Do not
attempt to deal with the squalor or dirtiness within; you had
attempted that to no avail. Allow Him in, He will see to that and
cleanse, keep, and enrich. Do not try to provide supper; He will
bring you His own flesh and blood (cf. John.6:56).
32
A step to unlatch the door and open it is foremost an expression
of thirst and inclination to solicit the help and comfort of the
LORD. You are wearied by evil and sin, you have borne the brunt
of misery enough and now you want Him at whatever cost. As He
walks into your soul, He purifies it but again creates a thirst for
more so as to be allowed to occupy every inch of it.
He wants to diffuse throughout our souls and to have it all! The
effect is unspeakable joy! However, we are faced with a situation
that would hinder Him from having His way throughout our souls.
Many have deliberately had it that as they have admitted Him into
their souls, He is restricted from having it all. This has informed
the LORD to narrow down to particular recipients of His blessings.
He says, “…much more those who receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the
One, Jesus Christ.” (Rom.5:17). The word, ‘receive’ is translated
from the Greek word, lam-ban’-o, which means to catch or to get
hold of. So, this scripture can be paraphrased as,“…much more
those who get hold of the abundance of grace…”
When we are thirsty for GOD as a wilderness is thirsty for water
and want Him to intervene in our physical and spiritual situations,
then He promises to bring us back to our original or usable and
functioning condition. He says “…seek, and ye shall find…”
(Matt.7:7). This is a definite promise! By this spiritual restoration,
we are brought to unbroken fellowship with the LORD in holy and
righteous living. The LORD saves, purifies and walk with us to
enrich us that we may be fruitful or be of spiritual value to GOD.
And so, “Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and
the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be
counted for a forest. Then judgment shall dwell in the
wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
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And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect
of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.”
(Isa.32:15). And the LORD Jesus said, “By this My Father is
glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My
disciples.” (John.15:8).
In the finality of time, our restoration translates to coming back
to Zion or the holy city of New Jerusalem which is a type of Eden
restored. The way to the tree of life was closed off by the Cherubim
and a rotating flaming sword to guard it, (cf. Gen.3:24) after the
fallen man had been cast out from GOD’s presence into the
wilderness – a dry condition without the glory of GOD. “For all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom.3:23).
However, out there after many years of fundamental assumptions
of redemption, grace finally appeared and the result was creation
of a way in the wilderness that brings man back from where he was
expelled – the Presence of GOD. Walking this way with the LORD
is but only a foretaste of what we will experience in full bliss when
we get home, where the way has led us to. Therefore, Isaiah gave a
prophesy of such a powerful restoration under the auspices of the
dispensation of grace and inaugurated by the LORD Jesus Christ.
He said, “A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be
called the Highway of Holiness, the unclean shall not pass
over it, but it shall be for others, although a fool, shall not go
astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast
shall go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed
shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their
heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and
sighing shall flee away.” (Isa.35:8-10). This is the essence of
grace!
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Grace carries with it the righteousness of GOD in such a manner
that there can be no manifestation of GOD’s righteousness without
it. This righteousness has been hidden from the general
understanding of man, but we see in a few instances where it has
percolated upon men before and in the Old Covenant. The likes of
Noah, Enoch, Abraham and many more found this grace and even
the law and the prophets testified of it. “But now the
righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being
witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.” (Rom.3:21).
Now, we quietly realize that there is something in this grace
which we must grasp. But how do we do that? We can no longer
depend on our meritorious works to earn GOD’s approval, these
works are good but when it comes to matters of eternal salvation,
they cannot count alone. When we depend on our own works, then
we can claim payment or reciprocation from GOD but payment or
reciprocation received from GOD of this sort is not a manifestation
of grace; they are earnings. Works remove grace from salvation and
therefore, we are notified that, “Now to him who works, the
wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who
does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly,
his faith is accounted for righteousness.” (Rom.4:4-5).
The conduct of the Scribes and the Pharisees presents a classic
example of dependence on the works of the law in an attempt to
earn grace but such works of the law were not sufficient enough to
bring out the righteousness of GOD in them. They went far, but not
far enough to procure that eternal salvation from sin, since those
works alone could not address the sorry-state of their conscience.
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Those works procured outward purification but when it came to
matters of the conscience, a better sacrifice by the blood of Jesus
was necessary which is sufficiently alluded to as, “How much
more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb.9:14). This is
the object of grace!
It was notable that their religious impropriety of the Scribes and
the Pharisees conducted them to neglect the most important
elements of spirituality that could validate their works in the sight
of GOD. Therefore, the LORD Jesus Christ subsequently censured
them over this stance. He said, “Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and
cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law:
justice and mercy and faith: These you ought to have done,
without leaving the others undone.” (Matt.23:23).
These weightier matters of the law clearly demonstrate what
GOD essentially requires of man (cf. Micah.6:6-8), and they all
stem out from our FAITH in the LORD Jesus Christ. Faith is the
only means through which GOD can impute the righteousness of
Jesus Christ to the sinner and this is faith in the sense that, we
believe in GOD as the only One who can vindicate a sinner, grant
him an acquittal of his offenses and bring him into eternal
deliverance from sin and evil. He is the only One who has the salve
for the death-trapped soul. He is the Anointed One! Therefore, the
word “believeth” or “believes” that denotes this faith in Romans.4:5
describes an action that is on-going.
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We are not justified by a temporary faith, otherwise our
justification would be temporary also. So, faith here must be on-
growing. Our condition of judicial justification must gradually
move to a practical level, which is inspired by our continual faith in
the LORD. Hence, our continual faith in the LORD sustains and
validates our justification. Now, Abraham was justified 24 years
before he was circumcised and so he was not justified because he
was circumcised but he was circumcised as a testimony to the fact
that he was justified (cf. Rom.4:11).
To demonstrate the continuity of faith, we are told that Abraham
is not only the father of the circumcision but more importantly of
those “…who also walk in the steps of that faith…” which he had
when he was yet uncircumcised. (cf. Rom.4:12). They who walk in
the steps of that faith, the saving faith are righteous. Peter the
apostle calls this saving faith as “…precious faith” (cf. 2 Pet.1:1)
while Jude the apostle calls it “…your most holy faith.” (cf. Jude
20). Against the back-drop of moral laxity, this faith is bound to
remain stunted. Therefore, we are prevailed upon to ensure that we
are involved in the growth cycle, which essentially is growing in
grace. This involvement defines walking in the steps of that faith
which is inspired by a desperate need to escape depravity and not
only so, but to be fruitful in our Christian lives, to demonstrate the
certainty of our calling and election and to have an abundant
entrance into heaven.
Jude briefly brings up the connotation of this growth cycle
involvement as, “…you to contend earnestly for the faith which
was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3).
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However, Peter takes his time to elaborate on what Jude is
alluding to, when he begins by saying, “Grace and peace be
multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our
Lord.” (2 Pet.1:2). That precious or holy faith is a work of grace,
because it was handed down to us and lavished upon us through
the blood of Jesus our LORD. However, this faith is not to exist per
se or of itself. To us who have obtained this precious faith through
the righteousness of GOD and our Savior Jesus Christ, we must
build on that faith by abounding in grace through the knowledge of
GOD, and of the LORD Jesus Christ. An understanding of walking
in the steps of that faith has been granted to us so that we come no
behind in concretizing our Christian call. This understanding
provides the substance of our spirituality and to straighten this out,
may we first of all know, “Therefore, having being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in
which we stand…” (Rom.5:1-2).
The words, “…in which we stand…” intimates the essence of
walking in the steps of the faith of Abraham. Our judicial
justification or acquittal from sin and its penalty introduces us into
‘grace’, but we must remain standing in this grace to demonstrate
the spirit of justification in Christ Jesus our LORD. Faith in the
death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ effects our
salvation, but it is His life that sustains it and this He does by His
indwelling Spirit. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit,
if indeed the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if anyone does
not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Rom.8:9).
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Therefore, any who lack the Spirit of Christ are not yet
regenerated and so are not His, but on the flip-side of this, it also
addresses the church. When it comes to the church, it beckons the
nature of true Christianity in a manner that if we are not abounding
in this grace, then we have fallen from grace. So essentially,
Romans.8:9 underscores both the understanding of standing in the
grace and walking in the steps of faith.
This is further articulated in 1 John.4:13 that goes, “By this we
know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has
given us of his Spirit.” This scripture presents a wealth of
information that we must endeavor to grasp. By being re-born, the
LORD Jesus Christ has imparted to us ‘something’ that belongs to
His Spirit which shapes and progressively dominates our character
as believers – the character of GOD.
The Spirit of GOD imparts the will to love! Briefly, the coming
of Christ the Son of GOD in the flesh is the manifestation of the love
of GOD towards man (cf. 1 Jn.4:9) such that His love is to create a
separation of sin from man so that he may live. “And such were
some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified,
but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by
the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor.6:11). The outstanding
demonstration of GOD’s love is that it is unconditional, it sets the
standard of love that is only attainable through grace. We did not
love GOD but He loved us enough to take us away from the
dominion of death (cf. 1 Jn.4:10), so that we also may be partakers
of His divine nature and enter into life eternal.
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Consequently, even though we have been judicially justified by
faith, there is an occasion of believing in vain (cf. 1 Cor.15:2) in the
event of compromising our stand in the grace which Paul the
apostle sufficiently terms as, “…fallen from grace” (Gal.5:4). It
is great encouragement to know this because it grants us the
opportunity to quickly make necessary adjustments and ascertain
our calling and election. However, the substance of all this is that
GOD has given us the formula by which we must abound in His
grace. Foremost, He begins by introducing us to the end when He
says that His grace and peace can only be multiplied through the
knowledge of Him and of our LORD Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Pet.1:2).
This knowledge displays the inherent attributes of GOD – love,
which we must travail to be perfected in us by the Holy Spirit such
that, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is
love.” (1 Jn.4:8).
Therefore, “For whoever has [spiritual knowledge], to him
will more be given and he will be furnished richly so that he
will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he
has will be taken away.” (Matt.13:12 Amp).
GOD’s love is not a disposition that concedes to sin as many have
thought and errored thereby. May we understand that in His
holiness, His love and judgment are combined in a sense that His
love separates from sin and His judgment must administer severe
retribution on sin. These are two extremes that presents to us the
reality of the attribute of GOD that while He loves the sinner, He
has no tolerance to a sinful lifestyle and therefore, to the one who
continues in sin, He petitions to subscribe to His grace and lays out
this question, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness,
forbearance, long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of
God leads you to repentance?” (Rom.2:4).
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The widely celebrated and misleading thought that GOD would
not bring judgment upon whom He has exercised mercy and love,
is responsible for lukewarm and lethargic Christianity. Therefore,
He lays it bare that our precious or most holy faith must be
subjected to growth to escape the ever-lurking depravity and fortify
our standing in His grace. To call our attention to this, we
appreciate that we are the house of GOD but GOD establishes that
this is dependent on only, “…if we hold fast the confidence and
the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” (Heb.3:6), which is
resonated in another place as, “Hold fast the pattern of sound
words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which
are in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim.1:13). That we must retain at
whatever cost, the excellently adapted truth which we have heard
and is the gist of the gospel of Christ.
However, this holding fast does not refer to delving and being
engrossed in our own religious duties that even though good, we
cannot dare neglect the weightier matters that precisely defines
allegiance to GOD. When we embrace the ‘weightier matters’ of the
law and with inclusion of our religious duties, then therein is the
act of contending for the faith! To actually demonstrate the essence
of holding fast which again, is walking in the steps of the faith of
Abraham, GOD shows us classic features of Christianity that
determines that if we are to escape depravity, we must become
involved in the growth cycle. He says,
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord
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Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” (2 Pet.1:5-9),
To grow in grace, and so in peace must be the centre of Christian
intentness. Believers are generally exposed to danger of falling
away which must be counteracted. To measure up to the occasion,
GOD prescribes a formula that ensures keeping apostasy at bay.
Today there is danger constantly arising from the boastful parade
of a knowledge that we are prevailed upon to avoid at all cost like a
plague.
This unbecoming knowledge is put across as, “…babble and
godless chatter, with the vain and empty and worldly
phrases, and the subtleties and the contradictions in what is
falsely called knowledge and spiritual illumination.” (1
Tim.6:20 Amp). These are empty talks devoid of truth and
heretical arguments used to oppose truth. So, Peter was confronted
with an upsurge of false teachers infiltrating the church ranks, who
professed to have a deeper and more mysterious interpretation of
the doctrines of the Gospel. This esoteric enlightenment they
specially named “knowledge,” and led men astray by profitless
inquiries concerning the absolute nature of GOD and the manner
of His communication with the world.
Paul the apostle refers to this false enlightenment when he
speaks of “foolish questions” (cf. 2 Tim.2:23) and “endless
genealogies,” (1 Tim.1:4). As an antidote for the poison, GOD urges
us to seek after a true and full knowledge of the Him and of His Son.
GOD our Savior desires, “…all men to be saved and to come to
the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim.2:4).
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It is specially the knowledge of GOD and of things Divine; it is
that knowledge which must temper religious zeal (cf. Rom.10:2)
that it may be effective and honestly it is the knowledge against
which if a man sin (cf. Heb.10:26) he is verily reprobate. This true
knowledge can only come of faithful service and so the LORD Jesus
Christ said, “If anyone wills do His will, he shall know
concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I
speak on My own authority.” (Jn.7:17). The LORD has set forth
for us the riches of His grace. In His grace, we have access to, “…all
things that pertain to life and godliness.” (2 Pet.1:3).
We have a bestowal of all helps toward life and godliness, and
not only that but there are also promises of GOD to rely on for the
future. These are promises whereby those who seek to renounce the
things which are not of the Father, but of the world, may become
partakers of the Divine nature. These blessings are assured and are
in store, but only for those who manifest a desire to receive them.
How this desire shall be shown, how it shall constantly grow
stronger and be ever fulfilling, until it attain perfect fruition in
Christ’s eternal kingdom, is what we are instructed as, “But also for
this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue…”
The diligence here is that sort of endeavor which springs from a
sense of duty: an earnest zeal and will to accomplish whatever it
finds to do. This is the spirit in which Christian growth is made.
And the lines on which such progress will go is as though, each new
step is evolved from and is a natural development of that which
preceded it. The faith which the Christian holds fast is the gift of
GOD, and it has the source of every grace that can follow and we
are inspired to foster these with diligence.
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Our scale of graces begins thus: “…add to your faith virtue.”
Here virtue means the best development of the Christian energy
GOD has bestowed on us, which is to be made excellent. We work
from a higher motive such that what we do is a constant attestation
of our faith. It is done as in GOD’s sight, and in the confidence that
in every act it is possible to give Him glory. There can be no room
for carelessness for we are filled with a sense of responsibility,
which is the first fruit of a living faith. Therefore, we have to supply
each grace in turn because we contribute by our careful walk to
wake it into life, to make it active, and let it shine as a light before
men.
“…and to virtue knowledge,” With the excellent development of
energy, there comes illumination over the path of life: now we
understand more of GOD’s dealings, and hence bring our lives into
closer harmony with His will. As we become sensitive to the
promptings of the Spirit such that we hearken to the voice which
whispers, “This is the way, walk in it…” (Isa.30:21), it will
become at every stage plainer and there will be shown to us not only
the how, but the wherefore.
“And to knowledge temperance.” There is a knowledge which
makes one proud, it does not bring humility which is the fruit of
true knowledge, but it brings self-conceit. It is a kind of knowledge
that germinates extravagance in thought and word and action. Self-
control or temperance safeguard knowledge and this is a virtue
which can be manifested in all things. “Now every athlete who
goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts
himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon
wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal
blessedness] that cannot wither.” (1 Cor.9:25 Amp).
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Hence, when we possess self-control, then we have conquered
ourselves and won our way thus to stability of mind and
consistency of conduct. Then we can go to the next stage!
“…and to temperance patience.” This is the true sequence of
spiritual self-control. This life is bound to supply us abundance of
trials. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD
delivers him out of them all” (Ps.34:19). Our efforts to daily
strive to die unto the world fixes our minds firmly on the divine
purposes and lifts us above the circumstances of time. We are
pilgrims and sojourners amidst the trials, but we are in no bondage
to them.
By the virtue of patience as imparted to us by the Spirit of GOD,
we shall not be moved even by great afflictions, to waver in our trust
in GOD. We can look on, as seeing Him that is invisible and can
persevere without being unduly cast down.
“…and to patience godliness.” The mystery of godliness-that is,
Christlikeness-was made known by the Incarnation. The Son of
GOD became man, that men through Him might be made sons of
GOD. And godliness in the present world is Christ made manifest
in the lives of His servants. Toward this imitation of Christ, we will
aspire through our patience. We take up the cross and bear it after
our Master, the LORD Jesus Christ and thus begin discipleship, of
which the communion with Him advances to more intimacy day by
day.
“And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness
love.” This is love. It is that highest love, the love of GOD to men
which is set up as the grand ideal towards which we are constantly
to press forward. However, from this, the love of the brethren
cannot be severed but it must be made the stepping-stone unto it.
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For, we are told, “…for he who does not love his brother whom
he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”. (1
Jn.4:20). This brotherly kindness is not to be narrowed in the
verse before us or elsewhere, to love of those who are already
known to the Churches as brethren in the Lord. The Gospel of
Christ knows no such limits! The commission of the LORD is, “Go
into all the world…” (Mk.16:15). Those who are in the world are
to be won for Him; all are embraced in the name of brethren. For if
they be not so now, it is our bounden duty to endeavor that they
shall be so. And in thus interpreting we have the mind of Christ
with us, who came to seek and to save them that were lost.
To die for the sins of the whole world, and who found His
brethren among every class who would hear His words and obey
them. We have with us too, the acts of GOD Himself, who would
have all men come to the knowledge of the truth and who, with
unconditional love, makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the
good, and sends His rain upon the just and the unjust, that thus
even the evil and unjust may be won to own His Fatherhood.
The knowledge of Christ is a lesson in which we cannot be
perfected till we behold Him as He is, but yet through it from the
first we receive the earnest and pledge of all that is meant by life
and godliness, and the culture of the Divine gifts, will yield a rich
increase of the same knowledge. “For if these things are yours and
abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We in this life can draw
nearer unto this full knowledge, and the bliss of each new gain
prompts to more zealous exertion.
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There can be no relaxation of effort, no remissness, in such a
quest. Our hope is fostered by the constant experience of a
deepening knowledge and receives continual pledges that the glory
to be revealed is far above what is already known. The enlightened
vision grows wider and ampler; and the path which began in faith,
shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The world offers other
lights to its adherents, but they lead only into darkness. “For he
who lacks these things is shortsighted...,” He who has not taken
heed to foster within him the light which is kindled by faith, and
which can only be kept alive by the grace of the Holy Spirit, is blind.
Yes, blind indeed, for he is self-blinded. He has quenched the
inward light which was of GOD’s free gift and made the light within
him to be pitch darkness.
Such a man has no insight into the things of the Spirit, no joy of
the widening prospect which captivates the gaze of the spiritual
man. He can only see things close at hand, and is as one bowed
downward to the earth, groping a dreary way with neither hope nor
exaltation at the end.
Hence, we must reckon and with utmost care that the expanse of
grace that has been revealed to all men presents in it a hidden
treasure. The Gospel of grace presents it, which is essentially the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. The most important message of the Bible is
summarized in the word, “Gospel” meaning, “Good News”. The
Gospel is both a proposition and a person. As a proposition, it
embraces the death, burial and resurrection of the LORD Jesus
Christ. Paul says, “For I delivered to you first of all that which
I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again
the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Cor.15;3-4).
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The Gospel is also a Person, that is, the Person of the LORD
Jesus Christ. Mark begins his discourse with a burst of information
that functions as a title, he says, “THE beginning of the gospel of
Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mk.1:1). This Gospel is the
content of Christian proclamation which centers on a Person and
to alter this Gospel in ANY WAY is to subject ourselves to a curse
from GOD (cf. Gal.1:8-9). To be saved eternally from sin’s
dominion, we MUST receive the Person of Christ as Savior (cf.
Rev.3:20). Therefore, salvation of men is only through the gospel
of Christ and Him crucified (cf. 1 Cor.2:1-5). This is the gospel that
brings to us the impartation of the righteousness and holiness of
GOD on a practical level. The LORD Jesus Christ is the splendor of
this gospel!
The person of Christ that promulgates the New Testament gospel
is essentially the foundation of Christian faith. The personality of
GOD Himself has been kept away from the general understanding
of man, which GOD has now sufficiently revealed and is briefly and
concisely stated as, “…Be holy; for I am holy.” (1 Pet.1:16). It is
revealed in the sense that it is now accessible to a desirous soul. The
grace of GOD that has appeared to all men has brought it closer
within our prehension. Being justified freely by GOD’s grace
submits to us a favorable chance to explore the riches of
redemption and so this justification indicates to us being declared
righteous and signifies our judicial standing before GOD, having
been released from the death penalty by Christ’s death. Now we
realize that, this judicial standing is not an end in itself, we must
actualize the terms of our release contained in the deed of our
acquittal as, “…that you should go and bear fruit, and that your
fruit should remain. (John.15:16).
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So, when Paul the apostle came to the Corinthian church, he
resisted the temptation to appeal to the Corinthian taste for
rhetoric and philosophy by exhibiting Christianity as a philosophy.
Conversion is the object of the Gospel of Christ and no other gospel
can compare in efficiency with the simple presentation of the cross
and the blood of Christ. The bare facts of the gospel regarding
Christ and His crucifixion (cf. 1 Cor.2:2) forms the foundation upon
which we MUST rise and grasp the deeper truths revealed by the
Holy Spirit.
When we are building on this foundation or rather, involved in
the growth cycle, the Spirit of GOD will not hesitate to unfold the
wisdom or philosophy of Christ’s truth. To expound the deeper
truths is useless or even hurtful to a carnal Christian because they
are foolishness unto him (cf. 1 Cor.2:14).
Therefore, Paul was shocked to learn of the prevailing spiritual
condition in Corinth; he found division in the church which
confirmed her immaturity. This condition forced him to withhold
dispensing advanced Christian doctrine since that church could not
bear it. They were still carnal Christians who were filled with envy,
strife and dissensions and so forth. Therefore, he opted to feed
them instead with milk and not with meat. (cf. 1 Cor.3:1-3). This
was embarrassing at this stage of their development for they still
needed elementary Christian instructions. To what he withheld, he
said,
“However, we speak wisdom among those who are
mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the
rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But
we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the
hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the
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ages for our glory…But as it is written, “Eye has not
seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart
of man, the things which God has prepared for
those who love Him.” (1 Cor.2:6-7,9).
This precious Wisdom is not on a level with human philosophies,
it is not one more added to human searches after truth. The princes
of this world, its men of light and leading have had their own
theories of GOD and man, and yet have really come to nothing, (cf.1
Cor.2:6). The incompetence of the men and theories that actually
control human affairs is put beyond a doubt by the crucifixion of
Christ. In the Person of Christ, the glory of GOD was manifested as
a glory in which man was to partake and had there been diffused
among men any true perception of the real nature of GOD, then
crucifixion would have been an impossibility.
The fact that GOD’s incarnate glory was crucified is a clear
demonstration of the insufficiency of all human perceptions and
previous teaching regarding GOD. Therefore, it behooves us to
appreciate at length that the wisdom of GOD is not devised by the
speculative ingenuity of man but it is a disclosure made by GOD of
knowledge unattainable by human endeavor. The three great
sources of human knowledge-seeing, hearing, and thought-alike
fail here. Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, it has not entered into
the heart of man to conceive, this wisdom. Hitherto it has been a
mystery, a thing hidden; now GOD has Himself revealed it. In as
much as this wisdom has been revealed, there must be a disposition
which we must adopt to attain to it, and not only so, but to walk in
it and be certain of our eternity with GOD.
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Without due adoption of this disposition or an inclination
toward GOD, this wisdom remains hidden even though it has been
submitted within the purview of our grasp. It is like life brought
near to us but again, folded away from us! This conducts us to begin
to understand why our LORD Jesus Christ could always speak to
the multitudes around Him in parables to utter things which have
been kept secret from the foundation of the world. (cf. Matt.13:35).
This indicated that He could not give a decoded message to lock out
those that are not interested or inclined to understand the meaning
of it. He did not and will never disclose the hidden treasure to the
carnal so that everything comes to them in form of a parable or a
metaphor since what is to be disclosed is noble, of high-value. A
treasure to GOD!
Therefore, “…the natural man does not receive the things of
the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him: nor can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1
Cor.2:14).
His speech therefore, targeted a particular group of people for
often He would say, “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”
(cf. Mark.4:23). In other words, if any man has the ability to sift the
facts and understand, let him do so. But what particular group of
people did He target with His parabolic messages?
This is sufficiently given away in both the LORD’s actions and
His disciples, “Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went
into the house. And His disciples came to him, saying, Explain
to us the parable…” (Matt.13:36). You will notice that the LORD
sent away the multitude although He knew they did not understand
what He had just spoken to them.
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So, they went away empty from His presence; they heard Him
speak but to understand what He said, they found not. There
spiritual insensitivity is an allegory of the LORD’s encounter with
some of the hearers of John the Baptist. He would ask them, “What
did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by
the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in
soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in
kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes,
I say to you, and more than a prophet.” (Matt.11:7-9).
Masses would gather around John the Baptist with various
reasons most of which did not reflect GOD’s desire concerning
them. So, some went to see this peculiar John the Baptist, some
were mesmerized by his clothing and some just went to behold a
prophet. John the Baptist was the fore-ordained forerunner of the
Savior and, technically, the last of the Old testaments prophets who
proclaimed preparation of the way for the coming of the Messiah.
However, it’s ironical that several people who went out to him
got the LORD, Whom John proclaimed His arrival, wondering as
to what they went out to do. This was in light that even though John
the Baptist preached repentance, most of those who went out into
the wilderness had not yet repented. They did not get his message
in the wilderness! Hence, they left as empty as the multitude the
LORD sent away. GOD hates pride and arrogance, evil ways and
self-willed conversation; these render men unwilling to hear His
humbling, awakening holy instructions. Now take note of the
tendency of the LORD’s disciples after He had sent the multitude
away, they came to Him! They were inclined to understand what
He had just spoken to them.
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Surely, they came to Him to dig out the meaning of what He had
just spoken, and so they said, “Explain to us the parable…” It was
due to this disposition that the LORD had earlier told them, “…it
has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom
of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whosoever
has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance;
but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken
away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables,
because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear,
nor do they understand.” (Matt.13:11-13).
These mysteries are hidden truths or unsearchable riches in
Christ which are revealed to those who have understanding. That
mystery is the hidden wisdom of GOD, which Paul the apostle also
referred to as the ‘mystery of godliness’ (cf.1 Tim.3:16). The
disciples were granted the ability to understand because of their
inclination or strong eagerness to know the truth. Therefore, may
we know that understanding breeds spiritual knowledge and these
two transmits wisdom to a Christian.
This hidden truth or wisdom, or rather the mystery of godliness
is again what Paul the apostle equates with, “…Christ in you, the
hope of glory.” He actually says, “The mystery which has been
hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been
revealed to His saints. 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.” (Col.1:26-
27). “Christ in you” is a mystery here.
Christ is our hope of glory, and that tells you that there is
certainty of the future, that is, for you it is the joyful and confident
expectation of salvation in the glorious state to be enjoyed by you
in heaven.
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This mystery is not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ revealed
in us. This revelation of this mystery is implied in Prov.8:17 where
GOD says, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me
diligently will find me.”
All prudence and skill are from the LORD. Through the
redemption of Christ's precious blood, the riches of His grace
abound in all wisdom and prudence, but before that, He says, “I
love those who love me…” GOD loves all (Cf. Jn.3:16) but here He
specifically determines that He loves them who love Him. This tells
you that this love is special and transcends the basic standard of
His love for all mankind. This love is only reserved for those that
love Him and this is well indicated in 1 Cor.2:9. “Eye has not seen,
nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Thence, there are things GOD has reserved for those who love Him
and not for all that He loves!
Then He defines or clearly brings out what entails love for Him.
He says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
(Jn.14:15), and John the apostle sheds some more light on this
when he says, “…and His commandments are not
burdensome.” (1 Jn.5:3).
All these are pointers to what GOD had already revealed to
prophet Micah in His brief statement of what He requires of man.
He said, “He has shown you, O man, what is good, and what
does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic.6:8). Nevertheless,
our share in Christ’s life, character, virtues, values, thoughts,
attitudes, and deeds is the only evidence that confirms we are
headed toward glory (heaven).
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Now look at how Col.3:9-12 further ventilates on this. It says,
“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man
with his deeds, and have put on the new man, who is renewed
in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free: but
Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility,
meekness, long-suffering…”
This is a new-lifestyle that is perceivable to the world. We now
possess a new nature, values and aspirations. It is not only sin to be
put to death, but again we are divinely required to put away man-
made barriers that divide people and that nourish the vices of the
old life. To the renewed humanity, there are no national,
ceremonial, cultural or social distinctions. Christ is our everything;
He is what matters most to us and He dwells in all of us!
This attests as to why Christians are also referred to as epistles,
because they emit light to the world. “You are our epistle…
known and read by all men.” (2 Cor.3:2). Therefore, this
wisdom, which is essentially understanding and spiritual
knowledge is Light.
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Hypostasis of Christ
“IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God.” - John.1:1.
eaning before all time was the Word, which was hidden. It
was not yet revealed anywhere and so the key idea is ‘the
Word’ expressed in Greek as ‘logos’. In the logos was
Christ, which is now revealed. This Christ, the revealed Word is
what John the Baptist was assigned to introduce to the nation of
Israel, as the Light. This was the light of Gen.1:3! “Let there be
light: and there was light.” Then John adds, “In Him was life…”
(Vs.4). In the Word was Life and for this Life to be manifested to
mankind, He had to become flesh. “And the Word became
flesh…” (Vs.14). John the apostle is presenting to us his account
as an eyewitness of the manifestation of this Life in the flesh.
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4
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He begins by stating, “THAT which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,
which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled,
concerning the Word of life-the life was manifested, and we
have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal
life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-” (1
John.1:1-2).
The disciples were eyewitnesses of the Word, they heard the
Word, they gazed upon for themselves the Word, and they even
touched the Word with their own hands. Then an aspect of the
Word was revealed or demonstrated to them, “For the life was
manifested…”. John the Baptist who was the harbinger of this
Word had earlier spoken of this revealed aspect of the Word as, “…
and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John.1:14). This is the
element of the Word incarnate which had to be demonstrated.
Therefore, He had to partake in the likeness of our flesh to
demonstrate Life to man. So, Christ is in the Word! This element
which is also the Light is what John the Baptist as a witness, came
to testify of. (cf. John.1:7-8).
John the Baptist was the fore-runner or announcer of Christ and
his ascetic life-style and dress dramatized the urgency of his
message, involving Israel’s need to repent before the imminent
arrival of the Messiah. The LORD Jesus Christ said of him that
there was none “greater than John” (cf. Matt.11:11) during the Old
Testament dispensation to imply that John the Baptist was the
epitome of the message of the Old Testament itself.
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Therefore, John the Baptist had the honor to introduce Christ at
such a time that marked the end of the Old Testament and
inauguration of the New Testament dispensation that would bring
in eternal deliverance from sin. Thus, as a witness to the Light, that
is, as one who bore record of the Truth, he came baptizing for the
forgiveness or remission of sins. Therefore, John the Baptist breaks
a centuries-long prophetic silence in Israel. Other Jewish groups in
the Old Covenant practiced ritual water cleansing, but John called
all Israel to repentance. He did this, “…preaching a baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins.” (Mk.1:4).
His baptism was not regarded as equal to baptism in the name
of the Trinity as a testimony to one’s personal trust in Christ. “For”
as used in Mark.1:4 means “with a view to” that is, in order to attain
remission of sins. Therefore, it is not baptism but repentance that
secures remission of sins. That baptism in actual fact indicated a
baptism into the Light, or a baptism into Christ. For this reason,
John the Baptist rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees who
approached the shores for baptism, asking them to give evidence of
“fruits meet for repentance” (cf. Matt.3:8). The New Testament
concept of repentance means far more than an intellectual change
of mind. Genuine repentance proves itself by the fruits of a changed
life. It is this concept which grew out of its usage in the Old
Testament that John the Baptist emphasized as a standard
appraisal of preparation for the impendent arrival of the Messiah.
Hence, the baptism of John bespoke of the work of the Spirit at
salvation, which later Paul the apostle referred to saying, “Or do
you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized in His death?” (Rom.6:3).
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This is not the baptism of water but the baptism of the Spirit, so
Paul in this question is not exhorting the Roman Christians to be
baptized by the Spirit. Rather he asserts that they have all been
baptized and this occurred at the moment of their regeneration.
This experience began at Pentecost (cf. Acts.1) and was repeated
upon every new group of converts (Samaritans, Gentiles, John’s
disciples) until it became normative for all Christian believers. This
is confirmed to us as, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized
into one body…” (1 Cor.12:13). As a consequence of Rom.6:3,
Paul then continues and begins Rom.6:4 with a conjunction,
“therefore” to introduce a logical conclusion that answers Rom.6:3.
He said, “Therefore we were buried with Him through
baptism into death…”. The use of this conjunction corresponds
to, “due to this reason”. That is, because of what has taken place in
Rom.6:3, so Rom.6:4. Therefore, Rom.6:4 speaks of water baptism
which symbolizes the union. It testifies of the baptism of the Spirit.
John the Baptist therefore, as a fore-runner of Christ came
baptizing for the remission of sins. He called the nation of Israel to
turn away from sin into the light, to which he was a witness. That
light, which is essentially the wisdom of GOD was kept hidden, and
later brought forth in an episodic event of creation and again
remained imperceptible until John the Baptist formally introduced
Him as the true light coming into the world and illuminates every
person (cf. John.1:9). Prophet Isaiah gave a prophecy of His
commission to be a light to the Gentiles (cf. Isa.49:6) and later the
apostles implied their eye-witness status, having heard of Him and
made a landmark discovery that He is light (cf. 1 John.1:5).
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The Book of Genesis chapter 1 silently brings out the
participation of Christ in the creation activity. Foremost, before
time began, He was, and He was with GOD the Father and His role
in creation is properly captured in Prov.8:22-30.
“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
before his works of old. I have been established from
everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever
an earth. When there were no depths, I was brought
forth, when there were no fountains abounding with
water. Before the mountains were settled, before the
hills I was brought forth: While as yet He had not made
the earth or the fields, or the primal dust of the world.
When He prepared the heavens, I was there, when He
drew a circle on the face of the deep: When He
established the clouds above: when He strengthened
the fountains of the deep, when He assigned to the sea
its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His
command, when He marked out the foundations of the
earth: Then I was beside Him, as a master craftsman;
and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before
Him.”
This is clearly the LORD Jesus Christ speaking in His capacity as
the Wisdom of GOD. That hidden personality which He later
referred to, saying, “For whoever finds me finds life…”
(Prov.8:35). This is the aspect of Him that was brought forth as
the master and director of the work of creation and which was later
to be fully revealed. He was with GOD which signifies the perfect
fellowship between Him; GOD the Son and GOD the Father in
eternity.
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At creation, the earth was without form, and void or unfilled (Cf.
Gen.1:2). But how the earth became formed and filled is now
described in the preceding verses. However, while the earth was in
its unformed and unfilled state, the Spirit of GOD moved upon the
face of the waters clearly referring to His creative activity. GOD
sends forth His Spirit to bring form to the earth. “You send forth
Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the
earth.” (Ps.104:30). Then GOD said, “…Let there be light: and
there was light.” (Gen.1:3).
This light does not refer to the sun which was created later on the
fourth day but is as a result of inauguration of Christ by GOD the
Father, in creation activity. By saying, “Let there be light…” GOD
elicits or evokes the cohere of all things, who is Christ, the Light
and the Wisdom of GOD. This is a command that brings Christ into
the scene as the wisdom that is needed in creation! This light that
was spoken was not created, per se, but a sudden revelation of the
knowledge, goodness, power, love and righteousness of very GOD.
In the beginning, GOD did not create or make light, but He
simply said it “be.” Using the Hebrew verb “to be” is what the Bible
translators translated as “let there be light.” When initially it was,
“Light, be.” This light, neither “created” nor “made” is therefore a
manifestation of what had been previously in existence— ‘Let light
be,’ or rather, ‘Light shall be;’ not the formation of an element or
matter which had no being at all till this divine command was
issued. So, this light was always in existence and simply brought
into play. That which was in existence before all time and was now
brought forth in creation is Christ Himself, the Light and the
Wisdom of GOD.
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Light is the revelation of GOD's love in Jesus Christ and the
penetration of that love into lives darkened by sin (cf. 1 John 1:5-
7). The LORD Jesus Christ declares that He is “the light of the
world” (cf. John 8:12; 9:5). The LORD Jesus Christ is the incarnate
Word of GOD, who has come as the light that enlightens all people
(cf. John 1:4-14), so that those believing in Him will no longer be in
darkness (cf. Jn.12:46).
Paul the apostle concurs as he harks back to the creation
account: “For it is God who commanded light to shine out of
darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2
Cor. 4:6). By GOD commanding the light to shine out of darkness,
He essentially “divided light from the darkness.” (Gen.1:4). With
the dawn of light, darkness gave way since light cannot co-exist
with darkness. My GOD!
If we walk in Truth, sin take its leave! John the apostle
exemplifies this very well and says that owing to the gravity of the
revelation of Truth which he witnessed personally, he realizes that
GOD is light and that there is no darkness in Him at all. Then John,
in his presentation of this discovery, deduces that, “If we say that
we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie,
and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He
is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1
Jn.1:6-7).
Apostle John is bringing to our attention a significant element of
our fellowship with the LORD. He wipes away the cloud and
narrows down to the most important element which actually
underscores the substance of fellowship with GOD.
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He suddenly discovers that GOD is light, and that in Him there
is no darkness at all. (cf.1 John.1:5). Then he finds out that for us to
be partakers together and enjoy fellowship with this GOD, then we
must be in the light as He is in the light. This goes deeper beyond
the religious “good works” to the real condition of the soul. For
instance, a Christian repented from the sin of stealing so to speak,
he no longer steals but he still covets or craves for another person’s
property.
That crave is a reserved shred of darkness in his soul. Because of
this existence of shred of darkness, he cannot safely determine that
he is in fellowship with GOD, in Whom there is no darkness at all,
no, not in any way. I have italicized the word ‘reserved’ to indicate
that the Christian has knowingly or intentionally held back the
residue of this trait. The Christian may be a regular church-goer, a
wonderful worshipper, even a pastor or a Bishop but before the
GOD of light, he is not at one with Him.
In actual fact, the Christian do not live or practice the Truth
which the Gospel submits. Apostle John further clarified on this
when he said, “He who says he is in the light, and hates his
brother, is in darkness until now.” (1 John.2:9). Righteousness
issues from the deep recesses of the soul, not merely from the mind.
The idea is to “practice’ the truth which is to learn repetitiously
or by exercise. Therefore, to practice the Truth qualifies us to be in
the light even as GOD is in the light. That practice brings us into
fellowship with GOD and it was on this back-drop that Paul said,
“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you
should obey it in its lusts.” (Rom.6:12). Having arguably
exhausted the practical happenings on the Cross and explaining the
reality of the work of the Holy Spirit at salvation,
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Paul now concludes the whole matter in Romans.6:12. “Let not”
is a command that owing to the knowledge of the reality of the work
on the Cross, we should not allow sin to have its way in our mortal
bodies. In other words, GOD determines that henceforth, we
practice the Truth and this call is later made more comprehensible
as, “…exercise yourself toward godliness.” (1 Tim.4:7).
This further confirms that it is not only knowledge of truth that
brings us into right standing with GOD but conforming to it,
therefore we realize this when we always exercise and discipline
ourselves by mortifying our bodies, deadening our carnal
affections, bodily appetites and worldly desires and endeavoring in
all respects to have a clear conscience, void of offence toward GOD
and men. (cf. Acts.24:16).
So again, there is an aspect in practicing the Truth which
actually validates our Christianity. We have just learnt that
practicing the Truth or exercising it brings us into the light,
whereby we have fellowship with GOD. “But he who does the
truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen,
that they have been done in God.” (John.3:21). He who
practices what is right comes out into the light, so that his works
may be plainly shown that they are divinely prompted, done with
GOD’s help, in dependence upon Him. This aspect of practicing the
Truth unfolds as, “…and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses
us from all sin.” (cf. 1 John.1:7).
As we practice the Truth with our whole heart in it, our
fellowship with GOD remains unbroken because the blood of Jesus
Christ removes us from all sin and guilt. The blood keeps us
cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations.
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This is the estimation in Paul’s quest to attain to the knowledge
of the Truth, when he could say, “…but one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those
things which are ahead.” (Phi.3:13). Like Paul learnt, we also
must learn that as we press on in our practice of the Truth and come
to be acquainted with it, the precious blood separates us, creates a
boundary or a demarcation between us and the sin which we so
much abhor. So that in the end we, “…lay aside every weight, and
the sin which so easily ensnares us.” (Heb.12:1). In this
unyielding quest to attain to Truth, surely, sin must take its leave!
Sin must wear out and leave because you are bringing light into its
domain by your practice of what is right and so, GOD divides the
light from the darkness. What is this?!
Now we know that GOD helps us through His blood when we
abhor sin and expose it, that is, we do not condone its reign in us.
We are thirsty of the Truth and our souls cannot rest until we get
into it. So as we practice this Truth from deep within us, then we
are assured of the “much more” of the blood of Jesus Christ. The
blood of Christ cleanses our conscience from dead works and
lifeless observances to serve the ever-living GOD! (cf. Heb.9:14).
However, in contrast, GOD brings to attention the implications of
a kind of “Christianity” we have exampled above. He says, “If we
say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” (1 John.1:8-9). First of all, since GOD is light
and in Him there is no darkness at all and we seek to fellowship
with Him, then its means that we too must be totally in the light
with no admixture of darkness.
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This tells you that you cannot have the pleasure of calling
yourself a sinner while you are not. “No one born (begotten) of
God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin…”
(1 John.3:9 Amp). Therefore, a sinner is called so because he
deliberately, knowingly and habitually commits or practices sin. If
you take pleasure in calling yourself a sinner while at the same time
admitting to fellowship with GOD, then what a confusion!
I would rather repent from the sin that makes me a sinner and
take pleasure in admitting to fellowship with GOD, right? I believe
that GOD is not pleased, in fact, it adds no value at all to our
Christianity when we take pleasure in being a sinner. There is no
sign of humility there! The LORD Jesus Christ did not call Himself
a sinner as a sign of humility rather His humility was displayed in
His obedience to the will of GOD the Father. A quick reference to
Micah.6:8 highlights the supreme will of God for us, which
warrants our obedience and therein is humility. If you walk in
obedience to the will of GOD, why repute yourself as a sinner? We
have been justified freely through the redemption which has been
provided in Christ Jesus. (cf. Rom.3:24).
Hence, we can now put 1 John.1:8-9 in its proper context that
would give glory to GOD. The intention is that if we refuse to admit
that we are sinners while we are, we delude and lead ourselves
astray, and the Truth is not in us. From the exampled Christian who
repented from stealing and actually stopped stealing but still covets
in his heart, he deludes himself when he regards himself as
righteous and refuses to admit that he is a sinner. His sin which he
has covered up in covetousness, remains. He cannot be separated
from that sin by the blood of Christ until he acknowledges it and
abhors it.
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This is properly drawn out when the LORD Jesus Christ was
addressing the matter of spiritual blindness, where He used the
healing of the blind man in John.9 to draw a comparison in order
to show similarity in some respect. The Pharisees had cast out the
healed blind man from the synagogue but later the LORD heard of
it and found the healed blind man and they conversed, then he
believed in the LORD and worshipped Him.
Then the LORD said, “For judgment I have come into this
world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see
may be made blind.” (John.9:39).
The essence of judgment here is to bring separation between
those who believe in Him and those who reject Him, and to make
those who claim sight to be blind and to make the sightless see. The
latter are they who truly acknowledge their spiritual short-coming,
they are the escapees from sin’s dominion and are running towards
the Light while, like the two blind men, cry out and saying, “Son of
David, have mercy on us.” (Matt.9:27). The LORD also came to
make those who claim to see, that is, those who affirm that they are
righteous while in reality they practice sin, to be spiritually blind.
These are they who are deluded by their self-righteousness and
have rejected the Truth like the five foolish virgins, whose lamps
were going off. (cf. Matt.25.1-13). There sin remained until the last
minute when the Bride-groom arrived woke up to the reality of
their spiritual condition at the “rapture” when it will be too late and
lament, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are
not saved!” (Jer.8:20). How could they be saved at the snick of
time?
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Oh! when GOD appears against us, everything that is against us
appears formidable, as salvation only can be found in the LORD, so
the present moment should be seized. Is there no medicine proper
for a sick and dying kingdom? Is there no skillful, faithful hand to
apply the medicine? Yes, GOD is able to help and to heal them when
there is still the Light, but if sinners die of their wounds, their blood
is upon their own heads. The blood of Christ is balm in Gilead, His
Spirit is the Physician there, all-sufficient; so that the people may
be healed but will not. Thus, men die unpardoned and unchanged,
for they will not come to Christ to be saved.
Therefore, John presents that, “If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” (1 John.1:9). This means that if we confess our
sins, and again, in the example we gave, if the Christian further
acknowledges that there is a residue of sin of stealing in his soul
expressed in covetousness and surely abhors it, GOD is faithful to
forgive him and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses him, removes or
separates him from that unrighteousness.
Wow! However, if he covers it, whether knowingly or
unknowingly, and becomes unaware of the true state of his
Christianity and only relishes in the ‘repentance’ from actual
stealing, then the LORD says, “…therefore your sin remains.”
(John.9:41).
Having briefly talked over the kind of interactions we have with
the Light, then we further ascertain that through the Word of GOD,
light came into existence (Gen 1:1-3), and through the revelation of
GOD in Jesus Christ the Word brought light to humanity. The light
that came out of the Word is Christ, the revealed Word.
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This personified revealed Word is the Wisdom of GOD by whom,
“…all things were created that are in heaven and that are on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers. All things were created through Him
and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things
consist.” (Col.1:16-17). This wisdom is the testimony of GOD that
when Paul the apostle came to the Corinthians, he gave a careful
thought to his approach, and resolved to lay aside the ornaments of
speech and philosophical skill to announce Jesus Christ and Him
crucified. (cf. 1 Cor.2:1-2).
It was the pure, unadulterated Gospel of Truth and the intention
of his careful approach in presenting the testimony of GOD is to
ensure that the faith of his hearers “…should not be in the
wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Cor.2:5). We come
to understand when we draw out that the wisdom of GOD is the
power of GOD, who again unto us is, “Christ the power of God, and
the wisdom of God.” (cf.1 Cor.1:24). Therefore, Paul was bringing
to the Corinthians a testimony of the Light, that “…hidden wisdom
which God ordained before the ages for our glory.” (1 Cor.2:7).
This means that our faith should stand in the wisdom of GOD
which is now revealed in Christ, the Son of GOD. It was based on
such knowledge of this revelation that the LORD Jesus Christ said,
“…and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matt.16:18). Carefully give
a thought to “my church” and you quickly notice that He is
addressing a chosen or called-out assembly for Him. That is, those
who are in Him! They represent the mature or spiritual church and
not natural or fleshy church.
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Therefore, to the mature Christian, his faith is fortified in the
rock, who is Christ Himself, the Wisdom of GOD. Now we
understand why Paul said, “Yet when we are among the full-
grown (spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in
understanding) we do impart a [higher] wisdom (the
knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden) …” (1 Cor.2:6
Amp).
The substance of the “Rock” is therefore a revelation of this
wisdom which is imparted only to Christians who are maturing and
have understanding. Now, to further ventilate on the nature of this
called-out assembly or the church, Paul the apostle determines
their essential quality with a tone of seclusion.
They are separated and according to them, Christ is presented
differently and His treasures are now revealed to and in them. It
says, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us
wisdom from God- and righteousness and sanctification and
redemption.” (1 Cor.1:30). The use of ‘became for us’ goes deep
to reveal what constitutes true Christianity as emitted by those who
are in Christ, that is, those who have inclined to the wisdom of
GOD. To them, Christ radiates a different perspective that changes
them into Christlikeness.
He changes their ways and thoughts. Surely, He has become for
us wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.
Now, we may say, “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one
according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ
according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old
things have passed away; behold, all things have become
new.” (2 Cor.5:16-17)
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The LORD Jesus Christ died for us on the cross, He is our healer,
our protector, our deliverer. He is our life and so forth. These
statements are worthwhile when made in the back-drop of the
knowledge of Him. We cannot continue knowing Him outwardly
because there is life in the deeper knowledge of Him. Of which
knowledge, we are told, “For they are life to those who find
them, and health to all their flesh.” (Prov.4:22). Underline the
word, ‘find’. It indicates a sense of duty and something reserved. To
‘find’ means there is a duty to look for it and that is where our
inclination comes in. We incline unto wisdom which is from above
and not from beneath. “Set your mind on things above, not on
things on the earth.” (Col.3:2)
Then it is reserved! That means in the sight of GOD, it is a high-
valued treasure that cannot be dispensed impulsively. He says, “Do
not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before
swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and
tear you in pieces.” (Matt.7:6). The dogs and swine refer to those
people who have deliberately rejected the message of truth. They
are natural or unspiritual hence the natural man is unreceptive. He
does not admit the truth into his heart.
Spiritual discernment is only generated by the Holy Spirit, the
capacity to know spiritual truth is beyond the innate powers of the
natural man. He does not have the ability to sift the facts. No
wonder, “…the natural man does not receive the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor.2:14).
We know therefore that GOD only “…stores up sound wisdom
for the upright…” (Prov.2:7)
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GOD stores up this high-valued treasure only for the righteous.
My GOD! In this treasure, there is abundant life and health. Again,
look closely at what the LORD Jesus Christ is saying! He says, “He
who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who
loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father,
and I will love him and manifest Myself to him…. If anyone
love Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
(John.14:21, 23). He manifests or reveals Himself to the
righteous, that means, that stored up sound wisdom who is Christ
revealed is made manifest in the life of a believer. And what are the
results? They are numerous but to bring up a few.
“…He is a shield to those who walk uprightly, He
guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way
of His saints.” (Prov.2:7-8)
May we notice the italicized words, ‘walk’ ‘paths’ and ‘way’. See
how eager this tremendous Wisdom is to deliver the unwary from
the evil way and to direct the feet of the righteous. The path of safety
and permanence is that in which we are perpetually conscious of
the presence of the Master, Christ.
He is the unseen companion of the soul in its difficult and
perilous pilgrimage and we may in that companionship,
appropriate the shield of Prov. 2:7, the integrity of Prov. 2:8, and
the stability of Prov. 2:21.
“HE who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will
say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver
you from the snare of the fowler and from the
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perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His
feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall
be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the pestilence
that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that
lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your
side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it
shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall
you look, and see the reward of the wicked.”
(Ps.91:1-8).
We that by faith chooses GOD for our protector, shall find all in
Him that we can desire. We have found the comfort of making the
LORD our refuge and cannot but desire that others may do so.
Our spiritual lives are protected by His grace from the
temptations of Satan which are as the snares of the fowler, and
from the contagion of sin which is a noisome pestilence. Great
security is promised to us in the midst of danger. Wisdom shall
keep us from being afraid without cause, and faith shall keep us
from being unduly afraid. Whatever is done, our heavenly Father's
will is done and we have no reason to fear. GOD’s people shall see,
not only GOD’s promises fulfilled, but His foreshadowing of evil.
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