APOKALUPSIS: The manifestation of the sons and daughters of God

Rom 8:19 NLT “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are.”

Is it possible that we live in a time when the children of God could and should be revealed, manifested? I believe that we do indeed. The New Living Translation of the bible shows this quite clearly. I have written several times on this blog that during the first century, before the destruction of the temple, it appeared that God had two people. First, he had the Jews who were under the Old Covenant and then, he had the Christ followers, Christians who were made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Interestingly, both groups were telling all who would listen that they were the true children of God.

How would God vindicate Jesus? How would he vindicate the Christ followers or Christians? The answer is obvious and simple. He would make Jesus enemies his foot stool. Further, who really were Jesus enemies? The answer to this question is the unbelieving Jews and especially the scribes and Pharisees who used the Torah to prove that Jesus was not their Messiah (John 7:47-49.)

John 7:47-49NLT  "Have you been led astray, too?" the Pharisees mocked.  (48)  "Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in Him?  (49)  This foolish crowd follows Him, but they are ignorant of the law. God's curse is on them!"

Let me repeat the question; how would God vindicate Jesus? He would do that by placing his stamp of approval on Jesus and the Christ followers… Christians. Well friend, God did just that very thing in 70 AD/CE when he allowed the Romans to destroy the temple and Jerusalem just as Jesus prophesied. Yes, way back in the latter part of the first century God revealed who his children really are. Unfortunately, we have been waiting for something else. We have not believed what God said and did and therefore, by not believing we have made it just the same as if it did not happen. If no one believes that they are the manifest sons and daughters of God then guess what? You guessed it correctly. If they do not believe it they will not operate or walk in the reality of it.

We are entering yet another two thousand year period of biblical history. There have been three two thousand year ages so far and we are twelve years and two months into the next age. The first one was from Adam to Abraham. The second one was from Abraham to Christ. The third was from Christ to the year 2000, and now this new age began in 2001. In the first age, mankind in general sought religion and tried to find their way to God in their own efforts. In the second age, the Old Covenant age mankind created religion and tried to find their way to God with the Old Covenant. The third age, the church age, God actually came and dwelt among humanity. Some rejected and killed him and others developed a religion based upon him. The religion based on Jesus still developed a way that humanity could alledgedly find their way to God.

Will we be the manifest sons and daughters of God at last? Will we believe that God made a way to come to us? Will we believe that God dwells in us all the time every day? Remember, the creation is still groaning… what will we do? What will we do?

The sole purpose of the scripture

John 5:39-40  You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,  (40)  yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

In John chapter five Jesus explains to the Pharisees the purpose and proper use of scripture. The scriptures are there to point to him so that one can come to him and get life. That is it. It is a totally redemptive purpose. The only proper use of the scripture by a follower of Christ is redemptive. There is no other possible use.

But what about Second Timothy 3:16?  Good question! First, if one only reads Second Timothy 3:16 they miss the boat exegetically. That verse does not exist in a vacuum and it changes the meaning when taken out of context. The proper context for Second Timothy 3:16 is to include three verses. The context demands that you include verse 15 and 17. The reason is that verse 15 says the same thing as John 5:39-40. It gives the redemptive purpose saying that the scriptures makes one wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. There you have it very, very plain. This means that it can only be profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness in a redemptive way.  2Ti 3:15-17 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  (16)  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Ok, so how do those things work in a redemptive way? It means that they are only good for teaching from a redemptive standpoint. All teaching has to center on being made wise for salvation, redemption. That it is only good for reproof from a redemptive standpoint. This makes it a different meaning entirely. One should be reproved for not trusting completely in the redemption provided by Jesus Christ. The same thing is true of correction. It is only valuable for correcting the person who is not resting in grace. Finally, for training in righteousness means that the only righteousness that one has is the righteousness of God that comes from faith in Christ. Didn’t Isaiah say that we are all as an unclean thing and all of our righteousness are as filthy rags? That is precisely why God imputes righteousness. The Old Testament agrees. The first mention of righteousness was Genesis 15:6.

Isn’t it obvious that 2Tim 3:16 is misused when it is taken out of its redemptive context. We cannot receive instruction from the law apart from redemption and Christ Jesus. We cannot receive instruction in righteousness apart from the righteousness of God. It is just plain wrong to teach from the scriptures except for the redemptive purpose. When 2Tim 3:15-17 agree with John 5:39-40 it should make people stop and think about how

The pristine gospel; the first sermon to the Gentiles

Acts 10:38-44 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.  (39)  And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,  (40)  but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear,  (41)  not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.  (42)  And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.  (43) To him all the prophets’ bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."  (44)  While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word

If there is any question about the contents of the gospel this should settle it once for all. The Holy Spirit was poured out on all who heard and believed. It was predicated on believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and believing that everyone who believes receives forgiveness through his name. This is the gospel according to Jesus via Peter. The entire incident is described in one hundred and seventy-seven words. This goes to show that it does not take all that much to preach the gospel. Isaiah asks the question “who has believed our report?” Here is a classic example of the Gentiles believing.

Believing the message brings the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit does all the rest. However, the important thing is to continue in believing the message. This is why it is so important to continue to preach the gospel every time the Saints gather together. The gospel is the instrument that continues to stir the presence of the Holy Spirit. The law does not stir the presence of the Holy Spirit. It takes the focus off the Spirit and places it on the flesh. This is why Paul explained to the Colossians that just as they received Christ… that is how they should continue to walk in him, i.e., by clinging to the gospel (Col 2:6.)

So let me ask again… why are preachers preaching everything but the gospel when it is the instrument that stirs the Spirit? It must be the leaven of the Pharisees that causes such a departure from protocol. The saints must be completely resting in the gospel. This is the only way that they can ever really be able to receive instruction about a walk that is pleasing to Christ. If they question their salvation, justification or acceptance before God, they will be transported into fear and will lose the stirring of the Holy Spirit.

When they lose the stirring of the Holy Spirit they will lose peace with God and will ultimately fall into despair.

There are so many passages that demonstrate that believing (trusting in, clinging to, and relying on) the gospel is the sole responsibility of the saint. All obedience flows from this faith. Real obedience will only flow from a place of total trust and rest.

Regaining your first love

Rev 2:4-5  Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  (5)  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

What was the first love the author writes about? …And, what were the first works? These two questions need to be answered to help the saint of God progress properly in the transformation process. Well, the answer is simple when you examine it. The “first love” is the incredible joy and peace that one felt the minute they believed the gospel. Once they realized that they were declared righteous by the blood of Jesus, and that they were accepted by God as an heir and joint heir with Christ, that all of their sins were completely forgiven they experienced a peace that surpasses all understanding. that was the “first love.”

Think back to that moment saint. Think back to the moment of your acceptance of the gospel. How did it make you feel? Do you remember the peace and joy? It was indescribable wasn’t it? So then, what would cause one to lose that “first love?” Why are so many saints burnt out, tired out, and overwhelmed? There is a simple yet profound answer. It is simply because they think that they are on a working contract with God. They essentially read the scripture as a legal constitutional document and they believe that God is unhappy with them when they fail to live up to the letter of the contract.

Further, many judge themselves against others in the body of Christ and believe that so in so is really living holy, and that somehow they are not as righteous as the other person. Comparing yourself to others is absolutely devastating. Yet further, all too many leaders set themselves on a pedestal of sorts and do not allow the saints to see the real true them. If you were to ask them if they do this they would deny it but in reality they do it merely by not being honest. I have heard so many preachers and pastors say that they need to shield the congregation from any of their short comings. All of these various attitudes and beliefs work together to rob the saint of the “first love.”

So then, what is the cure? What will restore the “first love?” This is also a profoundly simple answer. The pristine gospel is the answer. The gospel reassures the saint that they are not on a working contract with God. It assures them that they are righteous and holy because of the blood of Jesus. The gospel puts the saint at peace with God and in this place of peace and rest… the “first love” resides. The gospel presents the fact that the saint is always in the presence of God and can be there with boldness because of the blood of Jesus. It creates an atmosphere of holy boldness in which the first love is a natural outflow of God’s incredible, unlimited grace. Repenting is as simple as changing your mind to believe the gospel all the time!

Peace with God; the catalyst for the transformation

Rom 5:1  Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Here in a nutshell is the catalyst for true and real spiritual transformation. Grace via the gospel of Christ Jesus is the source of the peace. Peace with God means the removal of all fear of God, and removal of all fear of God removes all fear of punishment. Being made right in God’s sight by faith is the love that casts out all fear (1John 4:18.)

So then, peace with God produces love for God. Once all fear is gone, and one is resting in the goodness and grace of God, amazing love for God is the result. Grace is the offer that one cannot refuse. The gospel message is really truly good news. Look at this passage from 2 Corinthians 5. It is a very concise statement of the gospel. 2Co 5:19-21 NLT  “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.  (20)  So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!"  (21)  For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Peace with God comes from being reconciled. This leads to a deep profound love for God.

Basking in the peace of God brings about the ability to reflect on what pleases God without fearing God. This is the source of real spiritual transformation… transformation that results in genuine loving obedience. This is almost nonexistent in today’s evangelical environment. The reason is simple. Current evangelical doctrine focuses on self-induced obedience. It focuses on self-reformation.  This is impossible to do because of the nature of our flesh. It drives us to the depths of fear and discouragement because of our failures. People who are involved in reformation secretly are miserable and devastated. The reason is that self-reformation of necessity involves legal obedience and self-righteousness. Ultimately the saint involved in this always ends up unable to really rest in Jesus and have true peace with God.

That is why peace with God is so very, very important. Peace with God eases the mind. It produces joy and love… joy with, or in spite of our circumstances... and also love for God. It actually produces the fruit of the Spirit. Peace with God produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.  How you ask? The answer is simple… it casts out all fear.

Isn’t it interesting that having faith in God’s unlimited grace does just the opposite of what most evangelicals fear. So often I hear folks say that if you teach grace people will feel confident in sinning. Isn’t that the most absurd idea you have ever heard? Actually, God’s unlimited grace produces peace with God that leads to spiritual transformation.