The Destiny of Adam
Part 1 / Section 9
THE MOVE IS ON
Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be Holy, for I am Holy". 1 Peter 1:13-16.
Yes indeed ! Peter again issues a call to become Holy. He calls for us to be disciplined in our thinking, girding up the loins of your minds so as not to contain interference in our individual activities. Do not live according to the style or manner of this present age, but live as if Gods age had already arrived. You are no longer in ignorance ! You know that you are to become Holy, for it is written, You shall be Holy, for I am Holy.
Why this continued call for holiness ? For the church of Jesus Christ is to be a holy church, without a spot or wrinkle. It is to be holy and blameless, having been cleansed by the washing of water with the word, that He might present her, as a bride, as being ready. We are in the final days and the final days are yielding up the final church. But, all must remember, the final church will be as the first church. The first church is the only church. The only church is the last church. The last church is the final church. The final church is the Bride of Christ. The bride will be holy. The bride will be righteous. The bride will be ready and allowed to enter into eternal everlasting life; to live and reign with the bridegroom, Jesus Christ. The call for holiness is a call for action.
And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain--- for He says, "At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you"; behold, now is " the acceptable time", now is "The day of salvation".. 2 Cor. 6:1-2.
A call for action was instituted on Gods' mountain through Moses and has continued into and through the new testament. God calls continually for action. God appointed judges to warn and call for action. God, through the anointing of His spirit produced old testament prophets to call for action. In the old testament God established priests to present sacrifices for the people. In the new testament God sacrificed His Son for all the people. His son sent the holy spirit, as a seal, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but enter into their eternal inheritance. Yet, in spite of Gods faithfulness; in spite of His love, for God is love, His call for action continues to fall on deaf ears and cold hearts. His call to a loved and cherished people has produced an adulterous people. Though, on occasion for short periods, His people will seek Him, they are repeatedly turning away and forgetting Him, their Lord and their God. Yet, through it all, God has continued to produce and maintain His remnant to fulfill the work of the church.
Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah. Isaiah 1:9.
And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sands of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; For the Lord will execute His word upon the earth, thoroughly and quickly". Romans 9:27-28.
The small number, the remnant, will be saved through the Gospel. This remnant will maintain and exist, midst an enormous apostate state.
In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to Gods gracious choice. Romans 11:5. There has come to be a remnant, a spiritual remnant, saved by the Gospel. For the call has gone forth; the invitations have all been addressed, yet, the majority have been unwilling to come or are improperly dressed. "For many are called, but few are chosen". Matthew 22:14.
As God is the same, yesterday, today and forever, so is His church the same, yesterday, today and forever. Now, with the continual changes throughout the years, effecting the churches, it would not appear that the churches are the same today as they were yesterday. There are churches on practically every street corner. There are more denominations now, than ever before, and this continues to rise every year. How can it be said that the church is the same today as it was yesterday, much less that it will remain the same forever ? True, but viewing the church in this manner is focusing on the external appearance. Let's leave this thought for the moment and focus upon the internal condition of the church.
The internal condition of the church, appears to allow us to see much more vividly, that, maybe that statement is correct; the church is the same yesterday, today and forever. We find that there has always been strife and confusion in the church, combined with idolatry and immorality. True, it certainly appears that the church contains these things today, and the bible states that they were there yesterday. Therefore, it certainly appears that it will always be that way, the same yesterday, today and forever. With such a demoralizing and pessimistic view of the internal condition, its a wonder that anyone would desire to step a foot through the door. Yet they do ! Why ?
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God spoke light into existence and separated the light from the darkness. Then God spoke heaven into existence. Then God spoke the earth into existence and called the gathering of the waters, seas. Then God spoke plants and trees into existence by telling the earth to sprout vegetation. Then God spoke into existence the sun and the moon to distinguish day and night. Then God spoke into existence all living creatures under the water, and those above the earth. Then God spoke into existence all living creatures on the earth and had them separated each after their own kind. Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth".
THEN THE LORD GOD FORMED MAN OF DUST FROM THE GROUND AND BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE; AND MAN BECAME A LIVING BEING. Gen. 2:7.
So, God created all by "speaking it " into existence until it came to the creation of man. When it came to creating man, externally, He formed man from the dust of the ground, with His hands. Again, man's external appearance, God made with His hands. Now, when He said, " Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness", He was referring to mans internal condition. And, to create mans internal condition, God held mans body, mans external appearance, mans tangible condition and breathed into his nostrils, THE BREATH OF LIFE. The very intangible condition that made man become a living being. Thus, man was created with an external appearance and an internal condition. This intangible or internal condition is a natural condition. This natural condition is that which drives man. This natural condition is what produces that instinct to live, under circumstances that may be taking life away from you. The breath of life, that instinct to live, comes from God. This instinct, which we all know is in us, comes from God. All of man may not admit that this instinct comes from God. All of man is not willing to accept this fact that natural instinct comes from God. Yet, all of man does know of this instinct within them, for it is life itself, the very existence of their being.
So, why do people enter the doors of the churches ? People enter the doors of churches for a multitude of reasons, but primarily because they are drawn to the churches. The natural instinct, the very existence of their lives allows them to know of the spiritual significance of the church. They may not understand, but their instinct allows them to enter. Let's go a bit further. People want to belong. People want to be a part of something, anything. Why do you suppose this is ? People have a natural instinct to draw closer to one another. Again, where do you think this natural instinct comes from ? It comes from God, the creator of all mankind. We all have that sense, that inherent instinct that links us, one with another. We all have a measure of love within us, a measure of compassion. This love, this compassion comes from God, His BREATH OF LIFE.
Many, many questions could arise at this point, which would be impossible to address each and everyone of them, so lets say it or describe it in this way. After God formed man from dust, that is, his external appearance, His breath of life enabled man to become a living being. This living being was brought about, or made live, through His internal condition. Now, prior to receiving the breath of life, man's external appearance would allow one to believe that he was alive, at least in the natural or human understanding. But, as stated, he did not become alive, he did not become a living being, until he received the breath of life or internal condition. So, in the natural or human knowledge it can be understood that through external appearance, man is alive, even though he is not alive, but, dead.
If you will notice, the word natural has just been mentioned two times. In both instances, it has been inferred that understanding by human means and knowledge by human means is the natural modes operandi. Or, it is natural for human knowledge and human understanding to determine or know, through external appearance, what is, the internal condition. Truly, truly, in all to many situations, this is precisely what is happening, and many of those who are operating in this manner are not aware that they have been duped.
GOD IS SPIRIT. John 4:24.
If God is spirit, and He is, then the BREATH OF LIFE that was breathed into man's nostril was spirit, God's spirit. God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness". Let Us bring life into man. Life is an internal condition. So He breathed Himself, spirit, condition, into the nostrils of man, thus producing life, through an internal condition, of an external understanding. God is the creator of everything. Human knowledge and understanding has never been able to comprehend the fullness of God. In fact, human knowledge and understanding has not touched even the tip of the iceberg concerning the providence of God. The continued seeking and searching for this knowledge and understanding has become to be known as natural. We naturally, as humans, continue to want to find, seek and to know all, it is our natural tendency. See...Natural, human...Human, natural...no, no, no. God is spirit. Gods not human. Gods not natural. God is SUPERNATURAL.
God is spirit....God is supernatural.
Let's go back one further step and ask, why did God create man? Well, up until that time, everything that God made was good; the heavens, the earth, the sky, the sun, the moon, the waters, the fish, the birds, the animals, the trees, the shrubs, the plants and all that would produce from the land. The Lord God had sent no rain on the earth, other than a rising mist, for there was no man to cultivate the ground. Gen. 2:5-6. To make man in both image and likeness means to be like or resemblance of, a having in common, that is, a fellowship, to have communion and be able to communicate.
So, God made man to make complete all that He had thus far created. God made man to cultivate the ground, to care for what had been created and fellowship and be able to communicate one with another. God is spirit, and for man to become alive he had to receive Gods spirit. For man to communicate with God, he had to receive Gods spirit. Communion with God, fellowship with God and communication with God is done through spirit.
As stated earlier, people are drawn to the churches due to natural instinct. This natural instinct is a spiritual instinct, therefore, this drawing to the churches, this drawing unto God is a spiritual instinct. Because God created man; because of God bringing man to life by breathing His spirit into man; Gods spiritual mark, Gods spiritual internal condition, is within man. Man has a natural spiritual drawing unto God. There is an awareness within man of a supernatural spiritual being, a creator and spiritual master. Yet, there is also, within man, a pulling away from the natural, this natural calling of God within us, yet, it is strong enough that we walk through archways and doors of the church.
Another question might come up that must be addressed at this time. If God's spirit is within us when we are born, what is it doing and why can't we communicate with God ? Good question! First, it must be understood that it is in our innermost being. Second, we must be aware that it is in a dormant state, or in a state of hold. For example, you may plant a seed or a bulb into the ground in the fall, but it does not begin to grow until spring. The time in which it was established or created, placed in the ground, until the time it begins to grow is in a state of hold or a dormant state. Now, when God breathed life and created a living being, He placed him in the garden, for the purpose for which he was made, and gave him instructions which he was to obey. But, man did not obey God and broke off fellowship or spiritual communication with Him. As a result, the growth process will not begin until their is submission on mans' part, whence God will allow the rain to produce the growth. Growth will proceed through obedience to God... What is growth ? The growing of that seed, that call from God, that spiritual call, or spiritual growth which allows a closer walk with God, which entails a fuller awareness and communication with Him. The call has gone forth and continues, as has Gods' hand been stretched out to man, and waits...continually.
So, when Gods word says that He is the same yesterday, today and forever, you can be assured that it is true.
Now, returning to the church; it has an outward / external appearance and an inward / internal condition. The internal condition is spiritual and the external appearance should reflect outward manifestations of the internal spiritual growth. Another way of stating it is this; the external appearance of the church should reflect its internal condition. But, this is not the case.
To be continued....