When Those Who Heard Combine It With Faith
2009-10-31 23:25
Jesus and the Word are not two, but one. It is because the holy servant (Acts 4:27, 4:30) heard the word of God and combined it with faith. It is written, "I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'" (Psalms 2:7).
This is Christ Jesus: The one who said the Word and the one who heard it were combined with faith and the Word became flesh. And therefore, as it is written, "...'You are my Son; today I have become your Father'? Or again, 'I will be his Father, and he will be my Son'"? (Hebrews 1:5), the Word of God was fulfilled. And so, the Bible said, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14).
The Word is God. And therefore, the Word himself who became flesh ought to say that he is the Son of God. And also, those who receive the Word and believe in his name ought to be given the right to become children of God.
It is written, "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another." (John 1:9-16).
Jesus is the Son of Man and Christ is the Son of God. Therefore, believing in his name is being combined with faith in Jesus the Son of Man and Christ the Son of God and receiving the right for men to become children of God. Christ Jesus became the mediator of the mystery that men become children of God. And so the Bible said, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5).
The Bible says, "I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is." (Colossians 2:1-5).
Only the same qualities can be combined with one another. From below, Jesus Christ was born of a woman, and he has the same quality as men. From above, he was born of God, and he has the same quality as God. This profound truth is the mystery of faith: As those who heard combine it with faith, it is accomplished. And so, the gospel of God and His Son is called the word of faith.
It is written, "Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: 'The man who does these things will live by them.' But the righteousness that is by faith says: 'Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down) or Who will descend into the deep?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming." (Romans 10:5-8).
Therefore, the Bible says, "For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith." (Hebrews 4:2).
The work of the Holy Spirit--combining the message with faith--can never be done without becoming one with the author of faith. If we are not free from the deception of Satan that the body of Jesus is different from the body of man, our death cannot be united with Jesus' death. If our death cannot be united with Jesus' death, our resurrection cannot be united with Jesus' resurrection, and there is no salvation for men.
However, the Bible already said, "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, 'I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.' And again, 'I will put my trust in him.' And again he says, 'Here am I, and the children God has given me.' Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:11-17).
If the body of Jesus who had flesh and blood had been different from the body of man, the sin of man could not have been taken away forever. If the flesh and blood of Jesus had been different from those of man, we could not have combined with the faith that the body of sin died with Jesus, and the gospel that we live with him would have become false, and there would have been no salvation.
Therefore, the Bible said beforehand, "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." (1 John 4:2-3).
Therefore, the Bible clearly says, "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5).
Therefore, when those who heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Word who became flesh, combine it with faith, they will say: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." (Ephesians 1:3-6). Amen. Thank you, Lord.
This is Christ Jesus: The one who said the Word and the one who heard it were combined with faith and the Word became flesh. And therefore, as it is written, "...'You are my Son; today I have become your Father'? Or again, 'I will be his Father, and he will be my Son'"? (Hebrews 1:5), the Word of God was fulfilled. And so, the Bible said, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14).
The Word is God. And therefore, the Word himself who became flesh ought to say that he is the Son of God. And also, those who receive the Word and believe in his name ought to be given the right to become children of God.
It is written, "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another." (John 1:9-16).
Jesus is the Son of Man and Christ is the Son of God. Therefore, believing in his name is being combined with faith in Jesus the Son of Man and Christ the Son of God and receiving the right for men to become children of God. Christ Jesus became the mediator of the mystery that men become children of God. And so the Bible said, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5).
The Bible says, "I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is." (Colossians 2:1-5).
Only the same qualities can be combined with one another. From below, Jesus Christ was born of a woman, and he has the same quality as men. From above, he was born of God, and he has the same quality as God. This profound truth is the mystery of faith: As those who heard combine it with faith, it is accomplished. And so, the gospel of God and His Son is called the word of faith.
It is written, "Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: 'The man who does these things will live by them.' But the righteousness that is by faith says: 'Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down) or Who will descend into the deep?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming." (Romans 10:5-8).
Therefore, the Bible says, "For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith." (Hebrews 4:2).
The work of the Holy Spirit--combining the message with faith--can never be done without becoming one with the author of faith. If we are not free from the deception of Satan that the body of Jesus is different from the body of man, our death cannot be united with Jesus' death. If our death cannot be united with Jesus' death, our resurrection cannot be united with Jesus' resurrection, and there is no salvation for men.
However, the Bible already said, "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, 'I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.' And again, 'I will put my trust in him.' And again he says, 'Here am I, and the children God has given me.' Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:11-17).
If the body of Jesus who had flesh and blood had been different from the body of man, the sin of man could not have been taken away forever. If the flesh and blood of Jesus had been different from those of man, we could not have combined with the faith that the body of sin died with Jesus, and the gospel that we live with him would have become false, and there would have been no salvation.
Therefore, the Bible said beforehand, "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." (1 John 4:2-3).
Therefore, the Bible clearly says, "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5).
Therefore, when those who heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Word who became flesh, combine it with faith, they will say: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." (Ephesians 1:3-6). Amen. Thank you, Lord.
