When the true followers of Jesus Christ grasp the importance and reality that we are not a people of this world, as Jesus testified to concerning Himself and His disciples, it will not only be personally earth-shattering to us, but it will truly change the world as we know it.
It needs to be understood that unregenerate humanity on this planet are not children of God, they are the children of the enemy of God, and thus the imprint of the personality and evil of Satan is upon and within them.
This is true of the entirety of the human race, and unless and until a person is born again from above, that will always remain the same.
Even when we're born again of the Spirit of God, that imprint doesn't immediately leave, but rather has to be cleansed out of us by the working of the cross of Jesus Christ in order that what happened to us in principle is worked out within us in reality.
In other words, we may be saved, but true salvation will start to grow and bear the image of Jesus Christ in the life of a person, and that radical transformation starts to reveal another world that exists outside of this one which is the only one most people are aware of.
That means that Jesus Christ represents an entirely different humanity, a different species that has absolutely nothing to do with the humanity that has inhabited planet earth from the time that Adam and Eve sinned and brought into the world a foreign life form that was the enemy of God almighty and Jesus Christ. Consequently, Satan was invited to impress and imprint his personality and life upon and within man, which produced something that was never in the heart and mind of God when He created man. In the Holy Scriptures this is called the flesh, which is a humanity that has been judged and cast aside by God unless they call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.
The point is that those that are born from above, a phrase that is a more accurate and complete rendering of the phrase "born again," which is mostly used by believers to describe regeneration, are in fact a new humanity; a humanity envisioned by Jesus Christ when He created, a humanity that is called to bear the very image of Christ and present it to the visible creation, as well as the invisible creation.
This new humanity is nothing other than the man Jesus Christ. He comes and indwell those that place their trust or faith in Him, and that results in the Spirit of God coming down from heaven and taking up residence in the Spirit of man. From that innermost place He then begins the work of transforming that man into the image of Jesus Christ. Fellowship between people whom have went though the same process and experience is what is the new, corporate humanity.
Not only is this new or alternative humanity called to bear the image of Jesus Christ, but also to share in His authority which He as given us to take dominion over the earth, as well as spiritual wickedness in high places.
It's tempting to get into the possibilities this offers us who dwell on the earth, but it's more important to take these concepts and realities and dwell upon them for awhile. Breath in the reality that if you're a true child of God in Christ, you are no longer of this world, and your life will reflect that in all that you are and do.
All of that is vital and crucial, but there are even more fantastic possibilities that emerge from this amazing truth.
Think of some questions. What happens on this earth if a people embrace the perfect humanity and authority of Jesus Christ and start living it out on this earth? What will begin to appear on this earth as a result? What will it cost those willing to walk this path corporately? Individually? Where will this path lead to? What effect will it have on those outside the faith?
We could go on and on. The purpose of the questions is to stir up your thoughts as to how Jesus Christ can take root in our hearts and lives in such a way that it is inevitable that His love begins to spread out in the midst of ourselves as we fellowship daily together, as well as increasingly overcome the works of the devil in the lives of the community around us.
It is impossible for who Jesus Christ is to remain hidden and anemic on this earth, no matter what some Christians are taught or believe. Christ cannot but be who He is. It doesn't matter whether He's in heaven or on the earth, who He is is the same in both environments. That's why when Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus replied by saying if he had seen Him he has in fact seen the Father. There was no difference between the invisible Father and the expression of Jesus Christ as a man on the earth. That has not changed after His resurrection and ascension, as the Holy Spirit lives to shape and form Him in the new humanity that has embraced and is taking on His nature and authority.
Whether it is Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven, or Jesus Christ taking up residence in a people on the earth for a place to dwell and be welcome, He never changes, and it's impossible to separate what He is doing in heaven from what He is doing on earth in a people, as He is always the same and never changes.
That means He must remain true to all that He is, and for us that implies unlimited possibilities when taking into consideration His life and authority being lived in and expressed out from a people who have gladly received Him as their own.
None of this is possible without the deep working of the cross in our individual and corporate lives, as only when we are broken by Him is His life able to be lived within and change us into His image, while in the same measure is then able to be displayed to the world in its beauty and authority. That is His humanity living in us.
That is not a humanity of this world, even though we may outwardly look like those in this world.
Jesus Christ came as a man, although He of course never sinned or had anything of Satan in Him, as He testified to near the end of His life on this earth as a man. You couldn't see the invisible life of the Father, but that life indwelt Jesus to the point where He could do nothing without His Father.
So while He looked the same as the rest of us, He was a totally different humanity completely other than that which dwelt and continues to dwell on the earth. So are those who are truly born from above, who are called to be the same as He is in His humanity (not in His being God).
I'll finish off this article with one thought. All of this will mean for those that are willing to believe and embrace this, that there will be a conflict, because these two humanities are enemies of one another, and the very fact that Jesus Christ is dwelling within us makes us a heavenly people; a people not living their lives from the source people of this world do.
There can be no mingling or mixture of the two separate races of man, as they are not only diametrically opposed, but live their lives from two entities that are opposites and enemies of one another. There can be no quarter given by the people of God as a result, and no acceptance of the life lived by those not born again from above.
Most importantly, we are to satisfy the heart of Jesus Christ by becoming the people He created us to be, while at the same time showing the world there is another life to live from, and another totally different way to live.
The time is almost here when this message will resonate with a growing number of believers, as we begin to understand this world operates from principles that are opposite to who Jesus is, and as we change and adapt, showing forth the man Jesus Christ corporately, it will not only bring us into a blessed fellowship and way of life that is full and satisfying, but also will satisfy the heart of Jesus Christ who created us for this very purpose.
God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow ... And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11
Friday, December 28, 2012
Labels:
Adam and Eve,
Born Again,
Born from Above,
Jesus Christ,
New Humanity,
New Species
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The title of this blog is perfect because that is how I too am feeling. Obsessed. Thanks for putting in words, the things that I am knowing. In fact, I was reading and related quite well the other day when I read this from Acts 26:24: At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."...I am so obsessed that I think those around me think I am nuts for the Lord. But what I want to do is sit at His feet every second of every day even though I do have to go about the day. I feel like a new creation/creature. I don't even know who I am anymore but I am excited daily as it unfolds in Him each day. Have you read John 21 lately? Can you just envision Christ on the shore? I feel like I would know and recognize Him and that is very good.
ReplyDelete