There was a time in the far past when God called Israel his firstborn. The implications of that are staggering in that it has a relationship and similarity to when Jesus was recognized as the only begotten Son of the Father. Now there is a difference of course, but the identification of Israel as His firstborn has the same love and relationship attached to it.
That is extremely important because what is called Christianity, overall, has went the way of officialdom and formality, rather than a close love relationship with Christ Himself.
God stands by His people on the basis of this intimacy. Once it turns outward, as it does with the majority of those that name Christ, God can no longer give Himself to them that say they take His name.
Let's back up a moment though and understand that this intimacy is recognizable by those that keep the commandments of Christ. Jesus Himself said if you love me, keep my commandments. So intimacy and passion for Christ will always lead to becoming like Him, which is really what it means to obey His commandments.
After all, how many people outwardly adhere to the commandments of Christ and yet inwardly are full of sin and corruption? They are legion, as anyone that has the power of observation and interacts with those proclaiming Christ know.
The first letter of John confirms this, saying those that are true believers will walk as He walked. How did He walk? He had the sole goal of communing with and doing the will of the Father. By extension, that means we are not to walk in a sin-filled life, but one that is full love, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. That's part of what it means to be filled with the spirit. It's being intoxicated with God in a way that who He is in character begins to take shape within us. That's obeying His commandments. After all, the commands of God are always to lead us to Christ Himself, who comes to abide in us and transforms us into His image.
This can only be done inwardly in fellowship with Christ. It's an experience; not simply trying hard to adhere to the letter of the law or scriptures, which inevitably always leads to failure and frustration.
If we want to count for something in Christ while living in this world, this is the only way to go. Christ, while God, is still a living being, and His purpose for creating us was so we could spend our lives in fellowship with Him and one another. This fellowship with Christ is intimate and within, working its way out to others who bear the life of Christ within them as well. That is the fellowship we are to have with one another.
Everything we are is related to being practical sons of God. Being sons of God means we are to know Him within. There is nothing more intimate in regard to man than that experiential reality. Even the one-ness between a husband and wife pales before it.
As for the outworking of that? Whatever it is God would have us to do, He will be there with us as long as we aren't official or outward Christians, but are of the tribe that seeks to live a life centered in Him. That center resides in our innermost beings, and is something that must be cultivated on a daily basis.
This is what Jesus was talking about when referring to the different types of ground the word, or really Himself, is planted into. The ground is the key because the seed that is Christ is perfect. Our job is to open ourselves up to being good ground so the seed can take root and grow. The ground and the seed can only be one under those circumstances.
There is nothing we can't do when retaining and remaining in that place of openness to Christ no matter what life brings us. This is why Paul taught us to admonish one another daily so a root of bitterness wouldn't spring up.
We need to watch over and challenge one another not to allow ourselves to become hardened within, as there would then be no way for the perfect seed of Christ to be close in a way that transforms us into what He is like.
Ultimately this is what produces the outward form of religion, which looks holy outwardly, but inwardly is dry and dead to Christ. We are called to something much higher than that, and it all begins and really ends, with Christ dwelling in our innermost being by the Spirit.
This is why we are told that it is Christ in us which is the hope of glory.
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