Part 5 – I AM The Life

I Am The Truth

I want to move on to "The I Am The Life". We gathered up in the last lesson something of "I Am The Truth" in that The Truth is bearing the judgment of The Cross. The Truth is a nature, The Truth is a character. Yes, well, all of this is a nature and a character because we are not out here learning lessons; we’re learning Christ. We are not here defining words: we are here bringing these words to their fulness IN HIM; and having HIM to appear in these terms and bring them to their fulness in our souls. This is so that our soul is not rejoicing in terms, but in HIM and in His fulness. And it’s that way with The Truth, but the effect of The Truth, and the judgment of The Truth which we bear is just this: "…not I, but Christ liveth in me." (Galatians 2:20) When? Always! Where? Every place! At all times!

2 Corinthians 4:10,11 – Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

2 Corinthians 2:14 – Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

Life

And we gathered something of that up, but I want us to look now at "I Am Life."; but understanding that there is no way to separate these three terms of The Door from The Door itself; and no way to separate The Door from Christ. So there’s no way to separate these terms from The I Am that joins them together and makes them one, and makes them dimensions of His nature, His character, His substance. This is revealed in us: and when I say "revealed" I mean imparted to, being formed in us with the revealing of Christ. But I want us to look now at LIFE. I AM THE LIFE. So it brings us back to John 10:7-10, and so much is gathered up in that tenth verse. It is more than we would probably ever imagine! "I am come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly." We are going to be looking at the term "and that". You see, when used so often in the scriptures, the term "that" is always pointing to purpose: it is always describing purpose. " And that they might have it more abundantly." This is NOT another Life, but the same Life in abundance. The same Life in abundance. So I want us to take a closer look together at LIFE.

The Old Covenant

We must understand that Eternal Life is NOT an Old Covenant concept, but that it gathers into itself all Old Covenant types and shadows and concepts, promises and prophesies. The Old Covenant is full of the concepts of forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, restoration: but they are not in the Old Covenant gathered up in the concept of Eternal Life. CHRIST does that! Christ gathers all of these terms up in the concept of Eternal Life, and He did that to the consternation of the natural mind of Israel, because they wanted it to be materialized on earth. The didn’t want it to be manifested out of heaven on earth: they wanted it to be set up on earth after the form of Solomon. Even though Jesus said a greater than Solomon is come! And to the consternation of their natural minds, He brought all of these Old Covenant concepts into Eternal Life, and to the further consternation of their minds, He brought the concept of Eternal Life into the reality of HIS PERSON! And that’s when they threw rocks at Him!

Acts 1:6 – When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Luke 24:21 – But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Matthew 12:42 – The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

John 5:39,40 – Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

Natural Thinking

And I think that so many believers today are in the same place of natural thinking. I know for a fact that the dispensational doctrine of the current trend in Christian religion is on that concept and thought – the materialization of all things spiritual, rather than the manifesting of all things spiritual – in reality. No, they are making these spiritual things to be material and materialistic. ‘What can WE get out of it?’ The Kingdom of God means to most in that realm of teaching that ‘We are kings. How big a kingdom am I going to get?’ It’s not only a misconception of Spiritual Truth: it’s a misunderstanding of scripture, and a perversion of scripture. But it’s there in Christianity as a religion. You do realize that the crowd that Jesus was talking to had brought Old Covenant concepts into the religion of Judaism. Judaism was developed during the 400 years of relative silence prior to the coming of The Lord. And during that time they developed the doctrines of Judaism, and the tradition of men against which Jesus spoke so often; the RELIGION against which Jesus spoke so often. They maintained the concepts of the Old Testament Covenant; they maintained some of the concepts of Moses, but their understanding was strictly institutional.

Revelation 5:10 – And hath made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Luke 17:20,21 – And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo, there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

John 2:13 – And the JEWS’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Galatians 1:14 – And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Mark 7:7-9,13 – Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do.

Colossians 2:8 – Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

All About Life

It was strictly earthly. And so is the concept upon which Christian religion is based today – it is strictly institutional, and strictly materialistic. Even in the most "Spiritual" areas, it is materialistic. We even carry it into the heavens – materialism. Our whole concept of the heavens is materialistic. So we have said that Eternal Life is not the Old Covenant concepts, but the Old Covenant did set forth these concepts: Eternal Kingdom, Resurrection, Judgment, Righteousness, Holiness. They are there, but Jesus said all of those concepts are fulfilled in LIFE – ETERNAL LIFE. It’s all about Life, and Life is all about ME! "I am come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly." The New Covenant is unto Eternal Life. Matthew 19:16, " And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life." See, Eternal Life had come to be a concept; and this one who came had found no such concept in the Old Covenant. No, this was a concept that was set forth through the teaching of The Lord Jesus. It is strictly a New Covenant concept. Consider these scriptures:

Mark 10:17 – And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

Mark 10:30 – And here Christ is dividing the Old Covenant world from the New Covenant world that was "yet to come" and would not come except in His Resurrection. " But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

Luke 10:25 – And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

John 3:15 – That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 5:39 – Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and these are they which testify of me.

John 6:54 – Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:68 – Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.

John 10:28 – And I shall give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

John 17:2 – As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Romans 5:21 – That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 John 1:2 – (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

A New Covenant Reality

ETERNAL LIFE – A New Testament concept; but more than a New Testament concept. It is a New Covenant REALITY. Jesus presented the concept only to say: I AM THE LIFE! I Am The Life! The Church is so woefully lacking in that understanding because the modern Church today, the religious body called Christianity today is preaching Eternal Life, but very much as a concept: a future concept at that! But The New Covenant is not merely a concept, but a PERSON in Whom Eternal Life is NOW FULFILLED. So now I want to bring our term "Life" beyond just the term Life – ETERNAL Life. " I AM Eternal Life." And it takes it out of the realm of the natural. It takes it out of the realm of the institutional. It takes it out of the realm of words, and the realm of doing good deeds as a substitute for it. It brings it beyond the natural and then Jesus appears and says I AM… I AM… I AM LIFE, and LIFE ETERNAL. I AM come that you might Life, and have Life Eternal. I am come that you might Life and have Life more abundantly.

The Hebraic Mindset

Now I want to read the introduction from a book called " To Life! Understanding The Abundant Life Hebraically" by Yaffa McPherson. "Hebraic" is a term that means ‘with the Hebrew mindset.’ And I want to read this introduction because this author says it much better than I could. And what she is saying is that we must approach the scripture as it was written, and as those to whom it was written – the Hebraic mindset. You can not approach the scripture with a Greek mindset, or even with a Jewish mindset, for The Cross to the one is a stumbling block, and to the other it is just foolishness. But you must read the scriptures with the true Hebraic mindset: not looking for things, but looking for The One that was to come, and in Him find all things.

1 Corinthians 1:23 – But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.

Interpretation Problems

And the words of this author are in reference to John 10:10 – " …I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." "God never did, and never will think as we do. No doubt Jesus knew that after He would leave the earth, the above statement, among others, would fuel self serving doctrines deviant from His intention. In most every way the rationalization we have attached to this verse is far inferior to the real meaning Jesus placed in this momentous and spiritually significant message. Hebraically, our verse has much more forthright and spiritually practical application than most of us realize. Our interpretation problem begins with the words ‘and that’. (She’s referring to: I am come that they might have life; AND THAT they might have it more abundantly.) Our interpretation problem begins on the other side of "and that" where the second reference to "life" is both correlated to, and distinguished from the first. Western mindsets have not even begun to place together all the Hebraic implications behind "LIFE", let alone – abundantly. With Life underrated, the true meaning of ‘abundant’ simply baffles us. We are confused. In fact, for generations stumped; but we won’t admit it. Instead we toy with the latter half of this verse, as if Jesus left us some leeway of interpretation. Many believers are simply ambivalent about "abundantly."

But those who are not read into it either mystical or materialistic meanings. Yet Jesus referred to neither. When He spoke a truth in riddles, men’s minds always clashed in controversy over two opposing interpretations, while all the time Jesus had a third meaning altogether, different from what man understood. Before discussing the third meaning we must realize why the interpretation went away in the first place. When any aspect of the Gospel is isolated from its Hebraic roots, its authenticity is lost."

New Fulfills The Old

Now this has been said very eloquently, but what it means is just this: you can not separate the fulfillment from that of which it is the fulfillment. You can not understand the New Covenant except as a fulfillment of the Old. And how can you appreciate what is fulfilled in the New except you are familiar with the old? We think the Old Testament is the Old Bible – most people discard it, at least in their hearts and minds. They just want to go to the red letters of Jesus. But we must understand that every Word He spoke, He spoke out from the Old Covenant scriptures – bringing them into Life, bringing them into fulfillment. No, most don’t understand that. Ms. McPherson writes, "When any aspect of the Gospel is isolated from its Hebraic roots, its authenticity is lost, and any interpretation foreign to the original mindset, if it exists long enough, conditions our mind, making it easy to venture off the track. Not looking at the verse, or any Biblical matter Hebraically, we tend to fit the meaning "more abundantly" among others, into our own cultural mindset, to benefit our physical and emotional existence."

Luke 24:27 – And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Our Materialistic Minds

This is what we have been saying. We bring the Bible in to fit OUR definition of Life. She writes, "We bring the Bible verses in to fit our definition of Life as taught by our twentieth century culture; as taught by materialistic minds. And so when Jesus speaks of "Life" we assume that He means ‘make OUR life better.’ When He says "Life" we assume that He means ‘get a whole lot of things.’ In that sense we have assumed that "more abundantly" is somehow all-inclusive in terms of what we can get or gain. But does it really sound like Jesus to refer to limitless acquisitions, or to a life spilling over with things we desire, or even mean it as our miracle formula for more exciting existence? Surprisingly, the way "more abundantly" has been taught, it barely resembles The Truth. Why have we been putting words in Messiah’s mouth?"

Looking For One To Come

That is the introduction. I believe this has said something in very eloquent terms that you and I need to come to realize. The Hebraic mindset is NOT after things – it never was. They were looking for ONE to come. The true Hebraic mindset was on The Messiah, and in Him they would find all things. Messiah would come! To Life! All things were to Life! That’s true, and Jesus came to the Hebraic mindset and said "I am come that you might have life…" You say; the true Hebraic mindset then obviously rejected Him. No it didn’t: the mindset of Judaism rejected Him. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the sons of God…" (John 1:12) Don’t forget that the writers, the authors of the Old Covenant writings were Jews, but they were those who were looking for The One to come. And in CHRIST they found that reality. "To whom shall we go? Thou alone hast the words of ETERNAL LIFE." (John 6:68) Not: ‘To whom shall we go – you’ve made our lives so easy.’ Not: ‘To whom shall we go, Lord, we can’t possibly carry all of the things that you have given us. We’ve had to enlist camel trains just to carry the things around!’ No – that’s not it. "To whom shall we go? ONLY YOU have the words of Eternal Life!" And if we are going to find the abundance of Life, we are going to find it only in the revelation of Jesus Christ. We are going to find it only in the increase of HIM in our hearts and souls.

I AM Come

Now let’s look at the term "I AM Come." First, we must understand that CHRIST defines the word "come" by Who He is – I AM – come. "Come" is not what He does; but rather Who He is. And in Him, all things of God are now come! This is made extremely clear in the letter called "The Revelation of Jesus Christ". In Revelation 1:8 there is a description of The One whose voice is being heard. There is a description of The One who is being revealed, and whose revelation this is. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." And that last part is a terrible translation because it completely misrepresents the Truth. That is not how it is in the original, and if we leave it that way and see it that way, it completely refutes what has just been said. " I am Alpha and Omega." Most Bible scholars have to agree that this verse is rendered as this: "I am The Eternal, I am The Eternal One, I am Eternal." One scholar that I read wrote and said if we would say this in English, we would have to say it this way: "… saith He who is, and is, and is." Here He is introducing Himself as Who He is: revealing Himself as Who He is, and out from Who He is all the events and realizations of this book flows. He is not here speaking of the promise of FUTURE events, or events at all: but as a statement of DIVINE BEING.

Already Come – I Am Here

And remember, the same one who wrote this book is the one who wrote the Gospel of John. It’s the same John. So back to John 10, and consequently we can add "come", not simply as a word, but as a reality of fulness to the list of "I AM": I Am Way, I Am Truth, I Am Life, I Am Door, I Am Resurrection, I AM Come! Now I looked a little farther in seeking Hebraic interpretations. The Hebraic meaning of "I am come" combines two English tenses together in an unusual way to simulate in English the Hebrew ideas of ‘already come’ and ‘I am here’. And that term brings those together in one understanding: already come – I am here! The implications are "My coming is – certainly, saith He who is, and is, and is. My coming is!" When is it not? Well, it would be not whenever I am not. In Hebrew the word "come" can be taken as either or both present and past tense: the future tense is NOT used here, but is suggested after the words "and that" with regard to ‘abundant life’ in John 10:10. This is pointing to the time when He would live in them – Life to overflowing fulness! The word "come" also means ‘enter’. And we’ve been dealing with this. We enter into His coming – My coming is… enter in. But most don’t really know what they’ve been invited to enter into. THE I AM! THE I AM! THE I AM!

Understanding Hebraically

"I am come that you might have life." Jesus is saying here: I am entered the world. This is from the Hebraic mindset. He is NOT saying I must enter your hearts until My OTHER coming. Hebraically He is saying I am come that you might have Life. He is saying "I am with you, but I shall be in you." He is saying first: "I am with you." Secondly, "I shall be in you – that’s how you might have Life. I am come that you might have Life." What was He come to do? He came to die. Why? That we might have Life! This was His coming into the first. "…that you might have life, AND THAT…" And in the proper rendition in the Hebraic understanding of this verse this is where the second reference to life is both correlated to and distinguished from this first. The second reference to Life – Abundant Life refers to His Living IN YOU. Yes – HE HAS COME: as to the first – to take away; as to the second – to live in you. This is the Hebraic meaning – the first and the second. They are correlated as the same Life, but they are distinct one from another. Yes, in that one is with you, and the other is in you. I AM COME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE.

John 14:17,23 – Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Hebrews 10:5,9 – Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.

Galatians 4:4,5 – But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Colossians 1:27 – To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

That The Dead May Have Life

Let’s look at this term: I am come THAT you might have Life. "I am come" is unto the purpose: that those that were dead may have Life. Hebrews 10. We are looking at "I am come THAT you might have Life." Who? Those who don’t have Life – the dead. We have been looking at His FIRST coming; or His coming into the first, on behalf of the first. He came to die that we might have Life. That’s what is being said here. He came to die: He came to the first. Hebrews 10:7, " Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." This is what the book is about! "Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt-offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law." What He’s saying is the will of God wasn’t to come and offer another burnt offering. "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first (I am come that you might have life), that he may establish the second (and that you might have life more abundantly)." The term "taketh away the first" means to take away with violence. That’s The Cross! "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." That’s the taking away. "I am come that you might have life." We must understand: this death is UNTO LIFE! Jesus says this death is unto Life. The religion of Judaism, the materialistic minds of both Jews and Gentiles would not listen to that. They wanted Him to add to THEIR lives! No, He said, I am come that you might have Life – and He presents THE CROSS. I am come to die! I am come to bring you into My death. I am come to take away the first – not make it a better place to live! So THAT… and THAT they may have life more abundantly.

John 11:4 – When Jesus heard that, he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

John 10:11 – I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Romans 6:4,5 – Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life, For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

More Abundant

What is more abundant than Christ with you? CHRIST IN YOU! And yet our whole Christian religion is based on Christ WITH you. We say, ‘He just came down and visited us last night!’ When I hear that, my question always is: where did He come from? What happens is in most cases there has been a movement of The Spirit of God toward the appearing, the revealing of Christ, and carnal minds and hearts recognize at least the moving of The Spirit, though they never do come to the reality of what He’s moving to do. So they think they’ve had a "visitation". "I am come that you might have life…" "He taketh away the first…" He removes it with great violence – The Cross! "… that He may establish the second." The second is the Lord from heaven, the second is Christ in you, the second is the New Creation! We have to see this.

1 Corinthians 15:47 – The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The First Coming

In Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, there is a reference to Hebrews 10:5-10 that we just read. Hebrews 10:5 is HOW He came – in a body prepared. But they note: "I am come" as used in Hebrews 10:7 is the same word , Strong’s #2240 , the Greek Heko, as when Jesus said "I am come to fulfil the law." (Matthew 5:17)’ "I am come to preach." (Mark 1:38); "I am come to call sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32); "I am come to send a sword and to set men at variance." (Matthew 10:34); "I am come to do the will of Him that sent me." (John 6:38-39, Psalm 40:7,8); "I am come to the lost sheep of the House of Israel." (Matthew 15:24); "I am come for judgment."(John 9:39); "I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10); "I am come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Matthew 8:11, Luke 19:10); "I am come to save men’s lives." (Luke 9:56); "I am come to send fire on the earth." (Luke 12:49); "I am come to minister." (Matthew 20:28); "I am come as the light." (John 12:46); "I am come to bear witness to the truth." (John 18:36)"

Now isn’t it interesting that all of this is gathered together under ‘I AM COME’? I am come into the world – My first coming, the coming in flesh, the coming to die. Isn’t it interesting that this commentary gathers all of these verses up and says they are all talking about the SAME coming? And it’s all talking about the SAME thing: I am come to TAKE AWAY THE FIRST! I am come to DIE! That’s the answer to all of the things that He’s stated with "I am come".

The Greater Coming

While declaring that ‘I am come into the world’, He declares that, and yet there is a coming more real than this! It is My coming to Life IN YOU! I AM COME! There is nothing said in the Old Covenant Scripture that would indicate what Christian religion advocates under the doctrine of "Second Advent". But here is what is found in The Old Covenant scripture: there is much said about The Suffering Servant over and against the Ruling King; there is much said about a destroying and a restoration; there is much said about the taking away of an old heaven and earth, and a new heaven and earth coming in its place; there is much said about glory, and a house of greater glory. It is CHRIST HIMSELF WHO REVEALS THE MYSTERY – Who takes away the division, the veil that divides and separates the one coming from the other, the one understanding from the other. How can He be both a Suffering Servant and a Ruling King? How can there be a death and a resurrection? How can there be a complete and total desolation and then the prophets spoke of restoration? How can these things be?

Luke 24:25,26 – Then he said unto the, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

Ezekiel 39:25,28,29 – Therefore thus said the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name….Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.

Jeremiah 1:10 – See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

Ezekiel 37:4,5 – Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.

Isaiah 65:17 – For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind.

Isaiah 66:22 – For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

Haggai 2:9 – The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

Hebrews 9:7,8 – But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.

Isaiah 53:10 – Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Colossians 1:26,27 – Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory/

Jesus Takes Away The Veil

In the Old Covenant there was NO teaching that He would come TWICE to accomplish anything! But they did know that The Messiah would come. They didn’t understand that: how can these things be? Jesus Himself reveals this mystery, and He does so in presenting Himself. Revelation 1:17,18 – "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as head. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me: Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive fore evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death." I Am the Suffering Servant – I Am the Ruling Kings. I am He who liveth, was dead: I am alive for evermore! He takes away the veil, He takes away the victory, and shows the fulfillment of the thing in His death, His burial, and in His resurrection. This is how He is revealed to John. This is how He is revealed to His Church, and this is how He is revealed in you and I when He is revealed as THE I AM THAT I AM. See, He brings it all into Himself. Here’s the way it can be: I FULFILLED IT! The destruction – the taking away of the first. The restoration – establishing the second. The death – yes, the death of the old man. The resurrection – the coming forth of The New! All of these seemingly contradictory concepts coming together in This One Who says, "I AM The Door, The Way, The Truth, The Life – I AM COME." Who is John seeing here? In John 10 and in Revelation he is seeing Christ Who is Come, Who is Eternal; showing Himself to be. "I AM COME that you may have life, and that you might have it more abundantly."

What is Abundant Life?

Well, we’ve already taken all the mystery away from that. "Abundant Life" is LIFE living in you unto the fulness of Himself. It is Life overflowing; it is the river. It is not things we hoard and get, and want to for ourselves. It’s what is flowing OUT from us. Having filled us, it is flowing out from us. God "hath given Him to be head over the Church, which is His Body, the fulness of Him Who is Himself the fulness." (Ephesians 1:22,23) The fulness of Him Who is the fulness! Another description of that is the New Man who is "neither… nor… but is Christ all and in all." (Colossians 3:11) The fulness! In Ephesians 4:9 and 10, " (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?" Why did He do that? "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things." He did that so that you might have abundant Life; that He might fill all things. He is the fulness of all things New. He is the fulness of all things to His Body, The Church. He is the fulness of The New Creation – that He might fill! "I am come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly." Abundant Life is always being where He is because HE IS ALWAYS IN YOU. John 14:1-20. We know the setting. What is the end of the conclusion of the Spirit of Truth? Vs. 20, " At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I IN YOU.

Revelation 22:1,2 – And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Psalm 1:1-3 – Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the unglodly, not standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Realizing The Realization

And in John 17 I want to point out to you the realization by which all that is said here is realized. How do we realize the realization of what is being said here? What makes it all real? First John 14:20, "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." I AM IN YOU – that’s what makes it all real! How has He taken you to glory? By bringing glory to dwell in you; making you the House of God’s glory! It is by Him that we have entered in. What makes it all real is: and I am in you! I am in you… "… that where I am ye may be also." (John 14:3) I am in you. Now the same thing is in John 17 from verse 21, and it is most glorious. The reason for this: the "that" in verse 21. The purpose is glorious; the fulness is glorious. "That they all may be one: as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." This is glorious; this is the purpose of it. That…(verse 23) "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect (that is made complete, whole, mature) in one…"This is the prayer of Paul: "…growing up into Him who is the head in all things." (Ephesians 4:15) His prayer is for us to come unto "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, unto a perfect man." (Ephesians 4:13) And THAT the world may know. John 17:23, "… and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; THAT they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." That’s exactly where we were chosen – IN HIM, and accepted – IN HIM before the foundation of the world. And that’s exactly what The Lord is saying: that I may bring them to be where thou hast chosen that they should be from before the foundation of the world – IN ME!

Hebrews 2:10 – For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

2 Corinthians 6:16 – And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Revelation 21:3 – And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Ephesians 1:4 – According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

I In Them

But look at verse 25, "O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I IN THEM." I in them – that’s what makes it all real! I in them! God does not reveal a place where you to go. He reveals The Son in you, and you realize I am IN HIM! Your soul realizes that; your soul rejoices! The key to the Gospel, the key to Eternal Life, the key to abundant Life is that HE IS IN YOU. The revealing of The Spirit is to reveal Him in you. Abundant Life is always being where He is because He is always in you – standing in that glorious realization. Abundant Life is Christ being formed in you. Look at this in Galatians 4:19, " My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." It should be read in the context of that whole chapter. Here is the transforming of our soul. It is being filled with the fulness of Him. Until CHRIST be formed – in nature, in character, in substance. Until Christ be formed IN YOU. Colossians 2:9,10, " For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." Abundant Life is Christ being formed in you, Abundant Life is not getting things of any kind: it is CHRIST being formed in you. Abundant Life is Christ having the preeminence in all things. Look in Ephesians 1:17, " That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all ("things" has been added) under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."

Preeminent in All

Is it amazing then that in saying the same thing in his letter to the Colossians, Paul puts it this way: Colossians 1:18,19, " And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all (things) he might have (be having) the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." That He be preeminent in all things because He’s the fulness of all things. Tear up your list of priorities! We’ve all got "our life": but that’s the life of the Adamic creature. We’ve got it prioritized: God – country – family – job – whatever. Just tear it up! You don’t give Him "a place": He is preeminent in all things because He’s the fulness of all things new. He’s the fulness of all things to His Body, The Church, or to The Church, which is His Body, the Body of HIS fulness. Abundant Life is HIM having preeminence in all things in that He is the fulness of all things. Abundant Life is Christ having preeminence in Life because He is the fulness of Life. What is preeminence? CHRIST living in me – not I, Christ living in me. That’s preeminence!

Christ Filling All Things

That’s not priority: that’s preeminence! My, my: Abundant Life is Christ filling all things with the fulness of Himself. He is that fulness; but Abundant Life is Him filling – filling – flooding the soul with The Water of Life; filling the soul with The Light of Life; filling the soul with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. On and on and on and on goes Abundant Life! Christ FILLING – not simply being the fulness, but filling – filling to overflowing! Glory to the Lamb of the Living God! Christ filling! His Body is the vessel of this fulness. W read that in Ephesians 1:23. Therefore Abundant Life is being – in truth, the very Body of Christ. That means Abundant Life is found in our union with Him. What is our union with Him? ‘ I AM IN YOU! You are My Body, My House, My Temple, My City for the purpose of My expression and the expression of My glory.’ What is our union with Him? It is by The Spirit – yes, but what is it? I AM IN YOU! It is not through visitations: it is through indwelling. I am in you – making us what? THE BODY OF CHRIST!

2 Corinthians 4:6 – For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:27 – Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Hebrews 3:6 – But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

1 Corinthians 6:19,20 – What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which he have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Revelation 21:2,3 – And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

The Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15. Paul is talking here about if there be no resurrection of the dead, the true resurrection we have been talking about. See, a question had come up, and it was fostered by certain schools of thought, and particularly Gentiles who wanted to say that Israel, because they crucified Christ, had no part in this. They were trying to make this a Gentile Christianity. And Paul was showing that the Resurrection did have to do with Old Covenant Israel: it had to do with their death, and the Resurrection was bringing forth a New Covenant Israel. This is not a Kingdom of Gentiles, but the true Israel of God that was neither Jew nor Gentile: but One New Man. And so he is saying that if like you say there is no resurrection of the dead, then our whole preaching is in vain, because we are telling people that Christ is your Life. You were dead – now He is your Life! Now notice that Paul isn’t saying if there wasn’t any doctrine of Resurrection we’re all in trouble. No, he says in verse 17, " And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." Everything in the New Creation depends upon Christ being raised. CHRIST being raised. Why? Because He is Life! He is The Life – it all depends on Him!

Colossians 3:11 – Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

1Corinthians 15:14,15 – And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

Ephesians 1:19,20 – And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.

Head First, Then Body

If He’s not raised; if He’s not Life, we’re all in trouble! And what is his answer to that? Verse 20, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." John 10:10, "I am come that you might have life…" 1 Corinthians 15:23, " But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming." Here is the order: Christ first. Who came forth first? Christ did. What always comes forth in birth: whether it be the birth of a firstborn in being raised from among the dead – what always comes first? THE HEAD comes first, and then the body. The Head comes, then the body: that’s the order. We are NOT raised up in addition to Him. No, it’s first Christ, and then those that are His at His presence. The word "coming" there is a Greek word that means ‘in His presence.’ Now this verse is NOT saying those that will be His ‘when He decides to come’. That is not what this verse is saying. This verse is describing THE RESURRECTION: every man in his own order. Our order is the order of The Body: "But now hath God set the members of every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him." (1 Corinthians 12:18) God quickening… quickening…, but the order is always first Christ: Christ first, THEN they that are His in His presence. That’s the order. It is not The Body and the Head; it is THE HEAD and The Body.

The Body in The Resurrection

HE is the fulness of His Body. We have looked at this in regard to Redemption unto Life, and here we are talking about being The Body of Christ. We’ve read the verses in 1 Corinthians 15, but I want you to see them now in application. Verses 35-38, " But some men will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest now that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body." Who is God giving this body to in this Resurrection? He’s giving it to CHRIST! He’s giving it to The Seed that fell into the ground and died. He’s giving it to The One who took upon Himself the old man, as the husk of the Seed. John 12:24, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." That’s talking about His death. (See diagram) We first have a seed, this husk, and then here’s what Jesus is talking about: The Seed, The Seed of God. What does this husk represent? It represents the old man; it represents that which He took upon Himself. He came as the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, but He was, and always has been The Seed of God. And yet He says this must fall into the ground and die. What is it that He brought to death? The body of this death; the body of death, the old man. This is what died – to release The Life! But God gave this Seed another Body! Not a body of death, but THE BODY OF LIFE – and YOU are that Body!

Ephesians 1:23 – (the church) Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Philippians 2:7 – But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.

Hebrews 2:16 – For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Romans 7:24 – O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Being The Body of Jesus Christ

Abundant Life is being the very Body of Jesus Christ – in Truth! This is The Resurrection! This is The Body of His Glory! And it’s given to that Seed of God, for it pleased The Father to give Him a Body for His glory. In the scriptures you will read concerning His Glorious Body, but it is always in the Greek, "the body of His glory." See, it’s not that He’s got a glorious body, but it’s that HE is the glory of The Body! He is the GLORY of the Body! He’s the beauty of the whole thing! He’s the glory of the whole thing! See, we choose bodies: we choose according to flesh, we choose according to sight. God doesn’t. He chooses the HEART. I have a problem with people who go around preaching "The Body" in the place of Christ: His glorious Body – WE are this… WE are that… Listen, you are nothing – absolutely NOTHING – a big zero except HE is appearing in you! It is Him shining through His Body: it is Him being made manifest, or there is no beauty to it. It’s beautiful because HE is the glory of it. That’s why it is beautiful. That’s the newness of it; that’s the glory of it. God giveth His Seed a Body – yes, He does!

Philippians 3:21 – Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Revelation 21:23 – And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Bodies

Now in 1 Corinthians 15:42-49. "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption…"What is sown in corruption? The body; the body of this Seed taking on that body. Resurrection is talking about bodies; but there are only TWO bodies to be talked about: the body of death and The Body of Life. We looked at that regarding Redemption: Redemption of the soul and Redemption of the body. "… it is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption." This is this Body that is incorruptible. Why? It’s Life is CHRIST! It’s not natural, it’s not made with hands: it is Eternal in the heavens. It is not letter, it is not Law: it is Spirit, it is Life. It is The Body of Jesus Christ – Whose Body you are! "It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory…" This is what He suffered: He hanged there, He agreed there and suffered the reproach, suffered the despicableness, suffered the dishonour. For what? For the joy that was set before Him! We quoted it earlier: "Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell." (Psalms 16:10) Well, there’s The Redemption of the soul! "Neither will you suffer your Holy One to go back to a corruptible body; to take on Him again the body of corruption."

Galatians 3:13 – Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."

Hebrews 12:2 – Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

In Them

No, He will not go back to a corruptible body, because a Body The Father hath planned and purposed for Him in the Resurrection as well. The whole thing is that "they might be where I am… see my glory… that the world might know." (John 17:21) I IN THEM. 1 Corinthians 15:43, "…it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." The he goes on and says the Adamic body is the natural body; the Spiritual Body is The Body of Christ. "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven." That’s how he explains the natural.

The Son is The Glory of The Father

Now for your reference: Ephesians 1:18-23, "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened: that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."

Ephesians 3:17-21, " That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Abundant Life

This is all concerning "Who filleth all in all." So now in closing: Abundant Life is being The Temple and The City of The Living God. You see, Christ always bring everything to the Glory of The Father because The Son is the Glory of the Father. So yes, we are The Body of Christ; but as such, in reality we are the City of God. What a REALITY this is! That thought, that truth is found back in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. There is given to us there a progression of Spiritual Life: Christ the firstfruits, Christ bringing forth His Body. In what order? Firstfruit – then harvest: Head – then Body. Then presenting all as Himself to The Father, that The Father may be glorified in all! It’s just that simple, but yet it’s just that profound! As The Body of Christ we are to be The City of The Living God! Hebrews 8:1 and 2, " Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Here is the sum: WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH PRIEST! You are that Sanctuary! You are that Tabernacle! And that Tabernacle is also The City of God. And it has LIFE because that’s where He Lives!

Colossians 1:15 – Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.

Hebrews 1:3 – Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

1 Corinthians 15:20-28 – But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Ephesians 5:27 – That he might present it to himself (as himself) a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

2 Corinthians 6:16 - …For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.