I. Salvation in Type and Salvation in Person 457
II. Commentarial Lessons Regarding Great Salvation 457

I. Salvation in Type and Salvation in Person Diagram (A)

II. Commentarial Lessons Regarding Great Salvation

We are speaking of what Christ has done by The Cross, and that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20), and we are going to use that thought to begin a study on GREAT SALVATION.

The TRUTH of our Salvation far surpasses what most Christians think - it is above all that we can understand in our own minds, and even consider. Yet, it is real NOW - today - secure in the heavens (spirit), waiting to be revealed to us. (1 Peter 1:3-5) So we must lift up our eyes - out from the earth realm, self, flesh, old, religion, man’s teachings, and allow The Spirit to teach us The Truth as it is in Christ. In Christ we are not living in types, but in Truth. The Lord has brought us to this place - In Christ.

Look in the book of Joshua - what has happened? Moses is dead, those in unbelief died. Now a NEW people are to go over Jordan and enter the land. (Joshua 1:2) Now they are to come to UNDERSTANDING. Joshua 3:1-4 - Three days (death, burial, resurrection) passed; when you see the ark, you leave your place and go after it. ...you have not passed this way before. Now what was hidden (the Ark = God’s plan in Christ - Christ in you, The New Creation) can be seen! ** This is a big change - The Ark was always covered, but NOW it is made known, and it was in seeing this (God’s Eternal purpose in Christ) that they entered into the new land.

But this brought big changes to the people. (Joshua 5)

1. They were circumcised the second time (vs. 2) - Greater work of the Cross.

2. Manna ceased, now they eat the old corn of the land (vs. 11,12) - growing up

3. Captain of the host of the Lord is seen (vs. 13-15) - Christ is now the Head.

** When we come into Truth it requires changes in us!

And in Christ, we have been brought into this Truth - that we live it!

Hebrews 2:1-4. “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so GREAT SALVATION; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

We must make the Truth of what Christ has done the constant focus of our attention (don’t let them slip). GREAT SALVATION = exceeding, abundant = MUCH MORE. Our Salvation is much more than our natural mind thinks, much more than the types of it. It is above what we can see on this earth, above the old and the first, but yet it is real NOW.

Let’s look briefly at some scriptures on the “much more” of our Great Salvation.

John 10:10 - I am come that they might have life...more abundantly. That is not “my” life for ever, but His Life - abundant, above - greater than me, earth, flesh. (Salvation is not “me” going to heaven, but His Life in me - now.)

Matthew 6:30 - God clothes the grass (first creation), but MUCH MORE He clothes you (His New Creation). He doesn’t just dress you, but clothes you with Himself! That’s much more Salvation!

Matthew 7:11 - Your heavenly Father is MUCH MORE than an earthly Father: His good things are greater than anything earthly - we are His!

Romans 5:9,10 (read vs. 6-11) - MUCH MORE being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath... MUCH MORE, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Vs. 15 - MUCH MORE the grace of God hath abounded.

Vs. 17 - MUCH MORE they that receive grace shall reign in life by Jesus Christ.

Vs. 20 - Where sin abounded, grace did MUCH MORE abound.

By the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been brought into this Great Salvation, which is MUCH MORE than our natural understanding. This Salvation is great because Christ is great and MUCH MORE than all the types and prophecies of Him. Since we have not passed this way before, we must ask the Holy Spirit to show us the hidden Truth in Christ so we can walk in the understanding of God’s plan in Christ - revealed in us!

So as we begin this study on GREAT SALVATION we see that term in Hebrews 2:1-4, and the word “great” means “exceeding, abundant - much more”. This is much more than we realize by our natural minds (1 Corin. 2:9-14), and the fulfillment in Christ by His death, burial and resurrection is much more than the types and shadows of it. May the Lord open the eyes of our understanding that we can behold the length, depth, breadth and height of our Great Salvation. And it takes The Holy Spirit, The Spirit of Truth to teach us the truth as it is in Jesus.

Here is our problem: Mark 12:24. The Sadducees were reading the law and interpreting it as they saw fit - in the earthly realm. “Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God.” (Read through verse 27. They were defining the resurrection in earthly terms (the death realm) and our Salvation is MUCH MORE than that. (Reference Romans 7 - the law was their husband, but by Christ they are dead to the law and married to another. This truth is MUCH MORE than our earth marriages.)

** We all read the Bible, but we don’t know (understand) the scriptures.

Genesis to Malachi = scriptures = SALVATION IN TYPE. They Testify of Christ. (John 5:39, “Search the scriptures...these are they that testify of Me.”)

Genesis to Malachi is known as the TESTIMONY (Old Testament, Old Covenant) - it is God speaking in many ways. (Hebrews 1:1 - God spake in time past at sundry times and in diverse manners). But we must come to know that ALL the scriptures speak of Christ - what He is and what He would do.

These are not “Bible stories”, but an ORDERLY setting forth of what Christ would FULFIL. It is The Word of God, but all of it comes to be fulfilled in The Person of Christ. Our Salvation is great because it is fulfilled by Christ and in Christ who is GREAT - much more than us!

Re: Salvation in Person = Christ ALL. We focus Salvation in “me” - “I’m saved, but the fulfillment of Salvation is Christ - not me. His name means “Saviour”. (Luke 2 - Simeon said “Mine eyes have seen thy Salvation.” Psalm 118:14 - “The Lord... is become my Salvation.”) Now that we are “saved” our interest should be in learning Him and to allow His fulness to fill us. (Colossians 3:4, “When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye appear as one with Him - in glory.”)

But since He is the fulfillment of all the types and shadows, He will be known as what the types spoke of. Because we do not know the scriptures and what they mean, we do not know what He has fulfilled. So we must search the scriptures to see Him!

Luke 24:27 - The disciples “thought”... but after the resurrection, beginning at Moses and all the prophets He expounded unto them in ALL the scriptures the things concerning HIMSELF. They all come to be fulfilled by Him and in Him!

But how would they be fulfilled? How did Salvation in Type (The Old Covenant, the Testimony) become Salvation in Person (fulfilled in Witness)?

Hebrews 9:15-28 - “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the DEATH of the testator.”.... Note: vs. 23, “better sacrifices”... vs. 28, “So Christ was once offered...”

** The Testimony only came to be fulfilled when Christ died - He is the Testator. Then all that was promised - the inheritance, the covenant, was made true - not in the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true (vs. 23, 24) but into heaven itself.

So The Cross is the means of bringing the fulfillment. The Cross completes the picture. And if we refuse The Cross, we only have Salvation in type - not the fulfillment in Christ.

The Cross is a Great thing, bringing about a Great Salvation - which is THE GREATNESS OF CHRIST!

We are considering our Great Salvation that is spoken of in Hebrews 2. We need to take heed to all that entails: it had been spoken of in the scripture, by the law and the prophets, and is NOW fulfilled in Christ. And this Great Salvation is MUCH MORE than types, more than man’s natural understanding. (Isaiah 55:8-9- God’s ways are not man’s ways; they are higher than our ways and thoughts - much more!)

** Never forget : Great Salvation is determined (and was pre-determined) by THE CROSS. (Not when I die, but Christ’s death, burial and resurrection).

Romans 1:16 - Paul was not ashamed of the gospel OF CHRIST (not me and you!). And that gospel was Christ crucified (The Cross); for it is the POWER of God unto Salvation. Without Christ’s Cross there is no power to Salvation. Salvation is MUCH MORE than me “going to heaven” when I die. Salvation means deliverance, preservation, safety, healing, soundness - it is The Greatness of Christ! Ephesians 3:16-19 - Paul’s prayer for The Church: that we would COMPREHEND (understand, know, experience) the breadth, length, depth, height...that ye might be filled with the fulness of God. That’s GREAT SALVATION!

Christ has finished The Work by His Cross. By believing on Him we are brought into that Work, but now we are to comprehend it so we can live in it and walk in it - that the world may know Who He is. Where do we go to see the types of Salvation that are finished in Christ? To the SCRIPTURES - they testify of Christ (John 5:39), and set forth types and an order that was fulfilled by Christ through His Cross. We must comprehend our Salvation in this same order.

We will begin to look at three TYPES of Salvation in the Scripture. (Note: 3 is the number of a Spiritual Work unto fulness. The number is important, but also the ORDER of these types. In each of these types there is a different dealing of God, a different promise, a different work, but there is a progression to the work that is important, because these types are fulfilled - MUCH MORE - by The Cross of Christ - to us.

We will focus now on the first type - ADAM TO NOAH. The issue here is CREATION. Adam is the first and Noah is the last. It is the first, man, mankind.

**If our eyes could be opened to comprehend this first type of Salvation it would correct a lot of our “doctrines” about “heaven” and Salvation. For instance: Does Adam “go to heaven”? Will this man live forever? What really is Adam’s destiny? Would the first creation live forever?

Consider: Romans 5:14b - Adam is a FIGURE of HIM that was to come (a type of Christ)

1 Corin. 5:46-47 - first is natural, NOT spiritual; after, that which is spiritual. Vs. 45 - first Adam was a living soul, the last Adam a quickening spirit. Vs. 50 - flesh and blood does NOT inherit the kingdom of God.

** What was God’s promise to Adam? Genesis 2:16-17 -“...you shall surely die.” There was a DEATH appointed unto man. (Hebrews 9:27) Did God make good on that promise in the type? Yes - by Noah. Noah is the end of this type of Salvation. Hebrews 11:7 - he prepared an ark to the SAVING of his house; he condemned the world, and became heir of righteousness.

In the type - Genesis 6 and 7, especially 6:13 - The end of ALL FLESH is come before me... I will destroy them with the earth. (Our “Bible stories” focus in on the animals “two by two”, rather than God was bringing an end to that whole first creation.) That’s because we have still believed the same lie the serpent told Eve - “You shall not surely die.” (Genesis 3:4). But that whole creation was destroyed by God! Noah is a type of Christ who became the last Adam - came through the judgment and brought forth eight (the number of new beginnings) souls (1 Peter 3:18-22) unto Salvation. In Noah we see the end of the first and the beginning of the second. ** But this is NOT the first creation again, the first man, but speaks of a New Creation that comes forth. (Genesis 8:8-12 - dove released after the flood = Holy Spirit with the new creation.

So in the first type of Salvation - Adam, the first, flesh creation dies. Christ fulfills that by His Cross, but it doesn’t end there. Salvation is MUCH MORE - He brings forth a New Creation - not many men, but One New Man - from above, Spiritual Man, not earthy - here all things are NEW. Have we comprehended that first type of Salvation - that all man is dead, and that Only ONE NEW MAN lives? Lord help us to do so. This must be settled before we can go on to experience greater aspects of Great Salvation.

We are speaking of our Great Salvation - what God has done in Christ by His Cross. He has FINISHED that work, but now we must comprehend it and experience it. Our Salvation is greater than we really know because of the Greatness of Christ. We are looking into the scripture to see the types of Great Salvation, and then how they are fulfilled in Christ. Why should we study the types? Because too many people “get saved” or “come to the Lord” and then - it doesn’t work; their lives aren’t changed, they have no peace. They live like everybody else, but they “go to church”; and they think it will be better “on the other side”. Now, God didn’t fail, Christ didn’t fail - but WE have failed to COMPREHEND what Salvation is. ** Too many of us have gotten “saved” according to man’s traditions and a church’s doctrines - but not according to Salvation as presented in the scriptures. God works according to an order, and if we follow that order - in comprehension, in experience, we can live in the greatness of our Salvation - NOW.

So the first type of Salvation in the scripture is from Adam to Noah, and this deals with the first creation - man, all that it natural, earthy. ** Adam was a living soul, but he never came to God’s kind of life. Our problem in comprehending this is we have believed Satan’s lie - Genesis 3:4 - “Ye shall not surely die” - and we don’t want to die! ** But we must understand this is not just physical death - but separation from God. God promised that to Adam, and that death was appointed to ALL MEN. Adam represents all men, and all of the first creation.

Romans 3:23 - All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (life).

Romans 5:12 - by one man sin (rebellion) entered into the world and death by sin - death passed upon all men.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22 - in Adam (as Adam) all die, even so IN CHRIST shall all be made alive.

** The first type shows God’s judgment on the first creation - ALL died, ALL was destroyed. NOTE: Why didn’t God tell Adam to build an ark? Adam wasn’t saved - he died, and God brought forth a NEW creation - they found grace in the sight of God. (Noah = rest, there is a man of God’s rest)

** God’s promises and blessings can’t go on a dead man! That’s why Salvation doesn’t work for many Christians - we are asking God to bless what He has already cursed!

Genesis 9: 7,9,11 - Noah comes out from the judgment. He represents a NEW creation, new life. “I will ESTABLISH (the second is always to be established) my covenant with YOU.” The Covenant is to be made with the New Creation - not the old.

**GOD HATES MIXTURE! (He is One) In the type you couldn’t mix wool and linen in a garment (Lev. 19:19); in the fulfillment do you really think it’s going to be “me and Jesus”, the old AND the New? No - that’s God’s judgment in the first type - the death of the first creation (put away from God)

We think we get saved, stay as an old creation; then when we die, we go to heaven, and become a new creature, but the scripture doesn’t support that. Adam doesn’t get “saved” - Adam dies, and a New Creation experiences Salvation - in Christ, by Christ, through Christ - NOW - because we are dead to the first but alive unto God in the second (which is Christ).

Noah speaks of Jesus coming as the Last Adam - He suffered Adam’s judgment, and in Him ALL MEN died, but by His obedience a New Creation experiences Salvation. (Adam = disobedient; Noah/ Christ = obedient)

Romans 5:19 - by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One (Christ) shall many be made righteous.

** What was Christ obedient to? THE CROSS! Adam didn’t want to die; Christ died in perfect obedience to God’s Will.

So what does the first type of Salvation show us? This is what Christ fulfilled. 2Corinthians 5:14-15 - if one died for all, then were ALL DEAD, and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him, which died for them.

Our Great Salvation firstly means that we are not an old man made better; we are not “me - on my way to heaven”; but (vs. 17) IN CHRIST we are a TOTALLY NEW creature; old things are passed away (dead); behold, all things are become New.

That is the first comprehension of OUR GREAT SALVATION!

We are speaking of the first type of our Great Salvation that is found in the scriptures in Adam to Noah - the first creation. We must come to comprehend what Christ in His death HAS ACCOMPLISHED with regard to this first man, first creation. ** We will never go on to experience Full Salvation except we comprehend this order, and allow God to WORK it IN US.

Hebrews 9:26-28 - (Hebrews is an excellent contrast between the types and fulfillment in Christ. The word used often is “better” - our Great Salvation is better, much more than the types.) Vs. 26b - notice “once”. Jesus’ work by the Cross was done ONCE - A Finished Work! **End of world = the consummation of the ages. The physical world didn’t end, but by The Cross all things were summed up and completed; the end of one age and manner of God’s dealings, and the beginning of another. ** To put away sin = cancellation. Notice “sin”, not “sins” (acts). Sin = to miss the mark. The whole first creation missed the mark God set - ALL fell short of glory, of life. This whole creation was put away (God was done with it) by the sacrifice of Jesus. Vs. 27 - God appointed men (sinful man, first creation) to die. This death was RESERVED for them. Die = to die away, to die off, separated from God. God promised this to Adam in Genesis 2:17, but man had to wait for the judgment to be carried out. (Type - Adam put out of garden, to live tilling the ground he came from - Genesis 3:23)

**But when was the judgment fulfilled for Adam? Vs. 28 - So Christ was once offered... THE CROSS was where God’s judgment regarding the first man took place. We now must come to AGREE with God’s judgment at The Cross. (2 Corinthians 5:14 - we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead)

**God’s judgment has three parts to it, and we must comprehend what this judgment meant to man, the first creation.

1) To bring something to have a decision given to it - man, first creation was to have this decision. (In type with Noah - God looked upon the earth, that it was corrupt, He saw the wickedness of man - Genesis 6)

2) Put it in its proper category - it is sin, misses the mark, flesh, corrupt. **This is why we don’t like judgment - we don’t want to call it what it is! Paul came to this - no good thing in my flesh!

3) Pronouncement and execution of sentence - you die, put away from God. (You can see these three parts of judgment in Daniel 5 - Belshazzar was weighed in the balances and found wanting - judgment: your kingdom is divided)

JUDGMENT TO FIRST MAN : all put away - this is settled - over all of the first creation God has written - DEAD! Mankind (not just the individual person) was appointed to this death. The Cross executed the judgment of it. 2 Cor. 5:14 - One died (vs. 21 - He made Him to be sin for us) for all - then were all DEAD.

So the first type of comprehending Salvation is: all are dead - good, bad - all of first - DEAD. Now it makes sense what Jesus said to Nicodemus - John 3:3-9 - You must be born AGAIN; but this is NOT a birth like the first one. Now you are born from above. This is a MUCH MORE birth - not born of flesh, but of Spirit. Now you must be born of God. (The first man was made from dirt, but second man is birthed by God’s Own Spirit - born as from the origin, as if you never sinned. And this man is NOT appointed to death, but has Everlasting Life - He never dies! This Man is a New Creation - higher, greater than the first. THIS creation experiences Salvation as life. (Hebrews 9:28 - unto them that look for Him, He appears a second unto (full) Salvation).

We must comprehend this first type of Salvation - death to first - and allow this to be worked in us. Romans 6:1-13 - In Christ we are dead TO sin - that was the judgment by His Cross. Vs. 3 - we were baptized into His death (taken into death). In the type Noah went through the judgment, but they were in faith, they believed God’s judgment on mankind was right. Vs. 6 - our old man IS crucified with Him, that the body of sin be destroyed, that we should not serve sin. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE FREE FROM THE FIRST CREATION (OF SIN) IS BY HIS DEATH. Vs. 11 - We are not waiting to physically die to face the judgment, but we must RECKON by God’s judgment at The Cross that we are dead to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (We face this daily!) Vs. 13 - This is Great Salvation: WE ARE ALIVE FROM THE DEAD! Now our members are instruments of righteousness unto God. Sin and death have NO dominion over me! Vs. 14-23 - wages of sin is death; the gift of God is eternal life - He IS THAT GIFT!

What is the understanding that first must WORK IN US? Salvation is not for when I physically die, but NOW - Now is the day of Salvation. Galatians 2:20 - I (as first creation) AM crucified with Christ...not I, but CHRIST liveth in me - and He is MUCH MORE than Adam, MUCH MORE than the first. He is Life - all things! By the Cross the first creation is put away from God, and the second is reconciled to God and One With Him. THIS IS GREAT SALVATION!

(Ecc. 3:14-15 - Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever...that man should fear before him...that which has been is now...and God requireth that which is past.) We are speaking of our Great Salvation in Christ which is according to The Eternal Purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Eph.3:11). And all things of God are working together for the good of that purpose. We are NOT the purpose or end of it - but Christ is, and we are to be conformed to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:28) God planned it, brought forth one creation that spoke of it, the law and the prophets testified of it, and Christ fulfilled that plan by The Cross. We are PARTAKERS of that Eternal Purpose, but man’s doctrines and religions will not change it to make us the focal point of it. It is all summed up in Christ, and God REQUIRES it to be so in us. (How shall we escape if we neglect so Great Salvation?

Let’s look again at the term “MUCH MORE” that describes our Great Salvation. Romans 5 - we will be comparing the old man, first man and the New Man, and the New Man IS and HAS MUCH MORE than the old man ever did or will. Note: Romans 5 has the phrase “much more” five times! 5 is the number of grace. Our Salvation is by His Grace! Vs 8-10 - while we were sinners, Christ died for us. ** It is done by HIS death. Vs. 9 - much more Vs. 10 - when we were enemies we were RECONCILED to God by the death of His Son. Reconciled means “to change thoroughly from”. His death brought about a change in God’s relationship to man. Man was sin, an enemy to God. Jesus’ death brought that man to his proper judgment and set him aside - Adam died. Now Christ brings forth a New Creation that is at peace with God (reconciled to Him, because The New Man has the Life of His Son. **Your physical death doesn’t assure you peace (“rest in peace” at funerals), but by believing in HIS death does - the old man dies. He changes you, and the New Man is at peace with God. (Ephesians 2:15,16 - by The Cross He makes peace). Vs. 10 - MUCH MORE being reconciled... ***THE OLD MAN IS NOT RECONCILED TO GOD. - he dies and One New Man comes forth reconciled - saved by His Life. **This New Man is HIS LIFE - manifested in a people - One, New, Much More. This is what His death HAS done. Colossians 3:9-11 - we are to put off the old man because we HAVE put on New Man...CHRIST IS ALL! Eph. 4:22 - Put off the life of the old man who is corrupt, and put on New Man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. This New Man is Christ, and we are members of Him, His Body. We are only a New Creation because The One New Man dwells in us. Jesus said, “Behold, I make all things new.” (Rev. 21:5)

Let’s look in the scripture to compare the old man and the New Man. This New Man is “much more” than the old, He’s much more than me! So, what was the first man, and what was his relationship with God? Is God returning us to that relationship, or one that is “much more” than that? Gen. 2:7 - man was formed out of dust of ground...became a living soul. He breathed, he was a soul in a body - had a mind, will, emotions, but Adam did NOT have God’s life, was not born of God, did not have spirit. Gen. 3:3- dust you art, unto dust you shall return. This first man did not have spiritual life. 1 Cor. 15:45-50 - first is NOT spiritual. The soul desires to have a relationship with God, and will deceive itself that it does, but the natural man CANNOT receive the spiritual things of God. (Flesh is flesh, spirit is spirit). Notice: the second man is THE LORD FROM HEAVEN - not a “spiritual” man, but The Lord! When we are born again, we receive His Life (much more saved by His Life) and that Life is Spirit. Natural man thinks he can be spiritual, but The New Man is Spirit! Because The New Man is One Spirit, One Body, One Lord, One Faith, One God and Father. We are to bear the image (exactness) of the Lord as our Life. Now - on this earth as The Church, the fulness of HIM.

Look at the difference in relationship with God in the old man and The New Man. Genesis 3:8 - before Adam sinned God visited man at times; they were not one, man didn’t know God. SEPARATION - God one place, man another. **Most Christians today still know God this way. But as The New Man our relationship to God is MUCH MORE than Adam. ** God never spoke this to Adam! 2Corin. 6:16-18 - I will dwell in them (as One with them) and walk in them. I will be their God, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters.

This New Creation is NOT formed out of dust with God just as the creator, using something different to Himself to form him; but this is a New Birth by the VERY SEED OF GOD giving us HIS Life, being One with Him. Now because we are One New Man, reconciled to God, and He is our Father, He can dwell in us and walk in us! This is the MUCH MORE of our Salvation as a New Creation!

1 Peter 1:23-25 - Being born again (anew, from above, by Spirit) NOT of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible (HIS LIFE- Christ), by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. (His Seed brings forth His own kind). Man and flesh fall away, but The Word of the Lord endureth forever! Great Salvation!

We are considering our Great Salvation and what makes it Great.

Psalm 118:14 - THE LORD... is become my salvation.

Vs. 21 - I will praise thee... and art become salvation.

** Ultimately our Salvation has to become THE LORD - the emphasis can not be on me, but on HIM. HE makes our Salvation great, and we experience the greatness of our Salvation when HE becomes all things to us.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 - no flesh should glory in His presence. We are born of God in Christ Jesus and HE is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. He doesn’t give “us things”, but He becomes all things to us. We only have these things IN HIM, and because He is these things, we have them as part of our Salvation.

** All things are gathered up in Him - He fulfills all things and fills all things with Himself! (Ephesians 1:10, 4:10) - not with me and you! HE IS MUCH MORE!

I want to look at a few more comparisons between the first and second creation. ** Remember - everything the first spoke of comes to be fulfilled in Christ, but I want to point out some principles established in the first creation. They will be “much more” in the second.

Genesis 1 - the story of the first creation. Note: God’s name here is Elohim = The Strong One Who is Faithful. When God starts to deal with man the name now is LORD GOD = Jehovah Elohim. He is The Self Existent One Who reveals Himself. This is His relationship with man in redemption. (In Old testament He reveals Himself as Jehovah-jireh, Jehovah-shalom, Jehovah-nissi, etc. - to man). ** Christ ultimately fulfills that revelation of God as our Salvation.

Vs. 1,2 - GOD created heaven and earth, but earth was void and dark. Spirit moved.

Vs. 3-5 - What comes? LIGHT! ** God DIVIDED the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. This was the order in the first creation - physical, temporal, natural; but this is MUCH MORE in the second creation.

Light = Day ; Darkness = Night - GOD DIVIDED! Earth = flesh, heaven = spirit

** If God divided that in the first creation, why do we think that in the second, New Creation we can mix light and dark, and live in shadows?

** LIGHT HAS TO COME BEFORE LIFE** Bring this into Christ - the scripture continues to make this division between light and darkness.

John 1:3-5 - All things made by Him (Light). In light was life. Darkness could not comprehend the light.

Vs. 9-13 - TRUE light...New Creation is born of God - not old.

John 3:19-21 - Light came into the world but men loved darkness. (Read Romans 1:18-32 - God made Himself known to man, but they worshiped the creature more than the creator, so God gave them over to a reprobate mind.) ** The first creation prefers darkness - they live in night - no life.

John 8:12 - I AM light of world ...not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.

Ephesians 5:8-17 - Ye were sometimes darkness (darkness is a state of no light) but NOW are ye light in the Lord: WALK (live) AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT!

1 John 1:5-7 - God is light, in Him is NO DARKNESS AT ALL! We have fellowship if we walk in the light as He is in the light.

**In the first creation there was day and night, light and darkness, but in the New Creation (In Christ) there is only day. Revelation 21:22-27, but we must see that this city is The New Creation, the Bride, the Wife. No earthly light - only the glory of God and the Lamb, No night, No darkness there. These are a people living in the Light and Life He is! And He is made unto them all things!

** The Light of the second Creation is MUCH MORE than the first light, because this Light now shines IN US as the New Creation - no night now - only DAY - The Day that HE IS! ( this is not a temporal period of time) We have Christ now Who is that Eternal, Everlasting Day - in us.

2 Peter 1:19 - Let the day (light which He is) dawn and arise in our hearts. As His Light fills He will continually divide the darkness and do away with it unto the FULL dawning of Him - where there is NO darkness at all - Not I, BUT CHRIST!

We have been comparing the first creation to the New Creation in Christ to help us to see the greatness of our Salvation. We saw how in the first creation God divided the light from the darkness and called the light, day, and the darkness, night. But in the second creation, The New Creation there is only light, and CHRIST IS THAT LIGHT.

Proverbs 4:18 - the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the PERFECT DAY. This is not a temporal day of 24 hours, but the fulness of light - which is Christ. As He is revealed in us, we walk more and more in Him, His Light, Life. This Day dawns IN US. 2 Corin. 4:6 - in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of Christ.

Jesus told them of the perfect day - fulness of light in John 14:20 - “In that day you will know (experientially) I am in My Father, you are in Me, and I am in you.” That sums up our Great Salvation!

** Let’s not forget God has established His principles in creation.

2 Corin. 4:18 - things which are seen are temporal (first creation - all of it); things that are not seen are eternal. The first spoke of the second, which is MUCH MORE. ** You can not take temporal things and make them eternal - they are different creations. This should help us to correct our thoughts about heaven!

We want to look now at another principle that was set forth in the first creation, but fulfilled in Christ in The New Creation.

Genesis 1:11-12 - fruit tree yielding fruit AFTER HIS KIND, whose seed is in itself. God saw that this order was good. Vs. 21 - creatures after their kind. Vs. 24,25. God was establishing the order of different kinds - each would bring forth what it was because of THE SEED that was in it.

Now man was created by God as a representative of Himself, but the words “image” and “likeness” in Genesis 1:26, 27 only mean a shadow, an illusion, no substance. Adam was formed from the dirt, and the Bible never says he was of God’s kind. So what would Adam bring forth when he yielded fruit? Genesis 5:3 - Adam begat a son in his own likeness. All in Genesis 5 begat of themselves - then die. ** Flesh begets flesh - then dies. That is the order of the first creation.

But now in the New Creation this same principle is fulfilled in Christ, by Christ, and we are involved in this in our New Birth.

THE NEW MAN - John 1:12,13 - born not of blood or flesh...but of God.

How? The key is THE SEED - The Seed brings forth its own kind. And in the New Creation that SEED is CHRIST!

1 Peter 1:23-25 - Being born again not of corruptible seed (first creation) but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Man dies and his seed, but THE SEED OF GOD LIVES FOREVER! ** This is how we are children of God, sons of God - not by our first birth in Adam who was created BY God, but in Christ, by Christ, that Seed in the New Creation, we are sons of God because He brings forth His own kind. In Christ we are not after the first, but after Him.

Galatians 3:26-28 - sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus (by believing into His death, burial, resurrection. But look at what we are - “neither... nor (the first, in flesh), but ONE IN CHRIST.” He is The Seed, He brings forth His own kind. So the New Creation is not I, but CHRIST!

Why should we care about this principle of everything bringing forth its own kind? Because God has put His Own Seed - His Son, His Life - in you - for a PURPOSE. We are not “born again” so we can go to heaven and live forever as me - in a better place with no problems. WE are NOT the focus of our Salvation - HE IS! God brought forth a New Creation that would bring forth after The Seed that is in us - and that Seed is CHRIST!

Ephesians 2:10 - “We are HIS workmanship (not as Adam, but as a New Creation) created IN CHRIST JESUS unto good works, that God before ordained that we should walk in them.”

My question to us is: in us, is God seeing His Seed bring forth after Himself? In the first creation God saw that was good. Is He saying that about us? The Father is looking for His Son, His Seed to be manifested in us. We are to grow up into HIM, into the perfect man, so we must let that Light shine unto the PERFECT DAY!

Colossians 1:25-27 - There is a mystery of God that had been hid, but NOW is made manifest to his saints. Note: not mysteries, but One Mystery (many aspects to it). The mystery is CHRIST IN YOU. A mystery is a truth hidden, and can only be revealed by God. So - where was the mystery hidden? In the scripture, in the Testimony, and it can only be understood in the revelation of Christ: until you see HIM, the mystery remains hidden and you do not understand the scripture.

Luke 24 - the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus died and was resurrected, but they still didn’t understand. Vs. 27 - Jesus expounded in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself - then they could understand.

2 Corinthians 3:14-17 - A vail can remain upon our hearts so that our minds are still blinded to the truth. The heart must turn to the Lord.

So, we must search the scripture and look for Christ in order to have the mystery revealed to us. (John 5:39 - scriptures testify of Him). The Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians that the eyes of our understanding would be enlightened (Eph. 1:17,18) and that we would comprehend Christ - the length, breadth, depth, height - (Eph. 3:17-19) - our Great Salvation!

We look in the Old Testament for a type of what Christ would do, but remember, Our Salvation is greater, exceedingly MUCH MORE than the type. Look in the first creation, the natural creation. Genesis 2 - God made a garden and put man in it. Vs. 10 - A river went out of Eden to water the garden. The four heads went all over the land. That’s the first creation. There are many references in the Old Testament to this river. Ezekiel prophesies of a river coming out of the temple bringing life. (Ezekiel 47)

Now, in the New Creation - is there a river? Is it natural? No - it is MUCH MORE!

John 4 - Jesus tells the Samaritan woman the water He gives shall be IN US a well springing up IN US into everlasting life. John 7 :38 - He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Revelation 22 -One pure river of water of life - coming out of the throne.

** THE NEW CREATION HAS A GREATER WATER-CHRIST IN YOU!!

We lessen our Salvation by thinking that things in The New Creation are the same as the first. No - they are higher, greater - and they are all found IN CHRIST. If you look for everything in Him, you will find the mystery revealed - IN YOU - and that will conform you to His image. Remember - the New Creation is not you - but Him, and we are members of His Body, with His Life.

Look at the mystery hidden of Christ and The Church in Genesis 2:18-25, when God made the woman out of man. Remember, this is speaking of more than just a man and a lady getting married in the flesh. Vs. 20 - The helpmeet could not be of a different kind, so God took the woman out of Adam when he slept. She was bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh - they were one. But this only happened when God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam. (This foreshadows Christ’s death, and the birth of The Church, His Wife out of that). Notice she is the completement of Him, and now she is called His Wife. She is birthed of Him, then given back to Him as One with Him in husband/wife relationship.

Why? Genesis 1:28 - so they could be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and have dominion over it. Their union and the fruit produced were to fill the earth and have control of it. Did Adam and Eve fulfil God’s plan for them? No, but God’s mystery that was hidden then is fulfilled by Christ and The Church.

Ephesians 5:23-33 - Christ is the head of The Church. Vs. 25 - He gave Himself for it - He died. Vs. 27 - He is cleansing The Church to present it to Himself (as Himself), a glorious Church. Vs. 31 - they two shall be one flesh. Vs. 32 - This is a great mystery - CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.

But look again at the type in Genesis where man is to multiply, and bear fruit of this union (every seed after its kind). And Adam has filled up the first creation with himself! But what is to come forth in the New Creation? More of me? No - This Seed will bring forth after its own kind, but that Seed is CHRIST. Now our union is of Him and to Him, and it is His fruit that we will fill The New Creation with.

Romans 7:4 - We are married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

That is the mystery made manifest - CHRIST IN YOU - that’s GREAT SALVATION!

We are continuing to search the scriptures to see the types of Salvation in the Old Testament, and how they have been fulfilled in Christ. These are all speaking of RELATIONSHIPS we have with Christ. And the first relationship we will face deals with us as a CREATION - as the first creation (of the earth, flesh). Because IN CHRIST, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are a New Creature; old things are passed away, and all things are become new. (Galatians 6:15 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.)

** There are fundamental issues that must be SETTLED in us regarding this before we can continue to know Christ in deeper relationships. And this is NOT a mental knowing, but this knowledge affects everything we do. Do we live as an old creation - on our way to heaven - when we die? Or do we live as The New Creation, His Body, seated with Him in heavenly places - NOW?

Let’s look in the type to see how God dealt with Adam, the first creation. My question is - did God forgive Adam? No - in the scripture there is NO reference to forgiveness in God’s dealings with Adam through Noah. The first reference to forgiveness is with Israel. (Israel is a type of The Church.) Look at God’s dealing with Adam after he sinned.

Genesis 2:14-24:

Vs. 14-15 - serpent cursed, but SEED PROMISED that would bruise him.

(The seed of woman promised was Christ.)

Vs. 16-19 - woman and man given sorrow all their days; they will return to dust

Vs. 21 - God made coats of skin for them. (Speaks of Christ as sacrifice)

Vs. 22-24 - God now sends man out from the garden. God did not want man to eat of the tree of life in his sinful state and live that way forever. He sent man out to the earth, but He kept the way of the tree of life.

Now, what was the Tree of Life? THE CROSS! Adam wanted life in himself - to know by himself, to be an independent soul, and he was put out of Eden (= pleasantness), but God kept THE WAY. Does Adam (the first man) find forgiveness, find the way and come back to the garden? The scripture never says he does! The type of that whole first creation is summed up with Noah and the ark (Genesis 6-9) when all flesh is destroyed, and God makes His covenant with a New Creation.

So, Adam was not forgiven; was sent out from the presence of God. That is the state of the first creation. But God’s answer by Christ is a NEW CREATION.

Ephesians 2:11-13 - mankind were aliens from Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having NO HOPE, but NOW IN CHRIST JESUS ye... are made nigh by the blood of Christ. But - who comes nigh? A Jew? A Gentile? Vs. 14-18 - He makes One New Man - BY THE CROSS, and now both have access by One Spirit unto The Father.

When Christ came and died The Death of The Cross, He opened up the Way unto Eternal Life with The Father. God had always kept The Way, but Jesus fulfilled it by His death and opened it - not to the old man, but One New Man. This New Man is not the old man forgiven, but born anew of the Spirit - as if he never sinned! This is the Greatness of Our Salvation - the old is passed away; New in Him!

One last thought: Ephesians 2:13 - “ye...are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Re: The Blood - there is a depth to the blood of Christ most Christians have never known, and there is a special relationship of His blood to the first creation man.

Genesis 4 - Cain slew Abel ( Cain = earthy man, Abel = spiritual man)

Vs. 8-12 - Abel’s blood cried to God from the ground for vengeance.

When Christ died, His blood avenged the blood of righteous Abel, but since the fulfillment is MUCH MORE, He brought death to ALL of the first man. When One died (Christ), all were made to be dead! The blood of Christ avenged the blood that was shed in the first creation, and passed judgment on mankind - ALL DEAD!

Do we know Christ in that relationship? Now by that blood, and what it has done, as The New Man, we have access unto the Father, and have life in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:15 - but now we live not unto ourselves, but unto HIM, who died and rose again. May the Lord open our eyes that we may see our Great Salvation and walk in the reality of that now.

We are talking about God’s dealings with the first creation man - Adam. Genesis 3:24 - Cherubim and a flaming sword were placed to keep the way of the tree of life. God has always been faithful to this, and in celebrating Easter we see the fulfillment of this by what Christ did by His death, burial and resurrection.

Note: This was a mystery kept by God until Christ came. ** LIFE OUT OF DEATH! And the tree of life must come to be seen as The Cross.

1 Corinthians 2:7-8 - the hidden wisdom unto our glory (that we could come to Life in Christ)...if the princes of the world knew it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ** His death opened up the Way of Life!

Hebrews 2:14, 15 - through DEATH He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them in fear of death.

** CHRIST CRUCIFIED is the wisdom and power of God unto Salvation, Life!

** Notice the wording in Genesis 3:24 : THE way OF the tree of life. This is what the Lord showed me: it is NOT A way TO the tree of life. THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY - Jesus came and fulfilled that in His death, burial and resurrection. (John 14:6 - I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. No man comes unto the Father but by Me.) In Him you can come to The Father, but you must come in His death, burial, resurrection - not as the old man, but in Christ as The New Man.

God kept the way OF the tree of life. This is not a thing, but a mind and heart set, an attitude that leads to life. Jesus fulfilled this - death unto life.

Philippians 2:5-9 - made Himself no reputation, humbled himself, became obedient unto death of The Cross. Wherefore God highly exalted Him.

John 12:24-27 - Except I die, then the life is only in Him (the corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die). He that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. Vs. 27 - do the Father’s will.

That is the way OF the tree of life - to do the Father’s will. Adam wanted to do his will - not God’s. Our problem in Christianity today is that we have perverted THE WAY to make it more convenient to ourselves.

(An example: a church “Passover” dinner that serves lamb and chicken, because some people don’t like lamb!) That seems like a silly thing, but we have done the same thing spiritually - trying to make a “religious” way TO the tree of life, rather than understanding that God has kept THE way OF the tree of life. The Death of The Cross (in attitude and finality) is the only way that brings us to The Father - in Life.

Let’s just look at a few instances in The Testimony of how the way of the tree of life was kept - until Christ came.

Genesis 6-9 - God told Noah to prepare the Ark. Noah accepted God’s judgment on mankind and he went through the flood (judgment of the world). He believed God and in a type came unto New Life.

Esther - Haman the evil one plotted to kill all of God’s people. Esther decided to go into the king for her people. “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16) Esther found favor with the King and Haman was hanged on the same gallows he had prepared for Mordecai - and God’s people lived and they destroyed their enemies!

Daniel 3 - The three Hebrew boys wouldn’t bow to the golden image. Vs. 17 - God is able to deliver us. They were thrown into the furnace, but the fire did not harm them. They came forth in Resurrection Life!

Daniel 6 - Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, but no harm was done to him - because he believed in his God.

The way OF the tree of life is believing God and submitting (laying down) your life. Only through that heart and mind set can we truly walk in the power of His Resurrection, in Newness of Life.

** Just remember - who is it who is on The Throne? Revelation 5:6 - The LAMB as it had been slain. He opens the book. Vs. 9,10 - He was slain and redeemed us by His blood...and we shall reign on the earth (with His Life).

He is The Way OF the tree of Life !

We are still dealing with our Great Salvation and what Christ has done by His Cross. And we are still considering the first creation vs. the New Creation, and there are some basic understandings we must come to, and live in so that we will manifest our Salvation.

Romans 6:1-11 - the old man is dead, we were baptized into His death.

Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ... not I, but Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:14-17 - One died - all dead. In Christ, a New Creature.

** God brought judgment on that whole first creation - reckoned them dead, but in Christ He brought forth a New Creation by New Birth unto Newness of Life.

- There are many truths to this that are typed in the scripture concerning this. Noah was the end of the first creation, but also the beginning of The New. (Speaks of Christ and the judgment of The Cross.)

Hebrews 11:7 - Noah...prepared an ark to the saving of his house; whereby he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Ultimately now we live by the faith of The Son of God.)

Noah was a vessel used by God to keep the way of the tree of life. (Gen. 3:24) He believed God and obeyed Him - unto life; Adam didn’t - unto death. Man was wicked, but (Genesis 6:8) Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. ** There would be a man who found God’s grace. Jesus comes FULL (Much more!) of grace and truth (John 1:14). Jesus fulfilled what Noah spoke of. Noah = rest.

Let’s look at some key phrases in the scripture concerning Noah and the flood to help us see what Christ fulfilled by The Cross concerning the first creation:

Genesis 6:17-18 - I (God) bring a flood to destroy all flesh...everything that is in the earth shall die, But WITH THEE will I establish my covenant. ** God’s established covenant is with the man Noah spoke of - not Adam. Come into the Ark. (The Ark is how one man dies, and one man lives - type of The Cross)

Genesis 6:22 - Noah did ALL that God commanded him. ** Jesus did the Father’s will; obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.

** Disobedient unto death - obedient unto life.

Genesis 7:15 - They went in UNTO NOAH into the ark - they followed Noah into the place God told him to prepare. ** We must be planted in the likeness of His death, buried with Him.

Genesis 7:23 - Every living substance was destroyed from the earth...and NOAH ONLY REMAINED ALIVE, and they that were WITH HIM IN THE ARK. ** Not just along side of him, but were as one with him - they only lived. - You can’t come into Christ by The Cross seeking to save your own life. You accept God’s judgment on the first creation, and only look to Christ for your life and AS your life. A great comfort; we are not alone, but with HIM - and only He remains alive!

Genesis 8:1 - God remembered Noah and what was WITH HIM IN THE ARK. ** This was for those with him in The Cross - in a truth you can’t be with Him and not be baptized into His death (Romans 6:3)

Genesis 8:4 - The Ark RESTED in the seventh month (a completed, finished work) upon the mountains of Ararat. ** Through Christ’s death and resurrection we are quickened, raised, and seated with Him in heavenly places. (Eph. 2:5,6) ** Judgment on the first is completed. Those in the ark went through the death, but they were with him in the ark. Now they come forth OUT OF that death, into newness of life.

Genesis 8:16-19 - Go forth of the ark...bring forth EVERY LIVING THING THAT IS WITH THEE. (Now they that live by Him; they have passed from death unto life - John 5:24) This New Creation is to be fruitful and multiply upon the earth. They went forth OUT OF THE ARK, and Noah made an altar to God of the clean beasts (vs. 20,21) and God smelled a sweet savour. ** What comes out of the Ark is pleasing to God. We go through His death and burial, and come forth in the power of His Resurrection!

Genesis 9:9-11- I will ESTABLISH (the second only is established) my covenant with you...from all that go out of the ark.

The way of the tree of life is through the judgment of The Cross - destroying all flesh, and out of The Cross bringing New Life. That was God’s plan. His Son became that last Adam, that Noah. We must go unto Him in The Cross in order to come to life - Eternal Life - in Him - partakers of The Tree of Life!

We want to try to summarize the understanding of our Great Salvation as a New Creation that we must come to as believers. ** We are NOT an old creation waiting to go someplace, someday - and then we will be different. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says if we are in Christ we are a New Creature - NOW. Ephesians 2:10 - we are His workmanship CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS unto good works...we should walk in them.

By The Cross Jesus has brought forth a New Creation. Those in Him are born from above, born again by the Spirit, having Eternal Life. This is true by The Cross; now we have to walk (live) in that truth. How?

Romans 6:11 - RECKON ye ALSO yourselves TO BE (not going to be, supposed to be) dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ. How can we do that? Vs. 10 - because we are in Him, Who is that. When He died, He died unto sin once, but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. ** We must comprehend that IN CHRIST we are dead to the first (the whole realm of sin) but alive unto God - AS HE IS - not as ourselves.

**The Cross is God’s means of judging (separating) the living from the dead. And as the fulness of The Cross continues to work IN US, this dividing of what is dead and what is alive unto God will continue. This is the way of the tree of life.

We want to look at three examples of this dividing of dead/living in Genesis and see how they are fulfilled in Christ and worked in us in our Salvation. These three are areas we have to reckon ourselves dead to.

1) Our own religious ideas of a bloodless sacrifice - Genesis 4. Cain and Abel (note: first is earthy, second is spiritual) Vs. 3 - they both offered to God. Cain did not reject God, he was religious, he offered what he grew, but would not acknowledge his sin. Abel knew he was not worthy and brought a blood sacrifice - “I must die”. Cain’s offering was from the cursed ground. ** Our religious efforts are NOT acceptable to God - not of works lest any man should boast! Vs. 4-7 - God respected Abel and his offering, but NOT Cain. He talks to Cain. Vs. 7 - God calls it sin, and Cain still refuses to give God the proper sacrifice. So it ends in death. (James 1:5 - lust brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished brings forth death.) Abel came to life through the blood sacrifice, and Cain (Genesis 4:16) goes out from the presence of the Lord = death. Cain multiplied, but he was away from God.

**However, God kept the way of the tree of life open through Seth. Through Seth the Spiritual Seed was renewed. Now there were two civilizations: Seth = spiritual, Cain = rejected of God. And look what happens: Genesis 6:1-3 - godly line chooses the ungodly.

2) We must reckon ourselves dead to mixture - Genesis 6: sons of God= of Seth, daughters of men = of Cain. They CHOOSE TO MIX themselves in marriage. God would not tolerate this mixture, so He determined to destroy all flesh. But He would raise up a New Seed (New Creation) where there would be no mixture - New Life out of death.

** This has very important applications in our relationships.

3) We must reckon ourselves dead to our carnal religious ambitions - Genesis 11:1-9. After the flood man is of one language - the whole earth. Vs. 4 - Let US build... a tower...unto heaven, and let US make US a name. God saw what the children of men built and He was not pleased or impressed. ** The way to heaven is not by man’s strength and oneness. God scattered them abroad and named that “confusion”, and unfortunately God’s people have a long history of going into Babylon when they gather together in their own strength to reach God.

So even in the first creation God kept the way of Life open, but He divided the way of death from the way of Life. His Son fulfilled that Way in Himself. May we realize this is not by the sacrifice of my efforts, not by mixing what is of God, and what is not of God, and not joining fleshly forces to do something for God. We need to reckon ourselves DEAD to all of that.

The Way of Life is by way of His death, His burial and His resurrection. Jesus Christ is that way - and God has not kept any other way!

We are going to begin now to discuss a greater understanding of our Salvation than that which just deals with the old man, Adam. There is MUCH MORE to our Salvation than just a dead Adam (although most Christians seem to spend their whole life trying to get the old man to die!) Our Salvation is a LIVING CHRIST, but the “much more” is that this Christ is NOT living apart from me. We are now One New Man, and He has brought us into the relationship that HE HAS with The Father, so that we can know God as Father, not just as The Creator. (Father/son is much more than creator/creation.)

So there is an orderly progression to understanding our Salvation, and living in the greatness of it - NOW.

Galatians 2:20 - Not I (yes, we must reckon “me” dead) - but CHRIST LIVES. Now, the life I live in the flesh I live by the FAITH of THE SON of God.

Now we are not just dealing with the death of the first, but the life of the second, and we’re going to see this in the type of ABRAHAM AND ISAAC which is set forth in the scripture next (Genesis 12-22).

** Some words we will find in this understanding - faith, Father, Son, heir.

It is important to note that these terms were NOT spoken to Adam. (Adam was never intended to be the fulfillment of God’s Eternal Plan.)

In Abraham we see God calling out a people who are to come to a special relationship to Him. “Called” is another word to note. Now Abraham was the type, but this is all fulfilled in Christ for us AS our Salvation.

1 Peter 2:9-10 - “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” This is speaking of The Church - “chosen”, “called Out”, not a people, but NOW the people of God. And this people OF God means those that have God AS their Father, those born from above - by the death, burial, resurrection of Christ. (Remember John 1:12,13 - who receive Him become the SONS OF GOD, born not of flesh, but of God).

** Our Salvation must be understood as a Father/son relationship.

1 Corinthians 1:9 - God is faithful, by whom ye were CALLED unto the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. The word “called” there means “invited to participate in”. In what? In the Life of The Son, into the relationship The Son has with The Father! (No MAN has seen God or knows The Father except The Son - John 1:18), and now by us being in Christ, we can come to know The Father AS The Son does! That’s GREAT SALVATION!

Isn’t that what Jesus prayed for - for us in John 17? “That they may be one, even as we are one. You in me, I in you.”

We want to consider a few scriptures now to help us see this glorious relationship of Father/Son that is our Great Salvation.

Hebrews 2:9-10 - Jesus tasted death for every man to bring many sons unto glory. Glory is the recognition of God as Father. God’s glory is His Son!

(Note in vs. 16 the seed of Abraham is brought into view - For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham)

Romans 8:14-17 - we have received (not “are going to get”) the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father...we are children of God. If children, then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ (fellowship of The Son).

Vs. 28-29 - All things work towards this for THE CALLED, according to HIS purpose...conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren (all with His birth - born of God. When God raised Him from the dead, we were raised as One with Him. Now we are where He is, as He is - One with His Father.)

This is a greater understanding of Salvation than just being “born again”, because in the Father-Son relationship we come to God’s PURPOSE.

But just remember that in a greater comprehension comes greater responsibility. Hebrews 12:5-11 - God deals with you as SONS. We may be chastened, but it is for our profit. Vs. 10 - that we might be partakers of HIS holiness - that’s Life. That’s GREAT SALVATION!

We are talking about our GREAT SALVATION IN CHRIST. It is “much more” than not going “to hell”, but it is us being brought into relationship with God as our Father, and living in that union - through His Son, Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 - “ God has NOT appointed us to wrath, but to OBTAIN SALVATION by our Lord Jesus Christ...that whether we wake or sleep (die), we should live together with Him.”

** Now, God appointed the first man, Adam, to die (Hebrews 9:27), but He has appointed The New Creation to obtain Salvation (deliverance, preservation, safety). We as The New Creation are not to experience His anger to destruction, but unto Life.

** “together with Him” = as one with Him, because we have One Life. (Reference Ephesians 2:5,6 - we are quickened, raised, seated together with Him- as One.

** Our Salvation is NOT “me and Jesus”, but me expressing His Life. This is a mystery. Only One is raised; but “I” am “in Him”. We are brought into a union with Him as One: He is Head, we are His Body, manifesting His Life. This is what God has called us to.

1 Corinthians 1:9 - we were called unto the fellowship of His Son. Therefore we are The Body of The Son, who now can know The Father in that Father/Son relationship.

John 14:1-6 - By His death, burial and resurrection Jesus would enable us to share HIS RELATIONSHIP with His Father. He brings us into a RELATIONSHIP, not to a physical place. Vs. 3 - that where I am, (as I am in relation to My Father), ye may be ALSO (even as I AM.)

**This is the greater understanding we are considering of Great Salvation: not just Adam dead, but a people brought into this relationship with The Father in The Son, AS THE SON.

** This takes place because when we are born again we are born of The Seed of God (1 Peter 1:23). That Seed produces The Spirit of The Life of The Son. Galatians 4:6-7 - Because we are born of God, He sends THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS! That’s Great Salvation! Now we know our Father, and are not a servant under the law, but a son - an heir of God through Christ.

**The Seed, the heir gets the inheritance. We will look at this more fully in Abraham and Isaac as the type, but now let’s just look at the relationship of Father/son in the scripture.

John 14:9 - he that hath seen me hath seen The Father. Vs. 10 - I speak not of myself, but The Father...he doeth the works. (Colossians 1:15 - He is the image (exactness) of the invisible God.)

John 5:18-23 - The Son can do nothing of himself...The Father loveth The Son and shows him all things...all men should honour The Son, even as they honour The Father.

Vs. 43 - I am come in my Father’s name (in His nature, character; He manifested The Father - not Himself) and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

** Do we live and work in our own name (me, my - life, ministry), or in The Father’s - only giving glory to The Father? The Spirit of The Son in us should not allow that!

Since we now are heirs of God, we have inherited all that The Father has, but how many of us really know THE HEART of The Father, or do we just want what He has for “me”?

Luke 15:11-32 - The story of the prodigal son; but don’t forget there was also an “elder son”. The Father gave the inheritance freely to the younger son, who squandered it on himself.

Vs. 19 - The son (not a sinner) repented and returned. “I am not worthy to be thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”

Vs. 20-24 - The Father FORGIVES THE SON and restores him to his place - AS SON!! (Note: forgiveness and restoration is to one born of God - not to Adam).

**But look - vs. 25-32. The elder son was angry, and he didn’t have the heart of The Father. He was justified by his own actions - and never realized that his relationship with His Father was secure because of The Father’s love.

May we ask The Lord to open our eyes that we could truly see the glorious relationship with The Father that we have been brought into by His Son. Vs. 31 - WE ARE EVER WITH HIM, AND ALL THAT HE HAS IS OURS.

That’s GREAT SALVATION!

We are seeking to come to a greater comprehension of our Great Salvation. We are born again, we are a New Creation, but there is much more to our Salvation. GOD’S PURPOSE is not fully realized just in us being born again; it is the beginning. Jesus told Nicodemus (John 3:3) except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now that we are born again, we are to continue to the fulness of that Salvation.

2 Timothy 1:9-10 - God has saved us, and called us with an HOLY CALLING, NOT according to our works, but according to HIS OWN PURPOSE and grace, which was given us IN CHRIST JESUS...who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

** This New Creation, who has been saved has a holy calling - not unto our own selves, but according to God’s own purpose, and we are to walk (live) worthy of this calling. (1 Thessalonians 2:12, Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10)

** It is in those who have been saved that God’s PURPOSE comes to be SEEN. Romans 8:28-29 - the called according to HIS PURPOSE...predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. (**call and purpose ends in sonship)

Ephesians 1:3-6 chosen us in him...having predestinated us unto the adoption (placing as a son) by Jesus Christ to Himself according to His will. (Ephesians 1 makes several references to His Will - that we should be to the praise of His glory.)

So God planned a New Creation in Christ that would show the world Who He is, because He brings them into a RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF. **We are called into a RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AS OUR FATHER, receiving His very Life, to satisfy His Will and Purpose in the earth.

The type of this comprehension is found in Abraham and Isaac in the testimony, but let’s look at what Hebrews 11 says about this. Vs. 8 - by faith, Abraham, when he was CALLED TO GO OUT INTO a place which he should after receive for an INHERITANCE, OBEYED; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. This is the first aspect we want to look at: Called out, into a place he didn’t know, he obeyed.

Now Abraham experienced this in his fleshly life, but this process and these terms apply to us as we grow in our understanding of Salvation - The New Creation Man is called OUT and INTO.

1 Peter 2:9 - ye are a peculiar people; THAT ye should shew forth the praise of him (God’s purpose) who has called you OUT of darkness INTO HIS marvellous light. (Jesus is that light.)

Colossians 1:12-13 - Giving thanks to the Father, which hath made us able to be partakers of the INHERITANCE of the saints in light, Who hath delivered us FROM the power of darkness and hath translated us INTO the kingdom of his dear Son. (We are called unto the fellowship of The Son.) ** Note: “hath” - not is going to, but this hath been done - by The Finished Work of Christ.

**Abraham was called out from what he knew of God by earthly, religious knowledge, into a NEW relationship with God, where God would reveal Himself to Abraham. This is not so much a physical land, but a SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP he would develop with God in this new place. (For us - in Christ.)

But in order for Abraham to experience this, something else was required: by faith HE OBEYED.

**This New Creation Man, who is called unto God has the ability to hear God and obey by faith. The first creation, the old man is disobedient and CANNOT obey God. Ephesians 2:2-3 - spirit that works in the children of disobedience (Adam)...we were BY NATURE the children of wrath. Now in the second, New Creation, God requires obedience, and ENABLES US TO BE obedient, because this obedience was summed up and fulfilled in Christ when He became obedient unto death, even the death of The Cross. (Philippians 2:5-8) It is by The Obedient Son dying that the promises made unto Abraham were fulfilled in Christ, and it is by a greater comprehension of that work of The Cross that we partake of His inheritance of Life.

**Three terms to consider: CALLED OUT, INTO A PLACE, OBEYED.

This is how we experience our GREAT SALVATION.

We are discussing our Great Salvation, and seeing that God had a PURPOSE in bringing forth a New Creation. That purpose is NOT “me going to heaven when I die”, but that God would make Himself known through a people here on this earth. God’s purpose ultimately is realized in a people called “The Church” - the ekklesia, the “called out ones”.

Ephesians 3:8-11 - The mystery was hid (in the Testimony, in God’s dealings before Christ), but NOW the church is to make known the manifest wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed IN CHRIST. And in The Church, “the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28), all things work together towards this purpose being made known.

**This was all hid until Christ came and died the death of The Cross. Now His Body, The Church, a people One with Him, are to make this known on the earth. Israel was a TYPE of this people in the Old Testament, through whom He would make Himself known in the earth.

And this people BEGAN with God calling Abram and making promises to him, and bringing forth a son to inherit these promises. **But we must understand that God’s plan was NOT fulfilled in Abraham and Isaac, but they only spoke of what Christ alone would fulfil. God called Abram and brought forth a people of his Seed, but this speaks of MUCH MORE than just the nation of Israel that would follow.

** Let’s settle this: God has chosen A PEOPLE IN CHRIST. The Jews were a type of a people chosen of God unto Himself, but the Jew after the flesh is not God’s plan. (See Romans 9-11; the Jew still has to be saved!) Through Abraham and Isaac, then through Israel (as the son) God showed what He would FULFIL only in Christ and The Church.

Galatians 3:6-9 - Abraham believed God, and they which are OF FAITH are the children of Abraham (not of flesh, but Jews and Gentiles who believe). Vs. 8 - God foresaw a people justified through faith - that is The Church. But how would He accomplish that? Not by the law (vs. 10-12) ** Vs. 13-15 - BY THE CROSS! By Christ being made a curse, we can receive the blessing of Abraham and the promise through FAITH. THE CROSS was always central to God’s plan.

**Vs. 16 - To Abraham and HIS SEED were the promises made. Not to SEEDS, as of many, but as of one; And to thy seed, which IS CHRIST! ** It is all summed up and fulfilled IN CHRIST!

But how are we (The Church) related to that? Vs. 29 - “If ye be Christ’s (born of Him, born from above, that Heavenly Seed), then are ye Abraham’s Seed, and HEIRS according to the promise.” Vs. 26-28 we are sons by faith IN CHRIST; not of the first creation - One Seed - One in Christ.

In the type God called Abram OUT of his first earthly life, and the promises God made with him were unto HIS SEED. Don’t forget at that time Abraham didn’t have any children. (Note: their names changed to Abraham and Sarah when the promised son, Isaac was to be born.) God was taking Abram INTO a new, spiritual, heavenly relationship with Himself that required him to leave the first realm and come into the second - by faith and obedience.

Genesis 12:1-3 - God would REVEAL this place (relationship) to Abram - by God appearing to Abram. (**We are not going to a “better place”, but seeing the Lord as He is in relationship to us). In this relationship “God will...” This is not us, but His work.

Vs. 7 - God promised all this to Abram’s seed, and it took many years before that promise came true and the seed was born.

God had to deal with Abram and change him before that son was born and Abram could really believe God; but all of God’s dealings with Abram were toward that Seed, and in light of that Seed. It ends in SONSHIP - the true Seed, the promised Seed, coming to be recognized and increased. And God’s dealing with us will be the same as we are learning Him this way. May we come to understand that Seed is Christ, and all the promises of God IN HIM are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God BY US (The Church). - 2Corinthians 1:20. We as The Church are partakers of that calling and heirs of the promise - that God may be glorified through us! That’s Our Great Salvation!

We are looking at the type of Salvation that is seen in the Old Testament with Abraham and Isaac concerning The Seed. God then did IN TYPE what He would do IN FULFILLMENT in Christ, so we need to comprehend this relationship so we can experience this aspect of our Salvation. Galatians 3:29 - And if ye be Christ’s (born of Him), then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. **The Seed is the heir; the promises were made to the seed (vs. 16). But this is not seeds (many), but as OF ONE - Christ; and NOW to those who are of One - of Christ - born of THAT SEED. This is the incorruptible Seed (The Seed of God, The Word - Christ - 1 Peter 1:23), by whom we are born again (born from above). This is what the “story” of Abraham and Isaac is setting forth.

And as we are seeing, Christ fulfils the type, and is MUCH MORE than the type. It was over this issue of THE SEED that Jesus had trouble with the Jews of His day; they considered themselves the seed of Abraham (and they were NATURALLY), but they refused HIM, Who was the True Seed, to Whom the promises were made, and would be fulfilled in.

John 8 - Jesus is speaking to the Jews about the Father/Son relationship. Vs. 31-42 - We be Abraham’s seed! VS. 39 ** If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. That is FAITH re: SEED. **Here’s the issue - vs. 53 - Are you greater than our Father Abraham? Vs. 56 - Your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY DAY...vs. 58 - Before Abraham was, I AM! HE IS MUCH MORE!! He dictated what God did with Abraham, He was what Abraham saw, and He fulfilled what was spoken of to Abraham!

So let’s look at this “day” that Abraham saw. This is LIGHT, an understanding OF FAITH that Abraham walked in. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. (Gal. 3:6) Hebrews 11 tells us he looked for a city whose builder and maker was God, and he offered up Isaac his son, knowing that God would raise him up, because the promises of God were made to THAT SEED. There was a work of God with Abraham, and it was varied, but it was all in regard to THE SEED. And to those who are knowing the Lord in this way there will be a similar work. Note: Abraham was a vessel called to bring forth The Seed. This is fulfilled by Christ in The Church bringing forth One Life - The Son. We also see a continual type of The Cross - a taking away in Abraham, until he believes God for everything! ** If God doesn’t do it - it doesn’t get done! Genesis 12 - NOTE: Abram and Sarai had different names UNTIL The Seed that God promised is to be born, (In Gen. 17 God changes their names: Abram now become Abraham, the father of a great multitude, and Sarai becomes Sarah, or Princess). This typifies a total change in nature. When The Seed comes, we are changed - now known as God would know us. It’s not ME giving ME a new name, but a people coming into the fulness of God’s purpose - and that changes ME! NOTE also - all things work together for good (God’s purpose) for the called. Things may seem to fail, but God uses even that for His use.

Genesis 12:1-3 - You must leave all of the first. In the place God will reveal to you, it is all “I will...” God’s purpose and work. Vs. 7 - Unto THY SEED will I give this land. God’s promise is to The Seed. (Vs. 4,5- Abram took Lot with him; maybe Abram thought he would be the seed?) Vs. 10-12 - In a time of famine Abram and Sarai go into Egypt (type of the world) and Abram puts The Seed in jeopardy. Vs. 12-13 - Abram wanted to preserve HIS OWN LIFE so he forsook his marriage relation. But God would not allow the mingling of The Seed of the world, and Abram and Sarai were sent out!

Genesis 13 - Abram and Lot prospered so the land would not hold them both. Lot chose his land and they separated. Vs. 14-17 - **AFTER Lot was separated (further work of The Cross), God told Abram to lift up his eyes and see the land, and talks of a GREATER SEED that is to come - that is not just numbers, but a different type.

Genesis 15 - Abram waits for the promise, but no seed comes. Vs. 2-6 - Will the steward in my house by the heir? God says NO: the seed and heir shall come out of your bowels, but (vs. 5) the seed shall be heavenly (as stars).

Genesis 16 - Abram and Sarai decide THEY will produce the heir: it will be out of Abram, but not the wife. This son is born of the Egyptian bondservant. He lives, but for 13 years (the number of rebellion) God didn’t deal with Abram.

Genesis 17:1-2 - God speaks again, appearing to Abram as Almighty God. NOW He changes their names, and IN HIS TIME, He will bring forth The Seed with whom He will establish His Covenant (vs. 4-8). He gives the sign of circumcision - cutting away (vs. 9-14). Vs. 15-19 - The Covenant is NOT with Ishmael, but God will establish His Covenant with The Seed He brings forth of the wife.

Genesis 21 - Two boys in the household, but ONLY ONE SON. He must be recognized as The Son, The Heir, so the first has to be put out. Vs. 10 - Cast out the bondwoman and HER SON, he shall not be heir with God’s Son. Galatians 4 tells us this is an allegory of two covenants: the one born after the flesh leads to bondage. The other born of the freewoman was by promise. The one of the flesh MUST be put out! Vs. 31 - and WE - in Christ, are NOT children of the bondwoman, but of the free. Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast - IN CHRIST - and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage - THAT SEED HAS MADE YOU FREE! That’s Great Salvation!

We are continuing to consider THIS SEED to whom the promises of God were made in the Old Testament to Abraham. **God gave the inheritance to Abraham BY PROMISE, and we are seeing that promise is fulfilled by Christ and in Christ, for He is That Seed - Galatians 3:16.

So on our diagram of the types of Salvation we can put “PROMISE BY FAITH” with the type of Abraham and Isaac, the seed and the land. And later God gave The Law to Israel, so The Law applies to Israel. We want to see the order set out by God, and the relationship of this promise by faith, and The Law. This is relevant to us today: how do we receive from God - by faith or law?

Galatians 3:17-19a - The Law came AFTER the promise, but it could not make the promise of none effect. The inheritance is NOT by the Law (you don’t follow “rules” to get to heaven), but you believe God for His Seed - by faith.

Vs. 19 - The law was added UNTIL THE SEED should come to Whom the promise was made. That Seed is Christ. (Romans 10:7 - Christ is the END of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.) * God always planned it to be by FAITH.

Vs. 22-23 - Promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. Law was kept until the faith be revealed - in Christ.

** Let’s look now at this promise that was given to Abraham, and THE SIGN that God gave him. Remember with Abraham the promise was of a Seed, Isaac; but that was only a type of The True Seed - Christ, The Son of God.

Romans 4:1-5 - Abraham believed God. It was a work of GRACE - by faith.

Vs. 9-16 - Abraham was accounted righteous BY FAITH when he was in uncircumcision.

** Vs. 11 - He received THE SIGN of circumcision, a seal of righteousness of the faith he had...that he might be the father of all them that believe. NOTE: Circumcision was NOT given to Adam or Noah, but to Abram when God’s Seed was about to come forth (Genesis 17:9-14)

Vs. 13 - This promise to the seed was NOT by the law ...Vs. 16 - but of faith, that it might be by GRACE, and God’s grace is not dependent upon what I do, but upon who He is! To the end the promise might be sure to all the Seed.

So God’s promise of Christ, The Seed, is from His Grace, and we receive it by Faith. **Ephesians 2:8 - “for by GRACE are ye saved through faith; and that, not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

When Abraham believed God for His Seed, God gave him the sign of circumcision - the cutting away of the flesh (Gen. 17). Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised the same day, and then every male born in the house or brought into the house had to be circumcised. Newborns were circumcised on the 8th day. This speaks of The New Creation Who as The Seed must bear IN HIS BODY the marks of this cutting away of the flesh. The uncircumcised soul shall be cut off from his people. **In this household you must bear the marks of the Covenant with God!

Circumcision of the foreskin to Abram was a sign of God’s Covenant WITH HIS PEOPLE in this type of Salvation shown in the Old Testament. This comes to fulfillment in Christ in His death, burial and resurrection - The Promised Son/Seed died.

But now, what does this circumcision mean to us? Remember the first is always in the flesh, earth realm; but the second is greater, in the heavenly realm. Now in Christ, circumcision is fulfilled in a much greater measure!

Romans 2:28-29 - not an outward circumcision, but a circumcision of the heart, in the spirit - MUCH MORE!

Colossians 2:11 - In Christ ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ - The Cross. **This is the sign we are to bear as His Seed.

2 Corinthians 4:10-12 - Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that (here’s the purpose) the life also of Jesus may be manifest.

You see, This Seed of promise was designed of God to fall into the ground and die, and when it did, it brings forth fruit - HIS LIFE!

We bear His death so His Life can be seen in us! That is His inheritance in the saints - GREAT SALVATION!

We are continuing to look at our Great Salvation through the type set forth in the scripture in Abraham and Isaac concerning The Seed. This has been fulfilled in Christ as The Incorruptible Seed, and pertains to us because Galatians 3:29 says if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s Seed, and heirs according to the promise.

In our last lesson we saw that God gave the inheritance to Abraham by promise (before the Law), and that God gave Abraham the sign of circumcision (cutting away of flesh) for Abraham and his seed to establish His covenant. **Now every male in Abraham’s household had to be circumcised, but there was a difference when Ishmael and Isaac were circumcised. Ishmael was 13 years old (Gen. 17:25); 13 is the number of rebellion, and that boy was not the heir, and he had to be put out from the house. But Isaac was circumcised on the 8th day (Gen.21:4); 8 is the number of new beginnings and this is the heir of promise, not the flesh son - he begins and lives in obedience (obedient even unto death!)

And we have seen that the circumcision in the flesh spoke of a greater, spiritual circumcision (not outward, but inwardly - in the heart and in the Spirit (Romans 2:28,29), and it is this circumcision that we, as Abraham’s Seed - IN CHRIST - are partakers of; we partake of HIS Death, HIS burial, HIS resurrection.

Philippians 3:3 - for we are THE CIRCUMCISION (who bear the sign of God’s covenant in their flesh), which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH. Now in Christ we live by Him, in His faith - Not I, but Christ!

**The problem in the Church today is we have too many “uncircumcised” believers who are running around claiming God’s promises and “their” inheritance from God. But God gave the sign of circumcision to The Seed, The Heir - no confidence in the flesh. We today, as the heirs are not required to undergo physical circumcision, but we have a greater circumcision (Colossians 2:11) - the circumcision made without hands (spiritual) in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ. HIS circumcision is THE OBEDIENT DEATH OF THE SON - and out from this death comes the increase of The Seed.

We’ll look now in the scripture at three instances of this greater circumcision - work of The Spirit, in a person or people - and let’s look at the result of this circumcision.

1. JACOB - He was the seed of Isaac; he was a twin, born second but he stole the birthright (he got the inheritance) from Esau, and he gets the blessing. Jacob lives on his own wits, away from the inheritance, and prospers, but eventually he goes back. (Genesis 25-35) On the way back, Jacob (“The supplanter”) encountered a man WHO WRESTLED WITH HIM. Genesis 32:24-32 - At that point Jacob was touched and his thigh was put out of joint. HE BORE THAT MARK THE REST OF HIS LIFE! And God changed his name. Vs. 28 - No more Jacob, but Israel - a soldier of God with power before God, a prince with God. Genesis 35:10-15 - God gives the land promised to Israel - changed by God. Now Israel could rely on God’s promise, not the strength of his flesh.

2. JOSHUA - After Moses, God’s servant was dead, Joshua is raised up to lead the new generation into Canaan. The old generation of unbelief died in the wilderness, but a NEW generation will enter in. They pass over Jordan, and the first thing God tells Joshua to do is (Joshua 5:2-10) make SHARP KNIVES and circumcise again the children of Israel THE SECOND TIME. In the wilderness there was NO circumcision - but the NEW generation came into obedience and received the SIGN of God’s covenant with them. Then they were made whole, took the Passover, ate of the old corn of the land (manna ceased), then the Captain of the Lord’s Host appeared - then they could conquer Jericho!

3. SAUL - He was circumcised in the flesh and followed the law zealously, but Saul when he was struck down on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) was circumcised with that greater circumcision! Blind - dead - helpless; then raised by the Spirit. And his name was changed to Paul = little. This represents the New Creature = not I, but Christ who lives - in me! No confidence in the flesh.

The sign given to God’s Seed is the mark of death - a greater circumcision, and we too are called to bear that mark. We are to bear this continually, for God has never, and will never bestow His blessing on the flesh. As we bear His death, then His Life, The Life of The Seed will come forth in us! That’s a greater understanding of Our Great Salvation!

We are speaking of an UNDERSTANDING of our Great Salvation that is shown in the scriptures with Abraham and Isaac. We see this is all towards THE SEED to whom the promise is made, and it is received BY FAITH. And Abraham’s faith is tested and culminated when God required him to sacrifice that Seed. **This is an obvious type of The Cross - the death of The Son, The Seed. And note - this is REQUIRED BY GOD. ** THE CROSS IS CENTRAL TO GOD’S PLAN!

- Abraham had FAITH = a belief, trust, understanding, ASSURANCE.

Hebrews 11:17-19 - Abraham had a knowledge of God that ultimately enabled him to offer up that Seed (in whom the promises were) because he KNEW that God WAS ABLE to raise him up, even from the dead!

** This was not “blind” faith, but this assurance came out of Abraham’s knowledge of God through his experiences with God that are set forth in the scripture. This is characteristic of those who are described in Hebrews 11; these lived BY faith and died IN faith (Hebrews 11:13), and these were types of what should be true of us.

There is something very interesting that the scriptures shows us regarding Abraham and God’s dealing with him. (Remember Abraham is a type of those called out, chosen of God, those who are to be The Church) ** GOD APPEARED TO ABRAHAM. You don’t see this phrase in God’s dealings with Adam or Noah: God “spoke” but He didn’t “appear” to them. And the word “appear” means ‘to reveal, to show self, to make one’s self known, and to look upon with wonder because THE LORD is making Himself known.’ It is not just seeing with the eyes, but UNDERSTANDING the nature of The One seen, and it takes a work of God revealing HIMSELF - as Who He is - to make you see. And when you see Him and understand Him as He is - you have FAITH - belief, assurance - a knowledge based on Who He is! (God was able...)

Genesis 12:7 - The Lord appeared unto Abram and said...unto the Lord who appeared unto him. **God desires to make Himself known to the called, according to His purpose. And we must know Him in order to fulfil His purpose. This is a relationship God has FOR HIS OWN - Father/Son, not in name only, but understanding the nature of God as our Father, so we will know what He wills, and why, so we can be obedient to Him, and please Him. That’s why He must be revealed in us! In God’s dealings with Abraham He continually and progressively revealed Himself in situations to Abraham, and with each revelation of God - as He is - Abraham’s faith grew - so that he finally could offer Isaac as the sacrifice - in total obedience to God - IN FAITH! (In Genesis 1, in creation it is God = Elohim, The Strong One; but when man comes into view God is shown as “Lord God” = Jehovah (Genesis 2:7). Now He is “The Self Existent One Who REVEALS HIMSELF”, and we see this clearly with Abraham. Now He is not just The Creator, but He is personally involved with His own.)

Let’s see who Abraham came to know God to be:

Genesis 14:18-24 - “El Elyon” - Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth. Melchisedek is a type of Christ the High Priest. What happens to Abram? He gave Melchisedek of all the spoil and Abram wouldn’t take any of the spoil. Why? It all belongs to Him - The Most High, not man!

Genesis 15:1-8 - God begins to tell Abram, “I am...thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.” Abram calls Him “LORD God” = Adonai = MASTER, and/or Husband; and Abram now is learning OBEDIENCE to God as his Master. Note: This is in regard to The Seed, the heir. Vs. 6 - And he BELIEVED in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness. Vs. 7 - I am the Lord... Vs. 8 - LORD GOD, how shall I know? (** We should not tell Him “NO!” if we know Him as Lord! The knowledge of Him as Lord brings total obedience in us.)

Genesis 17:1-2 - The Lord appeared to Abram (after Ishmael was born, after 13 years of rebellion)...I AM The Almighty God = El Shaddai = The Breasted One, The Nourisher, The Strength Giver, The Satisfier = THE ALL SUFFICIENT ONE! NOW, WALK BEFORE Me and come to maturity (perfection). Now The Almighty God changes Abram’s name, gives the sign of circumcision, and promises the birth of Isaac, who God will establish His covenant with.

Genesis 21:33 - Abraham called on the name of The Lord, The Everlasting God = He is God over everlasting things! (Not of the earthly realm, but eternal.)

This all culminates in Genesis 22 when God tempted Abraham (vs. 2) to take his only son to offer as a burnt offering. ** Because of Abraham’s faith (knowledge, assurance) of God, he did - in obedience - and Vs. 14 - Abraham called that place Jehovah Jireh = GOD WILL SEE - In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. **Just as Abraham had God revealed to him, even so we must come to know Him. And as we do, we can live by His Faith. That’s Great Salvation!

As we are considering our Great Salvation, may our hearts be stirred as the Apostle Paul’s - TO KNOW HIM (Philippians 3:10-14). To know HIM, and the power of HIS resurrection, and the fellowship of HIS sufferings, being made conformable to HIS death. And we are seeing that we must know Him in relation to HIS death on The Cross, and come to understand what He really did, and how that relates to us. (It’s not “my” death, but HIS death that matters.) NOTE: HIS - The Cross and the death, burial and resurrection is uniquely HIS. Others died on crosses, but only Jesus Christ died THE DEATH OF THE CROSS. And there are DEPTHS to this death that we must come to comprehend, and allow to be worked in us, if we are ever to truly know Him in the power of His Resurrection.

** Remember The Cross (Christ crucified) is the power and wisdom of God (1 Corin. 1:23-24), and is central to God’s plan of Salvation. Most Christians only vaguely understand that “Jesus died for my sins, and now I can go to heaven when I die”, but they have never comprehended the greatness of His death, and therefore don’t know Him in the power of His resurrection. **The Cross - His death is the means of our Salvation, but His death has vast applications, and becomes greater in our continual knowing of Him.

We are going to apply HIS DEATH to the three types of Salvation in the Old Testament, and relate them scripturally to the word “except”. EXCEPT = There is NO other way; this is necessary, it is a must. Each of the types (Adam, Abraham and Isaac, Israel); all MUST come to The Cross, but The Cross accomplishes a different WORK of Salvation to each of them.

1. TO ADAM - The Cross means ALL DEAD; when One died, all were made to be dead. Now: John 3:3 - EXCEPT a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Vs. 5 - EXCEPT a man be born of water and of The Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. ** This is the only way!

- But, how can a man be born from above EXCEPT he die to his first birth, the natural, flesh, old? That’s why our first understanding of Salvation - by The Cross - has to be reckoning OURSELVES DEAD; planted in the likeness of HIS death (Romans 6). Now we are not an old creation “going to heaven”, but are born again because Christ lives in us - A NEW CREATION! Romans 8:9-10 - If Christ be in you, the body is dead...but the Spirit is life...

Now as that New Creation in Christ there is a deeper work of The Cross, and we see this in the type regarding Abraham and Isaac.

2. To Isaac and The Seed - here THE SON must die! Not the son of the flesh, but The Son of Promise. And this is an OBEDIENT SON, doing the will of The Father. ** Here this death is not to bring The Son to His finish, but for INCREASE. John 12:24 - EXCEPT a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit - HIS SEED bringing forth HIS LIFE - in many, but they are all one - HIS INCREASE! (Look in Genesis 22:15-18 - Because you have not withheld thy son, I will multiply thy seed...because thou hast obeyed my voice.)

Now Jesus died on The Cross so that He could bless all the nations on the earth and give them His Life, but the greater comprehension is that THIS SEED has to fall into us - we are the land that He is to possess! And IN US He brings forth Himself - HIS FRUIT, HIS LIFE.

**The Seed as The Son dies for FRUITFULNESS, INCREASE - not of us, but of HIM! Death worketh in us, so His Life is manifest -( 2 Corinthians 4:10-12). This is the only way we can bring forth his Life - EXCEPT - no other way! We must know Him as That Seed dying in us, His New Creation.

*The Purpose of The New Creation is for The Seed to come forth in! Without The Seed the land would be barren - good for nothing!

3. To Israel - Israel speaks of the Corporate Body and is unto FULNESS, and here it is unto the manifestation of Life. The work and knowledge of The Cross here is unto resurrection, glory, life. THIS IS THE DEATH OF THE LAMB.

John 6:53-57 - EXCEPT ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth...hath eternal life...dwelleth in me, and I in him...even he shall live by me. ** This is living in the power of His resurrection, but it can not be done EXCEPT we continually partake of His death. ** Here He sheds THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!

The greatness of His death produces our Great Salvation, and we must continually partake of it. This is our communion with Him. We use 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 as a form for our “communion services”, but shouldn’t it be our way of life? Showing The Lord’s death until He appears (comes) - in us!

May we come to know Him in these “EXCEPT” scriptures; there is no other way!

We are considering the understanding of Christ and The Cross pertaining to The Seed. We who are The New Creation are born of that Seed, which is Christ, and we must come to experience what the death of The Cross means specifically to The Seed. To Adam, The Cross meant death to that man. And now to The Seed, the death is unto INCREASE. John 12:24 - Except the seed die, it abides alone, but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit (an increase of The Seed).

**This is where THE SON DIES; and it is a special work of The Cross here - and the purpose is INCREASE. (Note: God didn’t plan an increase of Adam, but of His Son.)

Look in the type in Genesis 22:1-5 - Abraham was told to take his son, HIS ONLY SON, whom he loved, and offer him for a BURNT OFFERING. It is this aspect of a burnt offering that we want to consider. Obviously Isaac is a type of Christ, the only son, beloved of The Father, but the offering was a special offering. Leviticus 1:2-4, 9 - a male without blemish, he shall offer it of HIS OWN VOLUNTARY WILL. **Christ DELIGHTED to do His Father’s Will! Even unto death! (Reference Hebrews 10:5-10) It is a SWEET SAVOUR unto the Lord! Isaac as the type offered HIMSELF to be sacrificed to please his father. He was OBEDIENT - even unto death. Jesus said regarding this seed: John 12:25-27 - He that loveth his (soulish) life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal...he that serves me, him will my Father honour. Vs. 27 - Would He be saved from The Cross? NO! For this cause came I unto this hour!

**The Son WILLINGLY offers Himself unto death to please The Father. At Jesus’ baptism - foreshadowing His death - The Father says: This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased! Isaac knew his life was given to him by God, and he willingly offered it back to God. Do we know that? How do we have life?

* Now THE SPIRIT OF THAT SON dwells IN US, and will bring us to that same understanding. Philippians 2:5-8 - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus...OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH...even the death of The Cross. Romans 12:1-2 - We are (as His Seed, members of His Son) to present our bodies (our individual lives) as LIVING sacrifices...which is our reasonable service...be transformed...that ye may PROVE (we be a witness, manifestation) of the perfect will of God. That is HIS INCREASE - in us - His Fruit. Men are to know us by our fruit (His life that we bear) and glorify OUR FATHER which is in heaven. **THE SON glorifies The Father! Just as Isaac did, we have to understand that we are supernaturally born of God, who our Father is, and that we don’t live unto ourselves. We must WILLINGLY OFFER OURSELVES unto the death of The Cross to please The Father, so that HIS INCREASE, His Life can come forth in us. We can see this PRINCIPLE of The Seed, The Son coming to a death to do the will of God, bringing forth His increase in the Bible. *Remember these are the dealings of a Father/Son - not with Adam.

JOSEPH - Genesis 37- Rachel his mother was barren, but God remembered her. Vs. 3 - Israel loved Joseph more than all his children. He had dreams of being exalted over his brothers, so they hated him. He is cast into the pit of death, is sold, goes into Egypt, into prison; but ULTIMATELY Joseph gains the place of prominence over all the land and his brothers have to come to him for food. Joseph is tested during these many years, but in the end is exalted and shows true love for his brethren. There is a true, deep working of death in Joseph THAT God’s will be accomplished.

MOSES - Exodus 2 - Moses was under the sentence of death when he was born but God preserved him. He grows up as Pharaoh’s daughter’s son, but he has been given life to deliver God’s people, God’s son. Moses first thinks he can deliver them by his strength (vs. 11-15), but he has to flee so that God can remove all of Moses’ strength from him. He is 40 years tending the flock of his father in law on the back side of the desert before God was ready to use him. Now Moses is called of God to return to Egypt, but he goes knowing “I can’t”, and he now declares THE I AM THAT I AM to the people!

JOHN THE BAPTIST - He also had a supernatural birth. (Luke1) But he had a purpose (vs. 16,17) - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And John had that ministry UNTIL Christ came and declared HIMSELF to be The Son. John WILLINGLY gave up his life, his ministry for the Greater ONE! John 3:27-30 - I am not The Christ...he that hears the bridegroom’s voice rejoiceth, my joy therefore is fulfilled. HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE.

This is the working of this greater comprehension of The Cross IN US, His Creation, who is the vessel containing His Seed. HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE. May we WILLINGLY, voluntarily offer ourselves to be TOTALLY consumed, that The Father’s Will be done - One Son - not I, Christ! Remember 2 Corinthians 4:7- we have this treasure (This Seed, this Life, this Son) in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us!

In considering our Great Salvation we now want to look a little closer at the relationship of THE SEED and THE LAND that is promised to Abraham. This was the basis of God’s Covenant with those that He called out then unto Himself, and it is fulfilled by Christ in The New Covenant with His Church, but it is important that we see the relationship between The Seed and The Land.

Genesis 12:7 - Unto thy seed will I give this land. **The Land was promised to the Seed. - In the testimony God gave the natural seed a physical land. Now we are learning that the first is always natural, in the earth realm; but the second is spiritual and is “Much More”.

- In the fulfillment THE SEED IS CHRIST, but did God promise Christ a physical land? No, and because of our lack of understanding, we believe this is some PLACE that we are going to when we die, and that “we” are going to go fill up heaven; that “we” are going to fill up that land. But the true understanding of the relationship of This Seed and Land is “much more” than that!

**This greater understanding will help us to comprehend The Church: for if Christ is The Seed, then that Land is HIS BODY, that He has been given of God, and THE SEED is to POSSESS and FILL UP that LAND, and that Land is to bring forth HIS FRUIT.

Look at the fulfillment in Ephesians 1:18 - The riches of the glory of HIS inheritance IN THE SAINTS. The promises of God were all to That Seed, that Son, but now as born again believers that Seed is IN US; so now those promises to The Seed might be manifested BY us. ** Every seed has its own body (1 Cor. 15:38), and God gave Christ a glorified Body in the resurrection that has received His inheritance, and is to manifest it. That’s The Church! Ephesians 3:10-11 - The Church, His Body, is to make known the manifest wisdom of God - Now! Vs. 11- According to the purpose...(Remember we said God’s purpose is not just for us to be born again, but that we manifest His Life; because what really is His inheritance? LIFE! ETERNAL LIFE WITH THE FATHER! His Body is to manifest His Life - Now! If we could properly understand this, it would correct a lot of our doctrines and our activities. **THE LAND IS TO EXPRESS THE SEED, and they become one. (Example - you have an acre of land. It’s just land. But now you plant corn in it, and now you have an acre of corn - not land AND corn - they become one, and the corn defines the land. And if there is nothing planted in the ground it is just land, and of itself has no definition and can’t bring forth any fruit. This should help us understand what God expects from the Land He promised The Seed. **The Seed only has ONE BODY - HIS Body. We are not just a body of believers (that’s the land!), but we are THE LORD’S BODY - Christ giving definition to the land. And it’s okay to go get more believers, but in that land you have to be planting that Seed, which is Christ - that Incorruptible Seed, otherwise all you have is barren land. And God’s Eternal Plan was always unto FRUITFULNESS, not barrenness - every seed bringing forth its own kind.

In the scripture there were many interventions of God when women were barren - Sarai, Rachel, Rebekah, Hannah, Elizabeth (John’s mother), and in all of these cases, it was THE LORD bringing life, and they conceived. But in each of these cases the births were all in relation to The Seed. And in the fulfillment in Christ, The Lord is not looking for natural births, but THE FRUIT OF THE SEED.

- Luke 13:6-9 - the man who planted the fig tree sought fruit from it. If not it should be cut down because it takes up space in the ground - for nothing. *The dresser of the vineyard desires to cultivate it to bring forth its fruit. (Reference John 15 - He is Vine, ye are branches - to bear His fruit - much fruit that The Father be glorified). **2 Thessalonians 1:10 - HE shall come to be glorified IN THE SAINTS, and to be admired in all them that believe. That’s the Land manifesting The Seed.

And don’t think that any growing thing will do! Isaiah 5:1-7 - God planted THE choicest vine and He looked for fruit, but the vineyard brought forth WILD grapes (looked like it, but was not the True Fruit). God took up His hedge and it was laid to waste!

Matthew 21 - The Lord expects fruit on the tree. Vs. 18-20 - He cursed the barren tree and it withered away.

May the Lord help us to see our relationship to Christ in regard to The Seed and The Land, The Church. Ephesians 1:22,23 defines The Church as HIS BODY, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. ** Remember this land was promised to the seed in the Old Covenant, and it is precious to God and it can’t be lost because it was purchased by the precious Blood of His Son, His Seed. And God is at work in us waiting for the increase of His Seed. James 5:7-8 - The husbandman waits for the precious fruit - to come forth in the land. When will it come? With the coming (appearing, manifesting) of The Lord. And where will He appear? IN HIS BODY, The Land, The Church - filling it up with Himself. He has long patience for that! Let us prepare our hearts for His increase in us - That’s Great Salvation!

As we are finishing our look at the second type of our Great Salvation regarding The Seed and The Land, I want to emphasize that CHRIST IS THE PERSON OF OUR SALVATION. All of these types find their fulfillment in HIM. **His very name, Jesus = Jeshua = Salvation (Matthew 1:21) *The emphasis should not be on “me getting saved”, but that we come to know HIM as our Salvation. And these types that we are looking at in the Old Testament are understandings we must come to regarding Christ as our Salvation.

I want us to look at three pronouns that we can apply to these understanding of Christ as our Salvation. *Note: There is a progressive order that must be followed as we grow in understanding. These pronouns are: HE, HIS, HIM. HE relates to our understanding of The New Creation; HIS relates to the understanding of Seed/Land; HIM relates to The Church. Let’s look at this scripturally.

1. NEW CREATION - understanding who HE is; we come to realize the first man was Adam, the second man is The Lord (1 Cor. 15:47). Now it is not I, but CHRIST. (Galatians 2:20)

- Colossians. 3:9-11 - put off old man...put on New Man...neither...nor...but CHRIST is all - HE!

- Revelation 21:5 - I make all things new. (We are born anew - as Who He is)

- John 14:19 - Because I live, ye shall live (even as I live). HE is the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25) We live as He lives - One with The Father.

- Ephesians 2:5-6 - we are quickened, raised, seated as one - in Christ. In = of the same substance. I am not “in Christ” separate from Who He is; but One.

** And now as that New Creation, we are learning who HE is. 1 Corinthians 1:30 - HE is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. These are not “things” He gives us, but Who HE is; and as The New Creation we come to realize that in all things HE might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18) ** OUR SALVATION IS HE (CHRIST) IN YOU!

2. SEED/LAND - As we understand that He is The Seed (Life, Heir, Son) in us, then we come to understand what is HIS, and we are HIS; understanding HIS Seed filling HIS Land - that is HIS BODY.

- Ephesians 1:22-23 - The Church is HIS Body. (I am not my own, or members of man’s church organization, but ONE Body - HIS - Romans 12: 4,5- many/One.

- Here it is HIS calling, HIS inheritance in the saints - Ephesians 1:18

- As HIS, we are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), but we received what is HIS - His Life, His relationship with HIS Father.

- Here it is HIS increase - not mine. (Isaiah 9:6 - of the increase of HIS government and peace there shall be no end.)

** As The Seed it is the increase of ONE - in many, but it is HIS increase.

- This all takes place in HIS Body - The Seed possessing the Land - us.

- Philippians 3:20,21 - He shall change our vile body (the religious body of the first order) (Note: not bodies); that it may be fashioned like unto HIS glorious body. That is a glorified Man, The Body of HIS Resurrection, HIS Life. These are HIS own, living HIS Life, and it is by HIS working.

- Colossians 1:29 - according to HIS working, which worketh in me mightily.

3. THE CHURCH - This is HIS people in whom HE dwells, and they are to manifest HIM - the fulness of HIM that filleth all in all (Eph. 1:23)

(Israel was the type of this - a people who were called by HIS name, to make The I AM known to the nations. Exodus 3:13,14 - Moses was to declare The I AM.)

** Now The Church is to show HIM - 1 Peter 2:9,10 - a nation... that (here’s God’s purpose) ye should show forth the praises (virtues) of HIM.

The Church is to manifest HIM - Matthew 18:15-20 - Where two or three (a collective expression) are gathered in my name (in the understanding of Him - of Who HE is, and they are HIS) - there AM I (made manifest) in the midst of them.

- And as we hold HIM to be The Head of The Church that God has made HIM to be, HE will manifest HIMSELF in our midst.

** And all ministry in The Church is so The Body will be built up and come to manifest the fulness of HIM - (Ephesians 4:11-14, 15-16) - Grow up into HIM.

This is how the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God. This is our GREAT SALVATION - it is Who HE is, revealing HIS Life in HIS own, who manifest HIM.

** “We” are not going to go be “with HIM” someday; we are HIS now, and He wants us to manifest HIM while we are on this earth!

HE IS OUR GREAT SALVATION!

In our consideration of The Seed and The Land of our Great Salvation, we saw in James 5:7,8 that the husbandman has long patience for the fruit. We are seeing that this fruit is HIS INCREASE - in us, and it is by The Seed dying, and His death being worked in us, that this takes place. This was what The Father planned - an increase of His Seed - in many.

John 15:8 - Herein is my Father glorified, that YE bear much fruit.

** It is IN US, by us that His Life is to be seen. The fruit is seen, and manifests the life of The Seed. And this is His work in us today.

** Make no mistake - THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEED!

1 Peter 1:23 says we are born again of Incorruptible Seed, by The Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. But that Seed has to be RECEIVED into the Land, and it is the condition of the land that will determine how that Seed grows.

James 1:21 - Lay apart all wickedness, and RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS (willing to accept God’s dealings with you, able to be corrected) the engrafted word (The Seed) which is able to SAVE YOUR SOULS. *This is the transformation that takes place in our hearts, our minds when HE increases and we decrease; when He possesses us and changes us - into His own image (bearing His fruit - His Life, His nature).

- We have to receive This Seed, This Word in our hearts - willingly, anxiously, to allow Him to possess us and manifest Himself in us.

Colossians 3:15-17 - Let (allow it to be so)...peace rule in your hearts...Let the word of Christ dwell IN YOU (Seed in land) richly...whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of The Lord Jesus (in His nature, His character.) **We must allow this to be in us. The Seed, His Word is Spirit and Life, but we must RECEIVE it into our own hearts, and allow for HIS increase. (Too many Christians try to use The Word for their profit, their increase; but we must receive The Word with meekness (knowing God needs to do a work IN US - eliminating us) so that only He will increase. HE must increase, I must decrease.

Proverbs 2:1-6 - Notice these are instructions to “my son”. (It is with the Seed/Land that we come to understand the Father/Son relationship that we have been brought into.) Look at what is required: RECEIVE MY (we’d rather receive someone else’s) words, HIDE my commandments, INCLINE thine ear unto wisdom (we have “itchy” ears), APPLY thine heart to understanding, CRY after knowledge, SEEK understanding...THEN shall you understand...and find the knowledge of God.

All of this is what takes place IN US, and because we do not do these things we are unfruitful in bringing forth His Life. Remember the problem is with The Land, not with The Seed!

Luke 8:1-15 - The parable of The Sower.

- vs. 1-8 - Notice there is no fruit until The Seed finds GOOD ground. In the other cases it brought forth nothing that lasted.

- vs. 11-15 explains the parable, and deals with what is happening in the hearts of those that hear (the Land).

- vs. 15 - Good ground is described as they which in an HONEST and GOOD heart, having heard the word, KEEP IT, and bring forth fruit with patience. **The heart ALLOWS The Seed to bring its increase.**

And this word “patience” brings us right back to James 5:7-8 where we are told to be patient unto the coming of The Lord, and that we must establish our hearts, for the coming of The Lord draws near. When this happens, the precious fruit will come forth, for He is coming (appearing, making Himself known, manifesting Himself) - IN US!! And His fruit (His nature) will be seen in us!

This is The Seed possessing The Land, The Land now expressing The Seed which is its very Life. May we set our hearts to patiently wait for His full manifestation; inclining our hearts to this, and allowing Him to fill us up totally with His Life. This is the reality of our Great Salvation - may we begin to walk in The Truth of it.

Colossians 3:1-4 - We must set our hearts upon Him, and allow Him to appear - IN US - as our Life. When He appears in us, we manifest His glory. We are One with Him, manifesting His Life, His Fruit - that The Father may be glorified. This is Our Great Salvation. We are dead (work of The Cross); our life is hid with Christ in God, and Christ appearing in us, that Incorruptible Seed, bringing forth His incorruptible Life. May The Lord give us His understanding of The Seed and The Land - all FULFILLED IN CHRIST!

As we continue and begin to look at the third type of our Salvation that is set forth in the scriptures, let us remember one of the scriptures we began with, encouraging us not to neglect so Great Salvation (Hebrews 2:3). We must keep the Truth of our Salvation constantly before us, and continually desire to appreciate it and walk in it; because don’t forget that we are NOT walking in the type of it, but by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, we are NOW in the reality of THE FINISHED WORK OF THE CROSS. And I pray that by these studies we truly are coming to see the greatness of our Salvation - it is MUCH MORE! The Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:18 that we comprehend the breadth, length, depth and height of this Great Salvation so that (vs. 19) ye might be filled with the fulness of God. And that is certainly MUCH MORE than most Christians understand their Salvation to be.

** God always works unto FULNESS: His full thought, a complete work, and is only fully satisfied by that. We are seeing that God’s fulness dwells in HIS SON (Col.2:9) - not you or me; and that our Salvation has brought us into that fulness by our RELATIONSHIP to His Son. And these types are setting forth the PROGRESSIVE nature of that relationship - not with a religion, but with a Person - JESUS CHRIST THE LORD. So in the first understanding of the relationship of Salvation we come to understand that we are a New Creation - born from above, with His Life. Then we come to understand that He is The Seed and we are the Land, and our purpose is to bring forth His increase. Now this is worked in individual believers, but God’s fulness is not reached just by that, so the scripture sets forth this third relationship in the type of ISRAEL. And Israel represents a Special relationship with God, a deeper relationship, and through this relationship the FULNESS of God’s plan is to be SEEN.

* We hope to bring out many practical understandings of this relationship, but let us establish this at the outset: no one individual man or woman was purposed of God to come to, or manifest the fulness of God. We put our emphasis on “me” getting saved, “me” going to heaven, “me” growing up in Christ, but the type set forth in the Old Testament of Israel is A COLLECTIVE BODY - many, who are known as one, who God deals with as one, and who function in regard to that One Body. The individuals function in light of the whole Body. Now there is a great deal to this. “Israel” begins in Genesis 27, and God’s dealings with them takes up the rest of the Old Testament. ** And the type of Israel, this relationship was never fulfilled by the natural Israel, but comes to be fulfilled in THE CHURCH, which is His Body, the fulness of Him that fills all. This is not a building, or an organization, but those who are walking in the deeper relationship that is set forth in type in Israel.

** The fulness of God’s plan is SEEN (made manifest) in the Church on this earth, just as the type of this was SEEN in the earth through Israel. * God wants this Great Salvation to be made known! Ephesians 3:10 - it is by the Church that the manifold wisdom of God is to be made known. Here God’s full plan of Salvation comes to be seen - on the earth by The Church. **The Church (the corporate Body of Christ) IS the visible manifestation of our Great Salvation - making our relationship with God as our Father made known on this earth. Just as Jesus made His Father known when He walked the earth (John 14:9), so The Church is to make this relationship known.

- Let’s begin to look at this SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP that is set forth in type by Israel. Now Israel is the increase of Isaac, and in Israel we see the FULNESS of the promises made to Abraham and Isaac. It is a deeper, greater relationship that God speaks of, and will bring Israel into.

Deuteronomy 28:9-10 - “The Lord shall establish thee an holy people UNTO HIMSELF... and all the people of the earth SHALL SEE that thou art called by the name of The Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.” ** Israel was to be the manifestation of the Lord in the earth. Through them the world would know who God was. And God would do that by the special relationship HE would bring Israel into. Now, Israel had a vast and varied history with God that we will look at through these studies, but I want to focus now on what God said He would do specifically in Israel.

** Exodus 6:2-8: Notice God makes a difference between His dealings with Abraham, Isaac and - the children of Israel (Israel was Jacob!) Now TO ISRAEL He will make Himself known as JEHOVAH. That is His name in REDEMPTION, and this is the special relationship Israel has to Him. To them He will be I AM. (Remember Moses? Tell them I AM THAT I AM sent you - Exodus 3:14). He will redeem them and take them TO HIMSELF. This type was fulfilled by Christ in The Church - THE REDEEMED, and it is MUCH MORE than the type!

2 Corinthians 6:16: “ I will dwell IN them, and walk IN them... vs. 18 - And will be a Father unto you.”

This special relationship was typed in natural Israel, but it was fulfilled through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, and is manifested by The Church. Jesus spoke of this in John 14:20-23 - He and His Father would make their abode in This Israel - not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

May the Lord open our eyes to see this glorious, deeper relationship; that our Salvation is by our Oneness with Christ. As God called out a people unto Himself that the world would know Him - MUCH MORE The Church has been called to manifest Christ - the express image and glory of The Father. That was Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17. Verse 21 - ...that the world may believe... Vs. 23 -...that the world may know - by The Church, The Redeemed!

We are looking at the RELATIONSHIP of our Great Salvation that is set forth in type in the scriptures by Israel. Through Abram God called out a people and made promises to them. The Seed, Isaac was born, and the increase of Isaac was Israel. Jacob was given the name “Israel” when he wrestled with the angel. (Genesis 32:28) Jacob speaks of the natural lineage of Abraham, but Israel speaks of the spiritual, and it is in the spiritual part that God now begins a work.

There begins a strange history of Israel. Jacob had twelve sons, and through Joseph being sold into slavery and the famine in the land (Genesis 37-50) they all end up in Egypt, and they are known as “the children of Israel” (Exodus 1). But God doesn’t see them as individuals or tribes or families. He sees them in a special relationship with Himself. ** Exodus 4:22-23 - “Israel is my SON, even my firstborn.” These people were seen of God as One - as HIS OWN SON, and He would deal with them on that basis. This is His family, His household, His own: many who are one, who have one name.

In our last lesson we read in Deuteronomy 28:9-10 that God would establish a holy people UNTO HIMSELF; and that all the people of the earth WOULD SEE that they were called by the name of the Lord. Through Israel God would make Himself known. They did not live by themselves or unto themselves - they were God’s people: they were to manifest His Name, He was in their midst and would do things in them and with them to make Himself known.

** This is how we understand that Israel is a type of The Church, The Fulness of His Son. 1 Peter 2:9,10 - “Ye are a holy nation, a peculiar people...that ye should shew forth the praises of HIM that called you out of darkness...” 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.

*If we could understand the type of The Church that is set forth in Israel, we could see that God only has One Son: This Son was made up of many (all born of The Seed), but we take His Name, and live in His Family as His Own - not unto ourselves or in our own names. All of “our churches” and separate relationships would give way to this greater understanding of One Son - many who are One, bearing HIS Name, HIS nature, HIS Life - making HIM known. Jesus came and died to bring many sons unto glory (Hebrews 2:10) - into one household, one life, living as One Son unto One Father.

This helps explain some of what happens to the children of Israel in Egypt. Exodus 1. They increase exceedingly and they fill up the land. The new King who didn’t know Joseph tries to afflict them so they can’t overtake the Egyptians. Verse 12 - But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew! They tried to kill off the baby boys, but the midwives feared God! Moses was preserved and taken in as Pharaoh’s daughter’s son. It is all miraculous - and they survive and prosper. WHY? Romans 8:28-31 - “All things work together for good...to them who are the called according to his purpose...If God be for us, who can be against us?”

It is by these people, Israel, that God would make Himself known. In God’s dealings with Pharaoh and the plagues, and delivering His people from bondage: this was God’s intention - the people shall know that I AM THE LORD. (Exodus 7:5, 17; Exodus 8:22 (no flies in Goshen!); Exodus 10: 1,2)

** God put His Name in these people, and they became known by His Name. And in this people, God was faithful to His Name, and making Himself known through them. Now, natural Israel, even though they were brought into this special relationship with God as His Son, was not faithful to that; but God would have “an Israel” who was. This is The Church, that was brought forth in power when Christ was raised from the dead. This is that One Son, who glorifies The Father.

The Prophet Ezekiel spoke God’s mind and faithfulness in the fulfillment of this. Look here at WHY God is doing this - not for the people, but for HIS NAME’S SAKE. Ezekiel 36: 16-38

Vs. 17 - they defiled it by “their” own way and “their” own doings.
Vs. 20 - they profaned MY holy name.
Vs. 22 - I do not this for your sakes, but for MINE holy name’s sake.
Vs. 23 - I will sanctify MY great name... the heathen shall know that I AM
The Lord...when I shall be sanctified IN YOU before their eyes.
Vs. 25 - A NEW heart also will I give you, and a NEW spirit will I put within you. (This He does in The New Creation.)
Vs. 27 - I will put MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, and cause you to walk in My statutes.
Vs. 32 - Not for your sakes do I this... be ashamed and confounded for your Own ways.
Vs. 36 - Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places...I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it.
Vs. 38 - ...and they shall know that I AM the Lord.

**It is His Church, The Body of His Son who has that New Heart and New Spirit, who can walk in His Ways, and make the I AM Known on the earth. It is HIS NAME that is to be made known - not our names.

Look at the measure of The City that Ezekiel saw: Ezekiel 48:35 - THE LORD is there!

** May the Lord bring us to this understanding - not me or you - THE LORD IS THERE!

We are considering the type of Israel in the Bible to help us see the glorious RELATIONSHIP we have been brought to in our Great Salvation. I want to stress the word “relationship”: this is a people who are actively, continually involved in a relationship with God. Here God is not far off, not unconcerned, but He is involved with them in everything.

2 Corinthians 6:16, 18 - “I will dwell in them, I will walk in them...I will be their God, and they shall be my people... and will be a Father unto you.”

- John saw this FULFILLED in the book of Revelation through the Church, the heavenly Jerusalem, the bride - all speaking of this relationship. Revelation 21:2,3

And we know this is accomplished through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, because He promised He and The Father would come and make THEIR abode IN US. (John 14:23)

So this is a RELATIONSHIP that The Father planned to bring a people into. This is not a “place” where we will go someday to live forever where He lives; but we have been brought into His household, and live as His own people TODAY. The New Testament speaks of how that relationship will be manifested by His Church, The “Israel” of God, His people. My question to us is - are we living in this understanding?

2 Corinthians 5:15 - (comes out of the understanding in verse 14: He died, all dead). Now - “they THAT LIVE should not henceforth live unto themselves, but UNTO HIM. “* This is a people called by His Name, to serve Him, not having their own individual lives and interests, but all for Him. He will take care of those who live unto Him and not unto self. This is One Body, His Son.

Romans 6:11-13 - “Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive UNTO GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord.” * This is a people, His Own people who are to manifest His Life, bring glory to His Name. This is The New Man, created in holiness and righteousness. In this relationship we are not struggling daily with the flesh, sin issue, but ALIVE - with His Life - NOW!

Colossians 1:12-14 - “He hath translated us from the power of darkness, and hath translated US (notice “us” - a collective people, The Body) into the kingdom of His Dear Son.” * The Kingdom is His rule, His authority - we now are to live in His Household, under His authority. This has to be worked IN US - the Kingdom is in you!

** Verse 14 - “In whom we have REDEMPTION through the blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

** The relationship we see set forth in Israel is one of DELIVERANCE, and it is this aspect of REDEMPTION that we are going to begin to look at. This REDEMPTION is set forth in the scripture as unique to Israel: it is for God’s people, and is so they can walk with Him.

Exodus 6:3 - God would make Himself known to the people Israel as Jehovah - His Name in Redemption. ** He would not only do it, but show Himself to be that Redemption: CHRIST IS OUR REDEMPTION! (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Revelation 5:9 - “Thou wast slain, and has redeemed US TO GOD by thy blood.”

** We will see that Redemption for God’s Israel was not just “out of”, but it is ‘UNTO GOD” - NOT “TO” OR “FOR” OURSELVES, BUT UNTO GOD.

** We will also see that Redemption is through His blood, and in Israel we see this special, glorious aspect of THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

There are some important things to consider here:

1. With Adam there is NO mention of the Blood of The Lamb. There is a reference to a death (Genesis 3:21 - God made coats of skins), but the only reference to blood there is when Abel’s blood cries out from the ground to God. * With Adam it is the blood of a man.

2. With Abraham and Isaac there is NO mention of blood. There is an obedient Son offered unto death as the will of The Father.

3. Only with Israel is the Blood of The Lamb mentioned, and here The Lamb is killed and the blood is APPLIED BY ISRAEL. And here the Blood of The Lamb is shed and applied so that Israel can LIVE - and LIVE UNTO GOD.

These are all types of the depth of the Blood that was shed by The Cross of The Lord Jesus Christ. First He died AS us - and the blood of man brought an end to the first man. Then He obediently offered Himself as The Son to His Father, and

as The Lamb, He died FOR us, so that we could know Life, Redemption, Forgiveness of Sins. It is The Blood of The Lamb continually applied to our hearts that enables us to live UNTO GOD. May we rightly learn to discern His Blood!

Truly I believe we are seeing that Our Salvation is greater - MUCH MORE than we have understood. Unfortunately we have focused so much on us - ‘I am saved’, and we have failed to see and appreciate what the Father desires, and what God’s plan of Great Salvation really is. Oh yes, I am saved... but it’s much more than that, and we begin to see this in what the type of Israel represents. Let us never forget that our Salvation is summed up in The Person of Christ.

The Apostle Paul came to have the Father’s heart desire - this is what The Father is seeking in “our” Salvation.

* Galatians 4:19 - My little children, I travail... until CHRIST be (fully) formed in you. ** There is something MUCH MORE than our just being born of The Seed of God; it is that all that HE IS be in us, and manifested through us. That Seed is in many, but now The Father desires that those children take their rightful place in HIS Household, as His own, as His Son.

Hebrews 2:10 - speaks of bringing many sons to glory - to the oneness of the family, the relationship of living in The Son with His Father - that’s glory!

Romans 8:28-30 - speaks of the called who are predestinated to be conformed to the image (exactness) of His Son... whom He called, He justified, and those He glorified.

Ephesians 4:13 - ...come to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of CHRIST.

** This is what God desires - A CORPORATE EXPRESSION OF HIS SON IN THE EARTH.

This is what we see in the type of Israel in the scripture. Let’s consider: they were descendants of Isaac (born of the seed) but that wasn’t the end of God’s plan. He desired to bring them to a GREATER relationship - that of His Son. (For us - Salvation is more than just being “born again”). The Son takes us into The Father’s House to find our life there - joint heirs with Christ. This is how God referred to Israel - Exodus 4:22 - Israel is MY SON, and He wanted them to be free to worship and serve HIM. But when we see the children of Israel in the beginning of the book of Exodus they were in bondage to the Egyptians (the world and the powers of the world). Their lives were bitter with hard bondage (Exodus 1:14). Unfortunately this describes many “Christians” today!

** These were God’s people (not “sinners”, but those born of The Seed), but they were in bondage to the powers of the world, and not free to live the life God would have them live and serve Him. They needed DELIVERANCE in order to function as God’s Son, and that deliverance could ONLY come by the Mighty hand of God!

The type begins with Moses - signifying that deliverance will come by a man, and Moses is this glorious type of Christ, the deliverer.

Exodus 5 - Moses goes to Pharaoh and tells him God said, Let my people go...but, it only gets WORSE for the children of Israel! Even Moses gets discouraged (vs. 22-23). ** But God has planned a FULL deliverance for His people. We want a quick release from our problem, but God’s redemption for His people takes care of MUCH MORE!

** REDEMPTION IS NOT ONLY OUT FROM, BUT UNTO GOD - out and in. During the “contest” with Pharaoh the Lord continued to say, “Let MY people go, that they may serve ME (not themselves). Exodus 5-12 records this “contest” with Pharaoh, but God is in control during the whole thing: HE hardened Pharaoh’s heart, as He has spoken.

**VERY IMPORTANT: God performed many miracles, but there was NO deliverance. Why? Because God had already planned (from before the world was) that deliverance for HIS PEOPLE would be by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB. This was the means He would use to deliver His Son and redeem His People unto Himself.

Exodus 12:1-3 - This is the BEGINNING for Israel - no longer in bondage. Vs. 3 - A LAMB FOR A HOUSE. How many houses did God really see? And how many lambs did God really see? ONLY ONE!! God is defining His House, His Son, His Body - by THE LAMB. The blood had to be applied to the doorposts, and that defined those who were in God’s House. If you did not apply the blood - you were dead, but if you did - you lived! (Exodus 12:23 - the destroyer would not come into your house to smite you.) Inside the house you ate the Lamb.

**This Blood of The Lamb for the children of Israel meant LIFE - it enabled them to be delivered - and go out redeemed unto God. May the Lord help us to see that THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB was provided by Jesus’ death for the deliverance and redemption - not of Adam, but of HIS PEOPLE, THAT THEY WOULD BE FREE TO SERVE HIM! Praise God for The Blood of The Lamb.

We have been looking into the glorious understanding of a people in relationship with God as their Father, and are now looking at REDEMPTION by THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

Isaiah 43:21 - “This people have I formed for MYSELF; they shall show forth my praise.” Israel was the type of this, and by The Cross, the Church is the fulfillment of it. Note vs. 1-7 - “I have formed thee, I have redeemed them, I will be with thee, I have loved thee, I am with thee...etc. THOU ART MINE!” This is the glorious relationship we have now with The Father in Christ - a people who are His and manifest His Name. In order for God’s people to do that He redeemed them by The Blood of The Lamb.

**There is a comprehending of The Cross that is greater than just “Jesus died for my sins.” We must grow in our knowledge of The Blood of The Lamb.

- There is a first understanding: Jesus died AS us (2 Corinthians 5:21, He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made righteous. VS. 14 - If one died for all (Adam), then all dead - the old man is dead! His blood as the old man settled the issue of sin.

- But now, for those who LIVE (believe in His death and have received Him), this blood is FOR us - to enable us to live in and as God’s Household. This is the Blood of Redemption, it is The Blood of The Lamb that is APPLIED to the individual lives of God’s people.

We see this in the type with Israel - God’s people needing DELIVERANCE (redemption - unto God). It was only done by The Blood of The Lamb.

Exodus 12:5-6 - The Lamb WITHOUT blemish. ** This is not the blood of sinful man, but this is the blood of His Perfection. This is what is applied to the doorposts, and when this was applied the destroyer could not come into their house. This is The Blood of Redemption. That Blood is for God’s House, His Church!

1 Peter 1:13-20 - “As obedient children...be ye holy...ye were not redeemed with corruptible things...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb WITHOUT blemish and without spot.” ** Note: vs. 20 - FOR you.

Understanding, applying and appreciating The Blood of The Lamb enables God’s People to walk in the power of His Life - free in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free!

We will now look at some scriptures showing us the greatness of The Blood of The Lamb for GOD’S HOUSEHOLD. ** It is essential that we realize that these are terms that apply to God’s people (those in Christ, The Church), and NOT to the old man, Adam. The terms applying to God’s House are: forgiveness, restoration, adoption, resurrection, redemption, reconciliation. Knowing Christ in the power of The Blood of The Lamb allows us to enjoy these relationships with our Father.

- Ephesians 2:13 - made nigh by the blood of Christ. ** The Blood of The Lamb gives us ACCESS to the Father’s Household (not a building - a relationship).

- Hebrews 10:19-22 - having BRETHREN (a family name) boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and LIVING way... *Note: vs. 20 - FOR us.

- Ephesians 1:7 - In whom (in Christ) WE HAVE (not the old man - believers: not “going to get”) redemption through HIS BLOOD (redemption is always through His blood. He fulfilled the type of the Passover to Israel), the forgiveness of sins... vs. 12 - that we (here’s the purpose) should be to the praise of his glory.

** Adam does NOT receive forgiveness of sins - God’s people do. Sin caused Adam to die by Christ’s death on The Cross.

- 1 John 1:5-9 - God’s people are to walk (live) in the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us (the Church) from all sin. Vs. 9 - If WE confess OUR sins...He is just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us. **THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB IS FOR THE CLEANSING OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD!

- Romans 5:8-11 - Much more, BEING NOW justified by HIS BLOOD...we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His Life. ** The Blood of The Lamb is the assurance of His Life continually able to save us, keep us, deliver us.

God’s desire is for those in His Household to live by what The Blood of The Lamb has done for them. Revelation 7:13-17 - This is The Church, The Household of God, The Body of Christ. Vs. 14 - they washed their robes in THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. Vs. 15 - they serve HIM day and night. He that sits on the throne dwells among them. Vs. 17 - THE LAMB SHALL FEED THEM, AND SHALL LEAD THEM UNTO LIVING FOUNTAINS OF WATERS! May we become such a people! This is what The Blood of The Lamb can do! This is Great Salvation!

We have been talking about THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB that is applied to God’s household. This enables God’s people to serve Him in perfect liberty - The Blood provided their redemption UNTO GOD.

**The Cross was where the Blood was shed, and to Adam, to sin, to the old creation it was unto death. But for those who accept His death, that Blood brings Life - His Life, Abundant Life! Christ now in the power of His Resurrection as our High Priest (Hebrews 7:25) is able to save them to the uttermost because He ever liveth to make intercession for us! The Blood of The Lamb continues to be at work for The Redeemed as we apply it to our hearts and lives.

Let’s look a little more at this Blood of The Lamb - unto Life.

Revelation 12:10-11 - “And they OVERCAME him (the accuser of the brethren; Note: brethren = family of God) by (through) the blood of The Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not THEIR lives unto the death.” **This blood bring’s Christ’s victory to us - overcome, deliverance - from sin, self, world, death. “Word of their testimony” isn’t just me talking, but the Living Witness of Christ; the witness in them of Christ, the expression of Him! * We can’t say one thing and be something else! That’s why we don’t overcome the enemy.

** And they loved not their lives unto death - often we leave out that part, but this is essential. WE MUST PARTAKE OF THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!

John 6:53-58 - “Except (no other way) YE EAT the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life IN YOU...he that eateth my flesh and drinketh (partakes, applies) my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”

Jesus here is defining The Father’s House and how we can manifest His Life. This is NOT a place, but a RELATIONSHIP He has brought us into. How? By The Cross! John 14:2 - In my Father’s house (household) are many dwelling places (believers - look at verse 23 - we will come and make our abode with him)...I go to prepare a place for you. **What place was that? Where was Jesus going? TO THE CROSS! And by His death, burial and resurrection (verse 6) we can come to The Father. THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB GIVES US ACCESS TO THE FATHER’S HOUSEHOLD.

Look at this in John 10:7-18 where Jesus is speaking of The Shepherd of the sheepfold. I AM (He is revealed as I AM to “Israel”; we are to make the I AM known) the door. The sheep are God’s people - by Him we can enter in, be saved (vs. 9), go in and out and find pasture. ** Look at verse 11 - the nature of this shepherd - ...GIVETH HIS LIFE for the sheep (blood of the Lamb for the sheep).

** This is the nature of The Lamb, and is to be the nature of God’s household that has applied The Blood of The Lamb. The nature of The Lamb is to lay down his earth life - WILLINGLY, OBEDIENTLY to the will of The Father.

**You can’t live under the protection and full provision of The Blood of The Lamb and remain disobedient to the will of The Father. THE BLOOD WILL CLEANSE US OF OUR DISOBEDIENCE, REBELLION - if we let it!

John 10:14-16 - He knows His sheep and is known of them. But there are others to come into the fold (not only “natural” Jews) - one fold, one shepherd - speaks of The Church, The Father’s House, His Body.

**But God established an ORDER to His Household, and we see this in Exodus 12:42-51. This is the ordinance of The Passover - the killing of The Lamb and applying that blood - for God’s redemption of His people. This is to be observed of ALL the children of Israel in their generations.

Vs. 43 - no stranger shall eat thereof.

Vs. 44 - circumcision before you can eat the Passover. *The putting away of the flesh must come before you eat the Passover. **The Blood of The Lamb is NOT for the flesh man, but for The Obedient Son.

Vs. 45 - a foreigner or hired servant can’t eat (reference John 10 - the hireling will not lay down his life for the sheep.)

Vs. 46 - eaten in ONE house. *The law of this house is ONENESS.

Vs. 48 - no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

Vs. 49 - One law - to homeborn and who sojourns with you.

Vs. 50-51 - In the selfsame day that all the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded, The Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

May The Lord help us to understand the greatness of The Blood of The Lamb for our redemption. But we need to see the nature and the ordinance of partaking of that Blood. Until we honor it as God does, our deliverance will not be complete.

We are speaking of the glorious relationship of our Salvation as The Church: those who are the called, according to His purpose, and who live not only IN the household of God, but AS the household of God - where He dwells. Ephesians 2 tells us this is done by the blood of Christ (verse 13). Vs. 18-22 - Through Him and The Cross we have access unto the Father, and are the household of God; this building (new creation by The Spirit, not a physical building) is framed together (as One) for AN HABITATION OF GOD. ** We find our life there, in that relationship, but never forget - HE LIVES IN HIS HOUSE!

And we live in this relationship in Sonship (this is what Israel is a type of) and we must “grow up” into this understanding - by comprehending our Great Salvation.

Galatians 4:1 - The heir, AS LONG AS HE IS A CHILD (lacking in understanding) differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all. Vs. 6-7 - because ye are sons, God sent the Spirit of HIS SON into your hearts...thou art no more a servant, but a son...an heir of God through Christ.

In these lessons we are seeking to understand The Spirit of His Son, and the operation of that in our hearts. And we are seeing that in regard to THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB that redeemed God’s people, and defines the household of God. Partaking and understanding what the Blood of The Lamb does enables us to function with His nature and character. Note: This is Jesus, this is Christ, but this is understanding Him as THE LAMB - and it is this nature that rules on the Throne, and should reign in the Household of God. We see this “name” especially in the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 5:5-13 - The Lamb opens the book. Vs. 9 - The Lamb redeemed US TO GOD out of every nation. Vs. 10 - The Lamb made us a kingdom of priests. Vs. 12 - The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power...glory...blessing.

Revelation 7:17 - The Lamb feeds them and leads them to fountains of waters - unto LIFE!

** IT IS THIS LAMB WHO MUST BE ESTABLISHED IN THE CHURCH.

Revelation 14:1-5 - The Lamb established in us (Mount Sion) causes us to have His Father’s mind (nature)...not defiled with false religious doctrines, FOLLOW THE LAMB whithersoever He goes...in their mouth was no guile, for they are without fault before the Throne of God. Why? THE LAMB WAS ESTABLISHED IN THEM! The Lamb did His Work by The Cross, but now we, as His own have to partake of this Lamb, and apply it to ourselves. It was given to Israel to do as a “ceremony”, but we now as The Church need to observe it CONSTANTLY as The Truth of Christ. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 - Purge out the old leaven that ye may be a new lump. For even CHRIST OUR PASSOVER (The Lamb) is sacrificed for us. Let us keep the feast not with old leaven...but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

We now as The Church don’t follow the ritualistic tradition of the Jewish Passover, but we must take heed to the order or law of The Passover that is ESTABLISHED in Christ (first is done away, but the second is established). We looked at this ordinance of The Passover in Exodus 12:43-51, but let us consider this: 1) no stranger can eat The Passover (you must be born again). 2) no uncircumcised person shall eat The Passover (flesh must be cut away). **Remember that circumcision was the SIGN of the covenant that God established with His people through Abraham. We must bear His death so that His Life may be manifested in us - 2 Corinthians 4:10-12.

With that in mind, I just want us to consider the seriousness of God’s people partaking of The Passover (The Blood of The Lamb) as recorded in the scripture. Note a pattern that must be followed.

Joshua 5 - When Israel was ready to see the fulness of their redemption (not only “out” of Egypt, but “into” the land), all the rebellious ones were dead. Now Joshua had to circumcise those born in the wilderness (vs. 5 and 7). Since they were not circumcised they could not partake of The Passover. *This is the state of the wilderness - disobedient, wandering, no circumcision, no Passover - death! But now the NEW generation is circumcised (vs. 8-10). Then they could keep the Passover because their reproach was rolled away. The Lamb is not for the flesh! Then vs. 11-12 - they ate of old corn of land - manna ceased - Growing up!

Ezra - This is when the children of Israel start to return to Jerusalem after the captivity in Babylon. They restored the temple and the law and ritual. And when the house was finished (chapter 6:15-18) they restored The Passover (vs. 19-22) - for the priests and Levites PURIFIED THEMSELVES...and all as has separated themselves from the filthiness of the heathen of the land...did eat. And kept the feast of unleavened bread. Our redemption, our deliverance can only be fully realized as we partake of The Lamb, allow His Blood to cleanse us, and keep us separated UNTO HIM - following The Lamb whithersoever He goes!

As we continue to study our Great Salvation. Let us be sure to understand that this is all IN CHRIST. Ephesians 1:3 - The Father HATH blessed us (born again believers) with ALL SPIRITUAL blessings in heavenly places IN CHRIST. This is the inheritance that was spoken of in type to Israel, and is now fulfilled by Christ for us - ALL - IN CHRIST! Vs. 7 - In Whom (in Christ) we have redemption through HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his GRACE.

* The Church is the vessel who has received His grace, and who is to manifest His grace. Ephesians 2:7 - He shows His grace in His kindness toward US through Jesus Christ. So The Church is a people who are living in a relationship with God as their Father through His Son, and we are looking at the REDEMPTION (deliverance) through His Blood - by The Blood of The Lamb. And this understanding is “much more” than me simply being “saved”. Look at what The Church is called in the book of The Revelation.

- Revelation 21:2 - the holy city comes down from God OUT OF HEAVEN, prepared as a bride.

- Revelation 21:9 - The bride is THE LAMB’S WIFE! * Just consider - she is not known as Jesus’ wife, or Christ’s wife, but THE LAMB’S wife! These are those who are in union with THE LAMB - They have HIS mind, HIS nature, HIS name, HIS life, HIS obedience - They are One and function as One - she makes Him known. * In this relationship the bride, The Church knows and acknowledges in her daily life that she owes everything to The Blood of The Lamb. This is THE REDEEMED, the delivered, now living in vital union with The Lamb.

This is the understanding of The Lamb’s Wife (The Redeemed - unto God):

- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - Ye are not your own...ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

- 1 Peter 1: 17-19 - Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold...(delivered from your vain religion)...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and spot.

The relationship of our redemption through the costly price Christ paid for us is the mystery of Christ and The Church. We see this in Ephesians 5:21-33 - Christ gave Himself for it, He is cleansing The Church to present it as a glorious Church - this is by THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!

To help us see a little more deeply into this redemption that is ours in Christ, and the relationship of the redeemer and the wife, let’s look to the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. What I want us to see through this “story” is that redemption is MUCH MORE than just “being saved”; it ends in marriage and life.

Ruth 1 - Ruth is a Moabite, and marries a man of Israel, but he dies. Ruth has no promise with God, but she CHOOSES The Lord. This is a type of the Gentiles who are brought into the household of God. Vs. 16-17 - She refuses to go back to her own country and life. **This is always the first work of The Cross. “Whither thou go, I will go...thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”

Ruth 2 - Ruth and Naomi go to Boaz’s field, who is the kinsman. Ruth gleans in the field, and finds favor. Vs. 7 - She is content gleaning. Vs. 8-14 - Boaz entreats her NOT to go any place else, but stay there. She realizes she doesn’t deserve his favor, but he provides for her. Vs. 15,16- He even provided EXTRA for her! Vs. 20 - They recognize Boaz as the redeemer. ** They don’t stop just at the blessings and provision! We think our redemption is just God making things easy for us, and providing for us - but it is MUCH MORE!

Ruth 3 - Vs. 1 - Naomi seeks rest and well being for Ruth. She must go to Boaz. Vs. 3 - wash thyself, anoint thee, put thy raiment upon thee (preparation - done in us!) Vs. 8-13 - Ruth humbles herself at his feet, and asks for him to redeem her. But there is a price that must be paid, and all claims of another must be dealt with.

Ruth 4 - The kinsman buys the field of Naomi (vs. 3) and all that belongs to her (vs. 5). Now Ruth is part of this, but she now becomes his WIFE (vs. 10) - to raise up the name of the inheritance (vs. 13). Out of this union comes A SON.

Look at what this redeemer was to Naomi - Vs. 15 - a RESTORER of thy life, and a NOURISHER of thine old age.

This redemption that we have by The Blood of The Lamb is not only deliverance from sin and the problems of this world, but is the restoration and nourisher of our life. May we choose to know Christ as our redemption, so that we would manifest this reality of our Great Salvation - living as The Lamb’s Wife!

We have been speaking of The Church being the manifestation of Christ in this earth - the expression of The Great Salvation that Christ brought forth through His death, burial and resurrection - by The Cross. It is the TRUTH of that Finished Work that we are to manifest - that God would be glorified.

Philippians 2:12-16 - God is NOW working IN US to bring us to the fulness of the understanding of our Salvation; that we may be without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (that describes the world, a generation) among whom (The Church is here - in the earth) YE SHINE as lights (we have Christ Who is The Light!); HOLDING FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE!

We are to be those who are holding forth THE WORD OF LIFE - strong, settled, with assurance, not wavering, not considering their own selves - but Christ - Who is That Living Word! (Not I, but Christ/Life!)

** The Church (the fulness of Christ) has Life, The Word of Life, Light, Glory. We are to manifest this in the midst of the world; not religion, but LIFE - His Life; speaking Life; speaking, living Christ!

The Lord keeps bringing me back to consider Stephen in Acts 6 and 7. This is a manifestation of the light, holding forth the Word of Life!

Acts 6:8 - Stephen, full of faith and power did wonders and miracles. Vs. 10 - They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. (To Vs. 15 - The religious Jews got false witnesses to say Stephen was blaspheming...but THEY SAW his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Chapter 7 is Stephen’s address to the council relating their history and their rejection of Christ. Vs. 54-60 - ** Stephen was LOOKING STEDFASTLY INTO HEAVEN (not the earth), and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Vs. 56- Behold, I see the heavens opened (“Behold” always is used in an appearing of The Lord - Behold, the Lamb!) and the Son of Man... **This is our need! Not to concentrate on the things, distresses, persecutions on this earth - but to an open heaven (unveiled truth, no flesh) and Jesus! As they stoned Stephen he called upon God...loud voice forgiving his persecutors and he fell asleep... This is holding forth The Word of Life! God didn’t stop the stoning: Stephen was a WITNESS of the open heaven and Jesus at the right hand of God. Vs. 58 - Saul SAW the witness of that Life. That’s the difference between religion and RELATIONSHIP.

This is what it means to be THE LAMB’S WIFE - married (joined to AS ONE) to The One to whom heaven is opened. (It is The Lamb Who is worthy to open the Book!) In this relationship you willingly lay down YOUR life - holding forth THE Word of Life - following The Lamb; because it is The Blood of The Lamb at work in you.

Revelation 14:1-5 - The LAMB standing on Mount Sion (in the midst of The Church, the people of God living in His High Thought), and One with Him are a people having His (and His) Father’s name written in their foreheads. This is His Household; they have the mind of Christ - obedient, subservient to The Father’s Will - not my will, not my life, but THINE be done. These are the redeemed from among men, from the earth - they don’t live in bondage to humanity, or the religious system (not defiled with women). They follow THE LAMB whithersoever He goes - no guile; they are without fault before The Throne of God.

- God has as The Church, a people who are living in the REALITY of their union with The Lamb, and they follow Him, and are conformed to His image, and it is The Blood of The Lamb that enables them to live in this truth.

Hebrews 9: 11-15 - Note: “greater, much more”! Christ came not only as The Lamb, but also as The High Priest who offered Himself so that by the blood we may be brought from dead works to serve a living God.

** Now it’s not religion, but a relationship of Life. (Notice: “to SERVE” the living God.) The Redeemed, The Church are to serve GOD, not themselves. Exodus 4:23 - Let my son go (Israel) that he may serve Me.) Now The Blood of The Lamb continues to work FOR US as we confess our sins and be cleansed so that we can be blameless and without rebuke, and live in this glorious fellowship that Christ has brought us into - accepted in the beloved, brought nigh unto God - by THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!

1 John 1:5 - Chapter 2 - Walk (live) in the light as he is in the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. We must confess our sins, and He is faithful to forgive us...If any man sin, we have an advocate with The Father, JESUS CHRIST (not another priest of flesh) THE RIGHTEOUS! May the Lord open the heavens for us, that we can behold Him - The Lamb, and may His Blood continue to cleanse and strengthen us to HOLD FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE!

We are speaking of this wonderful relationship of our Great Salvation that we have as The Church, The Redeemed of The Lord. It is IN US and BY US that the fulness of God’s Salvation is to be seen.

2 Peter 1:2-4 - He HATH given (not is going to) unto us ALL THINGS that pertain unto life (eternal) and godliness...(Remember Ephesians 1:3? Hath blessed us with ALL spiritual blessings in heavenly places IN CHRIST)...through the knowledge of Him. (This is clear, exact knowledge; not just “book learning” about Him, but an active participation with Him; we know HIM, intimately, experientially)...has called us to glory and virtue. (This is what the state of The Church is to be: that we would show forth who He is.) Vs. 4 - Promises were made (and fulfilled) that ye might be partakers of the divine nature. This is our Great Salvation!...we have escaped the corruption of the world...by our Redemption by The Blood of The Lamb.

Now by The Cross of Christ we are dead to the world, sin, death (we must continue to apply The Blood to our hearts, minds); but alive unto God, and now we live as His Household, His Body, His Son, with His Life; and in this RELATIONSHIP we have all things for life and godliness. (I am using “Household”, not just “house” - since we must see this is not a physical building). His Household is a House of glory, holiness, life, abundance, truth; and the world is to SEE this and recognize God’s goodness and love in it.

1 Kings 10:1-13 - The queen of Sheba came to SEE the house that Solomon built. She believed not until she saw the wisdom and prosperity of the household - the men of the household were provided for, and blessed to get his wisdom. **And who did the Queen praise? Vs. 9 - Blessed be The Lord Thy God! God got the praise! He was recognized, not Solomon. ** This abundance is so God will be seen to be Who He is, not so we can get rich and have an easy life. That was the type in the Testimony, but Jesus said in Matthew 12:43 that a GREATER than Solomon IS HERE: not coming, is here! And since the greater than Solomon is here, then He has brought forth a greater house with a greater glory. In the Old Testament this was a physical building, but now in the reality of Christ, the greater Household has come. (Remember in Haggai they rebuilt the temple? But those who had seen the first temple were disappointed because it was not as grand as the first physically. But God said (Haggai 2:9) the GLORY of this latter house shall be greater than of the former... and in THIS PLACE will I give peace. It is in The Household that Christ brings forth in His Resurrection where peace is - a greater glory, a glory that remains. This is in us - CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY!

We as The Church are this House, this Household - because of Christ. Hebrews 3:1-6 - CONSIDER HIM! Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, IF we hold fast the confidence and hope firm to the end. **The “end” is not “nothing”, but the end is God’s goal reached: a people manifesting His Life in this earth, A Son in corporate expression, His Household.

Now in this Household there were certain things that pertained to The Household and were guaranteed in The Household, but you had to belong to that Household. We are talking about the FULNESS of God’s plan, and we see this typed especially in the Temple that Solomon built. God had promised all this to David, but it was to be HIS building that Solomon , the beloved son would build.

2 Samuel 7:10-16 - Kingdom to be established, house for MY Name, I will be his Father, and he shall be MY Son. ** God will chasten His household, but His mercy shall not depart from this household. This is very important!! With Saul, the first, Adam - God’s mercy departs, and there is no forgiveness, no restoration, no reconciliation. BUT, with the Household that The Son brings forth, God’s mercy REMAINS, and this kingdom is established. Here there is forgiveness, restoration, chastening, cleansing, reconciliation - only here! And as God’s Household we are to receive these dealings (Hebrews 12 - as SONS, that we may be partakers of His Holiness) and we are to manifest these dealings in the world.

The type of this is beautifully seen in Solomon’s prayer of dedication of The Temple. But remember, this is speaking of a Greater House - the relationship we NOW have with The Father by Christ, but God will honor what these things spoke of - in His Household.

1 Kings 8 - In this relationship we find forgiveness, restoration, reconciliation. But in this relationship we need to repent, turn to thee, confess thy name.

Vs. 22- 53 - Vs. 29 - Thine eyes may be open toward this house day and night...my name shall be there. Vs. 33-34 - when THY people Israel have sinned against thee, and turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray in this house, then hear and forgive the sin of thy people. Vs 41-43 - If a stranger comes out for thy name’s sake, and he shall come and pray toward this house (he is born again), hear from heaven and do that all people of the earth MAY KNOW THY NAME. (God wants all people to come into His Household!) Vs. 46-50 - if the people are carried away into captivity, but repent and make supplication and turn to thee with all their soul, forgive them.

Why would God do this? Vs. 51-53 - They be THY PEOPLE and THY inheritance... Thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth to be thine inheritance! AS THE REDEEMED, GOD’S MERCY, GRACE, FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION IS ALWAYS THERE FOR US - BECAUSE WE ARE HIS VERY OWN!! That’s Great Salvation!

We are continuing to speak of this Great Salvation we have in Christ by His Cross, and specifically our being The Redeemed. The prophets spoke to Israel as that people. Isaiah 62:12 - They shall call them THE holy people, the redeemed of The Lord, and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken. **The type was set forth in Israel but they would not walk in the fulness of it. Prophets were raised up to declare God’s intention and call them back to it. VS. 1-7 God will have a people who will manifest Him. He will delight in this people as a bride - as The Redeemed. **FOR ZION’S SAKE - for God’s high intention to be manifested in a people He will not forsake His Redeemed - for they have been delivered by the very blood of His Son, and He will work all things together in this people so that His Salvation and righteousness will be SEEN - in them.

We now as The Church are the fulfillment of that type - fulfilled by Christ through The Cross (The Blood of The Lamb redeeming a people to Himself). And we are NOW to manifest that redemption. Titus 2:11-14 - The grace of God HATH appeared bringing Salvation, and we should live godly in this present world; looking for His appearing (in us), for now He is redeeming (delivering) us from all iniquity and is purifying a peculiar people - unto Himself! *This is the relationship we as The Redeemed have as The Household of God, for this is HIS House, and we are The House of His Glory.

We are in the world, but not of the world, and in the reality of our Redemption we are to walk in a NEW understanding, a NEW covenant. At the Last Supper Jesus said this cup (His death) is the NEW Testament in my blood, which is shed FOR you - Luke 22:20.

Hebrews 12:18-24 - We are not come to an earthy, first covenant...BUT ye are come unto Mount Sion...heavenly Jerusalem...and to Jesus the mediator of the NEW covenant, and to the better blood. (This is the reality of our Great Salvation!)

The glory of this second, new, spiritual house (household) is MUCH MORE than the glory of the first, worldly building. 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 - This is NOT the ministration of the letter unto death, BUT the Spirit unto Life. This is the glory that REMAINS, the ministration of righteousness, not condemnation. And we (as the House) are being changed from the old glory to the New, remaining, full glory as we behold The Lord - Who IS the Glory of This House! **This Glory remains because This Glory is Christ - and He is filling The House with Himself - not with “things”, but with Himself. And everything that He is will fill The House and be manifested by The House.

This was spoken of in The Testimony:

- Exodus 40:34-35 - Tabernacle was FINISHED; glory filled the Tabernacle, and Moses was not able to enter.

- 1 Kings 8:10-11 - When Solomon’s Temple was FINISHED and The Ark was put in its place, the glory OF THE LORD filled the House of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister.

- John 2: 13-22 - Jesus drove ALL MEN and ministry out of the Temple...Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

And by His death and burial He brought an end to that first house and all it spoke of; and by His resurrection He brought forth a greater, Spiritual House (which we are!) With a greater glory! This is the MUCH MORE of our Salvation as The Church, The Redeemed, The Household of God, The Lamb’s Bride, and He fills His whole Body with Himself!

Let us just consider the greatness of the glory of this House that is set forth in Ephesians 1: this is ALL spiritual blessings in HEAVENLY places IN CHRIST! This is what His House of Glory should be manifesting; this is what The Father’s House is!

- Vs. 4 - we are chosen in HIM...that we should be holy and without blame before Him.

- Vs. 5 - we were predestinated unto adoption (placement as a son) by Jesus Christ to Himself.

- Vs. 6 - we are to the praise of the glory of His grace...he made us accepted in the beloved.

- Vs. 7 - in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

- Vs. 8 - He hath abounded to ward us in all wisdom and prudence.

- Vs. 9 - He has made known unto us the mystery of His will.

- Vs. 11-14 - we have obtained an inheritance... we are sealed with The Holy Spirit of promise until the (full deliverance) of The Church - unto the praise of His glory.

This is what our Great Salvation is in Christ - as we would live as HIS Body, HIS House, THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD!

As we are continuing this study on our Great Salvation, our desire is to grow in the knowledge of Christ. Ephesians 4:15 says that we may GROW UP INTO HIM IN ALL THINGS, which is the head, even Christ. That is the reason why ministry is set in the Church (vs. 11-16). And it is in the understanding of the Church that this fulness is SEEN - but it is not the fulness of me, it is the FULNESS OF CHRIST!

Hebrews 6:1 urges us to go on to perfection; and that means fully matured, but this must be understood as coming to the fulness of HIM. ** God desires all “His children”, those in His Household to come to Sonship, and live in the Truth of the relationship we have through Christ. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 - A child is one who lacks understanding, a babe, one who can’t even speak properly. As we grow into maturity we must take our rightful place in the household; we must PUT AWAY childish things. This is a continuing work of The Cross, of The Blood of The Lamb FOR us - that we can mature in the things of The Father, and come to be known even as also I am known. ** THE FATHER KNOWS US IN THE SON! The Father knows us in the reality of The Cross; in the Truth of The Finished Work. We need to grow up into The Truth of this and walk in it.

I want to look at one aspect of our relationship as The Redeemed, as The Church that we spoke of in the last lesson from Ephesians 1:5-6: “Having predestinates us to the placement as son (that’s adoption)...He hath made US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.” **HE has made us acceptable, made us lovely or deserving of love! But WHERE are we acceptable? In the BELOVED - THE SON is The Beloved of The Father; where He finds His joy! * The word “in” denotes the idea of rest; and we only truly come to this as we cease from our own labors, our own life, and find it in Him, (You don’t strive against The Beloved of God; you rest in Him).

Now, we find God’s favor in “The Beloved”, in The Son, but I want us to see what God meant when He said this, and how it relates to us. Matthew 3:13-17 - The Beloved Son is The One who fulfills all righteousness. How? By His “baptism”; His death and burial. But in His resurrection, the heavens were opened unto HIM, the Spirit of God descended upon HIM, and The Father declared “This is my Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” ** As we rest in His death, burial and resurrection, He brings us forth acceptable unto His Father - in newness of Life!

We see here that This Son through His death and burial dealt with the issue of sin - for us. We were all guilty under the law, but HE has redeemed us from that guilt by HIS blood and brought us to The Father. Galatians 3:13-14 - being made a curse for us (HE did it!) that we might receive... ** He took our sin and was cursed for us. And when HE rose, The Father forgave HIM of that sin, and restored HIM to The Father’s Glory, to His Bosom. In His death, we who were sin died, and now IN THE FORGIVEN SON we can have fellowship with The Father, and now we can confess our sins and be forgiven. (1 John 1:9-2:2) Forgiveness is for the Household of God.

But make no mistake that this title of “The Beloved” belongs to THE SON - not us in our flesh or of the first order man. **WE are accepted IN HIM! Matthew 17:1-9 - The Transfiguration. Here Jesus was showing the maturing ones (Peter, James, John), The Church, The Truth of Who He was, and God was showing them who they were in relation to this Truth. Vs. 4-5 - God is NOT going to accept what “you” do for Him, and our acceptance is NOT in Moses and Elijah (the prophets). The bright cloud(? Light hidden?) Overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud. “This is My Beloved Son...(the One who was changed out from His earthly form, risen in the power of His resurrection)...I am well pleased; hear ye HIM.”

Vs. 6-7 - They fell dead. He raises them, but... Vs. 8 - when they lifted up their eyes, they saw NO MAN, save JESUS ONLY.

** In God’s House, His House of Glory, there is only One Son, and HE is The Beloved. We are made acceptable to The Father in Him. But we must now come to the adoption, where we no longer are as children, but God recognizes His Son, His BELOVED - in us - and we take our rightful place in His House as The Body, the expression, the manifestation of HIS BELOVED SON.

God’s work IN US is declaring His Son, and it is only in that Son that The Father is well pleased.

Let us grow up into HIM - in all things - ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED!

***