Thursday, October 09, 2003 (9)
A CLOSE AND TRUE RELATIONSHIP. God, the Father, invisible, unseen by mortal eyes. Yet the Son coming into this world has declared Him. The only begotten of the Father has revealed Him, making Him known. The depth of the association is seen in the fact that Jesus was in the bosom of the Father. A place of honor, a sign of love and acceptance. John 1:18 The Father directly addressing the Son, acclaimed the Son to be God. An acknowledgment of His Deity and Divine nature. One whose throne is everlasting. The scepter, the rod of measurement, the staff of the shepherd. The sign of a royal kingdom of righteousness. Heb. 1:8 The Son is the image, the absolute and perfect representation, the true likeness of He who is invisible. 2 Cor. 4:4 So intimate and real was the fellowship between the Father and the Son that Jesus was able to say, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. John 14:9 The exact replica, the complete features, nature and character of the Father were evident in the Son.
FULLNESS OF DIVINE ASSOCIATION. Unless one has themselves had a spiritual relationship with the Lord it is not easy to understand how the Father could be in Christ and Christ be in Him. That, however is the exact circumstances of the spiritual life of Christ. He said, I am in the Father. Full, unequivocal unity. and the Father is in me. John 14:10-11 The same association exist in the spirit nature of all who have been born of the spirit, a measure of what the Lord is, has taken up residence in them. Then to be baptized in the Spirit is to make that fellowship and that awareness of Christ dwelling within that much more real and strong. Those born again will know Him closely and will completely enjoy the full communion which exists between the Lord and His very own. This is indeed a marvelous promise, He dwelleth with you. The blessed assurance of His presence wherever and whenever we go. Also, He shall be in you. The Spirit, the Spirit of truth abiding with in our spirit nature, gives real life, spiritual life. Contrast that with the stagnant, dead part of the make up of man, his spirit, which comes to life when the Spirit does His work in us. John 14:17 The Christian has unshakable knowledge that the Son of God has come. Being with us, he imparts understanding in order for us to know and comprehend the truth of His Deity and Divine nature. We are in Him who is true. We confess Him who is true and the possessor of eternal life. 1 John 5:28 It is Jesus who came in the brightness of the glory of the Father and in His express image. He came with the explicit purpose of revealing the true and living God to all of mankind. That all might be saved and be made new creatures in Christ Jesus. The desire of the Lord is that He might obtain from the world those who would want to bear His image and likeness. That is the exact high calling of God, in Christ Jesus which has gone forth into the world to all who will hear. His people are destined to bear His eternal likeness and being. We are to be conformed to everything that He is. Recreated, into the likeness of the creator. Bearing His eternal image, forever. Col. 3:10.