Steward's Portion

FAR TOO MANY OF US have adopted a syncretic belief system with regard to the gospel of Christ. We have attempted to reconcile our own gospel of redemption with God’s gospel of redemption. The end result? We end up preaching a false gospel in which we attribute the salvific power of Christ to everything from pets to aliens. Therefore it’s absolutely crucial that we understand what the requirements of salvation are before we walk ourselves into contradiction with the promises of God.

STUDY SYNOPSIS:

The fact that all of humanity has shared the flesh of one man is significant. That means that in regard to our humanity, all that we are, and all that we have, came from Adam. In fact, even how God relates to us was established in God’s promises to Adam. This establishes the principle of representation. Adam set the stage for his family. And he didn’t set that stage well. His failure put us in need of another representative for humanity. We would have to be born again from that parent so that we could legally receive a better inheritance than what we received from Adam.

Adam’s failure was not a surprise. It was part of God’s plan. And that plan can be seen in the flesh and the solution that it presented.

The secret of the flesh, which is to say, the mystery inherent in God’s design of our bodies, was hidden from view until God Himself was born into the flesh of Adam. You see, it was the flesh of men that allowed Christ’s resurrection. We’d have no hope without it. Its design is crucial to redemption. It allows for the imputation of sin and the satisfaction of justice against it, which together produce an exclusively human redemption. This has tremendous implications for soteriology which derives it’s understanding of redemption from how God addresses sin.

• Why were angels created as glorious spirit beings in heaven, but our spirits were placed into “meat suits” (bodies) and put on a tiny planet outside of heaven?

• Why does Adam represent us?

• Why should I suffer because of Adam’s sin?

• Why are men appointed to die, even after they receive eternal life?

• Why did God need to become a man in order to save us?

• How is Jesus both Man and God?

• Was the flesh of Jesus the same depraved flesh of Adam?

• How can Jesus be punished for our sin yet be raised to life sinless?

• Can salvation be offered to anyone or anything other than humans?

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FLESH OF MY FLESH

The word of God teaches us that Adam and Eve were the progenitors of humanity. Every man, woman, and child on the face of the earth is a descendant of Adam and Eve. So when we speak of mankind, we are speaking of a single family that has expanded exponentially. Even evolutionists have been forced to concede that the genetic makeup of mankind has come from a single human. However, while they focus on the “mother” of humanity, even calling her “Eve” in a mocking defiance of divine revelation, it’s actually Adam from whom all flesh has come. For even Eve was made from the flesh of Adam (Genesis 2:22-23).

The fact that all of humanity has shared the flesh and spirit of one man is significant. It establishes a principle called “representation.” Representation is what allows the work of one man to affect all others, for better, or for worse.

REPRESENTED BY ADAM

In the beginning, the flesh of Adam and Eve was perfect, and was wholly subject to the will of God’s righteousness within them. However, when their spirits moved to separate themselves from the guiding will of God, the flesh was cut off from the Divine Nature and left alone with its own sensory cortex. This became the basis for self-centeredness. So God cursed Adam and Eve by turning them over to the desires of their own flesh. By doing so, mankind would learn that nothing good comes apart from God and His righteousness. From that day forward, their descendants were consequently born into self-centered flesh, which has resulted in a continuation of sinful choices and condemnation.

For this reason, the word of God tells us:

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:22, NIV)

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

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1Corinthians 15:22, KJV)

It’s important to point out here that it was not Adam’s sins that were imputed to us, but rather the self-centered nature of Adam’s flesh. Thus, when we, as the descendants of Adam, stand before the judgment seat of God we will not be judged for eating of the forbidden fruit of Eden but judged according to our own sins.

“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” (Romans 5:14, NKJV)

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 18:20, KJV)

This places the responsibility of sin squarely upon the individual who committed it. How would Christ atone for sin if sin cannot be passed on to another? We would have to die in Christ, and be raised spiritually with Him. This is what abiding in Christ is all about.

So then, by the process of physical descent, we are receiving the condemned flesh of Adam. When Adam sinned against God, he became estranged from God, which is to say, separated from God by sin.

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2, KJV)

Adam became as a foreigner, or a stranger, to God. It’s no surprise to discover, therefore, that foreigners beget foreigners. It’s for this reason that all men are equally estranged from God at birth.

“The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth.” (Psalms 58:3, NASB)

This is the principle of imputation, wherein the consequences of sin are inherited through birth.

“Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned. {13} [To be sure] sin was in the world before ever the Law was given, but sin is not charged to men’s account where there is no law [to transgress].
{14} Yet death held sway from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come [in reverse, the former destructive, the Latter saving].” (Romans 5:12-14, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

It was the representation of Adam that allowed death to hold sway, even over those who were not transgressing known laws. The flesh of Adam was sentenced to death long before we received it. And since receiving it, we’ve only continued to add to its list of offences. Thus, regardless of our own guilt, we all share in the need to be rescued from Adam’s flesh.

This reality has come to be known as the “Federal” or “Representative” view of the fall. This view generally teaches that because we have all partaken of Adam’s corrupted flesh and estranged spirit, we shall also share in the flesh’s corrupted nature and the spirit’s estrangement through imputation.

FAIRNESS IN REPRESENTATION:

But what value is there in representation? Why would it be God’s will to subject all of humanity to this?

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; {21} because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Romans 8:20-21, NKJV)

As a natural component of procreation, God saw fit through representation to subject the children of Adam to the futility of estrangement from God. While this may at first appear to be cruel, it was in fact a mercy. God did this to give us hope.

People usually object to the dual idea of representation and imputation because it has the appearance of entrapment. “How can it be fair,” some lament, “that we have not even been given the same chance to live apart from sin that Adam was given? The imputation of representation unfairly subjects millions to a fate they had no choice but to accept.” But consider the alternative for a moment. What would have happened if we had no representative but ourselves. Would we still have hope through Christ?

Remember, Adam represents us because we are extensions of his flesh and spirit, via childbirth. We are “in Adam” because we are in his flesh (1 Corinthians 15:22, KJV). Now consider what it would mean if there was no such thing as “mankind” and everyone was born with unique flesh. Adam would represent no one but himself, and we would represent no one but ourselves. This would surely spare us from the imputation of Adam’s sin nature. However, our relief would be short-lived. Sin would find us, just as it did Adam, thereby placing us back into the very condemnation we sought to avoid by rejecting the flesh of Adam and its condemnation.

“Not so!” some object, “I would have done better!” This claim, while certainly prideful, is always made with the assumption that Adam was a poor choice to represent man. But is that true? Was Adam a poor representative of mankind? Looking to Adam, we find that he was created perfect and without flaw. God beheld Adam and declared that His work “was very good” (Genesis 1:31). In fact, the Hebrew words from which we get “very good” are me’od (meh-ode’) and towb (tobe), which together mean “wholly and exceedingly good as expressed with intense vehemence.” God was wholly and exceedingly pleased with His work. Where, then, shall we find fault?

Those who make this assumption imagine that they could have somehow been more perfectly aligned with God and His will than Adam and Eve were, thereby avoiding sin and its condemnation. But this assumption is foolishness. It’s foolish because it’s impossible to exceed perfection. More than this, the very notion is Satanic. Why? It’s because this idea originated with Satan. Satan was the first to imagine that if he were given the chance, he could exceed the perfection of God that preceded him. For men to assume that, were they given the chance, they could exceed the Divinely established perfection of Adam and Eve, is equally foolish. This kind of thinking reveals just how corrupt our minds have become.

If we admit that God did not err by choosing Adam instead of us as the representative of humanity, then we are in fact admitting that we would have willingly rebelled, as did Adam, or we would have been deceived, as was Eve (1 Timothy 2:14). The omniscience of God knew that every man and woman would have responded in the same way that Adam and Eve did. Thus, we were fairly represented.

So we discover that by rejecting the flesh of Adam with its inherent representation, we would not actually escape sin. In fact, not having Adam as our representative actually poses an even greater threat to us than gaining his corrupted flesh. Here’s why.

After falling into sin, the sins of each and every one of us would have had to be addressed separately and individually by a Redeemer. And if every man and woman had to be represented individually by a Redeemer, there would be no hope for anyone, save one man – Adam. This is because the representation of Christ is for the flesh of Adam alone. Jesus cannot represent the flesh of any other creature while representing the humanity of Adam. This is why God says that all men were made subject to the futility of Adam’s corruption so that we may have hope (Romans 8:20-21). Our hope is found in the fact that God has seen fit to provide a means of redemption for the flesh and spirit of Adam. And we, as partakers of Adam, have access to his hope through the imputation of representation.

We are so used to thinking of Jesus as the representative of the multitude that comprises the church that we have forgotten that this multitude is, in reality, comprised of a single man’s body and spirit. Jesus is the representative of “mankind” which specifically refers to those who share the flesh and spirit of one man, Adam. And so, when Jesus came to represent humanity before God the Father, He was referred to as “the last Adam.” This terminology speaks of Christ as a replacement for Adam, and all who partake of Adam’s flesh.

“Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]. {46} But it is not the spiritual life which came first, but the physical and then the spiritual. {47} The first man [was] from out of earth, made of dust (earthly-minded); the second Man [is] the Lord from out of heaven.” (1 Corinthians 15:45-47, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22, KJV)

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12:5, KJV)

Imputation and representation work together to enable a Redeemer to save not just Adam, but “mankind.” Thus, we find that the human “body,” in both its physical and spiritual senses, is crucial to our hope in redemption. This is the will of God, which once was a mystery, but now is made known in the unifying body of Christ.

“Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: {10} That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: {11} In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: {12} That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:9-12, KJV)

REVELATION OF A MYSTERY:

Now lets look a bit closer. The “mystery” of God’s will does not refer to a single truth, but to many. The role of the flesh in the redemption of mankind is multifaceted. So lets consider some of those facets as they come to light under closer inspection. Specifically, lets look at the steps the Messiah had to take in order to offer redemption to mankind.

STEP ONE: Humanity and Divinity Must Become One in the Messiah

In order to save Adam and his descendants, it was mandatory for the Messiah to be both Human and Divine.

“For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. {17} Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:16-17, KJV)

Why was God compelled to take on the nature of those He intended to save? It was because representation required it. Thus, it’s made abundantly clear that Jesus did not become an angel so as to represent the fallen angelic host. Rather, Jesus took upon Himself the seed, which is to say, the flesh of Adam, within the line of Abraham.

This act has generated much controversy. How could this be done, and why was it done? Lets begin by answering how it was done.

1a) The Mystery of Procreation.

In the book of Genesis, we are taught that God’s creation of Adam was completed in two stages. The first stage involved the creation of Adam’s body. Instead of creating Adam from out of nothing, God first formed Adam’s flesh from the dust of the earth. It may seem strange that a body of flesh was derived from the same chemical elements as rock and soil (such as: oxygen, nitrogen, calcium, water, etc.), nevertheless, this is something modern science has been able to test and examine, and as a result, has confirmed this scientific statement to be true.

While atheistic men do not contest that man’s body came from the natural elements of the earth, they cannot bear to accept the next claim–that life is not derived from the same chemical elements. The living spirit of man has never been identified nor catalogued showing it to be comprised of natural substances. Nor shall it ever be, for a spirit is not natural to the elements of the earth, but is instead supernatural and comes from a Supernatural Creator. It was God Himself who breathed life into the body He formed from the dust of the earth. This is the second step God took to create Adam. God’s “breath” or Spirit, became the life called Adam (Genesis 2:7).

How do we explain this? How do we describe the spiritual means by which part of God became a being who was distinct and separate from the Being of God, and yet retained His image? This Divine knowledge has not yet been revealed to the limited minds of men. However, its fundamental principle stands as the foundation for procreation: life proceeds from life, and spirits beget spirits.

When men and women join together in sexual union, they too contribute a portion of themselves to form a new life after their own image. Adam was born directly from God, thus “he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man” because Eve was taken out of Adam (1 Corinthians 11:7, NASB). This means that Adam was a son of God, whereas Eve was a daughter of man. This distinction is made for a reason, the Messiah would be representing Adam’s flesh alone. It was necessary for Eve, therefore, to partake of Adam’s flesh and spirit if she was to have any hope of redemption. We, like Eve, also find our hope in our inheritance of Adam’s flesh. And so it is written:

“…Adam, which was the son of God.” (Luke 3:38, KJV)

“…since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. {8} For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;” (1 Corinthians 11:7-8, NASB)

The fact that God makes this distinction of origin, or direct descent, between Adam and Eve is significant. There is a spiritual transfer in procreation that originates from one’s parents. That spiritual transfer is made, at least in part, through men’s blood.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood…” (Leviticus 17:11, KJV)

When God formed Eve, He took Adam’s rib, containing Adam’s flesh and life-blood (in which resided a remnant of his spirit). God did not breath a spirit into Eve’s body as He had with Adam, no, her life was taken from the life-blood of Adam. While this process was supernatural indeed, it used the same elements found in natural birth. Thus, Eve’s flesh and spirit was formed from the flesh and spirit of Adam. This same process has continued through human reproduction ever since.

In fact, it’s this principle of spiritual procreation that makes the gospel possible. This is because the only way to satisfy the justice of God against the sins of humanity is to partake of Adam’s flesh and spirit, as have all his children, and put the flesh to death but release the spirit into everlasting life. However, the Messiah would have to be sinless, and have access to the power of righteousness, if He were to have any hope of escaping the corrupting nature inherent in Adam’s flesh. It was therefore mandatory that the Messiah be directly descended from both God and man. And so He was.

Consider, therefore, the humanity and divinity of Jesus. We’ll begin with His humanity, and how the Son of Man was joined with the Son of God.

THE HUMANITY OF JESUS:

We are told that the Holy Spirit “came upon” a woman named Mary in such a way that she became pregnant with Jesus Christ (Luke 1:35). But what needed to take place for this pregnancy to produce a being that was both a Son of God, and a genuine son of man? The answer is clear. The descended flesh, blood, and spirit of Adam would need to be offered by Mary, and joined with the Spirit of God.

In this, we must ask a question. Did God mimic the role of a human father? Did God introduce genetic material into the womb of Mary in order to satisfy the natural process of conception? Think carefully! If God resorted to the act of creation, rather than an act of forming or molding preexisting elements, this would have defeated His purposes in a virgin birth. God prophesied that He would produce the Messiah from the seed (the flesh and spirit infused blood) of Eve, who was the offspring of Adam. To create genetic material that would have naturally been provided through a human father would have rendered the virgin birth pointless. If a natural born son was all God needed, God could have simply joined His Spirit with the natural son of Joseph and Mary and accomplished the same feat.

However, Joseph was bypassed for a reason. The combined spirits of Joseph and Mary would have produced a spirit legally subject to the nature of Adam. Thus, a virgin birth was called for, so as to produce a Son who would inherit both the corrupted flesh of Adam and the incorruptible Spirit of God. Therefore, the Holy Spirit moved upon Mary and joined a remnant of her spirit and flesh (passed down from Adam) together with the preexisting, pre-incarnate, Spirit of God the Son. And thus, “God the Son” became “Jesus Christ,” the son of both God and Mankind.

This was not an act of creation, but of formation; it was a molding together of two spirits into one.

“..the LORD…formeth [yatsar] the spirit of man within him.” (Zechariah 12:1, KJV)

• FORMETH: 3335. yatsar, yaw-tsar’; prob. identical with H3334 (through the squeezing into shape); ([comp. H3331]), to mould into a form; espec. as a potter; fig. to determine (i.e. form a resolution):– X earthen, fashion, form, frame, make (-r), potter, purpose.

To form or fashion something is to take preexisting elements and mold them into shape. For example, God created the earth void, and formless, but afterward, He formed its shape to be inhabitable.

“In the beginning God created [bara'] the heaven and the earth. {2} And the earth was without form, and void;….” (Genesis 1:1-2, KJV)

“For thus saith the LORD that created [bara'] the heavens;… He formed [yatsar] it to be inhabited: …” (Isaiah 45:18, KJV)

The Hebrew word bara’ is a primary root word which means “to create,” and can be qualified to speak of formative processes. For example, God created all men, in that He created Adam from whom we have all descended through the process of procreation.

“…I have created [bara'] him for my glory, I have formed [yatsar] him; yea, I have made ['asah] him.” (Isaiah 43:7 (KJV)

In saying that God created all men, must we imply that the reproduction of flesh is purely a supernatural event? Does flesh supernaturally appear from out of nothing? No, flesh is transferred from parent to child through natural processes. And yet, this system of reproduction has been designed and empowered by the ordination of God, and thus qualifies as both a natural and supernatural event. In this way, God can be said to be the Creator of the flesh and spirits of all men, and yet not be held accountable for validating the ungodly and unrighteous conception produced through rape, incest, or even depraved applications of science.

This forming of the Messiah, from the flesh and spirit of Adam, and the pre-incarnate Son of God, created a Man who suffered under the condemned flesh of Adam, but who had what no other man had access to–the Holy Spirit. Thus, the power of Jesus was a power that all men now have access to in Christ; His power was the power of the Holy Spirit who guides men into the truth. In this way, Jesus was Divinely shown how to overcome the desires of Adam’s flesh, and find the true power available to mankind.

THE DIVINITY OF JESUS:

When the prophet Isaiah prophesied the birth of the Messiah, he spoke on behalf of Mary and God, saying:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government [of God] shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. {7} Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7, KJV, italicized content added for clarity)

And in the New Testament, God the Father, says to God the Son:

“But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” (Hebrews 1:8, KJV)

Thus, it is without scriptural controversy that Jesus is understood to be God come in the flesh.

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16, KJV)

Although Jesus has always existed as a Divine expression of the triune Godhead, His humanity was added to Him–it was inherited from Adam. The everlasting Spirit of God was fused with a mortal human spirit so completely as to be inseparable, and yet the Messiah still retained the distinction between His humanity and Divinity so that their union did not form to create something different than God and man altogether. One of the reasons this was possible, no doubt, was that Adam was created in the very image of God and was therefore naturally compatible with God by design. Thus, in taking on the spirit and flesh of a man, God the Son would not be replacing His Divinity, but merely limiting it according to the normal parameters of His newfound humanity.

“Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] {6} Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, {7} But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.” (Philippians 2:5-7, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

Although equal with God, Jesus had come to represent men, and thus He set aside, and made no attempt to access, His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. Instead, He lived and functioned within the natural confines and limitations of the flesh and spirits of men.

1b) Adam’s Self-Centered Flesh was Imputed to Jesus.

The principles of imputation and representation at work in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, bring to light a startling, and therefore controversial, revelation. Jesus inherited the self-centered flesh of Adam. This is a revelation that’s often ignored or rejected on account of pious ignorance.

When discussing the nature of the flesh that Jesus inherited from Adam, we must be careful of two things. We must be careful to avoid assigning sin to Jesus personally, for He was sinless. And we must also be careful not to ignore the imputed nature inherent in the flesh of Adam. When we speak of fallen flesh, this generally implies guilt by participation in sin. So what shall we say of the flesh passed on to Christ? Did imputation cease? Was the flesh of Christ amoral and indifferent to sin, or was it self-centered?

The scripture teaches us that the flesh of Christ was imputed with the nature of depravity, which is not itself sin, but is only the flesh-centered desire of sin.

“For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.” (Hebrews 4:15, AMP)

The flesh of Christ was tempted with the alluring promises of sin. This means that the flesh of Christ was self-centered, as is the flesh of all men who partake of Adam. But how do we know this? Because we are told that the Spirit of God cannot be tempted:

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:” (James 1:13, KJV)

If the Spirit of God cannot be tempted with evil, and Jesus is God, then in what way was Jesus tempted? If the spirit of Christ cannot be tempted, then we are speaking of the temptation experienced by Adam’s flesh. So when we are told that Jesus was “tempted of the devil” (Matthew 4:1), we understand that it was His flesh that was being tempted, not the Spirit of Christ.

As a man, how was Jesus able to overcome the self-centered desires of Adam’s flesh? By the power of the Holy Spirit.

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9, NIV)

Jesus was the fulness of God in bodily form (Colossians 2:9), therefore, the will of the Father was made known to Christ through the Holy Spirit (John 5:19). God’s passion was Christ’s passion. Thus, as the Father loved righteousness, so did the Son. All else pales in comparison, making it possible for Jesus to overcome the temptations of the flesh in light of the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2) which is obtained through righteousness.

“But unto the Son He saith, …Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” (Hebrews 1:8-9, KJV)

“For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].” (Hebrews 2:18, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

By the love of God’s righteousness, Jesus overcame the desires of sin in His flesh, keeping that flesh in submission to the righteousness of His Holy Spirit. In this, Christ both satisfied the divine law of God as a man, and became an example for all men, exemplifying how we must rely upon the Holy Spirit when tempted with the lusts of the flesh.

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: … {4} that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, {5} not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, NIV)

This is how we must understand the temptation of Christ. He was subjected to temptation in the flesh, but was able to overcome it by the love of God’s righteousness. Now His example must become our own.

STEP 2: The Flesh of Adam Must Die

While some might imagine that it’s wonderfully pious and spiritual to teach that the flesh of Christ was not the same self-centered flesh that the rest of us received from Adam, it is in fact a Satanic assertion. This is why Jesus rebuked Peter when he objected to Christ’s revelation that the flesh of the Messiah needed to suffer and die.

“From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. {22} Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. {23} But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matthew 16:21-23, KJV)

Peter could not imagine why the flesh of the Messiah would need to be beaten and put to death, even though it was not directly guilty of transgression against the law. But he failed to recall the condemnation upon human flesh, or that God would send the Messiah to satisfy this sentence of death upon it. Death is appointed to Adam’s flesh, and is imputed to all men by reason of representation, even upon one who has committed no direct offence against the law, such as the Messiah:

“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” (Romans 5:14, NKJV)

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. {5} Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.” (Hebrews 10:4-5, NKJV)

It was the flesh of Adam that was prepared for Christ to take to the cross because it was Adam’s flesh that God had condemned to death.

“…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27, KJV)

Ignorance of this fact resulted in Peter’s unwitting alignment with the will of Satan, not unlike many well-meaning saints today. What men like Peter don’t realize is that if the flesh of Christ is not the same corrupt flesh that we all received from Adam, then Christ’s sacrifice profits us nothing. The condemned flesh of Adam must be put to death, and that is precisely why it was mandatory for Jesus to take Adam’s flesh upon Himself and put it to death on the cross.

STEP 3: The Spirit of Jesus Must Live

Resurrection is made possible by flesh. Without it, there would be no such thing as resurrection. For example, imagine if we were just spirits, like the angels. When a spirit sins, the judgment is death. Spiritual death is eternal (Matthew 18:8, 25:41,46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). All who enter spiritual death remain dead.

Enter the secret of the flesh. The spirit of man is encapsulated in a fleshly vessel. When the vessel of flesh is broken by death, the spirit is released and judged according to the condition in which it is found–be it guilt or innocence. Thus, men are capable of dying twice, once physically, and once spiritually.

Men first die physically. Physical death is the separation of a spirit from the body.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die [in the flesh], but after this the judgment [in the spirit]: {28} So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many [in the flesh]; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time [in the Spirit] without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:27-28, KJV, bracketed content added for clarity by author)

Upon physical death, the spirits of men stand before the judgment seat of God, at which point they are either received into the presence of God, or cast away from Him forevermore. To be cast away from God is to die spiritually. Spiritual death is the separation of men’s spirits from the presence of God. This is the second death.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh [sin by the power of God] shall not be hurt of the second death.” (Revelation 2:11, KJV, bracted content added for clarity by author)

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6, KJV)

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14, KJV)

Once our spirits have been released from our bodies, the spiritual condition in which our spirits are released will be the condition in which they remain; being released either in holiness unto eternal life, or released in corruption unto the second death of damnation. Thus, regardless of how we come to stand before God, in the Day of Judgment it shall be said:

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” (Revelation 22:11, KJV)

The only reason our spirits can be released free from sin is because when we receive Christ as our new representative by covenant, we are born again in the spirit. Thus, while our flesh continues to strive against our redeemed spirits, at death we are freed from it’s relentless tugging, and remain holy and pure in our cleansed spirits.

Now consider these truths in light of the prophecy given to Adam, Eve, and Satan (the seed of the Serpent).

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:15, KJV)

When the time had come for this prophecy to be fulfilled, God sent forth His Son to be born in the flesh of men.

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, {5} To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5, KJV)

As the “Promised Seed” of Eve, Jesus was born under the laws of God, which demanded from men the righteousness of faithful obedience. Failure to obey these laws, even in one point, would result in condemnation.

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10, KJV)

And, as we know, the flesh of Adam is weak, and falters easily. Thus the law has condemned all men, and by it no man has ever been able to walk without falling under condemnation. No man, that is, except Jesus Christ. Jesus came both to fulfill the law, and to satisfy the justice demanded by the law. In reference to this calling, Jesus said:

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the [prophetic utterances of the] prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. {18} For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18, KJV, bracketed content added for clarity by author)

Jesus kept the whole law perfectly, thereby fulfilling His own responsibility to it as a man. Jesus accomplished this feat by the power of the Holy Spirit, to whom Jesus was wholly submitted. Thus, what the law could not accomplish in men because of the weakness of the flesh, Jesus accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit.

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, {4} so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3, NASB)

Because men can die twice, Jesus satisfied the requirement of the law, which calls for the death of every sinner, by taking His flesh and offering it to God as a sin offering. In this, Jesus suffered and died in the flesh of Adam. This satisfied the law, which called for the death of sinful flesh.

However, because Jesus had fulfilled the laws of God, and was guilty of no personal sin, His spirit was released in holiness. This is the first resurrection of the righteous unto life in God. There will also be a second resurrection, but it will not be unto life, but unto damnation (Revelation 20:11-15). Thus, Jesus was the first Man to ever be raised to life in God. And only in Him can other men take part in the first resurrection. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power…,” “and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 20:6, 22:11, KJV).

Therefore Jesus became the “firstfruits” of humanity, which is to say, the first son of Adam to be offered to God and accepted. The concept of “firstfruits” was first introduced by God to Israel, and represents the first grain to be harvested from a crop.

“Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. Celebrate the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.” (Exodus 23:16, NIV)

This observance foreshadowed Christ, the “firstfruit” of the human harvest (Matthew 9:37-38).

“But the fact is that Christ (the Messiah) has been raised from the dead, and He became the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. {21} For since [it was] through a man that death [came into the world, it is] also through a Man that the resurrection of the dead [has come]. {22} For just as [because of their union of nature] in Adam all people die, so also [by virtue of their union of nature] shall all in Christ be made alive. {23} But each in his own rank and turn: Christ (the Messiah) [is] the firstfruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected] at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

REDEMPTION IS EXCLUSIVE TO MANKIND

These facets of mystery, which allow for the redemption of mankind, also naturally prevent Jesus from offering redemption to fallen angels. In light of what we have discussed thus far, consider the work of Christ as applied to angels.

To redeem an angel, God would be obligated by Divine laws of representation to become an angel. So let us assume, for a moment, that Jesus did take on the nature of angels, and not men as the scriptures teach (Hebrews 2:16). This would, of course, satisfy the first requirement of representation, but only for one angel. Angels were not birthed from parents, as was humanity, but were created as individuals, like Adam. Thus, like Adam, angels serve as their own representative before God. As Adam represents his flesh, so do angels represent themselves before God. This places them under individual representation.

But this is not the worst of it. In order to make atonement for the angels, Jesus must satisfy the requirements of justice that call for the condemnation of angels who fell into sin. Once again, Jesus would Himself have to remain sinless, and yet take upon Himself the sins of demons. But onto what shall that sin be placed? Angels have no flesh, for they are only spirit.

While it is true that angels can take on the form of men, and that their bodily form is real enough to allow them to physically eat (Genesis 18:9; 19:3), this flesh is not theirs by right of original creation. Instead, angels are spirits (Psalms 104:4), and God’s word tells us that, “a spirit hath not flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39).

If God the Son had been formed after the likeness of angels, and then served as their substitute in death, judgment could have fallen on nothing else but His spirit. This would have left Christ’s righteous Spirit with no way to escape the second death–the eternal separation of one’s spirit from God. This is why there can be no redemption for the angels. The freedom of Christ’s Spirit is crucial to His work of atonement.

As clear as this is, there will always be some who insist that God had a “secret” redemption plan; some other way to redeem creation from sin. These alternative gospels are imagined to offer salvation to everything from pets to aliens. Although proponents of these gospels will often confess that scripture does not expressly teach alternative gospels, they assure us that the foundation for their gospels is found in scripture. What they fail to realize, however, is that what the scriptures do teach about Christ’s gospel to humanity utterly eliminates the possibility of redemption for anyone but humanity. Consider carefully why this is so.

1. Christ’s humanity is permanent.

Jesus didn’t temporarily become a man; He became a man for all eternity. This fact rests upon the requirements of representation. Jesus no more temporarily became a man than He temporarily grants us His eternal life when we abide in Him. The means and work of redemption stand eternally.

The humanity of Jesus Christ was appointed by God to stand eternally before God the Father as an eternal High Priest on behalf of Christ’s brothers in the flesh.

“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. {23} And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: {24} But this man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable [human] priesthood. {25} Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:22-25, KJV, bracketed content added for clarity by author)

This priesthood is established on the laws of representation. It must be a man who functions within the office of high priest. This is because God requires a representative of mankind to present an offering on behalf of humanity. This, again, is why Jesus was obligated to become like His brethren in the flesh so that He could, as High Priest, stand eternally as the atonement for men. Thus, it is the humanity of Jesus that “continueth forever” as “an unchangeable priesthood.”

This is why Melchisedec, the symbolic forerunner of Christ’s eternal priesthood, was introduced to Abraham as one who was:

“Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” (Hebrews 7:3, KJV)

If the humanity of Christ stands forever in the office of High Priest, then Jesus cannot thereafter cease to be a man, and take upon Himself the nature of any other being. For this reason we must understand that Jesus “…took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham” so that He could live forever in the “unchangable priesthood” of men as “a priest forever” (Hebrews 2:16, 7:24-25; 7:3, KJV, NIV).

2. Jesus died once to defeat the rebellion of creation.

The earth was created for the sole purpose of dealing with sin, once and for all. The work of Christ against the rebellion of sin was in no way limited to the sins of men. On the contrary! From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God delivered a prophecy in which both men and angels were included. It would be the seed of Eve, Jesus Christ, who would secure eternal life for His brethren in the flesh while at the same time crushing the head of rebellion, Satan, under the heel of human redemption. In this, both the sins of men and of angels are inseparably tied together by the work of Christ.

Jesus will defeat all rebellion through His human form, whether that rebellion is angelic or human. The human Messiah would, through the redemption of mankind, defeat death, and then return as the rightful possessor of the earth and crush all usurping authority of evil under the heels of His feet.

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. {23} But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him. {24} Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. {25} For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. {26} The last enemy to be destroyed is death. {27} For He “has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under Him, it is clear that this does not include God Himself, who put everything under Christ. {28} When He has done this, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under Him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28, NIV)

The redemptive death of Christ has been revealed to be a one-time event, which can never be repeated.

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, {13} from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool” (Hebrews 10:12-13, NKJV)

This work of redemption eliminates any possibility that an additional sacrifice for the atonement of sin will be made. Jesus did this once, as a man, so as to defeat death and place the rebellion of all beings (all His enemies) under the heels of His feet. Never again must this be done. Never again will redemption be offered, because what it requires can only be offered once. Redemption is now exclusively reserved for humanity. And what shall be our answer to those who suggest that Christ is not the only name under which salvation is offered?

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, KJV)

3. Angels were created to serve the redeemed, not be redeemed.

“Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:3, KJV)

“Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? {2:1} Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” (Hebrews 1:14 – 2:1, ESV)

“It is not to angels that He has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. {6} But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? {7} You made Him a little lower than the angels; you crowned Him with glory and honor {8} and put everything under His feet? In putting everything under Him, God left nothing that is not subject to Him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to Him. {9} But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. {10} In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. {11} Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. {12} He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” {13} And again, “I will put my trust in Him.” And again He says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” {14} Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— {15} and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. {16} For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants.” (Hebrews 2:5-16, NIV)

Angels are “all ministering spirit’s, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14, KJV). It was for this purpose that angels were created.

For the sake of God’s purposes in election, God’s hand of wisdom rested upon two thirds of His angelic host so that they would not be deceived by the deception of Heylel’s sin. These are the “elect angels” who did not fall from their calling (1 Timothy 5:21).

However, the angels who abandoned their Divine calling for the call of rebellion can have no reprieve from judgment. They cannot be saved by the atoning work of Christ (Hebrews 2:16). Thus we are told that:

“…God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” (2 Peter 2:4, KJV)

In fact, Hell and the eternal lake of fire were created expressly for those angels who sinned against God.

“Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matthew 25:41, KJV)

Men simply share the fate of fallen angels when they follow after the similitude of their rebellion. Only those whom God the Father has chosen from among mankind did He “predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren”(Romans 8:29).

4. Aliens are a deception, and not candidates for redemption.

The question of alien redemption is based upon the assumption that aliens exist as a legitimate species of creation. It’s fundamental tenant is the presumption that God secretly created extraterrestrial life on distant planets–life to which mankind would eventually be joined through redemption and eternal union in God.

However, by reason of Christ’s eternal human priesthood, and for many of the same reasons angels cannot be redeemed, extraterrestrial life could never be offered redemption. At best, they would only serve as examples of God’s judicial wrath against sin, for which we have more than enough human and angelic examples.

More than this, we should expect Jesus to have taught about His eternal purpose for extraterrestrial life. We should expect this because Jesus promised us, saying: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15, NIV).

With this promise in view, we must then ask, “Are aliens part of our Master’s business? Has Jesus ever spoken of them?” Yes, actually, He has. However, Jesus has revealed that they are a demonic deception perpetrated against humanity. But the demonic spawn of this “alien” deception is far from an illusion. For those interested in the Biblical chronology of alien deception, please see THE ALIEN DECEPTION.

BUILDING FOUNDATIONS:

These truths stand as the foundation, and basis upon which God offers us hope. To ignore them can lead us into false perceptions of the gospel, or in how sin has been addressed by God. In other words, if you do not understand the requirements of redemption, you will be prone to errant assumptions about who and what can be redeemed. From there, error will only compound itself until you are preaching a gospel contrary to the one originally revealed by God through the Bible.

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9, NKJV)

The requirements of redemption are fundamental to our understanding. The purpose for Christ’s work, both in the incarnation and upon the cross find their rational in what God was required to do in order to redeem mankind. As you do your own study, read with this understanding in mind, and watch the revelation of God’s heart open up to you.

“…Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”  (Revelation 12:12, KJV)

WITHIN A FRACTION OF A SECOND heaven’s mightiest cherubim had returned to the earth.  And though he had fallen as lightning, he did not light the earth with the brilliance of God’s glory as he had on previous visits.  Nor had he come in peace.  For Heylel had become Satan, a most horrific opponent of God, and he was not alone in his judgment.  From their point of impact, the loathsome screeches and banished cries of fallen angels rose, no doubt, with ever increasing intensity as the implications and harsh reality of their judgment settled as an unbearable weight upon their minds.

Turning towards the Garden of Eden, Satan’s eyes bore down, with burning passion, upon the lowly caretakers of the earth – Adam and Eve.  Mankind now stood before him as both a mystery, and a tool for his cause.  Little did Satan know, that the very rebellion he intended to use to control mankind would be the trigger that would set God’s purpose for man into motion.  In fact, the first secret of mankind was “unearthed,” as it were, in response to Satan’s first act of war.  For this reason, we must carefully consider the events that followed Satan’s arrival on the earth as a fallen angel.

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RETURN OF THE CHERUBIM

In his former days of glory, Heylel had walked in the Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 28:13), and observed the differences between man and woman, both physically and emotionally.  For the first time, Satan now observed them through adversarial eyes.

In this darkened light, Eve was clearly recognized as the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7), and her submissive disposition as Adam’s helpmate (Genesis 2:18) would render her more susceptible to deceptive instruction.  Adam, on the other hand, posed a threat.  God had given Adam authority over Eve to lead and protect her from deception and overrule any actions she might be tricked into taking (Numbers 30:13-14).  This authority, however, had never been exercised, and its importance was, as yet, unrealized.  If Adam’s authority was not directly challenged, he might be lulled into the role of an observer, and forget the power and importance of his authority.

We are not told if God warned Adam and Eve of Satan’s rebellion.  Nor are we told what relationship, if any, they previously held with Heylel in the days when he walked among them in peace.  What we are told is that Satan chose not to risk approaching Adam and Eve directly, even with his powers of illusion (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).  Instead, he hid himself within the mind of a Serpent.

THE SERPENT

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. …” (Genesis 3:1, KJV)

The word serpent is translated from the Hebrew word nachash (naw-khawsh’) and literally means “a hissing serpent.”   It’s derived from the root word nachash (pronounced slightly differently: naw-khash’) meaning “to hiss, or whisper.”  It’s figuratively used of soothsayers and the whispered sound of their enchantments.  However, as used in this verse, it identifies only the class, or kind of creature in question, namely that it was serpentine in the broadest sense of the word.

God tells us that this particular Serpent possessed a clever intelligence that, today, is only associated with humanity.  This attribute of intelligence has caused much consternation among scholars.

The debate centers on the word “subtle.”  It’s translated from the Hebrew word aruwm (aw-room’), and means  “cunning: crafty, prudent, and subtle.”  When this description is combined with the serpent’s ability to talk, it implies an intellect far above what we observe in animals today, which is why some people have difficulty accepting the literal meaning of the text.  Must we assume, however, that no animal has ever been able to talk?

In scripture, intelligence is always equated with speech.  For example, when God elevated the intellect of a donkey, she spoke to the prophet Balaam in accordance with God’s will (Numbers 22:22-34).  In contrast, when God judged the pride of king Nebuchadnezzar, his understanding was removed and he became as a dumb, speechless animal grazing on grass in the fields (Daniel 4.31-34).

Our only knowledge of creation before corruption and judgment is found in Genesis.  Shall we ignore it’s teaching on the basis of what we have personally observed in today’s post-curse world?  Such an approach to scripture is manipulative and contrary to the instructive purpose of God’s word, especially when it describes a time and place expressly stated to be different from what we witness today.

Lest we mistake the Serpent as Satan in disguise, the cunningness of the serpentine creature is immediately compared with the Serpent’s peers – the animal kingdom.  For “…the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field…”   If we are speaking of the cunningness of Satan, then this comparison is a moot point, for angels are exalted far above any beast of the field by order of creation.  In fact, even men are placed below the intellectual prowess of angels (Psalms 8:5, Hebrews 2:7-9).  But here, the flow of thought is level.  The Serpent is an animal, and it’s cunning is compared laterally with the animal kingdom.  To introduce any other being into this statement is to disrupt the grammatical flow of thought.  Therefore we must understand that Satan and the Serpent are separate beings, and that both maintain their created intellect separate from one another according to their kind. This understanding shall be validated shortly.

With the Serpent introduced, and it’s intellect noted, we are then told that it approached Eve and spoke to her in a language she understood.  There is no mention that Eve was surprised that the Serpent spoke, nor was the fact that the Serpent had spoken identified as unusual.  It’s what the Serpent had to say that was abnormal in the perfection of the garden.

This placed the Serpent at the focus of the offense.  The Serpent, unaware of the Satanic motives behind his intellectual notions, freely embraced them as his own.  So when the circumstances presented themselves, the Serpent casually approached Eve and inquired as to what she actually knew about the commandments of God.

THE DECEPTIVE INSPIRATION

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” {2} The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, {3} but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” (Genesis 3:1-3, NIV)

The Serpent’s question subtly tested Eve’s knowledge of God’s commandment.  So Eve recounted to the Serpent what she had been taught by her husband, for it was to Adam that God had given the commandment not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

After listening to Eve’s second-hand account of God’s command, the Serpent countered God’s warning of judgment with the “new revelation” that had occurred to him through Satanic inspiration.

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: {5} For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5, KJV)

Thanks to Satan’s subtle manipulation, the Serpent likely thought it had realized a profound truth – that creation can advance itself if only it would rebel against the unnecessary restrictions of God.  This was, of course, Satan’s personal sin repackaged for the “consumption” of mankind.  Satan had declared that independence from God was not only possible, but was in creation’s best interest, a lie he not only believed, but also intended to prove.  Having rebelled against God himself and suffered no immediate destruction, Satan assured Adam and Eve through the Serpent that neither would they die if they rebelled.

It was true that God was withholding knowledge that would advance Adam and Eve beyond their present limitations.  This was never in question.  The catch was that in order for them to advance themselves, mankind would first have to defy the will of God.  This was where Eve fell in deception, and Adam fell in willful rebellion.

Eve’s desire to believe the word of the Serpent darkened the word of God in her mind, obscuring it’s meaning and invalidating its hold upon her heart.  In the mind of Eve, the single command of God thus became regarded as an unnecessary restraint placed upon mankind.  After all, if God had restricted the fruit of the tree out of fear, perhaps His fear was unfounded, and His restriction misplaced.  Certainly advancement through knowledge would not result in death, but would only serve to bring Eve closer to God, becoming god-like herself!

 “Adam,” however, “was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was [first] in the transgression (1 Timothy 2:14, KJV, italicized content added for clarity).  In other words, while Eve was deceived into believing that God’s command was nullified in light of a “greater good,” Adam knew full well that to transgress God’s command was explicit rebellion.

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  {7} And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Genesis 3:6-7, KJV)

THE REVELATION OF GOOD AND EVIL

By eating the fruit of the tree, man did not instantly know everything that is good and evil.  The knowledge gained was that of independent awareness, otherwise known as a “conscience.”  The conscience serves God’s instructive purposes.  God knew that the free-will of mankind would inevitably choose to sin, and so God saw fit to introduce a self-judging conscience alongside sin when it arrived.

God would use the newfound conscience of men to hold them accountable, and teach them about the nature of sin.  The fundamental principle of right and wrong, of good and evil, was instantly written upon the hearts of Adam and Eve.  It was not the laws of God that were written at that time, but the principle of law; the identification of lawlessness verses lawfulness.  God would use this Divine principle to hold men accountable, regardless of what they knew of His commandments.

“For when Gentiles who do not have the Law [of God] do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, {15} in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them” (Romans 2:14-15, NASB, italicized contend added for clarity)

“Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.” (Romans 1:19, KJV)

Because the standards by which good and evil are known are also the very attributes of God’s Being, no man can escape the knowledge of His existence. So then, as a result of the lawless acquisition of knowledge, all men have within them the Divine standard of God by which the fundamental identification of transgression is recognized.  For even when mankind governs themselves by laws of their own making, their corruption will manifest, and they will transgress their own standards, which will in turn reveal them as sinners by nature.

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. {20} Therefore by the deeds of the law [be it God’s law or the laws of men] there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”  (Romans 3:20, KJV, italicized content added by author)

“For the Law results in [divine] wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression [of it either].”  (Romans 4:15, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

It’s by the knowledge of this principle that men will be judged.  Because no matter how isolated, or ignorant men are of the specific laws of God, no man will be innocent of wrongdoing, and every mouth will be silenced in light of their knowledge of good and evil.

THE FIRST CALL TO REPENTANCE

“And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? {10} And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. {11} And He said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”  (Genesis 3:9-11, KJV)

Adam’s conscience revealed itself, and exposed him as a violator of God’s law.  God’s questioning of Adam drew out his confession, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10, KJV).  Adam, however, was not alone in sin, and he quickly moved to identify this fact:

“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. {13} And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” (Genesis 3:12-13, KJV)

Eve’s conscience also brought forth a confession.  And with the weight of God’s focus upon her, Eve followed her husband’s example and directed God’s displeasure towards the Serpent, in whom Satan was hidden.

“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: {15} And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”  (Genesis 3:14-15, KJV)

Adam and Eve were to receive redemption from their sin, and so confession had to be made (Romans 10:10).   The Serpent, however, was a different matter.  Two beings were involved in error.

The first being was the Serpent itself.  Having intelligence, the Serpent had been consciously involved in the defiance of God’s command.  Yet no repentance was required from this creature, for as an animal, it’s soul was not eternal and would not be redeemed eternally as man would.  And so, just as the Serpent’s intellect had been compared laterally with the animal kingdom, so was it’s judgment compared laterally, for it was “cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life” (Genesis 3:14).

The fact that this curse caused the Serpent to slither on its belly indicates that the Serpent had not slithered prior to the curse.  If this species of creature still exists today, then it’s limbs and its intellect were removed from it as part of judgment.  It’s relevant to note that this may be why some descendants of the snake species still possess what some refer to as “vestigial” limbs that are connected to the snake’s skeleton.  Evolutionists have assumed this to be an evidence of evolution, when in fact, it may very well be an evidence of a curse and all that is left of an upright animal once able to walk and talk.  This would make snakes the natural antithesis to evolution.

The second being involved in the fall of men was Satan himself.  No repentance was required of him either, for angels cannot be redeemed.  (A fact discussed at length in “The Secret of the Flesh”).  Instead, Satan, in conjunction with the Serpent, was given a prophecy.  This prophecy revealed the existence of God’s plan for both man and Satan alike.  The “seed” that would come out of the woman, and the seed that would come out of the Serpent, would be at enmity with one another, but the woman’s seed would be victorious over the Serpents seed.

THE PROPHECY AND THE DRAGON

From history, we can see the fulfillment of this Edenic prophecy.  From out of Eve came the lineage of Jesus Christ, who secured eternal salvation for mankind.  Out of the Serpent came Satan, who would oppose the purposes of Christ.  Thus, Satan struck out at the body of Christ, and sought to destroy the purposes of God for the Messiah, but the will of God succeeded.  Christ died, and rose again, thereby crushing Satan’s power over men – the power of death brought about by sin (Hebrews 2:14).

When Satan came out of the Serpent, Satan became the typological “seed” of the Serpent, and his new moniker is descriptive of his typological parent – the “Great Red Dragon” (Revelation 12:3).  For opposing God, he was called Satan, the opponent, and on account of the deception he wrought through the great red dragon of the Garden of Eden, he is called the seed of the dragon, and hence, he became viewed as a typological serpent or dragon himself.

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.”  (Revelation 12:3, KJV)

“…the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan…” (Revelation 20:2, KJV)

Some have misinterpreted Revelation 20:2 to mean that the Serpent in the Garden of Eden and Satan are one and the same.  The confusion arises because Satan is called “that old serpent” which is assumed to be the same Serpent who deceived Eve.  In response, we need only ask one question, “Is the serpent the same as its seed?”  If we answer “yes,” then we must equally assume that Eve is the same as her seed – we must assume that Eve is the Messiah.  If Eve and her seed must be understood to be speaking of separate beings, then so must the Serpent and its seed be understood to be separate.  The messiah would be called human because he came from a woman, and likewise, Satan is called a serpent because he came forth from out of the serpentine creature.

From Satan’s descriptive appellation as a “great red dragon,” we can begin to extrapolate details about the appearance of this great Serpent whose intellect unwittingly served the purposes of Satan in the Garden of Eden.  While it is true that the word “dragon” can be attributed to smaller reptiles such as lizards and crocodiles, the Bible speaks of greater creatures than these that lived in the days of old.  More than this, when the word great is used to describe this Serpent, this would naturally exclude anything small.  For there were indeed huge dragons in the days of Job, Daniel, and the Pharaohs of Egypt, some of which breathed fire, and others which were unstoppable by the men of their day (Job 40:15-41:34; Isaiah 27:1; Ezekiel 29:3; Jeremiah 51:34).

Many Satanically inspired stories, both of old and of present day Hollywood, often portray dragons as regal, wise, and powerful, to which men come for wisdom.  And alternately, there are many more depictions of dragons as evil, crafty, and terribly deceptive creatures.  Both depictions “tip their hat” to the original grand dragon whose mind was influenced with the wickedness of Satan.

It’s not a stretch to imagine Satan possessing a very large, majestic dragon, whose deep comforting voice, would be very persuasive.  The great dragon’s intellect was particularly useful, for it’s mind was capable of expressing Satan’s thoughts without the sound of Satan’s own voice betraying his presence.  Its size would also add emphasis to its words; as that spoken by a creature “greater” than Adam and Eve.

And so, Satan was henceforth called by the description of his “parent” in deception, the Great Red Dragon (Revelation 12:3).  In God’s prophetic curse, the serpentine Dragon was reduced to slither on its belly like lesser serpentine snakes, and its “seed,” which spoke of Satan, was destined for defeat by the future seed of Eve, Jesus Christ.

Satan did not know how God would crush him under the heel of humanity, but there was one thing he did know – he needed to corrupt, and destroy, the woman’s future seed in any way possible.  The promise of Satan’s defeat under the heel of man so terrified Satan that he went to tremendous lengths to rewrite the future that God had secured by His word.

However, even within his apparent victories, Satan consistently found himself defeated.  The greatest of these simultaneous victories and losses occurred when the prophesied seed of Eve was identified as Jesus Christ.  It would be the Messiah who would reveal the next mystery of mankind, the mystery of human flesh.

CONTRASTED WITH THE THEOCENTRIC NATURE OF GOD is the self-centered nature of sin.  Like Theocentrism, the attribute of self-centeredness is most perfectly displayed in the one in whom it was first found.  We know this being today as Satan, but before he fell from purity and righteousness he was known by a different name.

STUDY SYNOPSIS:

Before his fall, Satan held an integral position in the Holy of Holies in connection with the worship of God, perhaps even leading worship with his musical gifts before God’s throne.  But  the guardian became a thief when his wisdom was corrupted by the lustful thoughts of self-glorification, and he began leading worship as if unto himself.

God knew Satan would fall and introduce creation to sin, and fully intended to use it for His own glory.  God would do so by moving in His hitherto unseen attributes (such as judgment, wrath, and forgiveness) to put an end to rebellion and simultaneously reveal the wisdom, power, and perfect attributes of the Godhead.  For this reason, God only need move against sin once, and for all time, in order to demonstrate those aspects of Himself which were not fully grasped in the days prior to the emergence of sin.

When Satan was cast out of heaven, he made five declarations of ultimate rebellion, all beginning with ‘I will.’”

1. He wants to sit as God on the throne of heaven.
2. He wants his angelic brethren to serve him as God.
3. He wants to establish his earthly kingdom in Jerusalem, Israel.
4. He wants to astound creation with a glory greater than God’s.
5. He intends to usurp control of the earth before taking control of heaven.

Nevertheless, by the laws of justice, and hence by God’s command, Satan can only “gain ground” on earth, so to speak, as it is given him willfully by those who have rightful dominion over it– mankind.

To that end, Satan’s bidding is received by the lust of the carnal mind and body, and when acted upon, places men in a legal and willing bondage to the tempting will of Satan.  So then it is not to Satan that mankind sells themselves, but to sin, and are thereby held in bondage to their lusts, which can in turn be manipulated by Satan.  As long as humanity remains captive  to their lusts, Satan can manipulate an unwitting populace.  In this way Satan usurps control over the earth through the manipulation of those who rightfully hold dominion over it.

Ignorance of Satan’s agenda plays a key role in his manipulation of our daily lives.  The sum of this manipulation moves nations.  For it’s through ignorance that the nations are deceived and give support to Satan’s agenda.  And as deception spreads it blinds men and women to the fact that it is Satan’s master plan after which they are incited to lust.

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NAME OF THE HOLY, NAME OF THE CORRUPTED

In the Hebrew tongue, Satan was originally known in the days of his purity by the metaphor, Heylel (hay-lale’), which means “the brightness of the morning star” (Isaiah 14:12).  The morning star appears in the heavens just before dawn, heralding the rising sun.  In astronomy, we know the morning-star, or day-star, as the planet Venus, but it was also known in Latin as Lucifer.  The name “Lucifer” is derived from the Latin term, “lucem ferre,” which means “bringer, or bearer, of light.”  In the fourth century, when St. Jerome translated the Hebrew Scriptures into his Latin Vulgate, he assigned this Latin astronomical derivative, Lucifer, to the Hebrew metaphor, Heylel.  This name was later adopted by the scholars appointed by King James to translate the scriptures into English, and has become widely accepted as the heavenly name assigned to heaven’s most mighty cherubim.  Nevertheless, Heylel is the original Biblical name attributed to Satan’s pre-fall glory.

A DUAL REBUKE

As is typical of Satanic obfuscation, the identification of Satan’s pre-fall name invokes a controversy which rises up to meet anyone who might be instructed about the origin and agenda of Satan.  The controversy debates whether or not the metaphorical name, Heylel, refers to a fallen angel, or is just a poetic appellation given to a human king of earth.

At the heart of this debate are two passages that give us detailed descriptions of Satan before, and after, his rebellion.  However, both passages employ a poetic literary style that draws comparisons between two separate and distinct entities; a human king and an angelic king. In both passages a prophet of God delivers a stern rebuke to a human king, however, in these rebukes, the sins of the kings are then poetically equated with the sins of Satan.

“Not so!” charge the critics, “It’s a human king alone who is addressed by the prophets, and it’s a human king alone who receives the rebuke!”  Critics then demand to know why anyone would think that Satan is brought into the rebuke of men.  The answer to this query is simple.  The kings in question were operating according to the influences of Satan.  And so the Lord’s rebuke, while spoken to men, is simultaneously addressed to Satan.

Dual rebukes, like the dual fulfillment of prophecies, are more common than people seem to realize.  Consider the apostle Peter.  One day while walking with Jesus, Satan quietly inspired Peter to speak against Christ’s revelation that He would be put to death.  How did Jesus respond?

“But when He had turned about and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.”  (Mark 8:33, KJV)

In a rebuke directed at Peter, Jesus spoke to Satan.  Peter was unaware that he was parroting the will of Satan.  As far as he knew, his words were his own.  But Jesus was not deceived, and identified Satan as the true source of Peter’s error.  Thus Jesus rebuked the sprit that instigated Peter’s unwitting defiance against God.  Who would have known that Satan was behind Peter’s words but the Lord?

Consider also the first victim of Satan’s influences, and the dual rebuke handed down upon both Satan and his deceived mouthpiece.  Consider the Serpent in the Garden of Eden.  Satan prompted the intellect of the Serpent to speak according to the deceptive thoughts that were pouring into it’s unguarded mind as if they were it’s own.  When the Lord delivered His rebuke, listen to what was said:

“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: {15} And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  (Genesis 3:14-15, KJV)

Even though God’s rebuke is directed at the Serpent, the curse is clearly seen to fall upon both the Serpent and Satan.  It cannot be biblically denied that Satan is the “seed” which came forth out of the Serpent on the day it was judged (Revelation 12:9).  Nor can it be biblically denied that this curse contained the first prophecy that foretold of Christ’s victory over Satan (Romans 16:20).  We conclude, then, that prophetic rebukes can, in fact, speak to Satan even though they are addressed first to men.

Now let’s look at two passages in scripture that teach us about Satan and his agenda in the form of a dual rebuke.

PRINCE OF THE ANGELIC HOST

We find mention of Satan in the Lord’s rebuke to the king of Tyre and to the king of Babylon.  In these rebukes God recounts Satan’s history within the hearing of the kings who were ignorantly working out Satan’s will upon the earth.  These kings would hear of the glory from which Satan fell, and the horrific end to which he had been condemned, for they would likewise partake of Satan’s damnation, having unwittingly participated in his rebellion against God.  Their rebuke would be echoed hundreds of years later to the Pharisees, when Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do” (John 8:44, KJV).

We begin with the Lord’s rebuke to the king of Tyre, to whom the Lord sent the prophet Ezekiel.  Through Ezekiel, the Lord recounts a relationship – a relationship between God and the being who’s personal history God proceeds to unfold.  Although Satan is not identified by name, he is clearly the only being who fits the details God provides.  The Lord begins by recounting the glory that Satan once had in the days when he walked in righteousness before God as Heylel, and then follows it with a description of Satan’s fall and eternal destiny:

BEFORE THE FALL (vs. 12-14):  

“Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. {13} Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. {14} Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.”  (Ezekiel 28:12-14, KJV)

AFTER THE FALL (vs. 15-19):

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. {16} By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. {17} Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. {18} Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. {19} All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” (Ezekiel 28:15-19, KJV)

Within this prophetic rebuke, we find that the king is poetically compared to an individual who is, 1) an “anointed cherub” (an angel), 2) who walked both in the Garden of Eden and upon the mountain of God in heaven, 3) who God considered to be the very seal of perfection in creation since the day of his creation (and apart from Adam, no man is ever considered perfect from the day he is born – Psalms 58:3, 14:3, 4) who’s personal beauty could only be compared to precious stones, and 5) who was cast out of God’s heavenly mountain because of sin.

This is why Satan is recognized to be the poetic antitype to the king of Tyre.  As the king’s heart was comparable to the heart of Satan, so would his judgment be comparable. Assuming this to be true for the moment, what does this account tell us about Heylel who would later become Satan?

HEAVEN’S HOLY GUARDIAN

Heylel’s position of service before God was one of tremendous honor, for he was “the anointed cherub who covers” (Ezekiel 28:14, KJV).  The word anointed means, “set aside” or “set apart” and refers to a special position of service.  We must ask then, what was his special place of service before God?

First, we see that Heylel was a cherub set apart from the others (anointed) who “covers.”  The word covereth or covers, is the Hebrew word cakak (saw-kak’), which means, “to protect” or “defend.”  For example, in Exodus 33:22, God tells Moses:

“And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover [cakak] thee with my hand while I pass by:” (Exodus 33:22, KJV)

But in heaven, what is there that needs protecting?  What is it that the cherubim protect through their position as “covering,” or “guardian” angels?  To answer that, we must turn to the book of Exodus.

In Exodus 25:17-22 we find that God commanded Israel to place images of two cherubim at either end of the “Mercy Seat” (a place where the glory of God appeared as a sign of God’s presence with Israel).

“And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering (cakak)the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.” (Exodus 25:20, KJV)

“And over it [the Mercy Seat] the cherubims of glory shadowing [protecting] the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.”  (Hebrews 9:5, KJV, italicized content added for clarity)

“And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.”  (Exodus 26:34, KJV)

“And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.”  (Exodus 25:22, KJV)

The cherubim are thus seen to be the protectors and guardians of The Mercy Seat, which served as the lid of the Ark of the Covenant and was housed in the holiest chamber of the Tabernacle (a transportable Temple of the Lord used by the Israelites during their journey from slavery in Egypt to the land promised them by God).  In the days of the Old Testament, the earthly throne of God was the Mercy Seat, from which He communicated to Israel.

If the statues of cherubim are required to cover God’s throne on earth, that is because they do so literally in heaven.  We know this because the tabernacle, and everything in it was itself an “example and shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5, KJV).  Therefore, the earthly representation of the throne of God teaches us about the heavenly reality.

When we see how Israel was instructed to position the images of the cherubim in the Tabernacle, and understand that the Tabernacle was a temporal illustration of heaven (Hebrews 10:1-4), we begin to grasp Heylel’s position of service before God.  Satan had once been a guardian of God’s glory, serving God in the sanctuaries of the “Holy of Holies” wherein the worship and praise of creation was presented to God before His throne.

It was before the Mercy Seat that the high priests of Israel were commanded to offer both worship and repentance on behalf of the nation every year.  And it’s before the Mercy Seat of Heaven that the angels offer their worship to Jehovah God.  The Mercy Seat of Heaven is God’s throne, and the Cherubim of glory have been appointed the honor of standing guard over it.

“The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.”  (Psalms 99:1, KJV)

“…thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.” (Psalms 80:1, KJV)

The cherubim are thus understood to have a unique guardian relationship in regard to the offering of worship before God.

A LEADER IN WORSHIP

This connection between the cherubim and worship is further clarified by the gifts given Heylel for service before God.  Heylel was designed and equipped with musical ability on the day he was created:

“…the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.”  (Ezekiel 28:13, KJV)

The word tabrets is translated from the Hebrew word, toph, meaning “a tambourine: tabret, timbrel” and comes from the prime root taphaph, meaning “to drum, i.e. play (as) on the tambourine: taber, play with timbrels.”  Whether we understand these gifts to be external instruments, or simply the internal ability to sing more beautifully than any other created being, music is implied by the word, toph.

God does not give gifts that He does not intend to be used in His service.  The worship of God through song and dance is spoken of in the book of Psalms:

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power. {2} Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. {3} Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. {4} Praise Him with the timbrel (toph) and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. {5} Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. {6} Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”  (Psalms 150, KJV, emphasis added)

 Considering the sum of these truths, it becomes clear that Heylel held some integral position in the Holy of Holies in connection with the worship of God, perhaps even leading worship with his musical gifts before God’s throne.

In this capacity, the worship of heaven would have been in very capable hands.  Tragically, Heylel would forfeit this place of honor, and violate his very purpose for being.

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. {16} By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. {17} Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. {18} Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.” (Ezekiel 28:15-18, (KJV)

STRONGS EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE:  

• MERCHANDISE  7404. rekullah, rek-ool-law’; fem. pass. part. of H7402; trade (as peddled):–merchandise, traffic.

• VIOLENCE  2555. chamac, khaw-mawce’; from H2554; violence; by impl. wrong; by meton. unjust gain:–cruel (-ty), damage, false, injustice, X oppressor, unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing), wrong.

The “merchandise” Heylel was “peddling” was God’s glory and worship, and his heart was filled with “violence” – the unrighteous desire of unjust gain; gain of what belonged to God alone.  His heart was lifted up in pride because of his beauty and his covetous heart corrupted his wisdom (vs. 17).  It was corrupted with the idea that he had some worthiness in and of himself that was deserving of glory and worship.

What other currency is there in heaven but the glory given through worship?  What else is there to guard and protect but the proper focus of heaven’s worship?  What position could be closer to God than a covering cherub created to lead and direct the rapturous chorus of heaven’s worship directly to the throne of God?

Oh but what tragedy and what loss has Heylel brought upon himself!  Designed to reflect God’s greatness, he instead exalted the image of the mirror over the One reflected therein; he exalted himself as if he were God.  Well has God asked through the pen of the apostle Paul:

“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”  (1 Corinthians 4:7)

Heylel’s rebellion was not a simple desire for respect.  He was not misunderstood.  He saw all the glory and worship that was passing through his hands (merchandise), and indeed it was glorious.  There is a fine line between directing worship, and glorying in it.  Heylel “trafficked” in the “merchandise” of God’s glory and committed the “violence” of directing or receiving worship as unto himself.  The guardian became the thief when his wisdom was corrupted by the lustful thoughts of self-glorification.

THE GENESIS OF WAR

There was no remorse in Heylel’s response to God’s rebuke, rather, he declared war against his Infinite Creator, “…for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45, KJV).   To declare war against an almighty God is indeed laughable.  Especially when one considers the futility of such a war, wherein a finite creature strives against “The Infinite Omnipotent” who has no limit to His knowledge or power.  One would think that the sheer hopelessness of such an endeavor would have been a deterrent to the very thought of war against God.  However, we must also grasp the nature of those things that blinded this mighty cherub, namely his beauty, splendor, and wisdom.

Consider Heylel for a moment from the viewpoint of his peers.  He was creation’s greatest wonder.  With power and strength unmatched in creation, who could stand against him?  Brilliant and cunning even in God’s eyes, who could argue against him?  His beauty was so stunning and luminous, what was there in creation that could be compared with him?  With God out of view, the answer to all these questions is no one.  Therein lay the problem.  Self-centeredness removes God from the forefront of our desires.

When Heylel sinned against God, all his attributes were corrupted.  His might and strength no longer served the will of God, but the evil of his corrupted will.  His genius and cunning no longer operated in the truth, but instead wrought unparalleled deception and lies, deceiving even himself.  The deception of sin on this magnitude can only be overcome by the wisdom of God.  And so, seeing that his splendor truly surpassed all other created beings, and that in God’s own eyes he stood as the “sum of perfection,” Heylel gloried in the light of his own being and called his peers to do the same.  Thus it was by these corrupted attributes that Heylel convinced one third of his angelic peers to follow and obey him (Revelation 12:4); an amazing feat that gives testimony of the power, beauty, and greatness of Heylel, Heaven’s highest cherub.

IGNORANCE AND REVELATION

It staggers the mind that anyone would choose a creature, no matter how magnificent, over the Infinite Creator.  But our minds are staggered only because we have received enlightenment.  Our understanding of God today is far more advanced than the understanding that Heylel had before he fell in sin.  Therein lays one of God’s purposes for allowing sin to manifest itself and come to full fruition.  Only when God moves against sin is the fullness of His nature seen clearly.

For example, what can be known of wrath, judgment, or reverent fear, before God moves against sin?  What can be understood about the depth of Divine love, mercy, or forgiveness apart from God’s work of redemption in men?  While the angels knew God in part, they could never have known God for who He truly is before sin called His hidden attributes into action.

Thus, in some regards, the angels were as children, having limited comprehension of their Father.  And to a child, what good is a warning apart from the identification of its object of concern?  And how does a parent introduce a child to the horrors of sin?  As a perfect parent, God did not introduce thoughts of evil into the minds of His children.  Instead, He taught them the ways of righteousness.

However, God knew that it would be Heylel who would introduce creation to sin, and fully intended to use it for His own glory, in that He would move in His hitherto unseen attributes to put an end to rebellion and simultaneously reveal the wisdom, power, and perfect attributes of the Godhead.  For this reason, God only need move against sin once, and for all time, in order to demonstrate those aspects of Himself which were not fully grasped in the days prior to the emergence of sin.

SERVANTS OF SIN

The deceit wrought in the mind of Heylel perverted his reflection of God, and his cunning, strength, and beauty swayed the hearts and minds of many within God’s angelic host, and thereby sealed them in the blindness of sin.  This tragic deception has continued to be perpetuated in the hearts of men.

Having successfully introduced the blindness of sin’s logic to many of his peers, Heylel declared his intents openly before God’s throne.  The result was nothing short of staggering.  So much so, that had Heylel not first stood before his peers to convince them of his worthiness, they would never have followed him upon seeing God’s judgment against him.  And staggering God’s judgment was.

God cursed Heylel, and every angel who stood with him in agreement, and cast them out of heaven as profane beings before His sight. This judgment was so powerful that they fell to earth with the blazing impact of a lightning strike (Luke 10:18).  In that instant, their inward corruption was released, transforming them from the image of God’s glory to the hideous image of their perversion.

The objects of Heylel’s pride, and in which he had gloried, were cursed.  Where the glory of God had once radiated, a horrific blight of darkness now writhed in its void, astonishing all who knew him (Ezekiel 28:19).  By this visible curse the corruption of his spirit was made manifest before all of creation.

It would be upon the earth, before God’s bride, that Satan’s end would be secured as a witness of what evil brings to those who embrace it.  The fires of God’s righteousness, in which Heylel has once walked, would now be used to consume him; setting fire to the corruption that now subsumed his being.  It was this judgment of which the prophet Ezekiel spoke when he rebuked the king of Tyre, saying:

“Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. {18} Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. {19} All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” (Ezekiel 28:17-19, KJV)

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

The only reference to Satan’s first name, Heylel, is found in a passage describing his original perfect nature and service before God.  But God has thereafter only spoken of him in relation to his corruption, and uses such descriptive names as, Satan (pronounced: saw-tawn’ in Hebrew) which means “adversary or opponent,” and Diabolos (pronounced: dee-ab’-ol-os, in Greek) which means “false accuser, slanderer.”  The angels who followed Satan in his rebellion are now called daimonizomai (dahee-mon-id’-zom-ahee) also known to us as devils or demons, and carries the meaning, “ministers of the devil.”

A FIVE-FOLD PLAN

To the king of Babylon, God sent the prophet Isaiah.  Once again, the Lord gave a dual rebuke to the king and the spirit manipulating him from behind the scenes.  Only this time, the spirit’s name is given – Heylel.

Having been cast out of heaven, Heylel made five declarations of ultimate rebellion, all beginning with the words, “I will.”  These boasts of pride were recounted to the king of Babylon who shared in their aspirations.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [Heylel], son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! {13} For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: {14} I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. {15} Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”  (Isaiah 14:12-15, KJV, emphasis added)

These five declarations are recorded in scripture so that we may know to what end Satan and his minions work.  Here again are the five primary goals that Heylel claimed he would accomplish:

1)    “I will ascend into Heaven.”  The prophet Ezekiel had informed the king of Tyre that Heylel was cast out of Heaven, out of the mountain of God from the midst of the stones of fire, for presuming to be worthy of the throne of God.  Now, the prophet Isaiah revealed to the king of Babylon that, in response, Satan has declared that the day will come when he rises to heaven as an ascended master, replacing God upon the throne of heaven.

2)    “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.”  The word “stars” is translated from the Hebrew word kowkab (ko-kawb’), which literally means “a blazing star,” but figuratively means “a glorious prince.”  God’s word tells us that the glory of angels is as “a flame of fire,” and that God’s “stars are the angels” (Revelation 1:20) who are assigned to the church as “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). Having once been the most glorious of all God’s star-like princes, Satan intends to rise once again above them in glory, and establish his throne as the center of their worship.

3)    “I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.”  Satan also intends to establish his earthly throne of authority in Israel.  The “congregation in the sides of the north” refers to Mount Zion in Jerusalem:

“A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. {2} Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” (Psalms 48:1-2, KJV, emphasis added)

“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: {34} But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: {35} Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.” (Matthew 5:33-35, KJV, emphasis added)

Why would Satan want to rule the world from the city of Jerusalem?  Because God has prophesied that He will reign over the world from Mount Zion in Jerusalem:

“Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously.” (Isaiah 24:23, KJV, emphasis added)

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. {3:1} For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, {2} I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.”  (Joel 2:32-3:2, KJV, emphasis added)

It’s interesting to note that this is the only claim that Satan even remotely comes close to accomplishing. The prophet Daniel tells us that in the last days, Satan is allowed to take control of Jerusalem through his willing human vessel, a man who is distinctly anti-Christ, “and he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain…” (Daniel 11:45, KJV).  The phrase, “Between the seas,” likely means between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, placing his base of operations in “the glorious mountain,” that is, Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

This man of sin, who is often referred to as “the Antichrist,” will stand in the temple of God in Jerusalem and declare himself to be God, in keeping with Satan’s claims.  In fact, the Jews are warned to flee when they see the Antichrist’s armies occupy and surround Jerusalem, because it will be shortly thereafter that he will exalt himself as God and slaughter all those who deny his self-proclaimed deity.

“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. {21} Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. {22} For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.”  (Luke 21:20-22, NIV)

“Therefore when you see the  ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), {16} “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. {17} Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. {18} And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.”  (Matthew 24:15-18, NKJV)

“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; {9} that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, {10} and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. {11} For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, {12} in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”  (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12, NASB)

At the height of Satan’s rule through the Antichrist, he will rule from “the sides of the north” in Jerusalem.  God will allow this satanic regime to prosper for a short time as a “punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written” (Luke 21:22, NIV).  It will be a punishment because under the threat of death, and with the allure of Satanic signs and wonders, the hearts of men will reveal where they truly stand before God.  Men will either overcome fear and deception through the power of God, or they will succumb to fear and deceived wonderment, “in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:12, NASB).  And when this has fully been accomplished according to God’s word, Christ shall return in vengeance against every wicked heart, be it angelic or human.

4)    ”I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.”  These “clouds” are not what we see in the sky, but are instead the visible glory of God for which there is no adequate word to evoke the proper image in our thinking.  For example, the prophet Ezekiel recounts seeing the glory of God fill a house like that of a cloud:

“Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory.” (Ezekiel 10:4, KJV)

Other examples can be seen in Exodus 16:10, 24:16; Numbers 16:42; and Luke 21:27.

In his insane pride, Satan imagines that he can exceed the infinite glory of God.  In essence, Satan has stood in God’s presence and foolishly proclaimed that he will go: “To infinity, and beyond!”  Having tasted the euphoria of God’s glory, Satan intends to “ascend above the heights of the clouds (of glory),” thereby exceeding even God Himself in grandeur and majesty.  It is not possible to exceed infinite glory, but if one is already striving for the impossible, why not at least succeed in foolishness?

5)    “I will be like the most High.”  God is revealed as El Elyown, the “Most High God.”  The Most High God is “the possessor of Heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19-20, 22).  Satan intends to begin with the conquest of earth through global domination, and upon defeating God’s will for men, he intends to ascend into heaven revealing himself to “be like the most High.”  But in the end, Satan will only prove that “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18, KJV).

These five “I will’s” are the desires of Satan’s heart.  To this end does he war against God.  We must be instructed from these declarations, for by knowing what his goals are, we’ll be better prepared to recognize the means Satan is using to achieve those goals, and seek after what the Lord would have us do in response.

PROVING THE CLAIM

Satan’s grand aspirations were pronounced folly, and everything he had envisioned for himself condemned.  His pride was hurt, his beauty corrupted, and his future damned.  But according to the justice of God’s plan for rebellion, Satan was granted time to demonstrate his claims against God.  Satan’s freedom is ticking away, and his only “hope,” vain as it is, is to succeed against God.

But Satan must proceed by observing the rules of God’s “court.” In other words, he is not ultimately free to do anything he wishes.  He and his demons are bound by the parameters that God has set upon creation.  God retains His Sovereign power over all, and only allows evil to work out its will within the scope of its claims according to the will of God.  “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain” (Psalms 76:10, KJV).  Much like a beast is allowed to mark out its territory within the confines of its cage, so is Satan bound by the limits of God’s will for rebellion.

In order for Satan to establish his abode in heaven, he must first establish himself as ruler over his current domain of relative freedom – the earth.  If he fails to place the meek inhabitants of the earth under his rule, he can have no chance of overthrowing the might of heaven.  Humanity must be conquered and brought under the claimed “divinity” of the devil.  Satan must therefore raise his sphere of authority over man.  The question is, how will he establish dominance over the earth?

Some might think that the easiest way to gain dominion over the earth is by brute force.  Many venues of entertainment have centered their story lines on this premise.  However, Satan cannot take control of men by direct angelic force, even though the combined strength of creation’s strongest cherub and his fallen angelic followers could easily be used to overrun the earth and make mankind their unwilling slaves – especially in the days when there was only Adam and Eve.

However, by the laws of justice, and hence by God’s command, Satan can only “gain ground” on earth, so to speak, as it is given him willfully by those who have rightful dominion over it – mankind.

THE LEGALITY OF DOMINION

God gave dominion over the earth to mankind alone (Genesis 1:28), and that dominion was not to be given to any other.  By the power of this Divine ordination, Satan cannot take by force what God has bestowed upon another.  Therefore, Satan must usurp it from its rightful owners, according to the allowances of the law.  He is able to do so through man’s slavery to the lusts of their flesh.

“For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Romans 7:14, KJV)

 ”…for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” (2 Peter 2:19, KJV)

 It’s this principle of sin that is key to Satan’s intended victory.

Moving behind the minds of fallen man, just as he did with the Serpent in the garden, Satan is never directly seen, nor directly responsible for men’s actions – such as would justify one to say, “the devil made me do it!”  Satan temps men, either directly or by preexisting earthly temptations, to lure them along the path he would have them go, and when they willingly bite the lure, it becomes a horses bit to them, and they can be led by that lust.  In effect, Satan capitalizes upon human depravity, a depravity that sprang from the seeds of sin he planted and even now seeks to reap as a harvest.

In this way Satan’s bidding is received by the lust of the carnal mind and body, and when acted upon, places men in a legal and willing bondage to the tempting will of Satan.  So then it is not to Satan that mankind sells themselves, but to sin, and are thereby held in bondage to their lusts, which can in turn be manipulated by Satan.  As long as humanity remains captive to their lusts, Satan can manipulate an unwitting populace.  In this way Satan usurps control over the earth through the manipulation of those who rightfully hold dominion over it.

The means by which Satan is gaining ground on earth far exceeds vices such as drugs or sexual immorality.  Enticing humanity to bind themselves in fleshly sins is useless to Satan unless it plays into his global agenda.  Ignorance of Satan’s agenda plays a key role in his manipulation of our daily lives.  The sum of this manipulation moves nations.  For it’s through ignorance that the nations are deceived and give support to Satan’s agenda.  And as deception spreads it blinds men and women to the fact that it is Satan’s master plan after which they are incited to lust.

Just as nations are conquered and ruled over by men, so are they conquered and ruled over spiritually.  Satan, by reason of his victories over the peoples of the earth, has set up principalities (princes), powers, and rulers over the empires of the world and their geographical domains.  This is why God’s servants are told:

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. {12} For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  (Ephesians 6:11-12, KJV)

True to his stated goals, Satan would be “god” over the earth.  To this end, the “father of lies” (John 8:44) has consistently confused men’s knowledge of God on a global scale.  Between the fallen minds of men and the deceptive “inspirations” of Satan, religions, philosophies, and the false “sciences” of the world sprang up where the knowledge of God was suppressed; each faith denying the truth of God, and each binding it’s followers against the One True God.

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: {4} In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”  (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, KJV)

“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:” (1 Timothy 6:20, KJV)

We would do well to note the stated goal’s of Satan, and their global applications, “lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).  We must not be ignorant because we have his agenda, his modus operandi, recorded for us in the Bible, which we have been commanded to study diligently (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 2 Timothy 2:15).

Satan is very active on planet earth according to God’s permissive will for rebellion.  Satan intends to achieve his five stated goals on the earth that he may justify his claims before creation as one worthy to be praised.  Satan fights against a ticking clock, as was prophesied in Eden, and works endlessly towards his aspirations.  Let us not fail to identify the signs of these goals, recognizing them to be global in scale, personal in application, and governmental in their enforcement of his Satanic will for universal domination.

ANYONE WHO HAS ATTENDED MAINLINE CHURCHES on a regular basis can cite the fundamental facts of creation, sin, and redemption.  But reconciling these facts with our fallen heart and logic has proven troubling for those who are unfamiliar with God’s revelation of Divine purpose.  In the absence of knowledge, many questions can overshadow the wisdom of God in our minds.

STUDY SYNOPSIS:

When recounting the acts of God, wherein the facts alone are offered as a reason to believe, the will of God can easily be perceived as absurd, foolish, and even cruel.  This is because we, as personal beings, neither live nor act on facts alone.  There is always a motive, a desire, a heart behind every thought, word, and deed.  Therefore when a void of personality is left, we are quick to ascribe our own fallen natures to the mind of God.  In this way God is demeaned and mocked by the myopic wisdom of man.

In this study, we’ll discover that the treasure of God’s heart is Himself.  While some have erroneously attributed this focus to selfcenteredness, it is not.  It’s something called Theocentrism, a beautiful Divine focus that benefits all of creation, as as such, is a focus all of creation is to have themselves.  In fact, the Theocentric nature of God is what renders sin an irony, because God desires to give righteously what sin desires to take unrighteously. Thus, Theocentrism is more than a mere focus; it is an expression of love.  A love that doesn’t seek after self, but after Divine good, is perfectly Theocentric.  As such, it is the primary component of everything that God does.

As we adopt the Theocentric nature of God, we’ll share in the joys and righteous pleasures of God.  In fact, those pleasures will be expressed through us.  And as God expresses His wisdom and righteousness through us, we’ll share in the very nature of God.  This is what it means to be filled with the fullness of God’s Theocentric nature.

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THE TREASURE OF GOD

This is where we must begin, with the Divine heart behind the history.  What were the motivations of God’s heart when He begat creation?  There is no better way to understand someone’s motives than to find the treasure of their heart:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21, KJV)

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”  (Luke 6:45, KJV)

Just as this is true of men, so is it true of God, who’s image men reflect (Genesis 1:27).  Thankfully, finding the treasure of God’s heart, and thus the purpose behind His actions, is as simple as asking one question: “In all that exists, what has the most value, the most beauty, the most wisdom, the greatest power, the greatest joy, the greatest peace, the greatest purity, is most trustworthy, is most dependable, is infinite in it’s every quality, and never changes, thus making it more desirable than anything else?”  If we answer with anything other than “The Being of God,” we blaspheme, and fail to grasp The One True God, our Creator.  There is nothing more desirable than God Himself.  Thus, the treasure of God, is the nature of His own Being.

It was for this reason that God told Abram, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1, KJV).  The greatest gift God can give is Himself.  If this were true of a man or woman, especially in our fallen state, we would cringe to imagine the ego and self-centeredness this reality would generate.  So what do we find when we examine the heart of God?

DEFINING THE HEART OF GOD

Some have wrongfully concluded that because God treasures Himself above all else, God must therefore be self-centered by nature, and consequently self-serving.  But is this really an accurate description of God?  Is the Divine Nature of God self-centered?  Is that the nature to which we have been called?  Certainly not!  But this question does bring to our attention an important perspective that is often missed about God’s exaltation of His own Being.  God is Theocentric.

Theocentrism focuses itself entirely upon the essence of Holy Divinity.  For this reason we must not speak of God as self-centered, for it is more accurate to say that God is Theocentric, or God-centered.  This is not a matter of semantics.  The difference between self-centeredness and Theocentrism is simple, yet profound.  A self-centered being will exalt itself over others even after being proven unworthy, whereas a Theocentric being will shift it’s focus to whatever source proves to be more worthy than self.  There is no self-centeredness in Theocentrism.

This means that God treasures Himself only because there is no other God beside Him, nor one more worthy than He (Isaiah 43:10-12).  For example, the word of God tells us that when God confirmed His oath to Abraham, He validated it by swearing by the trustworthiness of His own Being, “because He could swear by no greater” (Hebrews 6:13-14, KJV).  If there were a greater being than Jehovah, the Lord would devote Himself to that being as its most faithful servant of righteousness. For the Lord loves all that is righteous, and will exalt the ultimate source of that righteousness, wherever it is found.  It just so happens that the infinite source of all that is good is the very Being of God Himself.

This Theocentric disposition is part and parcel of the Divine Nature that forms in men through the sanctifying work of God (2 Peter 1:4).  And if the nature of God is Theocentric, and we are made to be partakers of His nature, then God is calling us to be Theocentric.  As this nature begins to form in us, the stark contrast between our self-centered natures and God’s Theocentric nature will be readily apparent.  This contrast helps us comprehend the value of God’s nature over what is natural to us.

First, consider our fallen nature.  Every fallen being is self-centered.  The degree of this condition varies within men, but exists as a component of sin nevertheless.  Because of this, everyone will at some point abuse, neglect, and generally deprive others of that which is beneficial to them in favor of self.  This is true no matter how much pleasure a self-centered individual derives from seeing others get what they want.  This is because a man’s desires can be detrimental to their own well-being, and must therefore be regulated with wisdom.  Failure to properly regulate human desire is most commonly known as “spoiling” someone.  So even the most altruistic of men will inadvertently bring harm to others for lack of wisdom or knowledge.

Theocentrism, as exhibited perfectly by God alone, ensures that every possible benefit – every good which can be experienced by a created being – is made available and kept accessible through godly means.  This naturally means that some seemingly good things are withheld from men by the same loving wisdom of God.  Only the infinite wisdom of God can faultlessly judge between what is truly beneficial and what is not.

Thus, the will of God for mankind is governed by a loving wisdom that may not immediately be recognized as beneficial by the limited wisdom of men.  This is where sin is found to be at its strongest.  For sin counters the wisdom of God’s goodness with the fallen logic of rebellion, and advises its victim on how to obtain the good that God apparently failed to deliver, or at the very least, failed to deliver in full.

THE IRONY OF SIN

The irony of sin is that it attempts to achieve, through godless means, what God intends to give freely through Divine means.  Satan sinned when he attempted to receive, for himself, the glory due God alone.  Yet, it was God’s intent from the beginning to bring the angels ever deeper into His glory through His work with mankind.  The sin of Adam and Eve was born from their attempt to “be as gods” (Genesis 3:5) and to obtain the knowledge of good and evil apart from righteousness.  Yet, it was God’s intent all along to become one with mankind and make them partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:2-4) thereby granting them unrestricted access to His infinite knowledge.

In fact, every sin committed thereafter has been the result of an unrighteous pursuit of what is Divine by nature.  For example, in the pursuit of happiness, the lie of sin is that a greater happiness can be found apart from God than can be found in Him.  Ironically, it is the desire of God’s heart to bestow upon creation the greatest joy and happiness that can possibly be experienced by a created being, and God knows this can only be accomplished by sharing Himself fully with creation.  In the pursuit of peace, the lie of sin tells us that peace can be found in a world living contrary to that which actually delivers peace – the righteousness of God.  Ironically, eternal peace is what God created us to experience in Him.  And in the pursuit of freedom, the lie of sin tells us that we cannot truly be free unless we are allowed to make choices opposed to the nature of God.  Ironically, it is only when men partake of the nature of God that they can keep themselves free from the woes and sorrows of sin’s bondage and achieve eternal freedom.

Sin is truly the ungodly pursuit of the essence of God.  This is ironic because there is, in fact, a godly means of becoming like God, possessing the Divine Nature, and of sharing in a glory so profound no words can adequately describe it.  The process is called “salvation,” and its author is Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate (God manifested in the flesh).  The message of Salvation has thus become known as the Gospel of Christ, which calls all men to seek and obtain God through the only means by which He is obtainable.  Herein lies the heart of God.  Herein lies the purpose for salvation, which was God’s intent for mankind all along.

SHARING THE WEALTH

The Theocentric nature of God is what renders sin an irony.  It is God’s unwavering exaltation of the Divine nature that ensures the righteous delivery of every good thing to creation.  Theocentrism allows nothing to rise up and hinder the attributes and character of God from being expressed perfectly towards us.

This is because Theocentrism is more than a focus; it is an expression of love.  It is a perfect love.  For we are told in 1 Corinthians that love “is not self-seeking” (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV).  If love does not seek after self, but after Divine good, then love is perfectly Theocentric.  As such, it is the primary component of everything that God does.

During Christ’s ministry a Pharisee (who was also a lawyer) attempted to trap Jesus with His own words by asking Him what the greatest commandment of the Law was.  If Jesus focused on any one law over another, His audience would certainly have found fault.  So what was Christ’s answer?

“Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying, {36} Master, which is the great commandment in the law? {37} Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. {38} This is the first and great commandment. {39} And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. {40} On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  (Matthew 22:35-40, KJV)

Now when we speak of love as being the “greatest law,” or the “greatest attribute” of God, this is simply saying that love encompasses and contains every other law and attribute of God.  Anything done apart from love is ungodly, which is to say, un-God-like (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
When considering the “greatest law” of God, the Law of Love, we must first ask, “What is the Law?”  We are not asking what the law says, but rather, what the law is.  Every recorded law and commandment of God is simply the character and Being of God displayed in static, factual form.  In other words, the laws and commandments of God are the essence of His Being.  We know this because the Word of God is said to be God, and was exemplified in the Divine person of Jesus Christ.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  (John 1:1, KJV)

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:14, KJV)

The Law, or Word of God manifested Himself in bodily form as a living example of a static record.  Christ is the living will of God’s word. He is God manifest in the flesh of men.  He is the life by which the Word of God is said to be living and powerful.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. {13} And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  (Hebrews 4:12-13, ESV)

God is synonymous with His word.  There is no variance between what God is, what God says, or what God does.  For example, the greatest law of God is also His greatest attribute.  The law commands us to live by love.  Is this law the very essence of God Himself?  It most certainly is, for “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him,” “therefore love is the fulfilling of the law,” “for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:…love…” (1 John 4:16; Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14, KJV).

Is God consistent with this law?  Indeed He is, for God is Theocentric and loves Himself with infinite love thereby fulfilling the great commandment, which commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind.  God also loves us as He loves Himself (John 17:23), thus fulfilling the second great commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself.”  In this way God’s Being is the law, His word establishes the law, and His actions fulfill the law.  God is synonymous with His word, His will, and His ways.

THE FULNESS OF GOD

Part of Christ’s ministry, with regard to His humanity, was to demonstrate how the Theocentric nature of God’s love can righteously extend to a corrupted humanity.  Because God is righteous, His love must operate within the Holy standards of His Being, which is to say, God cannot “lovingly” ignore sin.  So God came in the flesh to address the sins of men, and provide them with righteous access to the love of God.

Access to God is made possible through Christ’s atonement for sin, and through the power the Holy Spirit sent in His name.  Together, they enable men to abide in a living faith, made alive through the righteous works of obedience.  In other words, if you repent and turn to God for the power to obey, it will be “…God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13, KJV).  And because our obedience is the very righteousness of God expressed through us by the Holy Spirit, so shall the fruits of God’s Being also flow through us.  This is the reality to which God was inferring when He said that, “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death” (Proverbs 12:28, KJV).  And conversely,  “As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death” (Proverbs 11:19, KJV).

As we obey by the power of God, we can share in the joys and righteous pleasures of God as God expresses them through us.  And as God expresses His wisdom and righteousness through us, we share in the very nature of God.  This is what it means to be filled with the fullness of God.

“For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, {15} For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name]. {16} May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. {17} May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!  May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, {18} That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; {19} [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!”  (Ephesians 3:14-19, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

“He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. {31} Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, ESV)

We have these things in Christ as we live by the love of His will.  This is what Jesus promised us, saying:

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. {11} These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. {12} This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:10-12, KJV)

Jesus tells us that, in His humanity, He lives in the love of God because He loves righteousness (Hebrews 1:9) and has wholly submitted Himself to the guiding will of the Holy Spirit (John 5:19).  As the righteousness of the Holy Spirit flowed through Him in obedience, so did the joy of God.  In light of this example, Jesus tells us that we must keep His commandments by the same power of God, so that the love of God may fill us and flow from us to others.  This is how a Theocentric love is extended to mankind, thereby filling men with the very same joys and righteous pleasures that God experiences.

Unfortunately, remaining in the love of God is easier said than done, because as much as we desire to express ourselves through greatness and well doing, we cannot stray for long from the nature of sin, to which our flesh is enslaved.  Only when God begins to work in us can we see the sharp contrast between the nature of sin and the nature of righteousness, and how they strive against each other, being incompatible.  The apostle Paul lamented this reality, saying, “…the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Romans 7:19, KJV).

Nevertheless, by the power of God men overcome the flesh, and with every act of submission to God, a man learns “how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour” (1 Thessalonians 4:4, KJV). “Or are you [so blind as to] trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repent (to change your mind and inner man to accept God’s will)?” (Romans 2:4, italicized content added by AMP Bible).

Understanding the heart of God is paramount to accurately interpreting His every thought, word, and deed.  When the Lord said that “…the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men,” He was referring to men’s interpretation of His logic (1 Corinthians 1:25, KJV).  For even when God is perceived to be foolish, on account of men’s ignorance, that “foolishness” is still wiser than the motivations that spring from the treasures of men’s hearts.

Thus, because “the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21, NIV).  Why did it please God to preach what appeared to be a “foolish” message?  Because by doing so, only those who truly seek after His heart will understand the wisdom of that message.  This is why “we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, {24} but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. {25} For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (1 Corinthians 1:21-25, NIV).

In this, we are edified, educated, and put at ease by the discovery of God’s treasure.  This is because the Theocentrism of God ensures that He will always treasure the nature of Divinity.  The love of God ensures that what He treasures will always be shared with creation to the fullest extent possible.  And the self-consistency of God ensures the invariable dependability of His exaltation of the Divine Nature, and it’s blessing to all who abide in Him.  In this way God shares His wealth; the glorious treasure of infinite perfection and joy.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

• “There is nothing more desirable than God Himself.  Thus, the treasure of God is the nature of His own Being.”

• “…a Theocentric being will shift it’s focus to whatever source proves to be more worthy than self.  There is no self-centeredness in Theocentrism.”

• “God is calling us to be Theocentric.”

• “The irony of sin is that it attempts to achieve, through godless means, what God intends to give freely through Divine means.”

•   …There is, in fact, a godly means of becoming like God…the process is called salvation…”

• “…the laws and commandments of God are the essence of His Being.”

• “Because God is righteous, His love must operate within the Holy standards of His Being, which is to say, God cannot ‘lovingly’ ignore sin.”

• “And as God expresses His wisdom and righteousness through us, we share in the very nature of God.”

•  ”Why did it please God to preach what appeared to be a ‘foolish’ message?  Because by doing so, only those who truly seek after His heart will understand the wisdom of that message.”

(more…)

Question: What is pre-mortal life, and is it really supported by the Holy Bible?

THE DOCTRINE OF PRE-MORTAL LIFE, also known as pre-existence, comes from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons.  It’s one of their key doctrines, and lays the foundation for the meaning of life as we know it.  For this reason it’s very near and dear to their hearts and will inevitably find its way into any serious conversation about life and purpose.

In support of this doctrine, Mormons will quote scriptures from all four of their holy books: the Holy Bible (the one followed by Christians and Catholics), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.

From these books they attempt to show that before this mortal life, everyone existed as spirit children of God.  Heaven, is thus considered to be man’s “first estate,” with earth being our second.

Some Latter-day Saints take this idea further, believing that we existed even before we became spirits.  They believe that, prior to being born as spirits, individuals existed eternally as “intelligences” or self-aware, individual entities whom God gave spirit bodies. This idea is drawn from the Book of Abraham, found in the Pearl of Great Price, and is believed to refer to the spirit children of God:

Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; {23} And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. (Book of Abraham 3:22-23, Pearl of Great Price)

Along this line of thought, Joseph Smith believed that the Lord had spoken to him about our eternal nature, saying:

Man was also in the beginning with God.  Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. (Doctrines & Covenants 93:29)

The term Intelligence, as used here, is singular. This has prompted some Latter-day Saints to define pre-mortal spirit children as “organized intelligence.”  Bruce R. McConkie, a Mormon apostle, explained this idea further when he wrote:

Abraham used the name intelligences to apply to the spirit children of the Eternal Father. The intelligence or spirit element became intelligences after the spirits were born as individual entities (see Mormon Doctrine, p. 387)

The Doctrine & Covenants offers more details on the creation of spirit beings:

All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man… (Doctrines & Covenants 93:30-31)

From this it is said that truth and intelligence are co-eternal with God.  God is said to have taken this truth and intelligence and made it independent, giving it agency and the ability to act for itself, by forming it into spirit beings, otherwise known as organized intelligence.  If God had not done this, it’s claimed that there would have been no existence, which is to say, there would have been no individual identity or consciousness.

IT’S IN YOUR BIBLE

When having a discussion on this subject with Mormon missionaries, Christians may be surprised to hear that their own Bible supports this teaching, even if the Bible doesn’t come right out and teach it expressly.  It’s on this argument that I want to focus.

When you have four holy books, they all need to be in agreement.  They can’t teach contrary to one another.  Unless, of course, at least one of those books doesn’t belong among them.  The Holy Bible  is that book.  The Holy Bible doesn’t teach the doctrine of pre-mortal life, and yet, because it is named among the holy books of the Mormon belief system, support for the doctrine is sought from any verse that appears to use supporting phrases or terminology.  And, as is to be expected when one bases an argument on text instead of context, you create non sequiturs.

A non sequitur is defined as “incongruous statement: a statement that appears unrelated to a statement that it follows” or an “unwarranted conclusion: a conclusion that does not follow from its premises.”  This isn’t name calling.  It’s simply the product of trying to make a point from a phrase or particular wording that does not itself make the point you are suggesting, irregardless of what “could be” implied from it.

The First Estate

For example, the Mormons teach that we were created as spirits and that our first estate was in the presence of God the Father in heaven.  Those who were faithful to this first estate were then born into flesh and were required to remain faithful to their second estate, or domain.

Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said; These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou are one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. (Abraham 3:22-23, Pearl of Great Price)

And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever. (Abraham 3:26, Perl of Great Price)

After quoting these verses from the Pearl of Great Price, Mormons will turn to the Bible and quote from the book of Jude.

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6, KJV Bible)

This passage in Jude is speaking of angelic beings, not men – pre-mortal or otherwise.  Regardless of context, it’s not the context Mormons are interested in.  It’s the phrase “first estate.”  All they want you to see is that it’s a biblical idea.  They will suggest to you that if there is a first estate, there must also be a second estate.

From there, they will move on to show that Jesus and His disciples believed in this first estate from which we have all come to this second estate on earth.

The Disciple’s Question

As evidence, the following passage is offered:

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. {2} His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” {3} “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.  (John 9:1-3, NIV)

The key point in this passage that Mormons want you to see is that the disciples believed that the man existed prior to being born, and sinned in that estate.   This is a valid point.  The disciples did ask if the man sinned prior to being born.  That’s an odd thing to ask, and it wasn’t a slip of the tongue.  So the Mormon will ask you why the disciples would ask if the man sinned prior to being born if they didn’t believe in pre-mortal life.  They will follow this question with the following statements:

• Jesus didn’t rebuke them for asking an illogical question about something that cannot happen.

• Jesus said nothing to indicate that it was impossible for a man to have sinned prior to birth.

• (non sequitur) This means that the man could have sinned prior to his birth.  And if he could have sinned, that means that he had a pre-earth existence and had the capacity to sin in that existence.  That is what the Mormons believe too.

Arguing from silence is the easiest way to put your words in someone else’s mouth.  But the fact remains that if Jesus didn’t say something, it means just that – He didn’t say something.  As soon as you begin to teach what Jesus didn’t, you become a false teacher.  That’s simply a fact of definition.

That’s also what the Rabbi’s of Jesus day were doing when Jesus arrived.  They were teaching things that the Bible did not expressly teach.  And, ironically, the disciples asked their question based on one of those doctrines of silence.

Among the various views of the Jews at that time was the belief that one could sin in the womb. One of the primary verses used to support this notion was Genesis 25:22.

The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.

{23} The LORD said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”

{24} When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. {25} The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. {26} After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.  (Genesis 25:22-26, NIV)

Does this passage teach anything about sinning in the womb?  No.  But the jostling between the babies was said to imply the fight and struggle between two brothers.  If you can fight, you can sin, or so the logic goes.  Again, nothing is expressly taught, but in the silence men’s beliefs are imposed upon the text.

And so, in rabbinical literature (read that as: not actually in the Bible) there are several teachings based upon the assumptions made about the text in Genesis. In one case, Esau is described as possessing a sinful nature even though he was not yet born.

“When Rebecca passed by the pagan shrines, Esau would run and struggle to come out (Rashi cites this midrash¹ in his commentary on Genesis 25:22-30).

The Talmud in Sanhedrin 91b also discusses the question.

“Antoninus also enquired of Rabbi, ‘From what time does the Evil Tempter hold sway over man; from the formation [of the embryo], or from [its] issuing forth [into the light of the world]?! — ‘From the formation,’ he replied. ‘If so,’ he objected, ‘it would rebel in its mother’s womb and go forth. But it is from when it issues.’ Rabbi said: This thing Antoninus taught me, and Scripture supports him, for it is said, At the door [i.e., where the babe emerges] sin lieth in wait” (Gen 4:7).

In Midrash Koheleth and Midrash Ruth, there is a story told of Elisha Ben Abujah, who became an apostate.  One of the reasons given for his departure from the faith is as follows:

“There are which say, that his mother, when she was big with child of him, passing through a temple of the Gentiles, smelt something very strong, and they gave to her of what she smelt, and she did eat; and the child in the womb grew hot, and swelled blisters, as in the womb of a serpent”

Elisha Ben Abujah’s apostasy is thus seen as the curse of his mother’s sin.

This was part of the rabbinical teaching that the disciples were taught before Jesus arrived.  So it was on this basis that they asked their question about sin.  To imply that it was because they believed in a doctrine that is nowhere taught in either the Holy Bible, or in the rabbinical teachings of the Jews, is to become a self appointed and false witness.  Jesus rebuked the scribes for doing this with God’s word.

They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.  (Matthew 15:9, NIV)

IT IS WRITTEN

There are many verses containing phrases that Mormons use to imply a meaning not expressly taught in the Bible. The problem is, not one of the verses they quote actually teaches their doctrine.  I would take their assertions more seriously if they could show even one place in the Bible where their views are expressly taught.  Without that, I would have to accept their arguments on nothing more than blind faith.  I cannot do that in good conscience.  Not even the Bible requires that of me.  God always explains Himself in His word, and it is on that basis that I stand confidently.

More than this, when I was first handed a list of verses that supposedly supported the doctrine of pre-mortal life, I couldn’t see why they were being offered as evidence.  I saw no realationship between the verse and the Mormon assertion.  I studied the context of the verses hoping to see their argument to no avail.  Then I gave up and began to study what the Mormons believe based upon their other holy books.  That’s when I saw what was happening.   They aren’t teaching from context, they are linking phrases from the Bible with phrases used in their other holy books.  You have to already believe in their doctrines and be familure with their phrases before you can see how they supposedly connect with scripture from the Bible.  That’s a serious problem considering the fact that they list the Bible as an inspired authority.

It’s also a serious problem for their missionaries, because it forces them into bearing false witness from a biblical standpoint.  When arguing from the Holy Bible, they must teach by assumed inference.  In other words, they must teach that even though Jesus didn’t say it, or teach it, He believed it and inferred it.  That’s putting words in His mouth.  We get angry when people do this to us, so why would we do it to Jesus?  That is a horrendous way to teach, and rests not upon fact, but upon what the teacher wants to say.  In this one cannot escape error, and once accepted, it cannot be corrected internally because you have already embraced it on blind faith which requires no proof.

So instead of spending the rest of this discussion pointing out the fallacy of arguing from silence, let’s simply look at what the Bible does teach on the matter.

We’ll begin with Jude 1:6, KJV, which speaks of the angel’s first estate, because the context will actually bring us to what God does say on this subject.

BORN OF god

Jude 1:6, KJV is a hotbed of controversy.  It’s implications are debated even within the Christian community.  Why?  It’s because of why these angels are being punished.  They did something after leaving their first estate (heaven) for which God saw fit to imprison them immediately, instead of allowing them to roam free like their peers until Judgment Day.  What was their crime?  What sin did they commit that was worse than those committed every day by other demons?  The answer is shocking.   They were part of a massive, global deception that prompted God to flood the entire earth in order to put an end to what they had done.

Here’s my study synopsis on that subject:

After sin had manifested in Adam and Eve, God prophesied that the seed of Eve would crush the rebellion of Satan through a descended child of Eve. The devil responded with an extraordinary, if not ingenious, plan. He would make it impossible for the Messiah to be born as a representative of Adam.

The plan was simple. Satan would move Adam’s descendants to forget God and begin worshiping created creatures and objects. Then he would appoint certain demons (the angels of Jude 1:6) to take on a physical form. These masquerading demons would then appear to men as physical gods come from the heavens. They would take to themselves willing brides and bear children with them. The resulting offspring became known by many tribal names, but were collectively known as the Nephilim, or simply as “giants.”

By extending themselves into the bloodlines of mankind, the pure seed of Adam would eventually be thoroughly corrupted and turn man from what Adam was into a transgenic race of half-breeds. What purpose would that serve? It would put an end to God’s plan of redemption through representation. God promised to send the Messiah who would stand in Adam’s place, being flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. Thus, the Messiah would have to be born of Adam’s seed, and not of a transgenic seed comprised of man and angel.

So God flooded the entire earth killing off all living things, save Noah, his immediate family, and animals in his care. After the flood, Satan attempted to re-initiate his plan. However as giants began to be born from these unholy unions between demons and women, God raised up the nation of Israel to stand against them, and wipe them from the face of the earth. Eventually, the giants disappeared from the earth. But the alien god’s behind the deception did not.

Satan continued to parade his alien “gods” before men, creating a long standing history of interaction between aliens and mankind. Eventually, the human Antichrist (possessed by Satan) will officially reintroduce these aliens (demons in physical disguise) to the world as co-rulers with him.

So what, again, does that have to do with Jude 1:6?  Simply put, Jude 1:6 is where we learn what happened to those demons (fallen angels) who left their first estate and impregnated women.

And it’s on that point, the angelic impregnation of women, that I want to focus our attention.  This is because the very idea invokes a question that, when answered, provides us with God’s definition of what the term “sons of God” means in contrast to the term “sons of man.”

By answering the question, “How could spirit beings impregnate human women?”, we discover the origin of man, and see why God’s definition of the terms “sons of God” and “sons of men” categorically excludes the possibility that men existed as sons of God prior to being born in the so-called “second estate” of their humanity upon the earth.  Here’s why.

SONS OF GOD vs. SONS OF MAN

The term “sons of God” is not a designation of righteousness, but of origin. It therefore only applies to those who were born directly from God Himself. This interpretation is quickly validated when one identifies those to whom God has applied this title.

The angels were the first sons of God to be created (Job 38:4-7).  Who are the angels?

Mormonism teaches that angels are people who either have lived, or will live, on earth.  For example, Joseph Smith saw the angel Moroni, who had lived on the earth as a prophet 1600 years prior to appearing to Joseph as an angel.  This however, is not what the Bible teaches.

While the term “angel” simply means “messenger” and anyone can be a messenger, the Bible expressly teaches that we will become something different than the angels, and actually makes a direct comparison between what angels are, and what we will become in Christ.  For a study on this very subject, please see DO WE BECOME ANGELS WHEN WE DIE for more information.

After the angels sang for joy at the creation of the earth, Adam was created as the first man.  Like the angels before him, Adam was created supernaturally, and is also called a son of God (Luke 3:38).  After Adam, and aside from the pre-incarnate presence of Jesus Christ (Daniel 3:25), the only human references to sons and daughters of God in the Old Testament are found in prophecies that foretell of the redemptive work of the Messiah under the New Covenant (Isaiah 43:6, Hosea 1:10).

That includes references to the nation of Israel which speak of Israel as the children of God in purview of God’s redemptive promises (Deuteronomy 14:1).  In other words, just as sheep and bulls could not actually cleanse the sins of the people (Hebrews 10:4), yet were counted as if they had (Hebrews 9:13-14), so were the children of Israel counted as the children of God on behalf of the power that the promised Messiah would give to them.  Were they counted as the children of God?  Yes.  Were their sins considered cleansed?  Yes.  Was there anything that made those realities true in the day in which they were ascribed to the people?  No, that would come with Christ.  It was a truth of promise, but not of actuality as was illustrated by the need for Christ to come and give the Jews the power to become the sons of God thereafter.

Aside from that specific and national reckoning of promise, every other instance in which sons of God are spoken refer to the angelic host, be they holy or fallen (Psalms 82:6-7).  The point, therefore, is this: mankind is not counted as the children of God by reason of direct creation.

Now here is a crucial point to comprehend.

It was the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that enabled Him to give men “the power to become the sons of God” through the spiritual rebirth of redemption.

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13, KJV)

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1:23, KJV)

Now Mormons will read that and hear that we are the given the power to become what we were previously – sons God created first as spirits in heaven and then as humans on earth.  But that assumes that we are first the sons of God by right of original creation, and then born-again into flesh.

The problem with this assumption is simple.  You cannot become unborn.  Think about that for a minute.  Your origin does not change.  But you can be born-again.

So into which estate are men originally born?  The spirit or the flesh?  Heaven or earth?  Mormonism teaches that we are born-again into the flesh, after having been originally born or created in heaven as spirits.   But the Bible teaches that we are born-again into the spirit, having originally been formed on the earth.  This point is expressly taught in scripture, so let’s take a closer look at how one becomes a “son of man” and or a “son of God.”

THE MYSTERY OF PROCREATION

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6, KJV)

It takes a spirit to produce a spirit. And the transfer of spirit does not require fleshly reproductive systems in order to be imparted as the life of another.

In the book of Genesis, we are taught that God’s creation of Adam was completed in two stages.

The first stage involved the creation of Adam’s body. Instead of commanding Adam to exist from out of nothing, God first formed Adam’s flesh from the dust of the earth.

It may seem strange that a body of flesh was derived from the same chemical elements as rock and soil (such as: oxygen, nitrogen, calcium, water, etc.), nevertheless, this is something modern science has been able to test and examine, and as a result, has confirmed this scientific statement to be true.

While atheistic men do not contest that man’s body came from the natural elements of the earth, they cannot bear to accept the next claim – that life is not derived from the same chemical elements. The living spirit of man has never been identified or cataloged showing it to be comprised of natural substances. Nor shall it ever be, for a spirit is not natural to the elements of the earth, but is instead supernatural and comes from a Supernatural Creator. It was God Himself who breathed life into the body He formed from the dust of the earth.

This is the second step God took to create Adam.  God’s “breath,” which is to say, His Spirit, became the life called Adam (Genesis 2:7).

How do we explain this? How do we describe the spiritual means by which part of God became a being who was distinct and separate from the Being of God?  This Divine knowledge has not yet been revealed to the limited minds of men. However, its fundamental principle stands as the foundation for procreation: life proceeds from life, and spirits beget spirits.

When men and women join together in sexual union, they too contribute a portion of themselves to form a new life after their own image. And because a man is comprised of flesh, soul, and spirit, we find that it is flesh, soul, and spirit that they impart to their children.

Now listen carefully.

If men and women only transferred their flesh to their children, and it was from God alone that they received their spirits, then all men and women would be called the sons and daughters of God. But as we have seen, the sons of men must be given power in order to “become” the sons “of God.” That distinction is defined by the origin of one’s soul and spirit.

Here’s a biblical example of this difference in origin.

Consider the parent of Eve. The parent of Eve was Adam. God did not breath into a body to make Eve, nor did He take a pre-existing spirit and place it within a fleshly body.  Instead, He took Adam’s rib, containing Adam’s flesh and blood (in which was a remnant of his soul and spirit), and formed Eve. Thus, the Bible tells us that Adam was created in the “likeness” or “glory” of God’s image, as a son of God, but Eve was fashioned after the “likeness” or “glory” of Adam, as a daughter of man.

“…Adam, which was the son of God.” (Luke 3:38, KJV)

“..since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. {8} For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;” (1 Corinthians 11:7-8, NASB)

Where does woman originate from?  God?  No, she originates from man, being an extension of Adam’s flesh, soul, and spirit.

The fact that God makes this distinction of origin, or direct descent, between Adam and Eve reveals its significance. There’s a spiritual transfer in procreation that originates from one’s parents.

So we must ask, how did Eve receive her spirit from Adam? Contrary to arguments that insist that reproductive organs are needed in order to transfer life, life was transferred to Eve without their help. That spiritual transfer was made, at least in part, through human blood.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood…” (Leviticus 17:11, KJV)

While this transfer of life was accomplished supernaturally, it employed the same principles used in natural birth.

Is it really so difficult to understand, then, that fallen angels were able to impart a portion of their spirits into the blood of men? If you are still struggling to embrace this idea, consider how the Messiah was formed, keeping in mind the supernatural union of angel and man spoken of in Genesis chapter six.

We are told that the Holy Spirit “came upon” a woman named Mary in such a way that she became pregnant with the Son of God, Jesus Christ (Luke 1:35). So we must ask a question.

What needed to take place in order for this pregnancy to produce a being who was both a son of God, and a genuine Son of man?

Our answer must be that the descended flesh, soul, and spirit of Adam would need to be offered by Mary and infused or formed together with the Spirit of God the Son.

No creation was necessary, only a supernatural transfer of Spirit that would be molded together with the descended spirit of Adam. Thus, the virgin birth was not an act of creation, but of formation – a molding together of two spirits into one.

In this concept of formation, the Mormons are correct.  But in their understanding of what is being formed together, and from whence it came, they are at odds with the revelation of scripture.

So regarding our formation, the scripture tells us that:

“..the LORD…formeth [yatsar] the spirit of man within him.” (Zechariah 12:1, KJV)

STRONGS EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE:

• FORMETH: 3335. yatsar, yaw-tsar’; prob. identical with H3334 (through the squeezing into shape); ([comp. H3331]), to mould into a form; espec. as a potter; fig. to determine (i.e. form a resolution):– X earthen, fashion, form, frame, make (-r), potter, purpose.

To form or fashion something is to take preexisting elements and mold them into shape. For example, God created the earth void, and formless, but afterward, He formed its shape to be inhabitable.

“In the beginning God created [bara'] the heaven and the earth. {2} And the earth was without form, and void;….” (Genesis 1:1-2, KJV)

“For thus saith the LORD that created [bara'] the heavens;… He formed [yatsar] it to be inhabited: …” (Isaiah 45:18, KJV)

The Hebrew word bara’ is a primary root word which means “to create,” and can be qualified to speak of formative processes. For example, God created all men, in that He created Adam from whom we have all descended through the process of procreation.  We are all extensions of Adam’s flesh, soul, and spirit.  And now when we are born of two parents, their flesh, souls, and spirits are joined together to form us after their image.

“…I have created [bara'] him for my glory, I have formed [yatsar] him; yea, I have made ['asah] him.” (Isaiah 43:7 (KJV)

Adam was created, but Eve and every descendant of Adam thereafter have all been formed from the fleshly and spiritual components of Adam.  If this were not true, there could be no redemption for man, because redemption requires representation.  For a full explanation of this Biblical teaching, see “The Secret of the Flesh.”

CONCLUSION:

Not only does the Bible not teach the pre-existence, or pre-mortal life, of man prior to being born into flesh upon the earth, it actually teaches against it (see The Secret of the Flesh).  Contrary to the assertions of extra-biblical books that are claimed to be in agreement with the Bile, God’s word marks and defines the distinction of our origin –  the point at which we came into existence.

Adam was created as a Son of God like the angels before him, but Eve and her children have all been formed from the physical and spiritual elements of Adam.  That was intentional and for the purposes of redemption.

Only with the advent of Christ and His work of atonement have men been given the power to become what they are not – the power to become the sons of God.  This is called being born-again because the first estate of those born to Adam is the earth.  Thus we are born-again when our spirits are redeemed by the power of God.  This is such a significant change from what we were before that we are actually called “new creatures.”

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

So, then, our second estate, if you wish to call it that, will be the presence of God – a presence man has never known prior.

That is why Jesus has said of Himself:

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.  (John 1:18, NIV)

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man (Jesus Christ) which is in heaven.  (John 3:13, KJV)

And contrasting the origin of Adam with the origin of Jesus, the Bible declares:

Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]. {46} But it is not the spiritual life which came first, but the physical and then the spiritual. {47} The first man [was] from out of earth, made of dust (earthly-minded); the second Man [is] the Lord from out of heaven. {48} Now those who are made of the dust are like him who was first made of the dust (earthly-minded); and as is [the Man] from heaven, so also [are those] who are of heaven (heavenly-minded). {49} And just as we have borne the image [of the man] of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the image [of the Man] of heaven.  (1 Corinthians 15:45-49, AMP Bible)

Our spiritual life did not begin prior to being born in the flesh, it came afterward, when Christ gave us the power to become the sons of God.  And thus the apostle John concludes:

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.  (1 John 3:2, NIV)

Now that we are born again into the spirit of God, we are what we were not before.  And seeing as our second estate (heaven) will be different from our first estate (earth), what we shall be after this mortal life will be revealed in our glorified Representative (Jesus) before God the Father.  We will become like our Redeemer.  We will be glorified in Him, as His bride, like Eve was the very glory of Adam.  And so shall we be forever more, being made so much greater than the angels who serve mankind (man being the only inheritors of salvation).

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  (7)  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  (Ephesians 2:6-7, KJV)

1. The word ‘Midrash’ is based on a Hebrew word meaning ‘interpretation’ or ‘exegesis’.  Midrash is a way of interpreting biblical stories that goes beyond simple distillation of religious, legal or moral teachings. It fills in many gaps left in the biblical narrative regarding events and personalities that are only hinted at. [↩]

THIS IS A SUBJECT THAT AFFECTS EVERY ONE OF US. It’s the culprit behind much of our inability to hear from God and walk in His promises.  And what makes matters worse is that it’s something we do to ourselves and to others.  We ignore, and gloss over need.  Not all need, mind you, just certain needs that are tied to repentance and submission.

We’re all happy to have our needs met, but what God requires of us before those needs can be met is not always pleasant, and can often be down right scary.  So we offer salvation without requiring conviction or repentance, we sing songs about how much God loves us and rescues us from trouble, and we pray for blessings we’ve heard are promised to us.  And in so doing we rob ourselves and others from something so necessary that it’s absence will leave us blind and ignorant.  The issue is this:

• The ability to recognize truth comes from an awareness of need.

God is truth, and His word is Truth, and His work is Truth.  Failure to recognize truth hinders our walk and relationship with God.  So if I had to pinpoint one single thing that recognizing need grants you, I’d say this:

• Possessing an awareness of need will grant you the ability to see and hear God.

This goes far beyond repentance unto salvation, but delves into the mundane issues in which God requires a perspective change, a.k.a., repentance and submission.   While evangelism certainly suffers from our failure to bring converts into a recognition of need, it is not limited to the lost.  This is something that has hindered and cursed the heroes of faith, those patriarchs and great men of the Lord with whom God does great and mighty things.

This what kept Moses from entering the promised land.  It’s what cursed the descendants of Abraham to continual war against their own Arab brothers.  It’s what kept the Pharisees from recognizing God when He stood right in front of them.  It’s a blindness to what is needed at the moment that results from the inability to recognize truth and respond to it.  When you have a need, but can’t see it, you are robbed of what could have been yours.

There are too many examples that could be covered here, so I’ll pick a few, and try to nail down the subtle issues that are hidden so well right beneath our noses.  Let’s start with the worst, and most glaring example, and then move on to those saints whose vision is far more clear but clouded just the same.

THE PHARISEES – SATISFYING THE LAW SINCE…

The poster children for what not to do when serving God, the Pharisees are scripture’s most potent example of how religion can easily plunge people into spiritual blindness.  The Pharisees literally couldn’t recognize God even when He stood right in front of them.  But as much as we’d like to say that their blindness was a problem unique to them, the Pharisees and Sadducees are what the church becomes when it loses sight of God.

The Sadducees were aristocrats.  They were wealthy men who held the majority of the 70 seats of the ruling council in Jerusalem called the Sanhedrin.   Many priests and high priests were of the Sadducees.  Yet they didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead because they assumed that our souls cease to exist upon death.  They did not believe in spirits of any kind, thus they denied the existence of angels and demons (Acts 23:8).

The Pharisees, on the other hand, were a minority.  They were comprised mostly of middle-class businessmen.  This placed them closer to the people’s hearts than the Sadducees who’s wealth and status were made possible by appeasing Rome.  The Pharisees believed in resurrection, the afterlife, and in the existence of angels and demons (Acts 23:6-8).  However, they were also men of the letter of the law, and held the oral traditions of their forefathers as equal to the word of God (despite scripture’s condemnation of this practice – Deuteronomy 4:2).  The express purpose of this adherence to the law was to maintain and secure their standing with God.

However, despite the fact that the laws of the Old Testament focused almost exclusively upon dealing with men’s failure to be justified by the law, they failed to recognize their need for one simple reason – they were satisfied.  They were satisfied with their position, their training, their disciplines, their knowledge, and rested in the idea that all of it made them acceptable before God.  And yet the very things upon which they rested for God’s approval were the things that were insulating them from “The Truth.”  And ironically, this fact was brought to light by the very sinners they prided themselves on being separate from.

When Jesus arrived as the Messiah, who recognized Him for who He was, and who didn’t?  Tax collectors recognized Him (Matthew 9:9-10; Luke 3:12, 7:29, 15:1, 18:10-14, 19:2-10).  The  sexually immoral recognized Him (John 4:1-26, 8:4).  In fact some of the worst offenders of God recognized Him with relative ease.  But most of those who were trained in the scriptures didn’t recognize Him, even after He fulfilled the scriptures right before their eyes.  Why?

First, they rejected the nature of God that was provided for them.

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. {32} For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.  (Matthew 21:31-32, NIV)

Second, by ignoring the nature of God, they failed to recognize it’s contrast to their own lives.  This resulted in their being unaware of their personal need.

The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” {31} And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. {32} “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”  (Luke 5:30-32, NASB)

Serving the Lord in ignorance will blind you to the truth.  But who serves the Lord in ignorance? If you ask around, no one does.  Everyone see’s clearly, or at least clear enough.  Coming to terms with our own need results in turning to God.  When we turn to God He heals us, and supplies us with further revelation. But those who believe they are well, and who shun the idea that they are serving the Lord in ignorance, continue on, seeing, but never comprehending, hearing, but never grasping the truth that would set them free.

They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
{26} ” ‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
{27} For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

Religion, as a set of doctrines and traditions, often keeps our focus on the busyness of serving God, but insulates us from the realization or discovery of personal need.  Religion turns us into Martha’s but the revelation of need turns us into Mary’s.

MARY AND MARTHA – ONLY ONE THING IS NEEDED

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. {39} She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. {40} But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” {41} “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, {42} but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  (Luke 10:38-42, NIV)

I’ll say it again.  Busyness, even in serving the Lord, can insulate us from personal revelation.  Like the Pharisees, Martha was serving the Lord in her own mind.  She was doing what needed to be done.  Who could possibly find fault with this?  Yet Jesus said that Mary, who was doing nothing, had chosen something better than Martha.  How could that be?

The problem was this: Martha’s natural abilities, interests, and role in society compelled her to be a worker before she was a lover.  Mary saw her need to sit at the feet of Jesus as a spiritual lover of God, but Martha chose to skip intimacy and get right down to business.

Getting work done in Christ’s presence is inferior to doing nothing in His presence for one simple reason – work is a fruit.  It’s birthed from the intimacy of relationship.  What we do flows out of who we are. This is why personal revelation is so important, and why Jesus seemed so oddly unconcerned that Mary wasn’t doing anything “productive.”  The fact was, Mary was doing what was required in order to bear the fruit of God.  Martha was just trying to get work done for God as best she could.

Listen to the words of this passage, and note how it pictures the bride of Christ becoming pregnant with the work of God.

“If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. {8} When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine. {9} I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me].” {10} If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love. {11} I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.”  (John 15:7-11, italicized content added by AMP Bible)

The church is pictured as a woman.  When the church see’s her need, she embraces Christ, and they become one.  As a result of this abiding intimacy, she becomes pregnant with the work of God.  When she gives birth, or bears fruit, it honors God.

Bearing fruit (giving birth to the work of God) “shows and proves” that you are “true followers of mine” (vs. 9).  This is because a child bears the image of his or her parents.  Thus “wisdom is justified of all her children” (Luke 7:35, KJV) and the bride of Christ is recognized by the works of Christ that she gives birth to.

But working apart from the intimacy of revelation gives birth to Ishmael’s.  And while Ishmael’s aren’t illegitimate works, they are not eligible for the same blessing as works of God.

ISAAC AND ISHMAEL – A WORK OF GOD / A WORK OF MAN

Perhaps you’ve heard the story.  After Abram (whom God later renamed Abraham) parted ways with Lot, the Lord gave him a vision.

After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram.  I am your shield, your very great reward.” {2} But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” {3} And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” {4} Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.” {5} He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”  {6} Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.  (Genesis 15:1-6, NIV)

Abram’s need had turned his eyes upon God from whom he was assured to receive a promised child and a promised land.  So Abram believed God, and earnestly looked forward to the fruit of that covenant promise.

Ten years passed with no child born. Ten long years of anticipation.  Had Abram missed something?

Abram and Sarai were now faced with a Mary or Martha moment.  What would they do?  Would they sit at the Lord’s feet in prayer and listen to His heart speak?  Or would they do what needed to be done instead?  They chose the path of Martha, and got to work meeting needs, skipping intimacy with the Lord.

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; {2}  so she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.”  Abram agreed to what Sarai said. {3} So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. {4} He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. (Genesis 16:1-4, NIV)

The problem was simple, Abram needed to bear fruit.  His wife, after giving up hope that she would be part of the solution, found another legal alternative.  The law allowed slave wives to bear children who would then become the legal children of the free-wife.  So Sarai gave Hagar to Abram as a slave wife.  And it worked, Hagar bore a son.  In this there was no sin.

But, as was God’s intent for the laws that allowed polygamy, jealousy and contempt were also a fruit conceived that day.

And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. {5} And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!” {6} But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.  (Genesis 16:4-6, ESV)

Both Sarai and Hagar acted poorly towards one another.  Their arraignment was not a sin, but nor was it a blessing.  They would have learned this had they taken the time to sit at the Lord’s feet as Mary would do when the Angel of the Lord was born into flesh as Jesus, God the Son.

The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. {8} And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” {9} The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” {10} The angel of the LORD also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” {11} And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. {12} He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”  (Genesis 16:7-12, ESV)

When you skip intimacy with the Lord, you bear fruit after the image of the natural, and not the supernatural.  Ishmael was born naturally, but the child of promise would be born supernaturally as a picture of the coming Messiah.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. {23} His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.   (Galatians 4:22-23, NIV)

Like Martha, Abram had an encounter with the Lord, and like Martha, Abram followed it with work instead of with the intimacy of sitting at His feet and hearing the Heart of the Lord.  This produced ten years of ignorant anticipation and thirteen years more of ignorant belief that the Lord’s will had been done.  That’s twenty-three wasted years that could have been filled with revelation and better works.

Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael.  (Genesis 16:16, AMP)

As far as Abram and Sarai were aware, the fruit of their work had satisfied the Lord and accomplished His will.  When we don’t seek the heart of God, our ignorance can alter our perception of reality and cause us to believe we have satisfied the Lord’s will and are living in His promises when we are not.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. … {5} Nor shall your name any longer be Abram [high, exalted father]; but your name shall be Abraham [father of a multitude], for I have made you the father of many nations. … (15) And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai; but Sarah [Princess] her name shall be. {16} And I will bless her and give you a son also by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.  {17} Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a son? {18} And [he] said to God, Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!  {19} But God said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed, and you shall call his name Isaac [laughter]; and I will establish My covenant or solemn pledge with him for an everlasting covenant and with his posterity after him.  {20} And as for Ishmael, I have heard and heeded you: behold, I will bless him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly; He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. [Fulfilled in Gen. 25:12-18.] (Genesis 17:1,5,15-20, AMP)

Ishmael received a blessing for he was a legitimate son of Abraham.  But the promised blessing of covenant can only come through a work of God, not a work of the flesh (even if that work is not sin).

Abram had passed the test the Pharisee’s failed.  He recognized Jesus (The Angel of the Lord) in light of his need.  Abram’s faith in God was credited to him (Genesis 16:6).  But he failed the same test Martha would fail, in that after they met the Lord, they proceeded to work instead of abiding in the intimacy of the Lord until the Lord’s work was birthed.

I THINK I WOULD KNOW

We like to think of ourselves as circumspect.  For the most part, we’d say we have a pretty good feel for things, and are aware of our spiritual condition.  We’d concede that we’re aware of problems here and there, and are by no means perfect or without needs, but as far as any major problems are concerned, we’re not outside of the norm.  In short, no one’s spiritual eyesight is perfect, but we’re not blind.

That sentiment is itself a confession of blindness.

Imagine asking children if they know all that they need to know.  Usually, they will tell you they have lots to learn and are learning more and more every day.  Children are like sponges.  They are constantly seeking after answers and understanding.  This is a recognition of need.

However, those same children walk into traffic – they put their hand on the glowing hot stove element – and they get in the stranger’s car and are whisked away.  When a child cannot comprehend the reality in which they live, they live a life of imminent peril and destruction.  God lamented through the prophet Hosea, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6, KJV).

Recognizing that one has needs in general is not the same recognition that I am speaking of here.  Here’s what I am talking about.

Two children recognize that they don’t understand everything.  They recognize the fact that they have a need to know.  They come to a busy street and need to get to the other side; they see a glowing hot stove element and desire to touch it; a stranger offers them a ride to a place they want or need to go; and they have two different responses.  At the street, one begins to cross, seeing only where they need to go, the other looks to their Father for instruction.  The Father’s hand comes down and grabs both, only one having to be yanked backward to save them from destruction.  At the stove, one reaches to touch the pretty color and learns a hard lesson, the other points at it and asks important questions learning the easy way.  At the stranger’s car, one is thankful for the kind offer, the other runs to the Father and the stranger flees from a Father’s wrath and the sirens of the law.

I’m speaking of a need that not only recognizes that one doesn’t know everything, but who’s actions actually discover specific needs by looking at the Father who reveals them in Christ.  Many sinners who knew they had needs beheld Christ, but they turned back to sin, or they turned to watch miracles hoping to benefit from them, or they turned to serve as disciples of a great man instead of recognizing the God before them (John 6:66).

The Pharisees were charged with blindness, in that, they saw the Lord’s character of righteousness (Matthew 21:31-32), but failed to believe that it demanded a change in their walk before God.  After that, they were hoplessly blind, and I say hopelessly because they had ignored the one thing that could grant them sight.  Martha recognized God’s righteousness, beheld Christ, but failed to sit at Christ’s feet to see the one thing that was needed.  Abraham recognized God’s righteousness, beheld Christ (as the Angel of the Lord), and was even told what need God was going to meet, but failed to become pregnant with the Lord’s work on account of becoming pregnant in the natural.  Only Mary choose what was better, and sat gazing into the mirror of Christ.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.   (2 Corinthians 3:18, MKJV)

If you truly belong to Christ, then you should be able to say that you have seen God and have heard His voice in some way.  But only those who sit at His feet can give birth to His work.  Others will merely accomplish what can be accomplished in the natural, and while that work isn’t illegitimate and does receive a blessing, it isn’t the promise that comes from intimacy.

SUMMARY OF NEED

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  (Matthew 5:3, KJV)

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.  (Luke 6:21, KJV)

What possible value is there in being poor in spirit?  Why would anyone want to suffer spiritual hunger?  Why are we blessed when we find ourselves in this condition?

The value is this.  God gives riches to the poor and food to the hungry.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  (Matthew 5:6, KJV)

But God gives nothing to those who already see themselves as whole and who feel satisfied.

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?  (17)  When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  (Mark 2:16-17, KJV)

The Pharisees were desperately in need of Jesus as a physician.  But they had filled themselves with religion and activity, and dulled their sense of need with temporal bandages.  So at the time when they should have been receiving from God, they got nothing.  This is why Jesus said:

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.  (Luke 6:25, KJV)

It is our job to maintain our sense of need.  We accomplish this work by gazing upon Jesus, like Mary, and seeing the discrepancy between our own righteousness and His.  Upon receiving this revelation, we hunger and yearn for His righteousness to be worked out through us, and press in asking how He wills for this to happen.  It is then that He feeds us.  It is then that He makes us rich.  It is then that our eternal hunger for Him is met by an eternal satisfaction.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.  (John 6:35, KJV)

Do you feel that burning within you that cries out to be filled?  Stop dulling it with entertainment and religion!  Ask God to increase it.  Ask God to make it more intense!  Why?  Because hunger comes from being empty.  If you are full of temporal satisfactions that must continually be replenished you will have little room for anything God will fill you with.

In my own life, I didn’t understand the purpose for hunger.  When I finally realized that it’s not a curse, but a blessing, I moved to cultivate it within me.  God explained to me that hunger is a sign of God’s work within you, and is an assurance that He will answer.  Hunger drives us to say yes to Him and His work when it presents itself to us.  Saying yes to God is saying yes to His filling.

God gives food to the poor.  Those who are filled to the brim with food of their own choosing do not have room for God.  God will not share the space.  So he burns it away and creates a burning hunger that is desperate to be filled.  The more space we make within us, the more of Him we receive.  He desperately desires to fill us, and there is nothing hindering Him when you hunger, because He is already present within you and is working to create more space for the full measure of supernatural filling that He is bringing to you.

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE HUNGRY AND POOR IN SPIRIT

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. {18} I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. {19} Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.  (Revelation 3:17-19, NIV)

No matter what you say about your level of blindness, there is but one solution.  You must buy gold, white clothing, and eye salve from God.  But what does that mean?

REFINED GOLD

The gold speaks of the treasure of our hearts.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21, ESV)

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  (Luke 6:45, ESV)

It’s from this treasure of our hearts that we work out our salvation and produce works of God.  Those works are either birthed from the gold of our intimacy, or from the wood, hay, and stubble of our natural abilities.

If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, {13} his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. {14} If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. {15} If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.  (1 Corinthians 3:12-15, NIV)

But this is not regular gold.  Natural gold is unrefined and contains much dross.  It takes fire, intense heat, and affliction to reveal the dross.  Thus, when  unrefined gold is tested, much ugliness comes to the surface that was hidden within.   This kind of gold will not be accepted on the day of judgment.  God is looking for that which is pure.  God is looking for gold, for treasure, that has already been refined and purified.

If you make God the treasure of your heart, your heart’s desire will be tested.  You will be  afflicted in one way or another.  This will offend many.  The day is coming when many will fall away when the refining begins in their lives and all the ugliness of the dross is exposed, causing them to despise what they once treasured.

That which you love, and treasure must be God.  And it must be refined.  Without this you will be satisfied with something less that purity.

BRIGHT, SHINING WHITE CLOTHS

White cloths speak of the righteous fruit that comes from Divine discipline, and from the fire of suffering and tribulation that refines and purifies our hearts.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  (Revelation 19:8, KJV)

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  (Hebrews 12:11, NIV)

When God begins to reveal what He desires from you, get to work.  Christ’s righteousness is your righteousness when God works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

EYE SALVE

Eye salve speaks of that which allows us to see spiritually.  When you can see spiritually, you no longer need to rely upon others for knowledge of what God is, or isn’t doing, because you can see it yourself.

Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.  (John 5:19, NIV)

I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.  (John 5:30, NLT)

And He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man [needed no evidence from anyone about men], for He Himself knew what was in human nature. [He could read men's hearts.] [I Sam. 16:7.]  (John 2:25, AMP, bracketed content added by AMP Bible)

Jesus could see what the Father was doing and participate in it.  When you cannot see what the Father is doing, you do what you see as profitable in the natural.  This is where mistakes are made, and where blindness to what is truly needed sets in.  As a man, Jesus spent much of His time in prayer and fasting, abiding in the intimacy of the Father.  This anointed His eyes to see what natural sight could not comprehend.

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit–just as it has taught you, remain in him.  (1 John 2:27, NIV)

Abiding in Christ, as Christ abode in the Father, is what applies eye salve to our spiritual eyes and reveals all things.

WHAT DO I DO?  HOW DOES THIS WORK?

Like newborn babes, we begin in purity, but become corrupted as we progress in our walk.  Even though we begin with refined gold, it does not stay that way.  Everything that comes into contact with mankind suffers from corruption and impurity.

How dark the gold has become, how the pure gold has changed!  (Lamentations 4:1a, NASB)

Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. (James 5:3a, NASB)

What is our gold supposed to look like?  God intends to refine it until its as clear as glass, like the streets of the heavenly New Jerusalem.  God is meant to be seen through it, and His glory becomes it’s glow.

… The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.  (Revelation 21:21, NIV)

Therefore the gold you receive will need to be continuously purified.  That means that your heart will need to experience suffering and tribulation – not in general, but on account of your struggle against sin.  This protects you against blindness.  It enables you to see and hear the heart of God.  It makes His treasure your treasure.  What he looks at, you’ll look at.

When our hearts treasure becomes dull, the glory of God is hindered from shining in our lives and we cease to see God clearly.  We become distracted, and focus on things that are not the express heart of God.  Our loss proceeds from there.

Ok, so the treasure of our hearts is something we can only get by asking for it through the intimacy of prayer and fasting.  It will cost us.  We’ll suffer.  But we’ll be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and anointed with the eye salve of the Holy Spirit so we can see what the Father is doing.  We get it.  Well, at least intellectually, but imagining what that will look like in our own lives is bit fuzzy.

So here’s exactly what that should look like in your life.

PAUL’S EXAMPLE

Paul was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6-8).  And while he was “still breathing murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples” (Acts 9:1, NIV), the Lord appeared to Him (Acts 9:5).  If you’re a believer, then you have already had your encounter with God.  But here’s where your conversion may have fallen short.  Paul was shown how to enter into the intimacy of the Lord’s presence.

Paul was physically blind for three days for the purpose of keeping his attention focused upon the Lord.  That focused attention is also known as prayer and fasting, and is what Paul did during his time of physical blindness (Acts 9:9).  Here’s where you can get back on track.  If you signed the marriage papers (the Divine marriage covenant of salvation) but have yet to experience intimacy, it starts here, in prayer and fasting.  There is no other way.  Period.

During this time of intimacy, where God alone was Paul’s focus, he had a vision.  His spiritual eyes had been anointed with eye salve, and Paul saw a man named Ananias laying hands on him and healing his physical blindness (Acts 9:11-12).  But when God told Ananias of this, he protested.

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. {14} And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”  {15} But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. {16} I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”  (Acts 9:13-15, NIV)

If Paul wanted to fulfill God’s call upon his life, he would have to buy a new treasure of gold from the Lord, refined in the fires of suffering on behalf of Christ.  The Lord would “show him how much he must suffer,” which is to say, God would show Paul the cost of resisting sin and walking in the white garments of righteousness (Revelation 19:8).

So he counted the cost, and bought gold refined in the fires of suffering for Christ’s sake.  He did this so that his righteousness would no longer stem from serving God in the natural according to his perception of the law, but from the supernatural revelation of God.  His desire was to become pregnant with God’s work, birthed from the intimacy of His time before the Lord.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ {9} and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— {10} that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, {11} that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

{12} Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. {13} Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, {14} I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. {15} Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (Philippians 3:8-15, MKJV)

Paul understood that he had not gained Christ to the extent that he was able.  That is a huge revelation.  It gave him sight.  What he saw, he began pursuing.  His pursuit did not allow him to idle in the past works of God, hoping to recreate and relive them over and over again.  He always pressed forward, following the Lord as he saw Him.

It’s God’s will for the mature to think and live like this (vs. 15).  Anything less is immaturity.

The more Paul pressed in towards the heart of God, the more he realized his need for cleansing.  He understood that as long as he was in the flesh, he had not made the righteousness of Christ his own.  In other words, Paul saw Christ’s righteousness as something that must be pursued and purchased through the suffering that comes from resisting sin and evil.

As Paul grew closer and closer to God, his revelation of Christ’s righteousness revealed ever more sin in his life.  His awareness of sin in his life grew exponentially.  This progression can be seen in Paul’s writings.

At first, Paul spoke of himself as “the least of the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:9).

Later, he was “less than the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8).

And toward the end of his life he looked upon other sinners in light of their need of Christ, and counted himself as their chief.

Faithful is the Word and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.  (1 Timothy 1:15, MKJV)

Notice that he says “I am” and not “I was” the chief of sinners.  Paul’s recognition of His need for Christ grew in proportion to the level of intimacy he enjoyed with the Lord.  With every revelation of God he received, the more needs were revealed in his flesh.  Paul was constantly aware of the extent to which his flesh opposed the life of Christ.  This resulted in a passion to press into Christ in a way that overcame sin in the process.

IN CONCLUSION:

Often the people who are most prepared for absolute transformation are actually the people who look the least likely to respond to the truth.  The worst sinners often become the easiest converts.  Why?  Because they are positioned to recognize truth when they see it.  They are painfully aware of their depravity.  But they have seen nothing better to leave it for, nor encountered the power to do so.  So when they are confronted by Christ’s uncompromising righteousness, and the power of His resurrection, and see it’s joy, they make the trade – their sin for Christ’s righteousness.

Sadly, more often than not, churches and ministries tend to shy away from modeling the confrontational reality of Christ’s righteousness, but take instead His promises (made to the righteous) and package them in something modeled after the corruption that the wicked are currently consuming.

I attended one evangelistic outreach where they invited a Christian “Heavy Metal” rock band so as to attract the youth who were into that kind of music.  The music the band produced sounded exactly like the Heavy Metal bands the lost were used to listening to, but their words came from scripture and spoke of their service before Christ.

To me, it had the appearance of bait.  It looked like the food the wicked feed upon, but it’s intent was to hook you with redemption.  It’s message was clear, “we look and sound like the corruption you love, therefore come and receive salvation without having to count the cost of change.  You can have your cake and eat it too!”

This is the evangelism of Martha, but not Mary.  It produces fruit, but naturally.  It finds blessing, but not that of promise.  It gets people in the door, but at the cost of providing them with an encounter with the Lord.  It promises a better way, but then blinds them to it’s path.  And so they proceed as foolish children, without a clear view of Christ by which to compare their own lives.  They are those who perish for lack of knowledge, and suffer the consequences of trouble they couldn’t recognize.

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.  The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.  (Proverbs 22:3, NLT)

The consequences of not recognizing a need is itself the punishment for it.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, {6} and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, {7} and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. {8} For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.  (2 Peter 1:5-9, ESV)

Did God require you to repent and turn from your sin in the past?  Then He requires the same thing to be done in the present. Or did you forget what sin requires?

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9, MKJV)

Sin causes blindness.  Repentance, which is to say, the prayer and fasting that brings us to the alter where we can lay our sins down and turn from them, is what grants us sight.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: {7} But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  (John 1:6-7, KJV)

Walking in darkness is what the blind do.  They can’t help it.  We can’t help it.  Light however, comes from a revelation of need that causes us to turn to God for more information.  That keeps us from crossing the street in traffic, from touching the glowing hot stove element, and from getting in the stranger’s car, so to speak.  It protects us by granting us sight to see what we were oblivious to before.

You have needs.  We all do.  So do something about it.  Turn to God as Paul did, and begin reclaiming your life.  If anyone asks you if you’ve “gotten there yet” in your walk with God, reply with Christ’s answer:

Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.  (John 5:19, NIV)

If you can’t see what the Father is doing, you are blind.  In your evangelism you will give birth to the blind, and they will not comprehend the light of revelation that is available to guide their feet along the path of life.

The ability to recognize truth comes from an awareness of need.

Possessing an awareness of need will grant you the ability to see and hear God.

EVER SINCE THE LORD revealed to me that there was more to the Christian life than I was experiencing, I’ve wanted to know more. When He revealed to me that the supernatural gifts bestowed upon the church (as seen in the book of Acts) were never rescinded, and are still available to the church today, I had questions. I had only seen the false works of demons and the emotional manipulation of men. I wanted to see the genuine for once in my life.

When I asked the Lord where the church was operating in the full measure of the gifts as God intended, I expected to be shown a small church hidden away somewhere. I assumed that if a large church was operating as the church did in the book of Acts, it would be headline news in today’s society, especially within the church community. So when God showed me two large churches that are internationally known, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard about them before.

I later discovered that, for the most part, the Christian circles I traveled in were bound by their own interpretations of the Bible and that they actively shunned most supernatural activity, even when it was the same activity demonstrated in the Bible. Any news that reached them would have been dismissed as deception and works of demons and discounted with extreme prejudice. God made the parallel between their conservative beliefs and those held by the Pharisees clear to me, showing me how both worked to protect themselves from demonic deception but resulted in their denial of the work and power of Christ even when it occurred right before their eyes. It was no wonder that I had never heard of these churches. I was with those who had no ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to His church.

The two churches that the Lord revealed to me were Bethel Church in Redding, California, and the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri (IHOP-KC). Bill and Brenda (Beni) Johnson are the Senior Pastors of Bethel, and Mike Bickle is the director of the International House of Prayer Missions Base of Kansas City (IHOP–KC).

God manifests powerfully in those churches through His people. Both churches draw thousands from all over the world on account of the miraculous healing of mind, body, and soul that take place daily in those places. Having visited Bethel, I can attest to this personally having seen 120 people healed in one service alone of serious injuries and sicknesses.

But there was a problem. I saw other things there as well that I didn’t like. Having come from a very conservative upbringing, and still harboring Pharisaical tendencies deep within me, I couldn’t help but be disturbed by the physical manifestations of God’s presence as He dealt with His people. When God’s presence came upon people, this would often (but not always) result in shaking, convulsions, laughter, wailing, or what appeared to be drunkenness with a mixture of the aforementioned elements. To make matters even more disturbing for me, God confirmed in my spirit that the physical manifestations that were bothering me were the result of His presence, and not demonic in nature.

This presented me with a giant hurdle. I desperately wanted to be a part of a church that God was free to flow in, but this… …why would God do this? I had spent my life avoiding drugs and alcohol and all substances that resulted in behavior not unlike what I was seeing in some of these church gatherings. The idea of avoiding “bad” drunkenness but embracing “good” drunkenness seemed absurd to me. And yet, God Himself was supporting it. I couldn’t grasp why. But even worse, I found myself mocking it in my effort to understand it.

Both Bethel and IHOP-KC have a free web-stream that allows you to watch their sermons and ministry events online. So as I pressed in to understand this new supernatural work of God in His people, I found myself muttering to myself as I watched. I was not impressed by this new revelation of God’s kingdom. In fact, I found myself despising it. “Oh, look at me,” I’d say to myself as I watched online, “I’m in the presence of God” and then I’d mimic a mock seizure. My mockery seemed no more absurd and offensive than the actual manifestation of God’s power that would overcome people.

How could I press any further when I didn’t want what God was offering? And how could God offer something I didn’t want? I so desperately desired to embrace all that comes from Him. So I was a contradiction to myself, and I cried out to God for help. I needed God to break me and give me His understanding and love for what I was witnessing. I needed His heart towards the matter.

DESPISING THE JOY OF THE LORD

Finally, God moved against my aversion to the affects of His presence. He began by reminding me of the story of king David and the Arc of the Covenant.

David was bringing the Arc back to the city, and the joy of the Lord was upon him. This joy of the Lord was so strong that David took off his royal garments and danced before the Lord in the crowd in a modest linen ephod. As they approached the city, David’s wife, a daughter of the former king Saul, looked out her window and was offended at David’s conduct. He was not properly covered in his regal and dignified garb, but was in a more loose fitting and much less dignified outfit. And to make matters worse he wasn’t even acting as a king should act, but was dancing and singing without restraint in front of everyone, and in her eyes, especially before the young maids in the crowd. So she despised him for it.

The lord then pressed hard on me and said, “The wife who despised the joy of the Lord from her window, what was her name?”

“Oh no…” I said in a long sigh, now realizing the sad irony of how this story paralleled my own actions.

“Her name was Michal” I said soberly.  With my own name being Michael, I was grieved by how her actions were not unlike my own. I had been despising the joy and work of the Lord from my Microsoft Windows as I watched the webstreams from these two churches.

So the Lord spoke again, and said, “What was the consequence of despising the joy of the Lord?”

“David was never intimate with her after that, and she died without ever bearing the fruit of that intimacy,” I said grimacing.  This is how the account reads in scripture:

And David danced before the LORD with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. (15) So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn. (16) As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart. (17) And they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. (18) And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts (19) and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house. (20) And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” (21) And David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD–and I will make merry before the LORD. (22) I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” (23) And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. (2 Samuel 6:14-23, ESV)

The Lord then rebuked me saying, “If you continue to mock and despise my joy as it manifests upon others, you will be cut off from that intimacy yourself.” In His words came the revelation that what I was despising was an outward manifestation of the inward joy and work of the Lord. What fool mocks and despises the joy of the Lord?

Stop looking at me like that.

I had always expected God’s presence to manifest dignity and respectability in the eyes of others. Like Michal, I expected the King to enter the presence of the people with majesty and sobriety. But instead, I saw Him enter the congregation in another way, serving a very different purpose than I expected. I was observing His work outwardly, but ignoring His work inwardly. Yes, the majesty is coming, but for now, there is work to be done.

SURGERY OF THE SPIRIT

After allowing me time to repent and change my heart, the Lord began giving me insight into the strange behavior I was witnessing.

The Jews had expected the first advent of the promised Messiah to be what His second advent will be. They expected a conquering Lion, but got a sacrificial Lamb instead. Before Jesus came as a conquering King of Kings, He had to first come as a servant of servants to meet the need of His people. He needed to address their sins before bringing justice to the world. In like manner, I was witnessing Jesus address the sins of the people when I thought I’d be witnessing the solemn entrance of a dignified King.

If you were to walk into the operating room at a hospital, and witness the surgery and reconstruction of someone who had been involved in a horrific accident, it might make you sick. Your initial reaction might be, “Oh dear God, that’s not right! That’s not natural! That can’t be good!” But that would be a reaction to the outward appearance and work being done, but not to the good that was being done inwardly. What I was witnessing at these two churches was spiritual, reconstructive, surgery.

The spirit of man is deeply woven into his soul and body. The condition of one’s spirit will affect one’s body. If even thoughts affect our health, positively or negatively, then a scourging and purging of the spirit will consequently affect the body to even greater degree. And like any drastic surgery, it may look and sound unpleasant from a physical perspective.

But more than this, there is also the weakness of the flesh to consider. The power of a Stun gun or Taser Gun can completely incapacitate the human body. Even the smallest contact will drop a man. So how much more when the human body comes into contact with the power of God? As God moves against sin and evil spirits within the body, people will drop, shake, and convulse. This is the sign of conflict and purging. It’s not a sign of someone’s spiritual superiority. It’s what happens to those who are not prepared to stand in the presence of God.

And of course, there is the healing work of God. Of all the manifestations that come upon people, I think laughter was the most offensive to me. It’s loud, disruptive, and seems like a self-centered activity when considering all the people it might disturb. But again, laughter is a work of God that purges and works against the spirit of oppression. When you sense the presence of the Lord, you might expect to be brought to tears and be consumed with weeping over your unworthiness. But what if it’s unworthiness that needs to be overcome with a sense of one’s worth in Christ? I tell you a truth – it takes a greater work of God to raise a persons faith to the point where they can laugh unrestrained in the presence of a Holy God. The trodden down need to rejoice and be filled with the joy of God, a joy that comes from being made free in Christ.

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:11, NASB)

SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM:

While some people seek to make such fleshly reactions a sign of super spirituality, it is in fact a sign of something sinful coming into contact with something holy. And depending upon the individual and their response to God, the results can range from a mere shock to the system, to a complete purging of a man unto repentance.

I know an unbeliever who dropped to the ground when he came into contact with a minister of God imbued with God’s power, only to get up a few minutes later with no spiritual change whatsoever. To him, the experience was nothing more than a taser hit, a shock to his system that incapacitated his body for a few minutes. But because he had not come seeking anything else, he wasn’t met by God. He never pursued God further than that experience.

And on the other side, there have been people who have had great skepticism, but their hearts were in fact seeking after God’s truth. So when they came into contact with God’s power, and dropped to the ground, it was there that they encountered God. The result was that God performed a spiritual work on them that transformed their lives. They pursued God with an even greater passion from that point forward.

DISCERNING THE SPIRIT:

Rape victims have been overcome with laughter, and party animals overcome with tears, weeping, and sobriety. The cause and effect will vary, so simply judging someone by the manifestation they are exhibiting is pointless. We need only concern ourselves with the Holy Spirit, who will confirm or deny a manifestation as God’s work.

Satan constantly sends his minions and people under their control into churches like this to create distraction and false works. This is why I was so pleased to hear that both churches train their staff how to hear from the Holy Spirit and perceive what is from God and what is not. When Moses stood before the Pharaoh, the soothsayers were able to reproduce many of the miraculous signs Moses produced. So there are times when a work of Satan can look identical to a work of God. It requires the discernment of the Holy Spirit to tell the difference.

THE GOAL:

While there will always be sin to address and purge from God’s people, that work is ultimately conforming the church into an image.

…I again travail until Christ should be formed in you, (Galatians 4:19, MKJV)

For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers. (Romans 8:29, MKJV)

Christ is the goal. We are not called to be in surgery forever, but to be transformed in mind and body and conformed to the image of Christ. He is the final state of being for every believer.

The strength and stability of Jesus is what I was expecting to see in the church, but what I didn’t realize is that the glory that Jesus bore far exceeds what most church goers are capable of bearing. Not, at least, without serious surgery.

Jesus never needed spiritual surgery. He never shook, or convulsed under the presence of God. When the glory of the Father rested upon Him, He was able to stand, and not collapse. He was never overcome, but was prepared to walk under a greater glory than most of us are prepared to bear. And that is said to our shame.

There are degrees, as it were, of God’s glory, and our ability to stand in those emanations is wholly dependant upon our passion for, and obedience to, the heart of God. The late, great, Smith Wigglesworth is just such an example of a man who went from fearful trembling in the presence of other men, to a man who could stand in the glory of God that others around him could not.

Here’s an account of God’s glory as it rested upon Wigglesworth and his peers:

There were eleven leading Christians in prayer with our Brother at a special afternoon meeting. Each had taken a part. The Evangelist then began to pray for the Dominion, and as he continued, each, according to their measure of spirituality, got out. The power of God filled the room and they could not remain in an atmosphere supercharged by the power of God.

The author on hearing of this from one who was present registered a vow that if the opportunity came, he at any rate would remain whoever else went out. During the stay in the Sounds a special meeting was called to pray for the other towns in New Zealand yet to be visited. A like position to the other meeting now arose. Here was the opportunity, the challenge, the contest was on. A number prayed. Then the old saint began to lift up his voice, and strange as it may seem, the exodus began. A Divine influence began to fill the place. The room became holy. The power of God began to feel like a heavy weight. With set chin, and a definite decision not to budge, the only other one now left in the room hung on and hung on, until the pressure became too great and he could stay no longer. With the flood gates of his soul pouring out a stream of tears, and with the uncontrollable sobbing he had to get out or die; and a man who knew God as few do was left alone immersed in an atmosphere that few men could breathe in.¹

We were created to bear God’s glory. I need to say that again. You and I were created for the purpose of bearing God’s glory. That is our destiny. That is where our journey takes us. That is what we are called to do here upon the earth. But it comes at the cost of our fleshly desires. It wars against what comes natural to corrupted beings. And so we must pursue it with absolute abandon if we are to take hold of it here, and now, and make use of it while we abide upon the earth. That is our calling. But few care to press that hard. They would rather suffer loss, than suffer inconvenience to their flesh. I speak as one so guilty.

Oh to move from a merely practical Christianity to an intimate romance with The Living God! Our ability to stand in the glory is increased the longer we seek the face of God and abide in the present glory we have access too. Most have yet to even embrace the idea of the glory I’m speaking about, for it has to do with the manifest presence of God that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit, and literally baptized into His presence. That is something that takes place in addition to being indwelt by the Holy Spirit at salvation.

There, in the glory of God, be it in a public place of worship, or in private, we stand gazing at the face of God which is like a mirror. It’s a reverse mirror in which we see the image of Christ and then realize that it’s transforming us into His likeness. We become what we see in the mirror, because Jesus is the goal and final condition of the human race.

But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18, MKJV)

The closer you come to resembling the image in that spiritual mirror, the greater glory you will be able to bear. And the greater the glory in which you can stand, the greater intimacy you will enjoy. You see, the glory increases with our level of intimacy as a matter of proximity. The closer one comes to God the greater the glory increases in intensity. It’s tantamount to approaching a raging fire, from a distance, at first you receive some light and heat, but the closer you move (intimacy) the more the light and heat (glory) you will have to endure. We were created to be one with God. We were created to stand in the midst of His righteous fire and not collapse or be destroyed.

That is the purpose of spiritual purging and sanctification. That is the purpose for spiritual surgery. It purifies us and refines us as we move closer to the heat. The dross is removed, and we move in closer, resulting in even more dross being brought to the surface for removal. In this way we move from glory to glory, growing ever more intimate with the One after whose image we were created.

TIME TO MOVE:

This was the last hurdle for me to overcome. The last hurdle to what? To finding a church to attend.

I had been looking for a church to attend for a while, never feeling settled at the ones we visited. I wasn’t looking for perfection, or even specific doctrines, but for a church so submitted to God that His presence moved among the people in a real and tangible way. The Lord had spoken to me prior to this last hurdle and told me that “whatever church you choose to attend, submit under it’s leadership.” But what church? And where? God hadn’t told me. And now I know why. The churches I was asking for were the churches I wasn’t prepared to participate in. I would have rejected and doubted, and been closed to the work of God. Until now.

But this still left me with the problem of what church to attend and where. I would have to physically move to attend Bethel in Redding, CA., or IHOP in Kansas City. I wasn’t about to do that until I was released by the Lord. He had given my wife and I clear provisions for sustaining us in the here and now. So I would need His approval to move on. This brings us up to the present.

I’ve received my moving papers.

God spoke to me and simply said, “IHOP-KC is open to you.” God was not commanding me to go, but was making it clear that if I wanted to move, I had His approval. As I was pondering this, my wife spoke up, albeit hesitantly, and said that she felt God was putting it on her heart that we should move to IHOP-KC. She knew I wasn’t interested in moving without the Lord’s favor, so she expected me to reject the idea. So when I said, “I think it’s time to move too,” she was stunned. I explained what the Lord had taught me (detailed above) and told her I was ready to move to the next level in our relationship with God, both as a couple and as individuals. My heart was ready to receive.

So it’s official, we are moving to the Kansas City area of Missouri. We expect to make the move in November of 2010. How long will we be there? Until the Lord moves us on. We have no agenda beyond entering a deeper intimacy with God and each other than we have yet known. It’s not the people, or the church that will accomplish this for us, but our own pressing in towards the Lord. I want more than just a shock to my system. I have need of a Surgeon. I want to see what I couldn’t see before, and walk like I’ve never walked before.

TO BE CONTINUED:

There is so much I have to learn, not from the wisdom of men, but from my time in the Lord’s presence. I so earnestly yearn to move beyond the theories of doctrine and into the proof of demonstration. I want not the approval of denominations, but the confirmation of God Himself. Let men argue over their doctrines, I’m tired of arguing. It’s time to follow the apostle Paul’s lead, when he said:

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, NIV)

I want to demonstrate a faith that rests on God’s power, and not a doctrine void of personal experience. I desire to finally enter into the romance of my marriage to God, and earnestly want to bear the spiritual fruit of that intimacy. This is the relationship I have been missing in my life for so long. I never knew it existed outside of heaven. But now that I know it exists, I won’t stop until I make it my own.

I confess, the goal seems very far away at times, and I feel so very inadequate and unworthy for such a pursuit. But to what else shall I turn my attention? With what else shall I fill my life? To what else shall I give my time?

God has beckoned me, saying, “Come and see.” It’s time to look into the mirror, and… become.

RELATED POSTS:

• Obligation vs. Opportunity – Prior to being released to move to IHOP-KC, the Lord began showing me the heart He longs after. When a heart, Divine or otherwise, sets down a boundary and establishes the law, regardless of whether or not that law can or will be enforced, it will illicit one of two responses from those to whom the law applies. A child will be struck by the obligation of the law, whereas an adult will see the law as an opportunity to love. This was probably one of the most difficult lessons I have ever experienced, because romance doesn’t come easy to the immature.

1. H.V. Roberts, New Zealand’s Greatest Revival; Reprint of the 1922 Revival Classic: Smith Wigglesworth (Dilsburg, PA: Rex Burgher Books [www.klifemin.org], 1951), 46-47. [↩]

QUESTION: What does the Bible say about providing for one’s family? Under what circumstances does 1 Timothy 5:8 apply?  What does God expect from us when there are no jobs to be found?

THE QUESTION OF PROVISION is an important one.  It touches upon the roles of gender and their responsibility in providing for family. The question of provision seeks to understand how faith is tied to our ability to provide.  It even invokes our perceived sense of personal worth as it’s subconsciously gauged by us and others.  But most importantly of all, the question of provision is defined and answered in God’s Divine Will.  Whether you are a man or a woman, there is something God expects, and even demands in regard to provision.  In this, there is both a blessing and a curse.

In the blessing we have hope.  When we discover the Divine provision to provide, nothing is impossible (Matthew 19:26).  It is then that we cease to be victims of unemployment and become overcomers instead.  Depression turns to joyful anticipation, the desire to give up turns into a passion to press forward, and the expectation of failure becomes an expectation of reward.  Where we once held self-pity and shame, we will hold the promises of God in assurance.  In this hope, we will begin to see our purpose, our value, our worth, as they truly are in God, and we’ll be drawn by passion to press ever closer to Him.  God is our provider, our joy, and our reward.

But in the curse we will have the reward of unbelievers.  By sitting around and doing nothing, expecting God to meet our needs, we deny our faith and come under judgment.  Doing nothing causes us to fail the will and provision of God, and receive in ourselves the due reward of our disobedience.  Even what we have will be taken from us.  The love and respect of others will pass us by, as sons and daughters not worthy of their calling (2 Thessalonians 1:10-11).

Is the issue of provision really that serious?  Indeed it is.

“…if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8, NASB)

Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.  (Romans 11:22, NKJV)

Failing to provide is an offense and a slander against God Himself.  It’s a failure to work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12).  It’s a denial of our faith.  Consider why this is so.

YOU ARE THE FIG TREE:

When I prayed and asked God what I should teach about provision, I felt compelled to study fig trees in scripture. The fig tree is used to represent Israel as God’s chosen people, and consequently it represents everyone who partakes of their covenant of salvation (all born-again believers).  Thus fig trees can be seen to represent you and me.  So God had me consider the account of Jesus and the fig tree that did not provide.

On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. {13} Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. {14} He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening. … {20} As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. {21} Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”  (Mark 11:12-14, 20-21, NASB)

If we are the tree, consider what this passage means for you and me.  Jesus walks up to us, finds that we aren’t providing, and curses us even though jobs are “out of season.” Like a fruit tree out of season, the ability to provide is completely outside of our control and yet we are cursed.  How is this fair?  Why would Jesus do this?

The answer is that while the means to provide is truly outside of our control, it is not outside of God’s control.  So where is our faith in God?  We have denied it and remain fruitless.  When Jesus comes to check on us out of season, He finds our faithless — and thus fruitless — condition and curses our failure to work out our own salvation, which is to say, we are cursed for not putting our faith to work.

When the disciples commented on the severity of the curse upon the tree, listen to what Jesus says:

“And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22, NASB)

Our failure to provide is a reflection of our failure in the realm of faith.  That is why we are told:

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8, NASB)

A working faith turns to God for the provision to provide.  This is why Jesus comes to us as fig trees out of season expecting to find fruit.  He expects us to provide, because we claim to have faith in God as our provider.  God promises us that we can come to Him anytime, both in season and out of season, and He will provide for us.  Nothing is impossible for God.  So we place our faith in His ability to provide no matter what the circumstances.  Thus, our faith in God’s ability to provide for us guarantees us the provision to provide.  It’s by this faith that we call upon God to open doors that are naturally closed.  It’s our faith in God’s provision for provision that calls upon God to guide us in our job hunts, and to bless us with work no one else could have expected to find.

So, when a man does not turn to God, but instead succumbs to the natural seasons, he denies his faith, which is to say, he denies the God in whom he has faith for all things.  He says by his actions, “God will not provide, and I can do nothing.” This denial of faith leaves us as fig trees with no fruit.  And when Jesus finds us in this faithless state, He curses us.

For clarity, we won’t necessarily be cursed immediately.  God gives us a period of grace, the length of which is entirely determined by God’s will for each of us individually.  During that period of grace, God works with us, and gives us what we need to press forward in faith and begin producing.  But judgment will come to those who resist and fail the grace of God.  Jesus spoke of this in a parable, saying:

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. {7} So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ {8}” ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. {9} If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ “(Luke 13:6-9, NIV)

God has mercy on us.  He will give us what we need to become fruitful, we just have to respond correctly in faith.

So that brings us to the next thing I’d like to talk about, namely, how we are supposed to use our faith to provide instead of denying it and being fruitless.

GOD RESPONDS TO OUR FAITH, NOT OUR NEEDS:

Everything we receive from the Lord is through faith, and not merely because we had a need.  Just because you have a need does not mean God will meet it.  In other words, God does not respond to our need; He responds to our faith.  This requires our faith to be proactive rather than passive.  So true faith can never be said to be mute and blind, because faith acts upon what it believes, and cries out, actively pursuing God for the provision He already set aside for us to take.

FAITH IS NOT SILENT:

As Jesus was taking the road out of Jericho with His disciples one day, a huge crowd began following after Him.  Ahead of them on the road was a blind man named Bartimaeus.  Hearing all the commotion approaching, he began asking those around him what it was all about.  When Bartimaeus learned that it was Jesus, he began crying out to Him for mercy.  People scolded him for making such a spectacle of himself, and tried to quiet him, but he only cried out more, desperate to be heard.  As a result of this persistence, Jesus stopped and made time for him.

Think about that for a minute.  Multitudes were crowding around Jesus.  I’m sure most of them had needs just like you and me.  But Jesus didn’t stop for their needs.  It wasn’t until a faith for a need cried out, and would not be silenced, that Jesus stopped.  It was the voice (or work) of faith, not the silence of a need, that got Jesus’ attention.

Now listen to what God required of that working faith before any need was met.

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” {50} Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. {51} And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”  (Mark 10:49-51, NASB)

Why would Jesus ask a blind man what he needed?  Wasn’t it obvious?  Of course it was, but Jesus wasn’t stopping on account of a need.  Jesus was headed elsewhere.  He was on assignment.  Not even a crowd of needy people was delaying Him.  But when a faith exercised it’s authority and right to call upon God for a provision that, naturally speaking, no one could expect to receive, God stopped to respond.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  (Hebrews 11:1, KJV)

Jesus heard faith cry, and made a point to ask Bartimaeus what his faith was asking for.  If Bartimaeus had said, “I don’t want to trouble you for anything big, but could you heal my arthritis?” then that is exactly what he would have gotten.  Had he not asked for anything but a blessing, he would have gotten nothing but a blessing.  But Bartimaeus knew exactly what his faith was calling upon Jesus to provide.  He wanted his sight.  And when Jesus heard his faith speak, He said:

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.  (Mark 10:52, NIV)

FAITH IS NOT BLIND:

Bartimaeus was blind, but his faith wasn’t.  He did not sit quietly hoping Jesus would see him and have compassion on his need.  But that is exactly what we are tempted to do when we are in need of something that only supernatural provision can provide.  When things are beyond our control we will often say to ourselves, “God knows about my need, when He wants to meet it, He will.” That is blind faith.  Blind faith denies true faith.  It’s a willful ignorance that is disobedient to the revelation that God has given us about the way of life – it’s like a body believing that God will provide oxygen but failing to breath.  There is a way and a means by which provision is delivered to us, and we are expected to obediently participate in it.  Here’s how.

We are to have faith as a child (Matthew 18:3).  A child observes the love of their earthly father.  They see the fathers trustworthiness and provision demonstrated over and over again.  They realize that they can trust their father.  And so their faith comes to rest on what has already been demonstrated.  Then, when the day comes when the father asks the child to do something that could have serious consequences for them if the father doesn’t come through, the child has faith.  That faith is not blind, because it has already seen the father’s faithfulness and dependability.  And that faith is not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), because the child is trusting even though he has never seen the father perform under the current conditions and situation before.  This is the faith of a child, being both secure on established history, and yet able to trust in unproven situations.

Blind faith, on the other hand, is ignorant.  It has no proof that what it trusts for will be provided.  It’s hope is not a confident expectation, but an uncertain gamble.  Will God meet your needs?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  This kind of faith grows from a broken relationship.  It rises from the heart of one who has grown up hearing more about their father than learning from personal interaction with him.  And so they never know what to expect.  They can never be sure what they can ask for and receive, and what they cannot.  They neither know the ways of their father, nor the means by which he provides for his own.  So they must guess.  They must rely on what others tell them.  And they are often disappointed because of their errant assumptions and failed gambles.

Blind faith is healed by abiding, which is to say, living with the Father.  Jesus says:

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  (John 15:4, NKJV)

To the extent that you abide in Christ you will bear fruit and will be able to provide for your family.  That simply means that…

• the more you interact with God in prayer,
• basing your prayers upon the record of His word,
• and believing in the guarantee of His promises,
• having studied the way and means by which God provides through faith,
• and then approach Him in the approved manner,

…the more you will partake of the provision to provide because you will know the Provider intimately.

Needless to say, being away at boarding school and relying upon letters and word of mouth to develop your relationship is not the same as living in the same house as your father and relating to him in person.  The farther away you live, the more blind your faith will become in relation to your father.  So put some effort into your prayer life and study to show yourself approved by God, as a workman of faith who doesn’t need to be ashamed, having rightly applied the scriptures to your life (2 Timothy 2:15)

FAITH BELIEVES:

Faith is belief in action.  If you believe that you are on a volcano that is about to explode, what do you do?  If you believe that you are holding the winning lottery ticket, what do you do?  If you believe that someone you love wants something, what do you do?  If you believe that God is capable of providing for your needs, what do you do?

*you sit and wait*

No, you take action.  Your faith in the legitimacy of what you believe demands an appropriate response.

Thus, God demands that we exercise our faith in accordance with what we believe.  And what we believe is to be in line with God’s will.  So when we believe, it is said to be the work of God (John 6:29).  God’s will becomes our will, His passion becomes our passion, His ability to provide becomes our ability to provide.  “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13, ESV).

What does this kind of believing faith look like in real life?

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. {25} And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. {26} She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. {27} When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, {28} because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” {29} Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

{30} At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

{31} “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

{32} But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. {33} Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. {34} He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

So how do we do this today?  Jesus is no longer physically here.  But in His place, on His behalf, Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit.  You might think of the Holy Spirit as a phone line between you and Jesus.  But really, that is a terrible example because the connection that the Holy Spirit provides is intimate.  There is no distance in intimacy, there is only contact.  The presence of the Lord is the very presence of the Holy Spirit, they are one and the same.

So how do we approach the presence of Jesus as the woman did?

1) Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19, ESV)

The Holy Spirit is the Vein that delivers life from the Vine of Christ.  First, notice the life that results from indwelling.

“I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.”  (John 15:5, KJV)

We can do nothing in life without the Holy Spirit who was sent to us on Christ’s behalf.  It is for this reason that the Holy Spirit is referred to in scripture as “the Spirit of Christ” (Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11).  Christ dwells in us, and we in Him, via the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-11).  When He tells us that without Him we can do nothing, He is speaking of His work in us through the Holy Spirit.  Thus we remain alive for as long as Christ is in us via the Spirit.

So if Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches, what is quenching the Spirit?  Think about a branch for a moment.  How is a branch supplied with sap?  Sap is supplied through the internal veins that link a branch to its vine.  How does Christ abide in us and work out His will?  He abides in us, and we in Him, through the Holy Spirit.  This means that the Holy Spirit is the conduit of life and power between Christ and His saints.

Can this connection be restricted (quenched) or even severed?  Absolutely!  Just as a vein can become clogged up, so can our spiritual Vein become quenched by sin.  If this happens, God will identify the sin that is blocking the conduit of our relationship (Philippians 3:15).  If we ignore His warnings and instructions on how to repent and correct the problem, we will wither and die spiritually for lack of life giving nutrients.

The quenching of the Holy Spirit should thus be taken as seriously as the clogging of arteries.  For the Holy Spirit is the spiritual Vein through which the life giving blood of Christ flows to every believer.  Many believers have fallen into addictions and habits that have clogged their lifeline to God.  Their ministers often prescribe to them false doctrines of forgiveness and love that are not conditional upon obedience, thereby dooming them to reliance upon false forms of repentance.

Yet any medical doctor will inform you that you must cease from eating the kinds of junk food that clog up the human system, and begin to exercise, if you desire to live.  Should it surprise us, then, that the Creator of the human body gives us the same diagnosis for our spirit?

“For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”  (1 Timothy 4:8, KJV)

“Wherefore, my beloved, …work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. {13} For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”  (Philippians 2:12-13, KJV)

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”  (Romans 8:13, KJV)

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”  (1 Corinthians 12:27, KJV)

“In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”  (Ephesians 2:22, KJV)

If we want to live, we must begin to exercise obedience.  By doing so, we will be “working out” unto salvation.  We must “exercise” our gifts and “walk” in the Spirit.  These are all terms of healthy exertion.  The more we work out spiritually, the more the Holy Spirit will pump the cleansing blood of Christ through our system and unclog our veins allowing them to flow unrestricted.  This is how we will keep our spiritual hearts clean.

This naturally leads us to our second point.

2) Sin hinders our prayers.  Repentance ushers them through.

Sin quenches the Holy Spirit to through whom our prayers travel to Jesus and then to the Father.  When the Holy Spirit is quenched, so are our prayers (1 Peter 3:7).  Sin in our life hinders our prayers, repentance and obedience cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:9).  Our lifestyle and relationships have direct affect upon our prayer life.  If we constantly give ourselves over to unhealthy behavior in relation to ourselves and others, it naturally clogs up the spiritual veins that connect us to the life of God.  Thus, God connects our marriage, our relationships with others, and our repentance to the effectiveness of our prayer life and received blessing.

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7, NIV)

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  (1 John 1:7 KJV)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9 KJV)

These two points stand as the reason behind most people’s failed prayer life.  They are the reason most of their prayers remain unanswered.

While restoration may take a while to be wholly completed in your life, you can get your prayer life back in order as soon as genuine repentance has occurred.  Therefore, don’t be discouraged if your life is a shipwreck.  Repent.  Genuinely.  Truly. And with the resolve to obey and do what is right instead of what you used to do in sin.  Once that is dealt with, your prayers will begin to flow again.

MAKING IT WORK:

STEP ONE: Repent.

Ask the Lord to reveal to you anything that is hindering your prayers.  Then respond with repentance and obedience.

STEP TWO: Follow repentance with obedience.

Obedience is not random acts of kindness.  That is blind faith at work.  Instead, obedience involves response to Divine instruction.  Unless you are aware of what God has commanded, you cannot possibly obey instruction you haven’t received.

Divine instruction and direction is what you want in life.  It’s what you need in life.  So here’s how to get it.

Your first step of obedience after repentance is conforming your mind to Christ.  When you do this, your faith will be supplied with things that you believe you can ask for.  Here’s the promise:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  (Romans 12:2, KJV)

Did you catch that?  When you pursue God, seeking His will, His way, and His work, you’ll find it.  Let me say that again.  You will find the will of God.  When you find the will of God, it will renew your mind, in that you will know what is good, acceptable, and perfect in the will of God.  No more guessing in blind faith.  Faith knows, and knowing is believing, and believing is action, and action is obedience, and obedience is the response to Divine direction and commands.

Step One and Two are summarized in scripture this way:

You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. {3} When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

{4} You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. {5} Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? {6} But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

{7} Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. {8} Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. {9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. {10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.  (James 4:2-10, NIV)

STEP THREE: Start asking according to the will of the Lord.

It’s time to stop asking God for things with wrong motives (which is the result of blind faith).  It’s time to start asking God with informed faith.  You will know what to ask for when you know what the will of the Lord is.  So cease from sin and press in through obedience, prayer, and study.
God knows what His will for our prayer is.  It’s time we found out.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. {12} Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. {13} You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NIV)

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13, NIV)

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  (Mark 11:24, NIV)

Many people read this verse and become confused.  They think they are being told that they will be given whatever they ask for if they just believe blindly for it.  But it only takes one unfulfilled prayer to realize that this is not what is being promised.

The key is found in this phrase: “believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

That tells us that we are supposed to be asking for something that God has already given to us.  The present is already under the tree with our name on it.  All that is left is for us to see it, and then ask for it, believing that it’s God’s gift to us.  This all begins with prayer.  It begins with a conversation with God wherein God reveals to you that He has set a present for you under the tree.  Only then will you be able to run there to see it, and ask for it believing that it’s yours.

These three steps form the basis for answered prayer.  There is much more that could be added, but this is where you start.

FURTHER CONSIDERATION:

Additionally, here are some other important things for you to consider when seeking the Lord for provision.

GENDER AND PROVISION:

So who is supposed to provide for a family?  The husband or the wife?  We need not speculate, here’s the order as ordained by God:

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. {24} Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

{25} Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her {26} to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, {27} and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  (Ephesians 5:23-27, NIV)

Who provides?  Christ first, then the husband, then the wife.  That is the ordained order.

What that looks like in real life, however, is another matter.  The order of responsibility will always remain, but the nature of the work can vary wildly.  I know a case where the husband was called into study for a season, and the wife was provided a job to support them both during that time.  That wasn’t the husbands idea, it was God’s, and God spoke it to the wife first, then later to the husband.

Provision is bearing fruit, in season, and out of season.  Performing the Lord’s will naturally provides fruit.  In the aforementioned example, the husband and wife obeyed the will of the Lord, and God provided for their monetary needs.  That is the nature of provision – obeying the will of the Lord.

Now that example I gave brings up an important aspect of provision and family, namely, that both the husband and the wife should be on the same page regarding the Lord’s will.

THE UNITY OF MARRIAGE:

When a man and a woman marry, they become “one” in all aspects of their union.  Therefore when God gives direction to the man as head of the household, a submitted wife will hear that calling in her own spirit and be happy to support the calling.  That is part of the role of a helpmate.

There is nothing more disheartening then when a husband and wife are pulling in two opposite directions.  There’s also nothing more hindering to God’s will.  If I feel that God has called me to do something, or accomplish something, and my wife is not immediately supportive, I pray.  I pray that God would confirm His will to me through my wife, by placing that calling upon her heart too.  And if that isn’t God’s will, I ask that He confirm it in my spirit and give me the confidence and passion to meet His call even without her support.  If I don’t receive a confirmation from God or from my wife, I don’t move ahead until I find out what the problem is.

Now there will be times when either the husband or the wife is out of order.  If that happens to be the wife, then the husband must ask that God confirm His calling so that he can have the assurance that he is in God’s His will and may proceed while God works on the wife’s heart.  That should be every man’s prayer.  And if the husband is out of order, the wife can support him just the same (assuming it’s not a sin to do so) while in prayer asking God to redirect the husband back to God’s will.  There is tremendous power in submission in regard to leadership that I won’t go into here for the sake of focus, but suffice it to say, there is always a way to confirm the Lord’s will.  We are never called to walk in blind faith or assumption.

GETTING A JOB OUTSIDE OF GOD’S PROVISION:

The man in my example, who was called to study for ministry, sought and found three jobs before correctly discovering the Lord’s will for his life.  The Lord did not meet him in those jobs.  Because of that, the jobs taxed him tremendously, some physically, but all emotionally.  It wasn’t until he and his wife began to pray and seek the will of the Lord that they found it.

The answer came first to the man’s wife.  Excited at this revelation, she happily informed her husband that he didn’t have to go to work anymore.  He, however, had no confirmation in his spirit, and dared not quite job simply because his wife said he could.  Besides, she didn’t have a job at the time, so they would have had no income.

But because they were both praying, God sent the man a confirmation.  While praying about his work situation, and asking the Lord why He wasn’t supporting him in the past three jobs he had held, the phone rang.  It was an acquaintance that he didn’t know very well.  The caller said that God had compelled him to call and urge the man to devote all his time to study.  After the call ended, the phone rang again.  It was another acquaintance who was calling with the same message.  And then a third call with the same message came in.  After hanging up with the third caller, God confirmed that these were not random calls, but were from the Lord.  Then the message was made clear, the man was to quit those jobs to which God had not called him, and get to work on the job God truly had for him – study.

Simply finding work is not the answer.  Finding the will of the Lord is the answer.  If you find a job by yourself, you will have to bear it’s burden by yourself.  That was the very cry of the man’s heart before he received those three phone calls.  He had found work, but by his own initiative.  And he was suffering for it.

CONCLUSION:

Determine within your own spirit that you will be faithful to God and believe that because He exists, you can and will trust Him to provide for your needs so that you may provide for the needs of your family in the way that God desires.

Next, start pursuing Him fervently in prayer.  You already know that you need to provide for your family, it’s just a matter of how you should provide.  So instead of asking if you can have a job, ask for a specific kind of job.  Maybe you already know what kind of job you want or need.  If not, ask for God to place something on your heart that you can ask for.  The bottom line here is that if God is giving you something to do, that is your job.

Then resume your search for a job.  Don’t give up!

“…Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, KJV)

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. {6} But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. {7} That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; {8} he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.  (James 1:5-8, NIV)

God pays for what He orders.  He will support you in whatever work or calling that He gives you.  But if you pursue something out of your own ambition, you will have to support it yourself, for it is not of God.  Eventually it will burn you out.  So be sure you confirm God’s order so that God supports the work, and you are not left carrying the burden yourself.

A contrast of spiritual maturity.

IT WAS A ROUGH WEEK. I was tired, exasperated, and not feeling particularly strong in the ever present battle with the temptations we all face.  I found myself pondering my predicament.  Why is sin so tempting?  Why must it be so desirable?  All the best food is fattening and unhealthy, most entertainment pollutes the mind and distracts us from God, and the fundamental desires of the flesh will lead to heartbreak and destruction if not constantly disciplined.  Why are things so difficult?  God knew the struggle we’d all have.  Why couldn’t things be easier than they are?

I found myself asking, even begging, for God to remove the temptations from me.  Obedience would be so much easier if there wasn’t the constant tugging and urging to the contrary.  There are times when I long for our return to Eden, back to the time of innocence.  But it was on that note that God spoke.

CHILDREN OF EDEN:

God pointed to the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden.  “Yes, that’s right,” I said, “from the very beginning you made sure that there was at least one law to be observed.” And I knew why.  I had been down this path before with God.  When I had originally asked why God put a forbidden tree in the garden, He had responded saying:

Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.  (Romans 4:15, KJV)

And why would God introduce a law that leads to transgression?  The answer was lengthy and detailed (and covered by other posts).  But God reminded me that it could all be summed up in one word – Love.

If ye love me, keep my commandments.  (John 14:15, KJV)

It was then that God made the connection for me.  I already knew that the law provided Adam and Eve with the opportunity to show God their love.  But God was now focusing my mind on the contrast between the spiritually mature, and the spiritually immature; between spiritual adults and spiritual children.

When a heart, Divine or otherwise, sets down a boundary and establishes the law, regardless of whether or not that law can or will be enforced, it will illicit one of two responses from those to whom the law applies.  A child will be struck by the obligation of the law, whereas an adult will see the law as an opportunity to love.

When it’s a parent who sets the rule, a child will strain against it like a chain holding back a wild animal.  The child loves the parent, but the child’s focus is almost entirely set on his or her own desires.  But when a lover sets the rule, the adult will cherish the opportunity to delight their lover’s heart.  The adult knows that obedience is a demonstration of love, and love leads to intimacy, and intimacy is far superior to any childish desire.

Adam and Eve were spiritual infants.  They saw only obligation in the law.  Eve calculated the need for the law, and found it lacking. The fruit was good and desirable.  It wasn’t bad.  In fact, it would make her better than she was.  Therefore there was no need for a law to restrict it.  God was concerned over nothing.  So she ate its fruit.  Adam wasn’t concerned with good or bad, but only with consequence.  He watched Eve eat to see if what happened to her was worth the benefit gained from the fruit.  When she didn’t die, the cost appeared to be insignificant compared to the spoils of sin, so he ate as well.

Every child begins in self-centeredness.  The consequences of their actions have to be pointed out to them.  They have to be taught how to observe the feelings of others.  Their love is based upon how others make them feel.  But when they mature, they learn to care for others.  They learn how to set aside what they want in favor of what someone else wants.

THE BRIDAL PARADIGM:

Here, then, is the fundamental nature of obedience.  To the immature, obedience is obligation and personal loss.  Men sin because they cannot bear to suffer the loss of their heart’s desire.  To the mature, however, obedience is love.  The desires of a lover have superseded the lesser personal desires of immaturity.  The lover finds what the child cannot see.

When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways.  (12) What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete—as complete as God’s knowledge of me.  (13) Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.  (1 Corinthians 13:11-13, GNB)

The principle seen in this verse can be applied to both spiritual children and adults.  What we perceive as children through the dimness of our immature passions and desires is imperfect and incomplete.  But when we mature, God will meet us face to face as our True Love.  At that moment we’ll realize that what we knew of love, and of God, was only partial.  But through intimacy with God, we’ll come to know Him as completely as He already knows us.

What was once perceived as laws of restriction and denial, will suddenly be seen as opportunities to love.  Instead of focusing on what we can’t have, we’ll fear obtaining it at the loss of our Lover’s passionate intimacy.  Once you’ve had a taste of it, a lover’s passion can never be replaced by the shortsighted desires of a child.  The ravishing love of a spouse is far sweeter than the nurturing love of a parent.

But children are only disgusted by such talk.  Only the mature are aroused by the deepness of intimacy.  So we receive the love with which we love God.

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  (John 14:21, KJV)

There are two parts to this promise.  The first is obvious.  Obedience and the tangible presence of God go hand in hand.  Sin kills intimacy because it is a betrayal of one’s Lover.  So if you long for the manifest presence of God, but never seem to find it, the reason is simple — your immature desires and indifference’s are getting in the way of intimacy.  Ask God to show you where the problem is, then listen carefully for the answer.

The second part to this promise is unspoken.  It has to do with how you obey.  If our obedience is as that of a child , we’ll find the love of a parent.  If our obedience is as that of a lover, we’ll find the intimacy of our Divine Spouse.  How God manifests Himself to you is wholly dependent upon how you respond to His commandments.

DO YOU OBEY AS A CHILD OR A LOVER?

As I meditated upon this truth, the temptations pressed in again.  And as my heart repeated it’s cries to God, I suddenly heard myself.  I had asked God why the things He forbid were allowed to be so irresistibly desirable.  Now I could answer myself.  They are only irresistible to a child who knows nothing better.

In my defense, I wanted to argue that I’m very mature in certain areas, but the fact remains, when it comes to romancing the heart of God, I am only just beginning to come of age.  I have not yet matured to the point where God has manifested Himself to me as a Lover.  I’ve only experienced His love in a parent/child relationship.  Therefore, the desires of immaturity, which have not yet comprehended anything greater, still lust after the duplicitous offerings of sin.

While it’s certainly true that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure, how you escape temptation will determine your reward.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV)

There is a way of escape for children, and there is a way of escape only reachable by adults.  The child merely escapes and finds relief.  Their obedience ovoids a spanking and further limiting discipline from their parent.  The lover uses the temptation as an opportunity to focus on the hearts desire of their spouse.  Their turning from the offerings of sin is not just a self-preservation, but an intentional act of devotion. They are investing together with their Spouse in a love that offers the sweetest dividends of intimacy you can possibly experience.

The irony of immaturity is that it limits what you can have, even though the immature are consumed with making sure they have the best of everything.  We’re robbing ourselves by chasing the desires of our inner child.  It’s time to stop falling short of God’s best.  It’s time to grow up.

BUT HOW?

Have you ever told a child to stop acting like a child?  Have you seen their reaction?  They stop and think real hard about what exactly that means, but find no answer within themselves, so they default to some childish response in frustration.  You will never find within you what you don’t already have.  So how do the immature become mature?  The answer is simple.  They spend time in the presence of maturity.

I’ve always lived in a spiritual “Never Never Land,” where all the children of God “never wanna grow up.” When I started to pursue God romantically, I could count on one hand the number of people I had met who were pressing forward towards the passions of spiritual adulthood.  The rest of my acquaintances were quite satisfied with their relationships with God, because in their eyes, there was little more to be had this side of heaven.  God takes care of them, and rescues them when they get into trouble.  God is a loving Parent.  What more could they want?

You have to be around something better to know better.

STEP ONE: Find God’s lovers

So step one is to ask God where the bride of Christ is.  Yes, every church is filled with the children of God, but it’s not children we are looking for.  We’re looking for spiritual adults who are truly operating in the intimacy of marriage.  Find them and spend time with them.  You’ll see a relationship that will transcend what you had as a child, and you’ll begin to desire it.  When you desire it, pursue it relentlessly.

STEP TWO: Don’t give up

Why would anyone give up the pursuit of God’s passionate love?  All you need do is look at the romantic pursuits of the young.  Their pursuits are full of missteps, immature advances, and heartbreak.  If you are a spiritual youth who is trying to grasp romance, be prepared for a bumpy ride.

1) Be Prepared to be Disgusted and Offended:

When God showed me where His Bride was, I observed them with great scrutiny.  They were an imperfect lot, but their interaction with God far exceeded my own.  Before I could pursue that level of intimacy myself, I had to get over one last hurdle.  I detail that strugle in a post entitled “The Last Hurdle.” To summarize, the interaction between God and His Bride contained elements that I found both enticing and repulsive.  There were things God required for intimacy that I could not abide.  No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t make myself like it.  “If this is what romance is like, I don’t think I want it,” my inner child balked.  So God had to deal with the remnants of my immaturity before I could pursue Divine romance wholeheartedly (which, as it turns out, is the only way one can pursue genuine romance).

As a child, you will not be entirely prepared for what an intimate relationship entails.  The young always pursue romance with idyllic pictures of intimacy in mind when they begin.  They imagine how great it will be to have all their needs met, and be loved unconditionally by their spouse.  Then they get married.

What follows is a multi-year struggle to learn how to relate to their spouse in a manner that produces intimacy rather than offense.  You’ll begin by learning how you offend your lover.  You’ll proceed by learning what you have to change about yourself to maintain the romance.  And you’ll finish by learning how to satisfy the needs of your spouse that you don’t have yourself.

The reward for all this effort is more than worth it, but it will take a devoted heart to endure to the end.

2) Be Prepared for Rejection:

You must come of age before you’ll be received as a lover.  The sad reality is that in your attempt to romance God, your advances will at first be childish.  As a result, you will suffer rejection by God in those advances.  This can be unexpected, especially when you give it your all.  And it will be devastating at first.  It was for me.

As my wife and I spent time around the Bride of Christ, we heard of a particular ministry outreach that was intended to edify the church itself.  In this outreach you would meet with two ministers of your own gender who would seek the Lord’s word for you and speak it to you.  That would include God pointing out sins that were holding you back as well and promises given to infuse you with hope to press forward.  Everyone we met who had gone through this had found God in an intimate way during their session.  Well, that was exactly what I wanted — an intimate encounter — even if God focused on things He wanted changed in me, that would be enough.  I just wanted to connect with God romantically.  So we signed up.

Our preparations were like that of a bride.  It was as if we put on our best dress, and adorned ourselves with beautiful jewelry, and scented ourselves with the best perfume.  I fasted longer than I had ever fasted before, and cut out all forms of entertainment.  My wife and I sang and worshiped God every evening after work until we went to bed.  We spent our free time praying to God and telling Him how excited we were to begin our romance with Him in earnest after so many years as children.

Then the time came.  We had our sessions at the same time, but separately — me with the men, my wife with their wives.  I was a little dismayed when I discovered that these people were volunteers, and not the normal people who minister.  But I wasn’t going to let that deter me.  I had come to meet God, not worry about the ministers before me.

The power of God came down heavy upon the men who were ministering to me.  They commented on how unusually strong God’s presence was, so much so, that they were huffing and puffing under the weight of it.  But I sensed nothing.  They pressed in towards God, confident that they would be given something for me seeing as God had shown up so mightily.  But they got nothing.

So they began to employ “tools” or methods aimed at helping people hear from God.  I hate tools.  Most tools circumvent intimacy and replace it with something far more infantile.  God may respond, but He’ll do so with far less frequency and with as much impotency.  I had specifically prayed to God asking Him not to let such men minister to me.  But I suddenly realized that God had ignored that request.  “Fine,” I said to myself, “if God wants to test me with the foolishness of men, so be it.” So I submitted, and did whatever they asked me to do.

They had me do things I would never have done of my own free will.  Things such as going to a “safe place” in my mind and imagining Jesus so as to have a chat with Him.  And it only got worse from there.  Nothing evil, mind you, just mind games as far as I was concerned.  But again, I hadn’t come to find fault, I had come to submit as a bride before her groom and encounter Jesus.  But after having me do this and that, the only ones who ever entered God’s manifest presence were the two men ministering to me.  After three hours of this, we called it quits.

I felt abandoned by God and violated by the ministers.  It was as if God had taken me to the amusement park only to abandon me there where I got raped by the clowns in the Funhouse.  I felt dirty.  I felt like a rape victim who blames herself because she didn’t fight back hard enough.  I just took it.  I did whatever they told me to do, but God wasn’t in it.  His presence was there, but He didn’t come to my rescue.

I would have been tempted to blame those ministering to me for the problem, but the Holy Spirit wouldn’t let me go there.  Their immaturity, though potent, wasn’t the problem.  Mine was.  I was rejected.  God was there, and had made His presence undeniably clear, but then refused me.

I was utterly devastated.  I’m not an emotional man, in fact I have trouble expressing any kind of emotion at all, even if I want to.  But this rejection undid me.  I had invested every ounce of myself into pleasing God, and He rejected it.  It was supposed to be a beautiful evening, but it turned into a heartbreak instead.  I sobbed bitterly, like I have never sobbed before.  I had nothing left to offer.  I had done everything good and pleasing that I could think of and it wasn’t good enough.

Emotions I never knew I had began to surface.  It was as if I had been strapped to a roller coaster that I couldn’t get off.  I would cry, then rage against the injustice of it all, and then sit quietly in shock, only for it to repeat over again.  I was so angry with God.  All my anger and frustration poured out of me.  “Why do you make things so hard!” I yelled, “How can you just reject me like that after I poured myself out for you” But He was silent, and at that point I didn’t even care.  The struggle to communicate with Him and get any kind of tangible response had exhausted me.  Why couldn’t He just relate to me like other people do?  Why was everything so incredibly difficult?

I didn’t talk to God for months after that.  I didn’t want to hear from Him.  At all.  Not, at least, until I had calmed down and gotten over the hurt He caused me.  I couldn’t understand why He rejected me.  But I had nowhere else to go, and no one greater to turn to.  God was my true love, and I had to pursue Him or die.

So when I finally got to a place where I could talk to Him again, I stood at the gates of His Kingdom, as it were, and waited for them to open.  I wished to be with the King of Kings even if that meant being no closer than at the gates that kept me out.

“Why didn’t you receive me?” I asked somberly.  “Why wasn’t it good enough?”  Then God impressed upon my mind the truth.  It wasn’t what I did that wasn’t good enough, it’s the heart with which I did it.  I had approached God as a child, but desired a lover’s intimacy.  That advance was stonewalled.  And my response to the wall only underlined in red my immaturity.

A child does “things” in order to win over God’s heart.  A child will say “I did this, and I did this, and look Daddy, I drew this picture of you!” The picture, of course, will be comprised of scribbles and random colors.  But it still goes on the fridge anyway.  But when that child comes of age, and approaches romance in the same fashion and with the same activities, will the one they are pursuing receive them?  Or will those kind of childish advances disgust the one they are pursuing?

Chores and other common tasks are hard for children.  They go against their desires.  So a child boasts of their completion, and wears them as badges of their love.  While obeying basic commands is certainly an expression of love, they are also expected.  Completing tasks you are obliged to do will not win the heart of a lover, nor win you the praise you might expect.

But which of you who has a servant plowing or feeding will say to him immediately after he has come from the field, Come, recline?  (8) Will he not say to him, Prepare something so that I may eat, and gird yourself and serve me until I eat and drink. And afterward you shall eat and drink.  (9) Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  (10) So likewise you, when you shall have done all the things commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, for we have done what we ought to do.  (Luke 17:7-10, MKJV)

I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.  (Romans 12:1, MKJV)

Never confuse one’s reasonable service with romance.  My preparations to meet the Lord were comprised of things that are commanded.  But because they are hard for me, and not my common practice, I expected a loving hug for their completion.  But I was not coming to God as a child.  I was coming to Him as a lover.  I came as a young man attempting to woo a young maid to be his wife, saying, “I mowed the lawn for you, took out the trash, and I vacuumed the whole rug this time – not just the easy to reach parts like I normally do.” And then I was hurt by the blank stare of my Lover.  I was confounded by the lack of hugs and kisses I received after such offerings.  But I was immature, and ignorant of the nature of romance, at least with regard to it’s spiritual expressions.

“But you could have said something,” I protested, “if I was a child, you could have at least responded to me as a Father.” “Your rejection was as hurtful as any beating, how can I tell people that you are a loving Father when this is how you treat children when they try to show you their love?” To that, God replied:

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  (Hebrews 12:5-6, KJV)

God scourges every son whom He receives.  For the first time in my entire life I actually felt scourged.  In this passage, God emphasized the fact that the scourging comes before the receiving.  God then reminded me that He even scourged Jesus before receiving Him.

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all…  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and]shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. ” (Isaiah 53:4-6, 10-11, KJV)

While the scourging was applied by the wicked, it was ordained by God just as much as Christ’s death was ordained.  “But scourging is so brutal” I protested, “what kind of parent does this to their child?!” “I did this to my own Son first, shall it not be done to those who come to Me through Him?” God responded.

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: {22} “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; {23} who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:21-23, KJV)

The value of scourging is that it’s a refinement.  It so breaks what it touches that every impurity is forced to the surface.  This is what God does.  He purges from us those things that act as a spiritual disease, and which rob us of intimacy with God.  God is a jealous Lover.

But who can endure the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.  (3) And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may be offerers of a food offering in righteousness to Jehovah.  (Malachi 3:2-3, MKJV)

Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, (18) I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see.  (19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent.  (Revelation 3:17-19, MKJV)

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one Man, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.  (2 Corinthians 11:2, MKJV)

When God scourges His children, it breaks them in such a way that every impurity hidden within their soul comes forth and manifests itself.  If you can be angry, you will become angry.  If you can be violent, you will become violent.  Every negative thing hidden inside you will come out when the personal restraints you have applied to them are shattered through the pain of scourging.  The pain of scourging can be physical, emotional, or both as it was with Jesus.  However, with Jesus, scourging proved His purity rather than being a tool to make Him pure.  When the brutality touched Him there was no sin to come to the surface.  He did not revile, nor did He threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.

When I received nothing from God, but was left to the ministry “tools” of foolish men, I was emotionally brutalized.  I felt like God hated me.  The pain seemed to be proof of it.  But God does not use scourging as a punishment.  What I experienced was needed to purge me of impurity that would have kept me from entering into intimacy with Him.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?  (10) For truly they chastened us for a few days according to their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.  (11) Now chastening for the present does not seem to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it.  (12) Because of this, straighten up the hands which hang down and the enfeebled knees.  (13) And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.  (Hebrews 12:9-13, MKJV)

Prepare yourself for rejection.  But know that what God is rejecting is the very thing that keeps you from enjoying intimacy with Him.  Rejoice at it’s removal through scourging.  For while it seems to be the end of your relationship, it’s actually the beginning of it.  So don’t give up.  The diligent will persevere.  Learn from your rejections and you will find a greater love from God than any love you ever dreamed of receiving.

STEP THREE: Protect the Sanctity of your Marriage.

Don’t lose what you’ve got.  When you are in the presence of God, you feel invincible in regard to sin.  You feel as if you could laugh temptation to shame for even trying to beguile you.  But be aware that you are never more of a threat to Satan’s kingdom then when you are walking with God and filled with His presence.  But that filling doesn’t last forever, it leaks.  That is why we are commanded to “be filled” with the Spirit continually as opposed to getting filled just once (Ephesians 5:18).  The lull between Divine refreshments will be when Satan strikes.

The attack is usually busyness; the busyness of ministry and service before God.  Adults have to work, as you know.  Therefore, expect to be distracted from your own relationship with God on account of other people’s lack of relationship with God.  Expect spiritual children to demand your attentions.  So be watchful, and make sure that you put your Spouse before those children, just as you should in a physical marriage.

One of Satan’s favorite tactics is to back off and withdraw from the fight just long enough to lull you into a sense of false security and strength.  He likes to let pastors and preachers feel like they are strong against his whiles, and waits for them to move into greater influence before striking.  Those who are caught unaware, are shocked to learn that what they thought was their strength was actually the Devil’s restraint.  And when Satan hits them full force with temptation they are overcome because their intimacy, and true strength with God, was robbed by their so-called “duties” as ministers.

For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and if every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, (3) how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by those who heard Him; (Hebrews 2:2-3, MKJV)

IN CONCLUSION:

Your desires, and struggle with sin is directly determined by your spiritual maturity.  Never assume that, “that’s just how it is.” If you advance your relationship with God, your struggles will change to reflect the level of intimacy you have with God.  Your spiritual marriage will be reflected in your earthly marriage, and other relationships.

Negative, and sinful passions can only be overcome by positive, godly passions.  So pursue a Divine romance, and watch your desire for fleshly passions fade away until they are dead.  In this way we are said to be dead to sin, but only insomuch as we are alive to God.  This flesh was crucified with Christ, but only insomuch as we leave it on the cross and pursue the resurrected life of Jesus.

Find and spend time with the Bride of Christ, those spiritual adults who are actively (not just passively) pursuing Jesus as The Groom.

Do not be deceived; evil companionships corrupt good habits.  (1 Corinthians 15:33, MKJV)

And likewise godly companionships encourage greater habits than the ones you currently posses.  You will become like those you spend your time with.  Choose wisely your company.

And last, but not least, when you find God, never let go.  That would seem intuitive, but never underestimate the power of the dark side.  As cliche as that sounds, it remains true.  Satan knows you better than you know yourself.  And he is a master of manipulation.  You cannot resist his whiles on your own, so maintain your intimacy with God no matter what ministry demands from you.  Better to say no to ministry needs than to walk away from intimacy with God.  Satan will work hard to convince you otherwise.

If you call yourself the Bride of Christ, then make sure you are acting the part.  Not because you have to, but because you want to.