HUMANITY FACE-TO-FACE with the TRANSFORMING GRACE of GOD –

the PROMISED GRACE to COME

1 Peter 1:10 – 12, Romans 3:24, 4:16, 5:2, 5:15, 5:17, 5:20 – 21, Luke 2:52

“the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” (NIV, Romans 1:2 – 4)

“2.14 FOR~HE IS THE PEACE OF US, THE ONE HAVING MADE THE TWO ONE AND  ²THE  ³MIDDLE WALL  ⁴OF THE  ⁵PARTITION  ¹HAVING BROKEN, THE HOSTILITY, IN THE FLESH OF HIM,

2.15 THE LAW OF THE COMMANDMENTS IN ORDINANCES HAVING ANNUALLED, THAT ²THE ³TWO ¹HE MIGHT CREATE IN HIMSELF INTO ONE NEW MAN, MAKING PEACE,

2.16 AND HE MIGHT RECONCILE THE TWO IN ONE BODY – TO GOD THROUGH THE CROSS, HAVING KILLED THE HOSTILITY BY IT.” (The New Greek – English Interlinear New Testament, see footnote (A) below, Ephesians 2:14 – 16, bold is mine)

To read Ephesians 2:14, place the words “having broken” in front of ²THE; and for 2:15, place the words “he might create” in front of ²THE.

Christ’s humanity

His ancestral lineage brought him face-to-face with generational sin, i.e., transgressions and iniquities passed to him from his mother – the NEED to be healed and restored from the effects of the fall.

Christ’s divine lineage

Conceived by the Holy Spirit “into grace,” he was ushered into the transforming power of God – the MEANS by faith to put transgressions and iniquities to death – healed and restored, the substitute for mankind – destroying the barrier between the law and his flesh, fulfilling the law (Matthew 5:17).

The “…law of sin and death…” sprung up when Adam and Eve forsook eternal life, coming into agreement with the spiritual forces of darkness in the heavenly realm. (NIV, Romans 8:2, italicized mine)

The “…law of the Spirit who gives life…” (NIV, Romans 8:2, italicized mine) sprung forth when Christ apprehended eternal life, putting sin to death, being “…made alive in the Spirit” (NIV, 1 Peter 3:18, italicized mine) – destroying the enmity in his flesh – generational transgressions and iniquities passed to him from his human ancestry, made one with the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

God’s grace gave him the means to put sin to death in his ancestral line, destroying the claim of sin against him and his generations.

And having done so perfectly, fathered by God, he became the source of salvation, the “living, breathing, New Testament in flesh and blood,” i.e., the New Covenant “blood” sacrifice for sins while alive.

Yes! you can have a blood sacrifice and not have to kill someone – that’s the New Covenant.

The term “blood sacrifice,” in the New Testament is the most intimate expression possible of the depth and extent of giving oneself to God in obedience by grace through faith.

(The “shedding” of Christ’s blood is the result of those who rejected Christ’s atoning blood sacrifice – the giving of his life – in being made perfect, fulfilling the law in his flesh, becoming the source of salvation, confirmed in “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” for over 3 years to Israel.) (NIV, Hebrews 2:4, italicized mine)

In John Chapter 6 Jesus talked about eating his flesh and drinking his blood; later saying his words were “‘…full of the Spirit and life.’” (NIV, John 6:63)

He’s the only one to do the will of God perfectly, without sin, redeeming what Adam lost, and beyond, completing the race, becoming our substitute for sin.

From the heavenly Holy of Holies, Christ’s perfection was a blood sacrifice – the most intimate and emotional expression possible – symbolizing the giving of the entirety of his life in putting sin to death, made perfect, becoming our Savior before his ministry (Hebrews 5:7 – 10).

The passages from the Greek English interlinear are clear – it was Christ who was made one new man – the firstborn and first fruit of the new creation – breaking the barrier of generational sin that kept the spiritual law of God from being fulfilled in the flesh; restoring unbroken connection and union with God in his flesh.

Christ made the Jews and Gentiles one; but it was the result of him “first,” being made one with the Father, destroying the barrier between the law and his flesh, making one new man “him,” out of the two (the law and his flesh).

He restored relationship with God Adam and Eve lost four millenniums ago, and he did so perfectly.

That’s the subject of Ephesians 2; the making of one new man by putting sin to death, becoming the Messiah, the New Testament in flesh and blood, not, the making of one new man, symbolically, from the Jews and Gentiles, though it was one among many results from his perfection.

He pioneered and perfected the journey of being made one with the Father, the firstborn, first fruit, forerunner, pioneer and perfecter of the New Covenant (Colossians 1:15, 1 Corinthians 15:20, Hebrews 6:20, 2:10).

Christ was not a “model” of Christianity by any stretch of the imagination, and certainly not a human sacrifice by God at Calvary.

Commentators over the centuries haven’t known what to do with the passage in Ephesians referring to the enmity in Christ’s flesh.

Many of them freely admit it cannot be explained or understood in the context of what creeds and traditions teach about Christ.

Creeds and traditions forbid the “belief” Christ had to deal with sin passed to him from his ancestors, i.e., that there was nothing passed to him requiring healing and restoration (which is contrary to Scripture).

Scripture Is Superior to Creeds and Traditions

Important

The wounding (Isaiah 53:5), dying to sin (Romans 6:10), “…raised from the dead, the firstfruits…” (NIV, 1 Corinthians 15:20), “…hung on a pole…” (NIV, Galatians 3:13), “…obedient to death…” (NIV, Philippians 2:8), firstborn (NIV, Colossians 1:15), wounded (NIV, 1 Peter 3:18), and Scriptures referring to his blood sacrifice in Hebrews, etc., are not about different ways of killing Christ, but, about Christ’s journey, putting to death the enmity passed to him, being made perfect, before his presentation to Israel.

They represent in symbolic form the process of being healed and restored of wounds and brokenness by grace through faith in repentance – by the cross – the restraining power of the Holy Spirit uprooting every plant (agreements, beliefs, etc.,) the Father did not seed (NIV, Matthew 15:13).

Christ being the first to experience New Covenant healing and restoration, union with God; and he, without sinning, completing the race perfectly!

(In earlier posts I noted a number of Scriptures where “shed” or “shedding” of his blood are not in the Greek (they were added in translation), because they refer to his journey, not Calvary.)

I’ve also pointed out the Scriptures in Romans and Galatians clearly stating in the Greek Christ lived “by faith,” just like you and me; otherwise, how could he be the pioneer and author of the faith?

And also, his perfection was by grace; he was conceived in grace, living his entire life in a state of grace – cleansed, healed, and restored “…full of grace and truth.” (NIV, John 1:14)

Grace and truth to Christ is like water and bread to us, his food and drink, “…full of the Spirit and life.” (NIV, John 6:63.)

The New Testament is truly New; a new language Christ labored over three years to impart using common language and symbolism to convey the “spiritual journey of putting sin to death by the cross.”

These terms and others, describe different aspects of his journey of putting generational transgressions and iniquities to death, “made perfect, alive in spirit,” and not different ways of killing Christ.

Because Christ is the pioneer, forerunner, first fruit, and firstborn of the faith by grace, we are instructed to be baptized with his baptism; to pick up our cross and follow his lead through the discomfort of sacrifice – suffering.

Including emptying ourselves as he did – forsaking certain rights and privileges.

The lusts of the flesh, i.e., transgressions and iniquities, are part of the fall, our humanity, passed from generation to generation.

Christ was not exempt from them being passed to him through his human ancestry.

But unlike you and me, his divine birth ushered him into grace; walking him through healing and restoration before they could ensnare him.

And unless there’s intervention from Christ in our lives, they increase from generation to generation in depth and intensity, a subject for another post.

We feel the “bite” of sin in our flesh passed to us, just like Christ did.

We embrace many of the sins passed to us.

But Christ, fathered by God, conceived in grace, did not embrace any – no not one – but was cleansed, healed, and restored, over a long journey spanning likely almost two decades, before they could come to life in his life.

You can have lusts and not sin, as James points out.

And as the Scripture points out, Christ was not exempt from that.

It’s what you do with the temptation, and in all points, unlike us, Christ put them to death.

We, unlike Christ, embrace many of the sins passed to us, likely adding more for our children – absent the intervention of the new birth in Christ.

Jesus is the first one, and the only one, to live life from the law of the Spirit completely, fathered by God, by grace through faith.

To be in Christ is to be in the “…law of the Spirit who gives life…” the overcoming power of the Holy Spirit to put sin to death by the power of the cross. (NIV, Romans 8:2)

The miracle of the New Testament is the destruction of the barrier of sin – putting sin to death, raised to walk in new life, (NIV, Romans 6:10) – Christ, the firstborn of the new creation in the New Covenant (NIV, Colossians 1:15).

Calvary was the rejection of the New Covenant – a continuation of Christ’s ministry to heal and restore in the final act of his earthly ministry, setting in motion his ministry from the shores of Heaven.

The law of creation is in-kind produces in-kind.

Miracles produce miracles; healing and restoration produce healing and restoration, etc., the law of creation.

The miracle of the new creation in Christ produced healing and restoration in him producing the “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” of the New Testament. (NIV, Hebrews 2:4)

Which produced signs, wonders, etc., in those who followed Christ.

In contrast, the “…law of sin and death…” accuses, blames, and condemns the lusts of the flesh, i.e., the lusts and thoughts from within whether they’ve been conceived into sin or not. (NIV, Romans 8:2)

A discerning heart and spirit will feel and distinguish the lusts of the flesh whether they’ve been embraced or not.

The beginning process of healing and restoration, whether the lusts of the flesh have been embraced or not, is the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the leading of Christ in bringing redemption, just as the Father brought Christ into redemption for ancestral transgressions and iniquities passed to him.

It is condemnation, the power of evil resident in the fallen nature, Christian and non-Christian “the legal claim of darkness over areas of one’s life,” leading one into sinful agreements.

Sinful agreements can be about oneself, God, and others, and lead to sinful beliefs, ways of living, and agreements about the future, and other sins.

It is the Holy Spirit, and the cross of Christ (the restraining power of grace leading to utter dependence upon God), that brings conviction of sin and redemption.

It is the Holy Spirit that reveals and uproots (Matthew 15), by grace through faith, sin and its effects, by the power of God in the revelation of Christ.

Grace Usurps Condemnation

The “…law of the Spirit who gives life…” usurps the “…law of sin and death…” area by area over a long journey (NIV, Romans 8:2, and Romans 8:10 – 11).

It starts with being born again (Passover) and baptized in the Spirit (Pentecost).

And if chosen by Christ for the deep work of grace (because God’s sons and daughters have allowed him to prepare them for the journey), the journey of healing and restoration greatly accelerates in intensity, depth, and breath (Tabernacles).

The work of deep grace “the revelation of Christ,” (1 Peter 1:13), reveals wounds and brokenness and the presence of sin (if it is there), beginning the process of cleansing and healing.

The wonderful blessing of grace is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to “hold” our hearts in care and love in the conviction and revelation of sin; knowing the Lord’s revelation is not to condemn, but to cleanse and heal our wounds and brokenness, to deliver us from evil (Psalm 73:26, 1 John 3:19 – 21).

We spend our natural lives hiding and secreting away sin, not only from others, but from ourselves.

As Christ begins the process of uprooting and cleansing the sinful areas of one’s life, there’s a period of adjustment dependent on how significant condemnation has played.

There’s a period devoted by the Lord in building confidence and trust in him.

The building of confidence and trust for me has taken time.

I continue to grow in this area as Jesus brings more and more healing to the wounded and broken places of my life.

The revelation of Christ by grace – the deep work of grace – is the third and final feast; the one that led to Christ’s perfection, fathered by God, fulfilling the law in his flesh, the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles.

Christ is the first of the new creation, the pioneer and forerunner of the faith, who was tempted just like you and me (Hebrews 4:15).

And by faith he pioneered the path to the throne room of Heaven receiving mercy and grace in his journey of putting sin to death – cleansed, healed and restored into the perfect likeness of his Father. (Hebrews 4:16, 5:7-10).

And in that process, he put sin to death by the power of the cross becoming the author of eternal life, the source of life in this creation.

In submitting to the discomfort of having the structures of sin removed from our lives, as they were removed from his life (from his generations) – the process Isaiah described as wounding and piercing, we are changed from glory to glory.

More on Sin and Spiritual Life

The law of sin initiates the newborn from the “get go” into the “practice” of the fallen nature.

Only one outcome is possible from parents, whether Christian or non-Christian, and it is to birth children into the law of sin – what we call the fallen nature.

Though the depth, intensity, and breath of the fallen nature passed to children is impacted by how much or how little healing has been received from parents who are Christian, a child will be born with some measure of the fallen nature.

An interesting thought is in the Millennium, with the enemy bound for 1,000 years, and the knowledge of Christ filling the earth, it is likely at some point parents will be completely healed and restored, producing children free of sin; like Adam and Eve could have done before the fall.

It’s inescapable – the law of creation, “in-kind,” can only produce itself, “in-kind,” in the absence of the intervention of God.

It’s “natural,” a way of life, to sin; the seeds of sin planted in the newborn from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, no matter how upstanding the parents, whether Christian or non-Christian.

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It is possible for Christ to perfect both a man and woman this side of Heaven, in the Gospel dispensation – before the Millennium – and they produce children born free of generational transgressions and iniquities.

Whether that could actually come to pass only God knows.

Because, according to the truths of Scripture, the grace of God, and the knowledge “completeness,” will be restored at some point in the Millennium, why could it not be restored now?

The promise of the grace to come was to restore men and women completely in Christ, not create another Christ, but to be completed in him.

If he can heal and restore one area, he can heal and restore all areas.

Whether Jesus will do that this side of the Millennium in the last days, well?)

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Until the new birth in Christ happens, the Garden of our body, soul, and spirit are greatly influenced by the seeds of the Trees of Good and Evil handed to us from our ancestors.

The “…law of the Spirit who gives life…” is the result of the promised grace that came in Christ, starting at his conception, bringing death to sin over decades, fulfilling the law of God in his flesh. (NIV, Romans 8:2)

If you believe the law of sin is powerful, the power of the Spirit is off the charts – it’s the power of Christ – the new law of the New Covenant to usurp death and sin, making alive in righteousness those previously destined for death and eternal separation.

No wonder the enemy has fought so hard through creeds and traditions, to hide and bury the story of Christ; because it is the power of God to eternal life.

The “…law of sin and death…” emanates from the Devil, the father of sin and death. (NIV, Romans 8:2)

But, the “…law of the Spirit who gives life…” in Christ emanates from the Father through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit to you and me, profoundly superior and eternally transforming to those found in Christ. (NIV, Romans 8:2, bold and italicized mine)

The “…law of the Spirit who gives life…” brings death to the power of sin, grafting you and me into a new tree, the tree of life (symbolically), Christ Jesus, our Savior. (NIV, Romans 8:2)

Christ conceived in grace, began the journey of grace usurping sin from the beginning of his life.

Grace provided the distinction between sin and righteousness from the beginning in Christ – separating the natural driven-ness of sin, its cravings and lusts, and the power of its temptation, from the person of Christ in such a way it was not automatic, like you and me, to sin.

Grace (being conceived in grace by the Holy Spirit) enabled Christ from the beginning to distinguish between righteousness and the enmity in his flesh passed to him from his human ancestors, providing “space and opportunity” to choose righteousness over sin.

Christ (the last Adam, Romans 5:14 and 1 Corinthians 15:45-49), was placed in the same position as Adam before the fall, but also having to redeem what Adam lost, and finish the race perfectly.

Unlike you and me, where we embrace sin from the beginning of life, the grace of God in Christ led and trained him to embrace righteousness in the face of sins craving and temptation.

Christ, born into grace, was connected to God at the beginning of his life.

In other words, grace in Christ interrupted the natural inclination to sin from the beginning, restoring “choice,” as Adam before the fall.

He had the natural inclination to sin passed to him but it was “intervened,” by the power of the Spirit of holiness that conceived him, bringing him into awareness of his thoughts and choices from the outset.

Unlike us, who begin life caught in the maze of sin’s embrace in one form or another.

Another way of saying it is, Christ began life in the “new birth;” led by his Father from the beginning to resist sin, and not only to resist, but to put it to death.

Again, unlike Adam before the fall, Christ had to contend with the enmity in his flesh – the lusts of the flesh and the powers behind those cravings passed to him from his human ancestry.

When of age, he was thrust into the battle of the ages, the battle for his life, and the battle for mankind.

Though the battle would determine the fate of mankind, God was with him, promising to walk him through the defeat of every enemy from within, and also from without (Psalms 18, 91, and Isaiah 53:5, etc.).

Resisting and refusing sin is one level of warfare.

Putting it to death is another level – a fight not only to evict the enemy, but also to keep him evicted, filling the cleansed area with God.

Most of us have been taught “how to resist sin;” largely the teachings from Passover (born again) and Pentecostal Christianity – one of the centerpieces of the body of Christ today.

And some have even ventured farther, in inner healing; putting some sins to death by the cross of Christ through inner healing’s transformation and sanctification.

By and large, the first two feasts of the Christian pilgrimage are reserved for learning how to resist sin and much of what is taught and practiced in inner healing.

Tabernacles, on the other hand, takes it to a new level, a deeper level; to the foundation of who we are and how deeply rooted transgressions and iniquities work with wounds and brokenness to perpetuate sin and mar our identity.

Only a deep work of grace can access these areas because it takes a lot of care and love to preserve and restore the vessel while putting sin to death – gently separating sin from who we are and the promises of Christ.

And that’s where Christ found himself, deep in the mysteries of Tabernacles; being made new from the ground up by the power of the Holy Spirit, putting generational transgressions and iniquities to death, “…made alive in the Spirit.” (NIV, 1 Peter 3:18, bold and italicized mine)

Transformed into the exact likeness and representation of the Father, by grace through faith, fathered by God.

The Holy Spirit went to sins source in every area of Christ’s life; the sins passed to him; leading him on a long journey of putting sin to death – bringing down the structures of sin, uprooting what God did not plant (Matthew 15), restoring Christ, body, soul, and spirit.

Christ became the firstborn, first fruit, pioneer, forerunner and perfecter of the faith by grace, fathered by God.

The first (and only) to complete the race perfectly, without sin, raised from mortality to immortality, entering eternal life “…an indestructible life,” (NIV, Hebrews 7:16, italicized mine), becoming “…the atoning sacrifice for our sins…” (NIV, 1 John 2:2, italicized mine) before his presentation to John at the river Jordan.

Only the surrender of his indestructible life (resurrected to immortality, never to see death), would allow lawless men to temporarily destroy his physical temple.

Christ trumpeted the race he won, offering it to others in “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” for over three years (NIV, Hebrews 2:4, also see Acts 2:22).

Christ was born with two gardens vying for his affections, desires, and passions.

One was the law of sin from his mother, and her generations back to Adam.

The other, the grace of God from his father.

And we know who won that battle.

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And, you might wonder, why do we have to battle sin?

Because, among other reasons, if you don’t battle sin, not just resist it, but battle to overcome, you won’t learn to distinguish it from yourself, from others, and learn to love people – sinners – all of mankind, but hate sin.

To recap, the law of sin sprung from the ashes of the fall “the fruit of forsaking eternal life,” mankind coming into agreement with the enemy.

Spiritual life burst forth when Christ apprehended eternal life, being made one with the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It’s more, much more than being forgiven for sins, it’s the pursuit of wholeness and holiness, being made in the likeness of Christ from glory to glory.

Just as the Father led Christ, he will lead us through our journey of putting sin to death by the power of the Holy Spirit, by grace through faith in him.

The Language of Christ

To understand Christ’s journey, we must remember the use of words in the New Covenant are not the same as the Old, the New is truly new.

For example, Jesus talked about the dead burying the dead, eating his flesh and drinking his blood (life and Spirit), coming down from heaven (NIV John 6:38), Satan as the father of the Pharisees, yeast as false doctrine, good and bad fruit, picking up one’s cross, being lifted up, etc.

He used natural terms to convey spiritual truths, and the journey in apprehending Christ likeness, “he being the first to fulfill what the prophets foretold.”

Jesus did not come to tell us about the prophets, but to fulfill the prophets, beginning with his life first.

Jesus didn’t say he was the “resurrection” because of his divine conception.

That started the journey.

It was the apprehension of what the Father called him to do – to put sin to death, that ushered him into the Heavenly Holy of Holies, becoming the sacrifice for our sins, eternal life (Romans 6:10, Hebrews 5:7-10, Ephesians 2, Philippians 2, etc.).

He put generational transgressions and iniquities to death, a task no one else could do!

And after having done all that, resurrected life restored, fulfilling the law in his flesh, made one with the Father, he ministered to Israel for over 3 years hoping to win their hearts back to the Father.

And then, after having been made perfect, resisting the devil for 40 days, ministering tirelessly to Israel for over 3 years facing their verbal assaults in thoughts and words, he’s faced with the choice to kill those who want to kill him.

Or, choosing to let them kill him to expose their unrighteousness and his holiness, that some might come to repentance and receive the love and care of God in forgiveness.

Here’s Christ again, faced with another decision; continue to extend grace at the expense of his life, or conclude he’s done everything the Father asked (which he has), and take the throne by force knowing all he has to do is ask and his Father will send warrior angels.

Wow, what a journey, what a ministry, what a man!

The only begotten of God, having the fullness of God, Lord, King, and Savior over this creation.

Important

The many references to Jesus being raised from the dead in the New Testament letters are about his journey of being made perfect, ushered into eternal life, the High Priest of the faith presented to Israel for over three years.

Of course, there was his resurrection after he was killed, but that was his second glorification, as noted in John 12.

Peter in substance, stated in Acts 2, it was the “resurrected Jesus” (first glorification), God “raised” (second glorification), from the dead.

Christ was transformed and glorified – presented to Israel for over 3 years as the gift of God, the Messiah, the New Testament in flesh and blood.

In 1 Peter 1, Peter mentions the sufferings of Christ and the “…glories that would follow.” (NIV, 1 Peter 1:11)

Those glories refer to the “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” flowing out of Christ’s first glorification for over three years to Israel (NIV, Hebrews 2:4, see also Acts 2:22).

It was after Christ’s first glorification, i.e., his perfection, being “…raised from the dead…” (NIV, 1 Corinthians 15:20), mortality changed to immortality, “newness of life,” that was “gifted” to Israel for over three years (Romans 6:10; 1 Corinthians 15:20 – 58; Hebrews 5:7 – 10, 7:16; etc.).

The last trumpet referred to in 1 Corinthians 15 is not the trumpet of the corporate body of Christ being raised from the dead, but the trumpet of being made one with the Father, becoming complete, new wine in new wineskins, in this life – Christ the first to apprehend eternal life perfectly this side of Heaven, fulfilling Tabernacles.

We are called to fulfill Tabernacles in him; his perfection standing in for our imperfections.

We have examples of Tabernacles fulfilled in “type,” (prefiguring the coming Messiah) in the Old Testament with Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and even David when he apprehended the Ark of the Covenant.

And who knows how many others since Christ have fulfilled Tabernacles; Paul and Peter being likely candidates given their testimony of knowing their departure was near.

More on the Fight in Overcoming the Law of Sin, a Better Plan

The notion Jesus did not have to resist and contend with the lusts of the flesh is not in agreement with Scripture.

Can you imagine being thrust into the arena with Satan himself, in a weakened state for 40 days, “being tested” having not learned how to overcome sin in your life and the workings of sin and how it operates?

Can you imagine facing Satan, if you had not been seasoned and trained in spiritual warfare, cleansed and healed of the enmity of your flesh, in communion “one with the Father,” knowing the Father deeply, intimately, in confidence and trust?

It’s not something to dwell on but I hope you get the picture.

Christ faced the king of darkness himself, restrained from using the authority and power of who he had become – the New Testament in flesh and blood – from changing his circumstances; relying entirely on God’s Word and the Spirit of grace, by faith, to carry him through those 40 days.

He was “…born of a woman, born under the law.” (NIV, Galatians 4:4)

The woman he was born from needed a Savior, she even said so (Luke 1:47).

And, from the laws of creation, we know “in-kind” can only produce “in-kind,” which can only mean Christ received from his mother’s ancestral lines some of the same wounds and brokenness and structures of sin anchored within her she needed saving from.

Else, how can Christ be human and share in all things with our sufferings (Hebrews 2:5 – 18)?

And, how can we share in his sufferings if he was not human?

And how can he share in ours – because martyrdom is not something “asked of us to share,” other than when it is forced against one’s will and way of escape?

The promised grace to come through the divine conception of Christ gave him the means to choose righteousness as Adam of old before the fall, but going well beyond, to completion, without sin.

And in overcoming and putting to death what Adam and his descendants lost, Christ became our Savior.

Contrary to what most of us have been taught, the punishment of sin is the suffering involved in putting sin to death, not the person.

The punishment of sin in reference to Christ was him putting it to death; suffering in denying sin the opportunity to bear fruit in his life, like his ancestors, by destroying it at its source.

It’s the cost and discomfort of tearing down the structures of sin Christ inherited as God uprooted the plants seeded by his human generations (Matthew 15).

It’s the same journey and cross he asks of us.

The New Testament authors make a clear distinction when they talk about Calvary – the actual killing of Christ, versus, Christ’s journey of being made perfect.

The suffering of putting sin to death obviously is not the same as the suffering endured in being killed.

Romans and Hebrews and other New Testament writings go to great length to explain Christ’s humanity, the intense spiritual battle he fought, by the cross, in putting generational sins to death in preparation for his ministry to Israel.

God labored for millenniums to get everything just right to “father” the Messiah – to heal and restore his Son from the wounds and brokenness passed to him from his humanity.

Someone had to overcome sin and put it to death by the cross, the cross of crucifying the flesh, by grace through faith, in order to pioneer the path for others to follow.

God chose not to create another Adam like the first one, and an Eve like the first one, and start over again, else all of mankind would be lost.

His plan was better.

To conceive a Son in grace; usurping the power of sin by grace; placing his Son in the position of Adam before the fall – restoring by grace the freedom to choose, but not taking away the effects of the generations, teaching his Son how to put sin to death by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

You cannot erase story, but you can change its outcome by taking the wounded and broken areas and making them into “‘…new wine into new wineskins.’” (NIV, Mark 2:22, italicized mine)

Christ journeyed through this process not only to redeem his line, but to pioneer the path for all the millions who would be grafted into him and changed from glory to glory just like their Savior.

Else, how can he and us have the same story, the same journey, the same humanity, the same Father, and the same sufferings?

This understanding blows apart the understanding we’ve received regarding Christ; the absence of knowing anything about him for his first 30 years, and then pointing everything about him to ministry and Calvary, emasculating him in the process as a “model” of Christianity.

Jesus was Christianity, the New Covenant in flesh and blood; the living, breathing, sacrificial atonement for sin who Israel rejected “the Messiah;” the one who had already atoned for their sins in being made perfect.

The Messiah came not to be killed, but to destroy sin, and be “gladly” received by those looking to be saved from sin. (See parable of the landowner and the tenants, Matthew 21:33-41, and the parable of the banquet, Matthew 22:1-14)

All the great prophets, who were “types,” of Christ, in their day, came to destroy the forces of darkness.

Christ, the greatest prophet, destroyed sin to the uttermost in his generations, perfectly, becoming the one all generations could be grafted into and be saved.  

This understanding is critical as we go deeper into the end times, the age of Philadelphia and Laodicea.

For, it will be an immense help to the bride in the making to understand the journey she’s on, i.e., the intensity of the spiritual warfare she faces in her own life as God prepares her for a special work in the last days.

ETERNAL LIFE RESTORED

“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” (NIV, Romans 1:17)

“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.” (NIV, Romans 3:21)

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time…” (NIV, Romans 3:25 – 26)

Note:

The word “shedding,” in the preceding is not in the Greek.

The addition of this word in translation shifts the meaning of this verse to Calvary, instead of where it rightly belongs, Christ’s perfection. I’ll explain below.

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Jesus is the only person who’s ever lived available to those who want to be like him; the only one who can personally take us into his story and “transform” us into his likeness.

And be intimate; sharing details about his life, and ours; drawing us closer to him through encouragement, insight, leading, and conversation.

It really cannot get any better than that.

He’s the only one in history who can speak to us from “the other side,” about his journey and story.

A biography of any other person is limited to stories and writings recounted by others.

Not so with Christ, the eternal one.

Much has been written about Christ, in and out of the Scripture; and yet, there’s always more, much more, Jesus wants known about his journey, his nature, “him,” that he wants to share with intimates.

No other person who’s ever lived has the authority and power to tell us about their personal journey and to share their story in real time, experientially.

And in that, make us from glory to glory into his likeness.

The enemy has authority and power to tell us about his personal journey as well; his quest for evil, through his personal representatives, whether spirit or man, personally, or through writings and beliefs he’s inspired.

But only Christ, born among mankind, can speak to us personally and intimately about his life, and the goodness it will bring as he co-labors with us in our walk with God; sharing the sufferings of our wounds and brokenness through healing and restoration.

It seems everybody has a story today, and a “way,” or “path,” to this or that.

But only Christ has a proven story raising him to resurrection life, eternal life; the life Adam and Eve lost in the Garden – the one we seek in Christ.

The testimony and confirmation of his first raising from the dead, his first glorification – mortality changed to immortality, “…an indestructible life” (NIV Hebrews 7:16, italicized mine), an Eternal Priesthood – was demonstrated over three years in “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” to the people of Israel. (NIV, Hebrews 2:4, italicized mine, see also Acts 2:22)

He demonstrated his righteousness – the righteousness of being made one with the Father – having all authority, a name above every other name (NIV, Philippians 2:9) – “…Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” fathered by God. (NIV, Isaiah 9:6, italicized mine)

In – kind can only produce in – kind; and his apprehension of resurrection life – being made perfect, one with the Father – produced healing and restoration, and in some, resurrection from the dead.

Those open to the revelation of the Spirit of God recognized the significance of Christ’s ministry and the Son in their midst.

They knew “life” was in their midst; the tree of life restored to mankind, the living, breathing, New Covenant in flesh and blood, the man Christ Jesus.

Christ is the only one to apprehend eternal life – resurrection life – completely, perfectly, without sin, fathered by God, this side of Heaven.

Enoch, Moses, Elijah, Lazarus, and others tasted resurrection life, some as “types,” others from Christ directly.

But Christ is the only one to apprehended it perfectly; atoning for our sins through the sacrificial offering of himself in destroying the barrier of transgressions and iniquities.

HE PUNISHED SIN BY PUTTING IT TO DEATH.

He fulfilled the law of God in his flesh, destroying the barrier of sin.

His perfection, before ministry, made him one with the Father, with all the rights and privileges the Son receives from the Father, becoming our Savior (Hebrews 5:7 – 10, Romans 6:10)

He’s the only one we can trust for life, an abundant life.

He’s the only one someone can write a biography about and receive help from him in writing it!

And he even initiates those who write about him in the journey he pioneered so they can experience it personally and intimately with him.

The apostles were the first ones to write about Christ and initiated into the journey he pioneered.

John, in his Gospel, (John 21:18-19), gives the account of Peter being the first of the disciples (recorded) invited into the wilderness journey of Tabernacles.

The “wilderness journey” is the deep work of grace; being led by the Holy Spirit to put sin to death, to walk in newness of life.

Note:

Contrary to popular speculation, this account (John 21:18-19) is about being invited into the adventure and journey of being made new, not martyrdom.

The death he would die is the death to sin, not physical death.

Death to sin glorifies Christ in us first and foremost.

IS THERE NOTHING ELSE WE CAN THINK OF GOD, AND THE USE OF THE TERM DEATH, OTHER THAN HE’S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HAVE US KILLED?

Is that what we think about God – that’s what traditions teach.

When Jesus said, “‘…let the dead bury their own dead’” he was using New Covenant language. (NIV, Matthew 8:22, italicized mine)

Dead referring to those spiritually dead, dead in sin, burying those who died in sin.

It’s obvious, context determines the meaning and usage of certain words.

The last thing Jesus would be talking about is martyrdom after just experiencing it himself.

See Part 5 of my A Peculiar People series for more on John 21.

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Confidence in Christ

You and I can be confident we have all we need in the Scripture “the fullness of the written Word;” knowing the Lord Jesus personally “oversaw and inspired” the writing of the New Testament.

He’s the only one who knows what he spoke, felt, and meant.

You and I can be assured the Scriptures faithfully represents the heart of God and his plan and purposes.

And not only their writing and content, but their organization and presentation of the letters themselves.

Jesus promised he would not leave us fatherless, orphans.

Rest assured, the Bible faithfully represents the heart of the written Word of God and the testimony of those who have gone before us.

The Scriptures are the only writings of the “keys” to eternal life, and that, I might add, this side of Heaven.

They are the only writings authorized and empowered by God to direct us to Christ, eternal life.

And those are the writings God has promised to write on our hearts and minds (Hebrews).

They are the only writings whose “author” has the means to accomplish his purposes, eternal life, in you and me.

Christ is the only door to eternal life.

How God works that out for those who never heard of Jesus but sought goodness only God knows.

And we know he works all things for good to those who seek him (NIV, Romans 8:28).

The more you walk with Christ, the more connected you become to the source of eternal life.

And the more the more the Scriptures become life-giving; a truly living document having the power of life and death.

After the fall God instituted the written Word to reach the wounded and broken places of the heart and mind barricaded by transgressions and iniquities.

You can be confident the Scriptures are God breathed, “inspired;” the fullness of grace and faith conveyed in writing this side of Heaven.

Where else can you find a writing confirming over and over again world history, kingdoms, and prophecy (future news today) through parables, letters, church ages, types, etc.?

And then, on top of that, personal intimacy and connection with Christ and all the innumerable things he does to protect, care, and provide for our safety and well-being.

It cannot get any better than that – knowing Christ, and knowing him intimately.

If one misses that, they miss life as God intended from the beginning – to know the love of God in Christ Jesus.

The internal, external, and relationship evidence is so overwhelming none need err in missing the plan of God for their life.

And if all that was not enough, there’s the starlit night picture of the handiwork of God, evidence of creation itself.

The revelation of Christ today in history, prophecy, creation, revivals past and present, and personal testimony is undeniable and indisputable.

We are surrounded by the unquestionable evidence of the authenticity and representational faithfulness of Christ and his Word.

Yet, God’s grace is long suffering, giving fallen men and women time to receive the knowledge of the truth and be saved.

The evidence has never been greater for Christ than is present today in the 21^st century, 2,000 years after his ministry.

It’s greater today than it was back then!

We have two millenniums of Christ’s ministry in our rearview mirror.

The closing of the Gospel dispensation will not end as a low point in the demonstration of Christ, but end in the greatest demonstration of Christ’s righteousness ever seen.

That’s why the rewards, and the risks, are so great at the close of the Gospel era in the church ages we know as Philadelphia (rewards), and Laodicea (risks).

From one, Philadelphia, the feast of Tabernacles, will come the bride in the closing seasons of the Gospel age.

And from the other, Laodicea, will come those who did not seek Christ, finding themselves thrust into the fiery trials of the Great Tribulation for those alive at that time.

TEACHER, PREACHER, or REVIVALIST?

Much of what has been taught “about” Christ has been about his great teaching – the revelation of the Kingdom of God.

His teaching was an outflow of who he had become; and the keys of changing their lowly natures into his holy nature by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit through repentance and forgiveness.

He came to impart “the promised grace to come” to God’s chosen people – inviting men and women into the Kingdom through the new birth, and from there, into transformation.

He was sent to turn listeners into New Covenant converts then and there.

To turn them from looking at the works of the law for salvation, to the promised grace to come in him, an easy yoke and light burden (NIV, Matthew 11:28).

Christ was a revivalist first and foremost.

He was the living, breathing New Covenant in flesh and blood ready to graft the branches of God’s children into his tree at any point in time.

It was Spring (his ministry, symbolically), the season for expanding the tree of life, grafting in new branches that would otherwise wither and die.

Christ is the father of those who would preach to one, one hundred, or one million.

He healed men and women right where they were, sinners and unsaved, bringing the righteousness of God right into the center of people’s lives.

He taught to “inspire and ignite” hearts for the Kingdom of God; to stimulate and awaken passions for God.

His miracles showed what was possible when lives are completely given over to God.

His transfiguration on The Mount showed the three the glory awaiting those who travel the journey he pioneered.

And that would require leading God’s people into repentance and forgiveness by grace through faith – the tools of his trade.

His trade could not be seen with the naked eye or judged through the filter of the traditions of men.

Repentance and forgiveness by grace through faith were the cornerstones of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, “making him” into the man we’ve come to love and know.

Jesus did not “require” outward expressions of repentance or forgiveness to heal and restore.

Those he would cultivate and nurture over time, not as an outward expression per se, but an inward “turning of the heart and mind” toward God by grace through faith.

Like John the Baptist, Christ preached repentance and forgiveness.

But unlike John, who “pointed” forward to the New Covenant, Christ was the New Covenant.

Christ confirmed his preaching by ushering sons and daughters into the new birth; touching the fabric of the heart where people lived.

Christ’s preaching led many to inward repentance and forgiveness, “a turning,” into relationship with the living God – being born-again – right then and there.

Yes, many received Christ and entered the New Testament during his ministry.

The new birth was available, but not the baptism of the Spirit.

The coming of the Spirit in power was reserved until such time as Israel decided one way or the other about Christ.

If they rejected him, the Holy Spirit would come only to those who believed.

If they accepted him, it would be poured out upon the nation as a whole.

We know the choice they made and the great cost to all.

Jesus Lived in Divine Appointments

Christ, the true evangelist in every sense of the word, took every opportunity to bring men and women into relationship with the Father through him.

The Scripture says, “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (NIV, Ephesians 5:15 – 16)

Christ was the first Apostle of the New Covenant – the New Covenant in Him – laying the foundation and discipling God’s children into the new birth and the ways of the Kingdom of God.

This is important to understand, because so much of what has been taught about the New Testament is centered around Calvary, and what occurred after Calvary.

But, the New Covenant began before Calvary, John said, “…to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (NIV, John 1:12, italicized mine)

The New Covenant did not begin with the killing of Christ.

It began with his perfection, before his presentation to John at the river Jordan.

What got him killed was not that he was going to establish the New Covenant, but that he was the New Covenant, the Son of God, made perfect, with “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” testifying and confirming who he was for over three years. (NIV, Hebrews 2:4, italicized mine, see also Acts 2:22)

His Church was growing and the leaders of Israel’s shrinking.

Christ had mega-church attendance; while the synagogue across the path was on life support.

Christ’s preaching was not for a future time but the present; ushering those into the kingdom of God right then and there as they opened their hearts to receive their Messiah and Savior.

His preaching brought tangible results from an unseen Kingdom, seen in the fruit it produced.

The synagogues produced no tangible fruit, only a continual hard yoke and heavy burden.

Had Israel chosen to flock to Christ as a nation, as God had hoped, like David of old in contriteness and brokenness, events would have been set in motion to begin the process of ushering in the Millennium, and the baptism of the Spirit.

Everywhere Christ went opportunities were presented to receive him as Savior and begin the New Covenant journey.

For example, an altar call was given to Nicodemus in the early part of his ministry.

Scholars have Christ’s conversation with Nicodemus occurring at the beginning of his public ministry.

Jesus was “not” just teaching Nicodemus the truths of the new Kingdom, but was inviting him into the richness and treasures of Christ in the New Covenant.

Christ not only revealed truth about the New Covenant and the operation of grace by faith, but invited those within the sound of his voice to receive forgiveness and relationship with God now.

And had the nation of Israel received “forgiveness,” then and there, there would have been no need for Calvary (Matthew 26:28).

Those who did receive by faith his words, fulfilled the feast of Passover of the Old in the born-again experience of the New.

Christ’s ministry was not a “modeling” ministry, but a ministry of life; inviting his listeners to into relationship with him and the Father.

Jesus did not teach and preach with the expectation of men and women coming to repentance and forgiveness after they kill him.

On the contrary, he preached for hearts to move toward God now;  for he and they to jointly live in the promise of God for the nation of Israel.

No one wants to be rejected and killed – no one in their right mind.

His death at Calvary was not a promise and not foreordained; but a prophecy of their betrayal and rejection of him, and certainly not the heart of God for him, or the nation of Israel.

God spent four millenniums from Adam doing everything possible to prepare the nation of Israel to receive the coming Messiah, short of “forcing them.”

Yet they wound not have it.

Christ’s death at Calvary was the result of unrepentant sin coming to fullness in rage – rejecting the New Testament in Christ.

The prophecies of Christ’s rejection and death were the foreknowledge of God of what will happen in the future if men and women do not turn from evil and do good.

It’s not a “script” but a warning, and the outcome, of what will happen by the law of sin, if they do not repent and receive their Savior.

It’s no different than prophecies of the last days.

Prophecies warning of a great apostasy and suffering for those who reject Christ and his offer to be healed and restored.

Prophecy concerning people’s actions can change, and God can change his mind, as we know from examples in the Old Covenant.

It is interesting to note, by the time Christ started speaking prophetically of future events, like the seven parables of Matthew 13, which are the first of the great parables and a picture of the seven church ages, he knew by the Spirit his days of ministry to Israel were numbered.

He was beginning to prepare himself and them for what lay ahead after their rejection.

A Revivalist To the End

It was not long into ministry before he knew the leadership would not accept him, the New Covenant.

He was squarely centered in his call to save and heal, and not start a revolt or lead a rebellion to force his will upon the nation of Israel.

He would not be a party to killing others after he had ministered to them personally and intimately for over three years.

They needed more time and he would give it to them by extending his ministry – even in his death at Calvary.

He would use Calvary as an extension of his ministry – a dramatic event – to continue his offer of forgiveness.

He knew by the Spirit many will come to forgiveness once they see their sin, what it did and took from him, and see and hear of his righteous raising from the dead.

His options were few: flee, fight, or be killed.

Yes, it wasn’t long into his ministry the prophecies of Old, foretelling the coming of the Messiah, and his rejection, began to bear fruit.

And as that unfolded, the urgency to get as much accomplished in the remaining time available became more pressing.

Unlike the Prophets of Old, Truly, a New Covenant

Jesus was not Moses.

He wasn’t there to give Israel the Word of God written on tablets of stone.

He was there to personally begin the process of imparting the nature of God on transformed hearts and minds.

He would begin their new journey by ushering them into the born-again experience – passport and citizenship into a new kingdom.

He was their “Ellis Island,” the “new land,” and “hope for a healed and restored life,” all rolled into one.

The details of how the Kingdom worked in destroying the structures of sin and the power of agreements would come by and by.

Christ was Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher, deliverance leader, prayer leader, worship leader, healing minister, Savior, High Priest, King, Lord, Counselor – everything necessary to win the hearts of God’s people to God.

Christ was not alone; he had the history of the great revivals of the past in his rearview mirror and knew the makings of what it took to bring revival.

Where Elijah brought a short-lived death to sin and repentance, he would go to the source of sin and bring transformation, a changed nature.

Where Josiah brought a short-lived revival to the nation, he would bring permanent revival to the hearts and minds of God’s people, a change to the way of life.

Christ was set and empowered to bring the greatest revival in human history, but it was not to be, at least not yet.

Christ knew by the Spirit there was a groundswell of madness, anger, and rage in the leadership of Israel against him; that they would eventually fulfill one set of prophecies – his killing, and, defer another set of prophecies – his millennial reign.

Jesus always referred to the matter of his betrayal and rejection as just that, betrayal and rejection, and not an event foreordained by God, and certainly not an event planned by God as part of the atoning sacrifice for sin.

Israel’s leadership missed the heart of the Old Testament pointing to the New – the Messiah’s personal journey foretold and prefigured by the prophets of Old.

The Messiah, formed in the fires of the Holy Spirit, “made” whole and holy, purified; coming in the power and Spirit of “resurrection life.” (Psalm 16)

They missed God’s plan in the Messiah to bring an end to sin by having his Son put sin to death through the sufferings of being made obedient; wounding and piercing the structures of sin passed to him by his human ancestry.

And creeds and traditions today are leading many to miss Christ’s story, and in doing so, to miss their story of being healed and restored in him. 

Institutionalized Christianity places great weight on Christ’s birth and Calvary, followed by his ministry.

The Scripture places the greatest weight and written material on Christ’s personal journey, the beginning of the New Covenant.

Second is his invitation for us to seek him and enter into the journey and adventure of Christ.

Everything else flows from who Christ became, not what he did in ministry, or what others did to him.

It’s who he became that changed the course of history.

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KEYS to UNDERSTANDING the STORY of CHRIST

ONE – Creeds and Traditions

Creeds and traditions not only hide the story and journey of Christ, but barricade its understanding as well. It takes the revelation of the Holy Spirit and the intervention of Christ to roll back the veil to the ancient paths, the one he pioneered for you and me.

TWO – New Testament, New Language

The New Testament ushered in a new language; not only fulfilling Old Testament “types,” but expanding the meaning of words beyond the natural into the spiritual as taught by Christ and followed by the New Testament writers.

THREE – Check Your Translation to an Interlinear (e.g., Biblehub.com)

Regardless of the translation, one must check the literal Greek on key verses, because translators have added words or made changes based upon the creeds, supplanting the Scripture in some instances.

FOUR – You Cannot Have the New Covenant without Intimacy and Revelation from the Lord

The New Covenant requires revelation from the Lord along with sound hermeneutics, prayer, and waiting upon him.

FIVE – Jesus is more than sufficient

It’s all about Jesus.

SIX – It Is the Living Christ, the Living Blood

It was the living Christ, the living blood, that ministered healing and restoration to the descendants of Abraham for over three years in the land of Israel.

** ONE **

CREEDS and TRADITIONS

Creeds and traditions not only hide the story and journey of Christ, but barricade its understanding as well. It takes the revelation of the Holy Spirit and the intervention of Christ to roll back the veil to the ancient paths, the one he pioneered for you and me.

The Scripture prophesied the promise grace to come, not the promise of creeds and traditions.

When you have Jesus, and relationship with him, you don’t need creeds and traditions institutionalizing who he is and what to believe about him.

It would like having a document describing your spouse, your best friend, your most intimate; someone you’ve been through thick and thin with.

When you have the promise, you don’t need anything else, other than Jesus, the body of Christ, and the Scriptures.

The leadership of Israel over and over again referred to their relationship with the law and the Patriarchs, particularly Abraham.

Christ on the other hand, referred to his relationship with the Father, and how his relationship with the Father was first and foremost in his life.

Creeds and traditions are the result of separation, lack of intimacy; man’s effort to bridge the gap between himself and others and God with measurable identifiers.

Creeds and traditions, in the deepest sense, represent a lack of faith in Christ’s ability, desire, and passion, to reveal himself to his sons and daughters.

They create separation between the Holy of Holies “Christ,” with the very ones he sacrificed his life to bring into the holiness of God.

The existence of creeds is a testimony of man’s belief – those who profess to be Christians, disciples of Christ – the Holy Spirit is insufficient in leading and guiding God’s sons and daughters into the knowledge and fullness of Christ.

Creeds and traditions are birthed in seasons of desperation.

Where men and women strive in their own strength to have relationship with Christ, and dictate what that relationship should look like for others, in the absence of heartfelt repentance, forgiveness, and connection with their Savior.

Creeds and traditions flourish where hierarchies are established, replacing personal connection with Christ with a system of works.

Only Christ can break the cycle of sin passed from generation to generation and the creation of creeds and traditions that steer and drive his sons and daughters away from him, instead of to him.

That happens when he intervenes and begins the process of fathering, the deep work of grace in healing and restoration.

And he’s reserved the age of Philadelphia for just such purposes – to restore fathering to his sons and daughters and the fruits of healing and restoration that come from fathering.

** TWO **

NEW TESTAMENT, NEW LANGUAGE

The New Testament ushered in a new language; not only fulfilling Old Testament “types,” but expanding the meaning of words beyond the natural into the spiritual as taught by Christ and followed by the New Testament writers.

For example, when Jesus said, “‘Let the dead bury their own dead…’” he was saying, paraphrasing, let those who are captured by the cares of this life, separated from the kingdom of God, without hope, spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, bury those who bore them. (NIV, Luke 9:60)

Another example.

Jesus likened the kneading of yeast throughout dough to how the Church will take creeds and traditions (symbolic of false doctrine), and “knead” (work them), by the hands of man throughout Scripture.

The result, false teaching deeply woven into the fabric of Christian beliefs, indistinguishable from the truth of Scripture.

He elevated yeast as a symbol of false teaching coming to dominance in the fourth church age, Thyatira, commonly called the dark ages, spiritually speaking.

False teaching is also pictured coming to dominance in Paul’s fourth letter to the churches, Galatians, and the fourth parable of Matthew 13, where yeast is actually used.

Another example.

When Jesus said to certain leaders of Israel, “‘You are from below; I am from above.’” and “‘You belong to your father, the devil’” he was using natural terms to symbolically express spiritual truths. (NIV, John 8:23 and 8:44)

He was saying in effect; the enemy has fathered you into his likeness through your, and your ancestor’s agreements with sin.

And now you are in his image, doing and saying the things he does.

Another example.

When Christ spoke about coming from Heaven he was talking about relationship and not geography; how the source of what he does comes from Heaven, and how the source of what they do comes from darkness.

He was in effect saying I have been fathered by God, by grace through faith, having died to sin (Romans 6:10), “…made alive in the Spirit” (NIV, 1 Peter 3:18), perfected by the power of God, atoning for your sins. (Hebrews 5:7 – 10).

I put to death generational transgressions and iniquities passed to me by my human ancestors; being made into the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…” (NIV, Hebrews 1:3)

Christ was drawing a contrast between what his father had accomplished in him, making him into the likeness of God, and what their father had accomplished in them, making them into the likeness of the evil one.

** THREE **

CHECK YOUR TRANSLATION to an INTERLINEAR (e.g., Biblehub.com)

Regardless of the translation, one must check the literal Greek on key verses, because translators have added words or made changes based upon the creeds, supplanting the Scripture in some instances.

If the Gospel is anchored in creeds, then, the great weight of Scripture must point to “them,” directing Scriptures about suffering, wounding, piercing, blood, cross, crucifying, sacrifice, death, resurrection, etc., to Calvary.

Because Christ’s personal journey, “…once made perfect…the source of eternal salvation…” does not exist in the creeds; but, only in the creeds as they apply to Calvary. (NIV, Hebrews 5:9, italicized mine)

The Bible teaches there is no private interpretation of Scripture.

And yet, creeds are a private interpretation of Scripture imposed by the fear of man, the fear of rejection, and the fear of persecution.

They’ve ruled the body of Christ through fear for centuries.

I’ve already given a lot of examples in this series, and more will come, where translators added words or rearranged phrases to align with creeds and traditions.

For example, words like “shed” or “shedding” have been added next to blood to point certain Scriptures to Calvary.

When, in fact, the Scripture refers to Christ’s death to sin – the sacrifice of his blood – symbolically speaking of the entirety of his life in being made perfect.

When Jesus spoke about his flesh and blood in John 6, he said later he was speaking of “‘…they are full of the Spirit and life.’” (NIV, verse 63)

Christ’s death to sin was the fulfillment of the Old Covenant blood sacrifice, accomplished without the killing of animal or man.

His blood sacrifice, the offering of his life to God, expresses in the most intimate terms possible the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice in putting away generational transgressions and iniquities passed to him from his human ancestry.

It has nothing to do with the death of Christ at Calvary, rather, it’s about his perfection, becoming our eternal Savior (Hebrews 5:7 – 10).

This is the promised grace to come, a new and better covenant.

Much later Jesus said to the Jews, “‘Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.’” (NIV, John 8:43)

To refresh what was covered in earlier posts, “blood,” in reference to Christ in the New Testament can refer to:

• the most intimate of expressions to convey the giving of his life to the Father in putting generational sin to death; destroying the enmity passed to him from his human ancestry; becoming our Savior; redeeming mankind from sin before his ministry, and,
• his actual blood; the blood he shed at Calvary in one last effort to win some to the Kingdom, who would otherwise be killed, if he had taken up arms to take the kingdom by force, which he could have righteously done.

 

Israel had a choice.

Instead of choosing the living, breathing, “atoning” blood sacrifice of Christ in flesh and blood – their Messiah, the one they’ve been waiting for since the time of Isaiah and Daniel, and others, they chose to reject the New Covenant in Christ, choosing to keep the law and their traditions.

And in doing so, they murdered their Messiah, the sacrifice for their sins; their sins exposed on the marks of his body, remaining with them forever except they come to forgiveness (Matthew 26:28).

Romans 3:25, Colossians 1:20, and even Hebrews 12:4, in reference to his “blood,” refer to the offering of his life in being made complete, healed and restored, before his ministry, and not the actual shedding of his blood.

The book of Hebrews, along with large sections of Romans, are the most complete and detailed accounts of Christ’s personal journey in putting sin to death, being raised to walk in new life, resurrection life.

• By adding the words “shed or shedding” to blood in these verses, translators redirected the Scriptures to Calvary, instead where they rightfully belong, Christ’s personal journey, his personal cross, the heart of Romans, Paul’s other letters, and the heart of Hebrews.

 

The context of these passages is clearly about his journey and not Calvary.

Christ destroying sin that kept mankind from fulfilling the law in their flesh; becoming a new creation (Ephesians 2:14 – 16, see in interlinear).

God did not present Christ to Calvary as a human sacrifice for mankind’s sin.

But he did present Christ to the cross, the cross of crucifying the flesh, being made perfect through suffering, becoming the “…atoning sacrifice for our sins”, our Savior (Hebrews 5:7 – 10). (NIV, 1 John 2:2, bold and italicized mine)

There’s been much confusion about this topic over the centuries.

I hope my writing helps some separate the Christ who was made perfect through suffering, putting to death generational transgressions and iniquities, from his ministry, and from the events of Calvary.

Christ ministered “out” of this perfection, his transformation, “glory.”

And at Calvary, he offered himself to confirm and testify “what he said,” and “what he did,” and, to confirm and testify “who they rejected” and “how they rejected him.”

Calvary made it clear who he was, who they were, leaving no stone unturned in demonstrating his righteousness, and, importantly for their salvation, a final demonstration by him of their need for his righteousness.

Today, Christ is doing another deep work of the Spirit, in the age of Philadelphia.

And while today many are looking for his coming, just as in the first century, tragically, many will miss him.

Because he did not come in the way of our fathers, nor in the way we expected, but in healing and restoration – the movement of his Spirit to restore lives.

Matthew 26:54

In Matthew 26:54 the English translation I use ends the verse with “‘…in this way.’” (NIV, Matthew 26:54)

Creeds teach Christ’s primary mission was to die at Calvary, as a human sacrifice for our sins.

The Scripture teaches Christ’s mission was to heal and restore the wounded and broken of Israel; to usher in the kingdom of God – the new and better covenant – beginning with the born – again experience.

God’s hope and plan was for Israel to “‘…respect his son…’” (NIV, Matthew 21:37)

And from Jerusalem, the Gospel would go out to the ends of the earth with Israel as the head of nations.

And for all that to happen, Christ had to be made perfect first.

He had to redeem and restore what Adam and Eve lost in the Garden over four millenniums ago.

It was his assignment to redeem what they lost and to complete the race – the race to be made into the likeness of the Father, without sin.

And in doing so becoming our substitute for sins because he overcame sin by putting it to death, teaching us how to end the cycle of sin.

(In Revelation 3:21, Jesus says, paraphrasing, those who put sin to death, just like he put sin to death, will reign with him. And we can only put sin to death in Christ!)

Conceived in grace, he did what we could never do being born into sin – redeeming the wounded and broken areas of one’s life from generational transgressions and iniquities.

And in all that he became the pioneer of the faith, firstborn, first fruit, forerunner, of the New Covenant, sent to the House of Israel to save, heal, and restore.

Important

With that in mind, verse 54 is not referring to a specific script demanding or foreordaining Christ be killed; but a proclamation in the Word, and in him, he will not change course from his mission to save, no matter the consequences.

The addition (not in the Greek) of the three words in verse 54, “‘…in this way’” (NIV, Matthew 26:54), changes the context from “foreknowledge” to “foreordained,” i.e., foreordained to happen in a certain way, implying Calvary.

In other words, from one where it was prophesied Christ would stay true to his calling and not kill, being rejected and killed; to one where Christ was “foreordained” to die at Calvary as a human sacrifice per the creeds.

The Scripture teaches the “foreknowledge” Christ would be killed was just that, foreknowledge, nothing more; not a script by man or God.

The choice of rejecting or receiving the Messiah always rested in the hands of the leaders of Israel, and how they would respond to the conviction of sin and the offer of healing and restoration.

Their choice was not mandated, but prophesied unless they come to repentance the law of sin will lead them to reject and kill the Messiah.

The prophets foresaw Israel would not repent; but the choice always rested with Israel.

Prophecy does not dictate choice, i.e., choice is not driven by prophecy.

Even the more obvious for prophecy “hidden;” coming to light as events unfold and not the other way around.

God does not speak a script of sin over anybody; but warns through his Word the outcome of certain choices.

Christ knew what he was up against when he entered ministry.

The furthest thing from his mind is what we believe about him today – he was “foreordained” to be a human sacrifice.

The Scripture never says that, and neither does Christ.

For example, in Acts 2:23, in the Greek, it does not say Christ was foreordained to be killed, implied in translations.

It does say Christ was the foreknowledge of God; in other words, the plan of God to send his only begotten “the Messiah,” to Israel.

Christ spoke of his coming rejection; but continued to do everything possible to win them to God, even hoping at one point he’d have another year to minister (the parable of the fig tree).

Simply, prophecies are not a superimposing of God’s will on creation in relation to the human heart and mind, but future news today of what men and women, etc., will do in the future founded on the premise men and women have within their authority to change the outcome by choosing differently.

It lies within our providence to seek God and cry out to him.

But Israel’s leadership would have none of that.

Christ gave parables hoping and praying Israel would come to repentance and forgiveness.

For example, the parable of the fig tree which I already mentioned.

The prodigal son is also a parable of Israel.

He even gave a parable near the end of his ministry (when he knew for certain they were going to kill him), about a “landowner,” who hoped “‘They will respect my son…’” (NIV, Matthew 21:37)

No, contrary to the creeds, it was not foreordained Christ would be killed at Calvary.

Every intention and preparation had been made by God, short of violating their will, for Israel to receive their Messiah confirmed through miracle ministry.

The law of sin, set in motion by agreements with the enemy at the fall, eventually had its way, killing the Messiah.

But the Father had a plan to glorify Christ again, to raise the resurrected Christ from the dead.

Yes, it was the Father’s will for Christ not to take up arms and fight against those he had spent over three years healing and saving.

But that’s a night and day difference between ordaining his death, versus promising him to be raised again if he holds true to his calling as a man of peace and not kill those who are plotting to kill him.

The Father gave Jesus his heart in the matter but left the choice to Christ; either way, the Father would be with Christ whether he chose to fight or not.

The law of sin led the leaders of Israel to madness, rage, and murder because that’s what sin does for those who come face-to-face with the righteousness of God in an unrepentant state.

Jesus kept true to himself; fulfilling the plan of God in its entirety in his life, seeking to save and heal to the uttermost – not taking up arms to kill and destroy those he had just spent over three years trying to rescue.

That’s what verse 54 means – Christ fulfilled the Scriptures and was not about to change who he was and what he was called to do by taking up arms.

And so “‘…it must happen…’” that is, Christ was not about to interfere or intervene in their plans to kill him as it would undo three years of testimony of the “…Prince of Peace.” (NIV, Matthew 26:54, Isaiah 9:6, bold and italicized mine)

In other words, “happen,” is not referring to his killing, but his calling; to fulfill to the uttermost his calling to save and heal, to bear witness to the end, whatever it may be, not to defend himself in the arena of man’s ways, but to bear witness of his righteousness, a man of peace, and their sin.

That being said, the writing of the prophets was fulfilled about his betrayal and rejection because Israel refused to repent and be saved, not because it was foreordained by God.

In the same way the writings of Christ will be fulfilled in the last days when many fall away, not because it was ordained, but because many refuse to come to Christ in the greatest hour of history.

Another Perspective on Verse 54

Christ taught sin begins in the heart early in his ministry.

And how what we think and make agreement with, we become one.

Early in Christ’s ministry the leadership of Israel discussed and reasoned among themselves how they might get rid of Christ.

Spirits of murder in the early stages of Christ’s ministry were given seats at the tables of Israel’s leaders hearts and minds.

And certainly, Christ in the early stages of his ministry was not ignorant of the spirits of darkness gaining access to Israel’s leaders.

From early in his ministry, he was battling spirits of death and curses of murder toward him.

Calvary was an outward expression of what had been going on behind the scenes in the hearts and minds of Israel’s leaders for most of Christ’s ministry.

Murderous sin had been conceived in their hearts long before Calvary.

Thus, when Jesus said, “‘…it must happen…’” he was saying the gathering storm against him had finally come ashore; there was nothing for him to do about it, or that he would do about it, but weather the storm. (NIV, Matthew 26:54, italicized mine)

That the storm was forecast in prophecy, and Israel refused to change the forecast, which they had the power to do through choice and which he had so earnestly labored to win hearts.

Winning souls, not prophecy, is what drove the desire and passion of Christ’s heart.

Prophecy was the result of unrepentant sin, and only they could change the course of the gathering storm.

Christ would not change the forecast by taking up arms and killing those he had spent over three years trying to heal and save.

No, God did not conspire with the devil or with lawless men to kill the only perfect man in history but allowed Christ the choice, and Christ had the final say on the matter.

Whether he would permit Israel to expose their nakedness before God and mankind by killing him, or whether he would take up arms and lead a revolt.

Christ knew this must happen to pierce the hearts of Israel, and draw the poison of unrepentant sin out into the open, otherwise all Israel would be lost.

He knew happen it must, (NIV, Matthew 26:54) because it was the only way to expose their sins for them to see who they’ve become and what they’ve done.

He knew it was the only way some of them would acknowledge their sin and come to forgiveness in the days and years ahead.

And Still Another Perspective

When Jesus said, “‘…it must happen…’” (NIV, Matthew 26:54), what is the “it” he’s referring to?

For over three years there’s been a battle between the promised grace to come in Christ and the law of sin in the leaders of God’s chosen people.

And for over three years grace has shown to be exceedingly graceful – healing and restoring, and sin, exceedingly sinful – accusing, assaulting, and condemning Christ at every turn of his ministry.

And because grace is exceedingly graceful, it does not force its will on others.

So, while greater demonstrations of grace occur over the course of Christ’s ministry, even raising Lazarus from the tomb, sin has matured, ready to do what it does best “‘…steal and kill and destroy…’” (NIV, John 10:10)

And the only way to expose unrepentant sin to the light, so people can see it in its fullness, is to let it take its course; and in the rearing of its ugly head, expose it publicly to those it is living and working in.

The “it” is the final confrontation between the grace of God in Christ, and the lawless way life of Israel’s leaders, i.e., letting sin do what it does, revealing its utter sinfulness publicly for all to see.

And after showing sin for what it is, and Christ’s righteousness in being raised from the dead, some will come to forgiveness (Matthew 26:28).

Important

The exposure of unrepentant sin in the heart of those plotting Christ’s betrayal and murder, and Christ’s willingness to draw the poison out of their hearts and onto his body, could not have happened had Christ not already put sin to death in his perfection before ministry.

Calvary was the outward display of what Christ had already done in his personal journey, putting sin to death by the power of the cross.

And it was also the outward display of what the leaders of Israel had failed to do during the time of Christ’s ministry, in their disobedience to God, and their rejection of repentance and forgiveness.

And in failing to turn to God, they failed to receive his care and love, and sin had its way in their life, coming face to face with the grace of God in Christ at Calvary.

Christ at Calvary pierced their unrepentant hearts; displaying the poison within openly and publicly for all the world to see.

It was the only way to “make known” their need for him; many found forgiveness through repentance on the day of Pentecost just a short time later.

Unrepentant hearts force the final battle “it.”

But oh, the unnecessary cost to Christ, having already atoned for their sins in his perfection.

The belief the shedding of Christ’s blood at Calvary was the atoning sacrifice of sins is Old Covenant thinking to the extreme.

Remember, the New Testament is a new and better covenant, perfecting by grace through faith not by the works and striving of the flesh.

Blood denotes Christ’s life given in being “perfected – cleansed, healed, and restored,” putting sin to death, not the other way around.

One More Example, Acts 2:23

I’ve written on Acts 2:23 before but it bears repeating because it is critical to the interpretation of Calvary.

In the translation I use, Act 2:23 implies God was complicit in the killing of Christ.

But this Scripture and others do not teach that.

As we briefly look at this verse, here are a few Scriptures to consider:

On the subject of temptation, James said “For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;” (NIV, James 1:13)

After being accused he was casting out demons using darkness, Jesus responded, “‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.’” (NIV, Matthew 12:25)

And in Romans my translation reads in reference to Calvary, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith.” (NIV, Romans 3:25; the word shedding is not in the Greek).

Translations unknowingly (not purposely) pit Scripture against Scripture, and God against his own nature and Word.

That somehow Christ is an exception to the Word of God; he can be offered as a human sacrifice, something God has forbidden; called murder (Acts 7:52, Matthew 21:33 – 22:14, 23:13 – 39) with God complicit in the offering, and yet, be inferred as something necessary for our salvation God was pleased (presented) to bring about.

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This is the result of translators – who we owe much thankfulness for giving their lives and talents in doing the best they could in translating the Word of God with the tools presented to them – phrasing certain Greek passages to conform with creeds, one of the dominant tools of the trade.

Creeds are powerful and expected to be adhered to by Christendom’s leadership.

Creeds have the power of death and life, and have resulted in the death of many and the ruin of people’s reputations.

Instead of the testimony of Christ, his saving grace and the work of the Spirit, creeds have been set as “Guards” over the house of God.

Jesus wasn’t killed just because they did not like him, it was because he was viewed as a threat to their belief and traditions.

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Regarding Romans 3:25, there’s a night and day difference between Christ’s blood being shed, being killed, versus the blood of Christ “the living Christ,” the most intimate expression of the extent and depth in giving his life to the Father.

Romans 3:25 is about Christ’s journey to perfection, being “completed,” i.e., cleansed, healed and restored from generational transgressions and iniquities, becoming our Savior.

That’s who God presented to John at the river Jordan, who was tempted for 40 days, and who God presented to Israel as their Messiah for over 3 years.

God’s presentation of Christ was to be made perfect, not to be killed; as if God took favor in presenting Christ to be murdered.

The word “shedding” has been added in my translation, it is not in the Greek; the context in the book of Romans is about Christ’s perfection, not Calvary.

This is the blood sacrifice Christ made to the Father, his own blood sacrifice to the Father – giving his life completely to the Father in being made one, whole, and holy, without sin, finishing the race Adam and Eve failed to complete.

Christ’s blood sacrifice is the New Testament way – it’s language, which Christ defined in John 6 – of expressing the most complete offering one could make to God; by offering his life to put sin to death once and for all.

It connects the Old Testament truth life is in the blood with the New Testament truth Christ gave his life to the Father in being made perfect, and has nothing to do with the killing of Christ.

And that applies spiritually as well as literally.

The only way one can truly convey the giving of their entire life to God, in Christ’s case, in the New Covenant, is by using the word blood and sacrifice.

People even use that phrase today in reference when someone asks something extreme of them – “What do you want, my blood?”

The Scripture makes clear distinctions in regards to blood and sacrifice and all the attendant words, like dying to sin, suffering, crucifying the flesh, the cross of Christ, wounded and pierced, being made perfect, etc.

Christ did not need to be killed for his blood to save us.

As he said speaking of his flesh and blood, “‘…they are full of the Spirit and life.’” (NIV, John 6:63)

In the Old Testament, the shedding of blood was necessary for the forgiveness of sins, though the shedding of blood of an animal could never spiritually cleanse transgressions and iniquities.

The Old Covenant practice of animal sacrifice and the shedding of blood pointed to the impossibility of sin being atoned for by works of the law, that it would require something uniquely special from God, to make one whole and holy.

The Old Covenant practices pointed to the futility of men and women being cleansed, healed, and restored other than by divine intervention.

Many in the Old Covenant knew animal sacrifices were symbolic; looking for a Messiah who would come and make all things new.

That a coming Messiah would restore Israel to its prominence.

That a “grace” was coming, and, that it would come in the Messiah.

That was the foreknowledge and foreordained plan of God (Acts 2:23), to bring Israel the Messiah from one of its own, from the line of David, to establish his kingdom forever.

He would be a righteous King; made righteous by God, in the journey of being made complete through suffering – putting an end to sin – prefigured in “type” by David in his 15 years in the wilderness, among many other types.

Born King and Savior, God with us, he had to be “made” King, Savior, High Priest, and Prophet; the fullness of God in the man Christ Jesus – the Word of God written on the tables of his heart and mind.

His kingdom would be an everlasting kingdom.

And yet, clouded with all the glorious prophecies of the coming Messiah and restoration, were Scriptures pointing to events veiled in secrecy, appearing to say one thing, and yet, appearing to say something different.

All the promises were held in suspension, needing the operation of faith by grace to receive the promised grace to come, as Peter refers to it in 1 Peter.

The promises of God hinge on the operation of faith and the willingness to turn from darkness to light.

God foreordained Christ to come and be made perfect by grace through faith; the firstborn, first fruit, pioneer and forerunner of the faith.

This is the New Testament – Christ, the tree of life restored to mankind.

God foreordained Christ, conceived him by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, fathered unto perfection before his ministry.

God foreordained Christ, (Isaiah 53), to put generational transgressions and iniquities to death passed to him from his human ancestry.

God foreordained Christ to put sin to death by the power of the cross; the cross of crucifying the flesh through the operation of faith by grace.

God foreknew and foreordained Christ to be made perfect, presenting him to Israel as their Messiah, the New Testament in flesh and blood, confirming his “Sonship” in “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” to Israel for over three years. (NIV, Hebrews 2:4, see also Acts 2:22)

God did not foreordain Christ to be handed over to lawless men and put to death.

The coming of Christ was foreordained, but not his death.

His death was prophesied because the prophets foresaw the Messiah would be rejected just like Moses, Elijah, the prophets, and many other prominent ones who had come to Israel’s aid.

They foresaw Israel would not fall on the rock, but the rock would fall on them.

Christ’s death was not foreordained; but the plan of the enemy to sabotage Christ’s ministry and the Old Covenant promises of the restoration of Israel.

But the enemy did not know the power of grace and the long-suffering of God, nor Christ’s willingness to remain true to his calling even unto death, and not defend himself, which he could have righteously done and prevailed.

Over and over again in the Gospel writings you see the tension between Christ’s ministry to bring healing and restoration and Israel’s refusal to receive God’s care and love.

It’s God’s care and love – the transforming power of his healing and restoration – that brings death to sin, not the killing of the Messiah.

How can the Scripture call those who killed Christ murders (Matthew 21, 22, 23, Acts 2:36, 7:52, etc.), and in the same breath say it was God’s plan, and not implicate God in the killing of his Son and say instead, it was an offering?

In other words, how can it be an offering from God and a murder to men and women?

Obviously, it cannot, and the Scripture does not in any way state or infer Christ was a human sacrifice by God for men and women.

His sacrifice was putting sin to death – that’s what pleased the Father’s heart no other could do.

His Son, his only Son, born in the likeness of sinful men and women overcoming and bringing death to sin, redeeming what Adam and Eve lost, raised in resurrection power, “eternal life.”

He set in motion grace for all those who would receive him beginning with Israel.

Out of his perfection flowed healing and restoration for over three years to Israel.

And his death at Calvary was another act of care and love in demonstrating publicly what he had already done privately – the offer of himself as a life sacrifice (a blood sacrifice) to God in bringing an end to sin.

No, God did not foreordain Christ’s to be handed over to lawless men and be put to death.

He did foreordain Christ’s coming to lawless men and women in hope they would repent and be saved, but the choice was there’s on that matter.

The failure to understand the separation between Christ’s perfection and Calvary, and the various terms and phrases used to describe Christ’s perfection journey in bringing about the destruction of sin in his ancestral line, has resulted in God being made an accomplice in his murder.

No wonder Christians have difficulty connecting with the goodness and kindness of God and his grace.

There’s a lot of emotional attachment to the creeds and the belief God loves us so much he would kill his beloved Son for us.

But it was Christ’s choice to sacrifice his life to put sin to death; and his choice to continue his ministry of healing and saving to the very end no matter what it cost him.

And in all of that, he was fathered by God; but there’s a world of difference between “fathering,” and “asking someone to kill themselves.”

Especially in light of the years of training and sacrifice Christ made in being made perfect, the sacrifice, to begin with.

To think God cared any less for Christ’s heart and more for us is another in a long line of false teaching born from the roots of creeds and traditions – an orphan heart springing forth mistruths about God.

More Perspectives on Creeds and Traditions – Non-Intervention

As noted, creeds and traditions have had a profound impact on the translation of New Testament manuscripts.

Many Scriptures have been phrased with Calvary in mind; wording certain Scriptures in ways that conform to the creeds or connect more easily to Calvary.

In the absence of the knowledge of Christ’s personal journey, there’s no other “place to land” Scriptures referring to his death, suffering, cross, sacrifice, etc., other than Calvary.

And to apply most everything to Calvary, is to take most everything literally.

And in doing this, Christ’s teaching on the New Covenant and its language are supplanted by the Old Covenant and its language.

And the Lord does not intervene.

Instead, he brings grace to mankind, circumventing the barriers of creeds and traditions even if it takes centuries.

He deals with our sins gently and patiently, laboring for centuries to bring men and women to the knowledge of the truth so quickly cast aside after the first century.

His Word and Spirit are revealed over time to pierce the lies of the enemy and bring those who seek him into greater intimacy with him.

Not only is our life a journey, from glory to glory, but so to the journey of the Church over two millenniums.

And right now the Church is in overtime.

The Lord honors the agreements we’ve made; he does not force his will upon you and me.

He does not interfere with what people believe about this or that, until and at such time the foundation has been laid to move those hungering and thirsting for righteousness forward another step.

That’s why we see stages of growth in men and women and in the corporate Church at large.

He moves the Church as far as it will go through new moves of God by the few to impact as many as will come.

The Reformation started with a few.

Pentecost-returned started with a few.

And so goes the history of revivals and the advancement of the Kingdom of God into the kingdom of men and women.

And as he takes the Church deeper, he takes others still deeper.

The Lord searches the earth for those in each generation who want more of him.

He’s not after the strictness and accuracy of the written Word, but the fulfillment of his Word in the hearts and minds of those hungering and thirsting for him.

In other words, we could have a written word exactly “jot and tittle” to what Christ spoke, and yet, miss the mark of the heart and mind of Christ.

Because it is not the exactness of his Word that transforms us, but the power of his Spirit by grace through faith in repentance and forgiveness.

Jesus is more than able to work around Bible inaccuracies and accomplish in you in me the plan of God to make us into his likeness.

Once he finds hearts toward him, he will walk them through the truths of his Word, bringing revelation and understanding to correct errors of the past necessary to understand what he is currently doing.

The “revelation of his Word, and the moving of the Spirit,” goes hand in hand with the growth and maturity he’s accomplishing in his sons and daughters as he moves them from glory to glory into his likeness.

They cannot be too far advanced from the central work he’s doing else it won’t bear witness.

And conversely, they cannot be too slow, else, his body won’t be sufficiently nourished and advanced enough to take the next step.

The unveiling of his Word and the mysteries “…of the deep truths of the faith…” (NIV, 1 Timothy 3:9, italicized and bold mine) can only be revealed through relationship, and not by the exactness of manuscripts or translations or the skilled training and intellect of the theologian.

Jesus is greater than the impact and influence of creeds and traditions on Scripture, and the impact and influence of creeds and traditions on translators translating Scripture.

He is able in a short period of time to correct and undo what man has held to for centuries when hearts are right, the time is right, and men and women are earnestly seeking and desiring the deep things of God.

If those opposed to righteousness drowned in Noah’s flood, and if pharaoh’s army drowned in the collapsing walls of water of the Red Sea, and if the mighty walls of Jericho collapsed at the trumpets and sound of rejoicing, then certainly creeds and traditions will meet their end in those seeking the glory of Christ.

All the challenges God’s sons and daughters face in seeking the deep things of God, including the unveiling of truth, laying aside creeds and traditions, is his plan to build relationships through discovery, interest, conversation, intimacy, etc.

When God decides to move and make a way for those who desire him deeply, no barriers man has made will stand in God’s way (Psalms 18 and 91).

Tragically, there are some in the last days who will not come into new understanding because they’re too entrenched with the empty way of life handed down from the fathers.

There’s always some who camp, and others who want more of God.

Until the feast of Tabernacles returned in the late 20^th century there was no need for the knowledge of Christ’s personal journey, because the door to the age of Philadelphia was not “opened.”

The deep work of the Holy Spirit of grace reserved for the age of Philadelphia, the feast of Tabernacles, has only, relatively speaking, recently been made available to the body of Christ.

It’s likely people over the centuries have been taken into the journey of Tabernacles by the Lord.

But it’s not until the last number of decades everything has been put into place so the Lord could open the door to Philadelphia to wide numbers of sons and daughters – the beginning of ushering in the fullness of Philadelphia – Tabernacles, the final feast.

Those who are ushered into Tabernacles and know of Christ’s personal journey have a more complete picture of Christ, what’s happening to them, and last day prophecies and events.

The Power of Multiplication

All it took was for one significant error to be introduced into the dough of God’s Word for the law of increase to seed the fruit of multiple errors in the understanding and knowledge of Christ and his journey.

The premise in creeds, “Christ had no need for healing and restoration,” i.e., he did not have enmity in his flesh, like the Scripture says, is one among a number of anchors keeping Christians chained to centuries old beliefs.

And in that imprisonment, many are being kept from “…the deep truths of the faith…” Christ labored to birth. (NIV, 1 Timothy 3:9)

This premise led to Scriptures about sacrifice, suffering, death, raised to walk in newness of life, dying to sin, wounded, “‘…hung on a pole’” etc., to be taken literally and directed to Calvary. (NIV, Galatians 3:13)

And in doing so, ignored the clear text of Scripture something else was being taught, not different perspectives on how to kill the Messiah, but teaching what it’s like to wrestle with sin and put it to death by the power of the cross.

This premise ignored the clear teaching throughout the New Testament letters and Gospels Christ indeed had a personal journey in overcoming sin not only outwardly, but transgressions and iniquities passed to him in the flesh.

This premise ignored the clear and unequivocal text of Scripture: Christ had enmity in his flesh, was completely human, tempted just like you and me, and, born in the flesh just like you and me, with the only exception of being conceived in grace.

That he had to learn how to obey by grace through faith just like you and me.

And that it is done by the restraining power of the Holy Spirit, the cross; bringing one into utter dependence upon God through the suffering of receiving grace and forsaking the works of the flesh.

If you take these away from Christ, you make him a shell; something other than human; something other than having a soul, spirit, and body just like you and me.

This premise has led to many errors; making Christ a model; emasculating him to someone who did not know what it’s like to have to overcome and put sin to death, and, in many ways, emasculating the Scriptures.

This premise came from paganism where God was made man, or man becomes God, instead of what the Scripture teach.

Mankind wants to make God in its image, while the Scripture teaches it is God who makes men and women into his image and likeness.

Humanism takes God and makes him like us, and makes us God’s.

Scripture instructs us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be transformed from glory to glory into the likeness of Christ.

Christ was made into the likeness of the Father – being made complete – and we are made into the likeness of Christ, as much as Christ can accomplish in us.

It’s an adventure and journey he has for those who desire the deep things of God.

The one premise Christ was essentially whole “having no need for healing and restoration, to be fathered into wholeness and holiness, made complete,” snowballed into multiple false teachings about Christ.

Jesus knew false teaching would come and even spoke of it in parables (second, third, and fourth parables of Matthew 13) and in the Church ages, particularly the second, third and fourth ages.

The greatest threat to the powers of darkness in this age is the knowledge of Tabernacles, Philadelphia – the plan of God to “make” a bride for his Son.

Spiritual darkness knew if it could shipwreck the plan of God to make men and women into the likeness of Christ by hiding the story of Christ, spiritual darkness would keep the body of Christ powerless and bride-less.

And the longer Christ does not have his completed bride, the longer spiritual darkness rules and reigns on the earth in the hearts of men and women.

The completion of the bride sets in motion the beginning of the last of the last days, the sequence of events leading up to the Tribulation, and nothing else.

The last of the last days do not begin until the bride is matured and fully grown; ready to minister; fulfilling the last half “of the last week” of the seventy weeks of Daniel; ushering in the outpouring of the Spirit in the final call(s) to mankind (Revelation 12).

The enemy has had his way for centuries keeping men and women chained to certain beliefs and doctrines; keeping them from knowing and seeking the promises of God.

The Lord has promised to do a quick work in the last days; grace usurping the law of sin in unprecedented ways; ushering many into the deep things of the Spirit of God while the day is still light and time remains.

Humanism is doing everything it can to keep mankind’s attention on the temporal things of this life, the earth, the environment, and all the social and other strife happening in the hearts and lives of men and women.

In the midst, Jesus is doing a secret work, a hidden work; cleansing and healing those desperate for God, who want nothing but utter dependence upon God, and in that, Christ will prevail and put to death one more time a world kingdom bent on destroying mankind and the plan of God.

There is a tremendous battle for the hearts and minds of God’s people today.

Humanism makes God weak, powerless, impotent, distant, and uncaring.

And this teaching has invaded the body of Christ deeply and pervasively, so much so, the Church has lost in many ways its prominence.

If one thing we’ve learned from history, is that change does not come easily, and that dramatic change can only come about from the cries of God’s people for wholeness and holiness in their lives.

No matter what you see in the world, the Word of God is more certain than anything technology and humanism can conceive together in the future.

Just as the promised grace to come in Christ shook the known world, so too will the promise of God to shake the heavens and the earth (paraphrasing, Hebrews 12:26) will usher many into the Ark of Christ while the day is still light.

The Millennium is not as immediate as some would hope, as happening “any day now,” but, it is also not as far off as some would like.

“‘For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.’” (NIV, Romans 9:28, italicized mine)

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (NIV, Proverbs 9:10, italicized is mine)

And that most certainly includes knowledge of the journey of Christ.

This century will see the greatest change yet in the history of mankind.

The 70 weeks of Daniel were not that far off, in terms of man’s calendar, from the coming of Christ (they were right on time on God’s calendar).

And Christ was right on schedule according to the timeline of his coming laid out in creation itself, symbolized by the creation of the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day.

Think it not strange King David ruled and reigned 1,000 years before Christ, setting in motion, on the fourth day from creation, the unveiling of the Messiah to come through his lineage.

And we, living in the 21^st-century, with the return of Israel as a nation, are on the threshold of the day of rest, the Millennium, foretold in creation and prophesied.

These are days to seek the Lord like never before.

** FOUR **

YOU CANNOT HAVE the NEW COVENANT without INTIMACY and REVELATION from the LORD

The New Covenant requires revelation from the Lord along with sound hermeneutics, prayer, and waiting upon him.

The Scripture says there’s no private interpretation.

Our understanding must fit within the weave of the cloth, be threaded throughout, visible to the discerning, and bear witness with the tenor of Scripture, history, and the teachings of Christ.

It must be defined, testified, and confirmed “within” the Bible; to stand on its own within the understanding of Scripture.

It must be something anybody can understand under the revelation of the Lord.

One does not need to be “learned” in order to understand the rudimentary principles of Christ; led by Christ into the deep truths of the faith.

In fact, history has shown, sometimes, the more learned and scholarly, the more “agreements one has,” the greater the difficulty in coming into intimacy with Christ.

The Bible is a book the Lord can reveal and open the storehouse of treasure to anybody, schooled or unschooled, male or female, young or old.

Interpretation of Scripture is not dependent on how many years of Bible college you have or don’t have, or how much ministry experience you have or don’t have.

Of course, good teaching and good experiences help, but they are not a prerequisite for coming into intimacy with Christ.

Seeking to quench our hunger and thirst for God in Christ is the prerequisite.

We’ve seen and heard of many who’ve had little or no schooling, thrust into the deep things of God, profoundly advancing the Kingdom.

God delights in taking those who are not, and making them into treasured vessels fit for the master’s use.

Many of King David’s mighty men were outcasts in their day.

Many of the mighty throughout history were nothing in the eyes of the world, and some less than nothing, and God made them into precious vessels of gold, silver, and other precious gems – partaking of the divine nature (NIV, 2 Peter 1:4).

Christ founded the kingdom of the new birth using men and women of no acclaim promoting them over the seasons of their journey into pillars of the faith.

Rahab the harlot is listed in Christ’s genealogy, in the halls of faith, and even by James in his letter.

Paul, a persecutor and more, of Christians, authored under the anointing of God great sections of the New Testament.

Creeds and traditions have supplanted personal relationship with Christ with a complex and institutionalized set of beliefs many a theologian will acknowledge no one understands but must be taken by faith.

And my response is the only words we’re instructed to embrace by faith are the words of life, the Scripture; not words outside of Scripture, no matter how well-meaning or scholarly they’re put together.

Only intimacy with Christ can connect you to the Word of God and his Spirit in the way God designed from the beginning.

Important

The teaching of Scripture “cannot be” and “is not” foreign to our own story.

This is really important – the teaching of Scripture, and that includes the teaching of Christ, the firstborn of the New Covenant, cannot be foreign to our own story.

Our personal journey must bear resemblance to his personal journey, otherwise how can he be the pioneer and forerunner of faith by grace, fathered by God?

The teachings of Scripture cannot be out of touch with who we are, what troubles us, our fight, nor separate and distinct from our Savior, the High Priest of the faith.

He, of all persons to have walked the earth, knows intimately our sufferings and temptations.

Christ cannot be a “model” on the one hand, and a human sacrifice on the other.

These two beliefs, which are commonly espoused today, have no basis in Scripture or common “spiritual” sense.

And the Bible is not so spiritual its outside the rules of common spiritual sense.

A model is a model, playing a part, personally detached from the reality of the part they’re showcasing.

And to think God would offer his son as a human sacrifice, the one he fathered from a young boy into perfection, creating a special union with Christ unlike any, and then offer him as a human sacrifice is beyond the Scripture, common spiritual sense, and the heart of God.

There’s a vast difference between the Father making known to Christ his will among righteous choices – to fight those intent on killing him, or draw the poison of out of their hearts through his death – than the belief in the creeds his Father purposed, foreordained his Son as a human sacrifice.

He let Christ know his will was for him to continue his ministry till the very end, but, if chose to fight, it would not be sin, it would be a righteous action against those who hate God and him.

His choices were righteous, and his Father would support him either way.

It was Christ’s choice, and Jesus stayed true to his calling and ministry to seek healing and restoration for others at all cost, even the cost of his physical life, even after having apprehended immortality, eternal life.

It’s all about Jesus and always will be.

Christ’s story has to relate to our story in every matter of importance, and that excludes the modeling belief espoused today; and the human sacrifice concept etched into the creeds some 1700 years ago.

I have a large section of writing coming on sins and iniquities, and how Christ atoned for our sins in being made perfect.

The Scripture goes to great length to make clear Christ is no different than you and me, except being conceived by the Holy Spirit; grace placing him like Adam before the fall.

He had the choice “to choose” restored so he could redeem mankind by grace through faith by putting sin to death.

He did not have the drive to sin at conception like the rest of us, but, the same temptation of mankind’s “lust,” deep within his members just like you and me.

He felt everything we feel in our battle with sin, even more so, putting every manner of sin to death, whereas we’ve grown up, most of us, embracing sins as a natural way of life.

We don’t know the details but we do know the conception by the Holy Spirit put Christ back in the position where he could choose right or wrong and not automatically sin like his ancestors.

The cravings of sin were left intact in Christ; generational transgressions and iniquities passed to him, but the automatic response to sin was subservient by the grace bestowed upon Christ at his conception.

As James notes in his letter, one can have lust and not sin, because sin is embracing – coming into agreement with the lustful desires of the flesh.

Thus, with Christ, you have grace coming face-to-face with unhealed wounds and brokenness, and it is grace winning the redemption journey; Christ destroyed the barriers between the law and his flesh.

Christ is not a shell, a model, nor a human sacrifice, but a full human being who was healed and restored perfectly, without sin, by God, becoming our Savior, the pioneer and pattern for God’s sons and daughters in the faith.

** FIVE **

JESUS IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT

It’s all about Jesus.

All the roads of Scripture having anything to do with salvation end in Christ.

Jesus is the source of our salvation, and nothing anyone did to him at any point changed the fact Christ was Savior, before, during, and after Calvary.

He was born a King, born God with us, born to save, but had to be “made” King, Lord, Savior, High Priest, Prophet – the Word “made” flesh (NIV, John 1:14).

His perfection ushered him into the Heavens, “the Heavenly Tabernacle,” receiving a name about all (NIV, Philippians 2:9), seating him in authority with his father, Sovereign over this creation.

Calvary did not change anything about Christ; having been perfected before his ministry, he was the living New Testament in flesh and blood, the sacrificial lamb John the Baptist was quoted as seeing – the walking, living, New Testament, (Matthew 26:28).

He was King, Lord, High Priest, Prophet, and Savior before and after Calvary – the Scripture cannot be any clearer he was the Messiah before Calvary and after Calvary; the “perfect one” before and after Calvary.

And if Calvary did nothing to change Christ, it certainly did nothing to change those “in” Christ before, or after Calvary.

The same healing and salvation offered after Calvary was freely offered by Christ before Calvary.

Calvary was an epic event, exposing sin, revealing Christ’s righteousness in being raised again – glorified again (John Chapter 12), – extending grace to Israel for another 40 or so years.

Israel in the wilderness rejected the testimonies of Joshua and Caleb and found themselves wandering in the wilderness for another 40 years dying off one by one until a new generation entered Canaan’s plan under Joshua.

And here we see Israel in the wilderness again, rejecting not only the testimony of hundreds and hundreds saved and healed by Christ; but rejecting the testimony of Christ himself, and the many “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” (NIV, Hebrews 2:4)

Israel found themselves wandering in the wilderness again for another 40 years or so dying off one by one and then being destroyed by Rome.

Calvary was a tragic ending to a beautiful story, that would’ve turned out much different had they accepted their Christ.

The Millennium would’ve been ushered in with Israel becoming the head of nations instead of being cut off, having to wait two millenniums for their Messiah to return.

Prophecy did not “force” Israel to kill Christ any more than it is “forcing” Christians to apostatize in the last days.

Christ’s perfection is the most epic story of this creation apart from creation itself.

Out of his perfection everything we know of him came to pass, and most critically, our salvation.

His journey and perfection are the core foundations of Scripture.

Life comes from Christ’s life, not his death (Romans 5:10).

His death to sin justifies us – makes it possible to for us to receive grace through faith and begin the Christian journey.

But it is his life, being made alive by the Spirit of God, mortality becoming immortality, that brings spiritual life to you and me in the journey we call our pilgrimage through Passover, Pentecost, and hopefully Tabernacles.

It is his life that produces life, before and after Calvary.

And this next statement is really important.

IT’S NOT JESUS PLUS CALVARY THAT MAKES SALVATION POSSIBLE, BUT “JESUS” – HE IS THE ETERNAL ONE, OUR SAVIOR, BEFORE AND AFTER CALVARY.

That’s what Calvary was all about, the rejection of who he was, who he became, not who he would become, or what he would do for them, from either his perspective, or God’s.

Christ before Calvary, before his ministry, had apprehended everything the Father asked of him; there was nothing left for him to apprehend other than bringing healing and salvation to the nation of God’s chosen people.

Calvary, Christ’s willingness to extend time and grace to the people of Israel, had nothing to do with the ushering in of salvation of the New Covenant.

Christ was the New Covenant, ushered in at his perfection.

Important

That what is commonly taught “salvation was dependent on Christ’s being killed at Calvary,” is repeating, and repeating in the worst possible way, the Old Covenant in the New; making the New an extension, and worse, than the Old.

The New Covenant is not a repeat of the Old Covenant with a different sacrifice.

The teaching of an angry God punishing Christ at Calvary for the sins of mankind is not what the Scripture teaches.

There’s a night and day difference between “suffering” in putting sin to death, versus, being killed because of other people’s sins.

And there’s a night and day difference between God being angry at sin and mankind’s embrace of sin, and, taking out his vengeance on his Son and mankind rather than sin.

God’s plan was a better plan; to destroy sin starting with his Son first, and heal and restore others who come to his Son.

The promise of the New Covenant is the promise to bring an end to generational transgressions and iniquities by destroying sin at its source by grace through faith in the redeeming and saving power of God in healing and restoration.

You don’t put sin to death by killing a human being, but by putting it to death.

God’s Wrath

God’s wrath revealed in the Kingdom of God coming in Christ – the promised grace to come – healed and restored Christ completely and perfectly.

Mankind (starting with Adam and Eve) entered into agreement with the enemy judging God as being insufficient, uncaring, and untimely in meeting their needs.

And in doing so, mankind – you and me – chose a path separate from God.

And in breaking communion and fellowship with God, mankind entered into communion and fellowship with the enemy bearing the fruit of all manner of darkness upon himself and those born from his seed.

Only God can rightly discern and understand the complex nature of sin in our lives; and the powers of darkness using our wounds and brokenness to become even more sinful than those who bore us.

Only God knows how to separate and truly distinguish us from the structures of sin within us; and how to bring those structures to death without hurting and destroying us in the process.

This is critically important to understand if you’re involved in ministering to others, or, if the Lord is doing a deep work of grace in you.

Only God knows how to bring healing and restoration to you and me in the secret and hidden areas of our life in a way that does not hurt or destroy us as the structures of sin are cleansed and purged from our lives.

Part of the process is wounding “cleansing and healing” the wounds that serve as fertile ground for the enemy.

A process of discomfort; a discomfort that bears the fruit of righteousness.

And some describe certain aspects of putting sin to death as suffering; the suffering of removing the Old for the New to be planted in the hearts and minds of God’s children.

It all began with Christ first; suffering the wounding and piercing of generational transgressions and iniquities in his body (NIV, Isaiah 53:5) as Christ redeemed his generations, perfectly, doing what we could not do, our substitute, Savior.

More on Story

Today, in the absence of being invited into the story of Christ, Tabernacles, (the deep work of grace beyond being born again and spirit filled), Christian men and women stay in the story of Passover and Pentecost, while the Lord is laboring to bring as many as will come into the story of Tabernacles.

Some 1700 years ago, in the absence of knowing the wilderness journey of Christ, the deep work of grace, Tabernacles, creeds were created to “create” story from the Scripture commensurate with the story the “creators” were living in, which was largely Passover, Pentecost having fallen away from the Church.

And then, over time, even Passover fell away from the Church, being restored with the beginning of the Reformation in the early 1500s.

In the absence of intimacy with Christ, creeds, statements of faith, and other outward measures of works and means of identification flourished.

If you have to teach or describe Jesus to someone by a creed, statement of faith, etc., then there’s something lacking.

Because Jesus needs no description to those who know him personally.

We can all talk “about” Jesus, and some about “his presence,” but to “know him” is to journey with him in the intimacy of cleansing, healing, and restoration.

And that can only come about by being taken into a deep place of grace with him.

The pointing of the “creation” of the New Testament to Calvary is the product, tragically, of fatherless men seeing God as an angry God.

One who “presents” his perfected Son to lawless men as a human sacrifice, offering salvation, but never really cleansing and healing his sons and daughters from the deep sins of transgressions and iniquities.

Important

Cleansing, healing, and restoration from transgressions and iniquities is quietly absent from creeds and traditions.

There’s a world of difference between having someone physically die for you, so you can be forgiven (the creeds), versus, having someone die to sin, “put sin to death in ‘life’’’ so you can put sin to death in your life, being made whole and holy like Christ, through the journey he pioneered (the Scripture).

Creeds and the story they create is the product of fatherless men who were not initiated and brought into the deep truths of the faith, cleansing, healing, and restoration.

The deep work of grace, the wilderness journey of Christ, had been long lost and forgotten at the time creeds came into being.

The Bible is the story of a God who loves men and women even in their sins – even Christian men and women, yes, Christian men and women!

Our sin does not keep us from the deep journey of grace, but our choices to refuse to come to him for healing and restoration might.

He uses our sins, wounds, and brokenness, as a catapult into the deep treasures of the mystery of Christ.

If Christ had to put sin to death in his life, and he never sinned, but he carried the cravings and lusts of the flesh from his ancestors in his body, what about us who have freely embraced sin over and over again?

Man’s rephrasing and reconstitution of the Gospel – an angry God taking his anger out on his Son, the only Son who did his will perfectly, so we could be saved, yet left largely unclean with layers and layers of deep sin within us, is not the story of the Scriptures.

God’ story is based on a loving God, who “presents” his Son to put sin to death, through his own personal cross, redeeming his generations, without sin, and in doing so, unmerited grace is bestowed upon mankind for not only the forgiveness of sins, but better yet, cleansing and healing from sin.

Christ, our lamb sacrifice, put sin to death while still alive, the wonder and beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – freely saving and healing for over 3 years before he was brutally cut short and killed.

A death prophesied; because Christ would not depart from saving and healing no matter the cost; and Israel would not repent, no matter the cost; but a death that was not foreordained.

Man’s story based on an angry mob of lawless men at Calvary ushering the New Covenant into existence is not God’s story.

It keeps men and women out of the true story of Christ, the deep work of the Spirit of grace.

God’s story is based on years of journey, fathering his Son into healing and restoration, perfectly; a testimony of what God can do to bring healing and restoration in men and women by grace through faith.

** SIX **

IT IS the LIVING CHRIST, the LIVING BLOOD

It was the living Christ, the living blood, ministering healing and restoration to the descendants of Abraham for over three years in the land of Israel.

The blood of “salvation” is connected to the living Christ.

It was the living Christ, symbolized by his “blood,” who would continue his ministry through to death – the final arrow of Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to pierce the hearts of the unrepentant into repentance and forgiveness.

Scripture teaches the living Christ – the life living in him, resurrection life, eternal life – symbolized by the most intimate term possible, his “blood,” is what brought life to those he healed.

It was evident and confirmed by “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” (NIV, Hebrews 2:4)

Resurrection life in Christ enraged the leaders of Israel, because it came from one not their own; one they could not control, shame, or intimidate.

Christ was free of shame, condemnation, and all the rest of the “fall” that keeps men and women crippled in sin, unable to offer care, comfort, and love to those deep in sin and the path to healing.

Important

Change in Sacrificial Systems – Hearts Instead of Animals

To be deeply healed and restored, one must be taken deep into grace, Tabernacles.

There are no exceptions or other paths for those who want intimacy and union with Christ.

Every human has deep wounds and brokenness, and sins that feed off of them.

Tabernacles is not for those who believe they’re just find the way they are, in need of little, if any, healing.

But for those who know through their own deeds, and conviction, they have deep wounds and brokenness, in need of a new nature – one born in Christ, and not of this world.

The living Christ brought healing and restoration to the living, and even to those who died.

It is the living Christ, now, today, who brings life to those who seek him; not when they die, but now, today.  

Jesus tried every approach to get his listeners out of Old Covenant thinking and into the New – lavishly and unexpectedly saving, healing, and restoring without the need to sacrifice an animal or perform works and rituals.

Christ, having destroyed the barrier of sin in his flesh, passed to him from his human ancestry (NIV, Romans 8:3, 6:10, and, Ephesians 2:14-16, see an interlinear) – the enmity between the law and his flesh – killed the rituals of works that feed off the weakness of the flesh, living in the realm of the Spirit of life.

And by the Spirit of life, he approached the wounded and broken places in peoples lives with healing and restoration without the need for ceremonial cleansing practiced under the Old Covenant.

Important

As the High Priest, he entered areas sold to sin bringing grace and healing directly to wounds and brokenness, cleansing and healing not only the wounds, but the sins that fed off the wounds – destroying the agreements and what not that bound the unhealed areas to God’s sons and daughters.

For over three years the perfected resurrected Christ, the New Covenant Messiah in flesh and blood, cleansed not only the wounds, but sins, having destroyed sin in his generations.   

There is a place in Tabernacles, in an encounter with the Lord, where he comes in and not only cleanses and heals the wound, but destroys the structures of sin, creatively restoring that particular area into his likeness.

This is beyond inner healing commonly practiced.

But a place where Christ comes and personally restores areas sold and bound unto sin in his creative acts to cleanse and heal.

The living Christ, the deep work of grace God accomplished in the man Christ Jesus, replaced the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant, with the sacrificial system of the New Covenant, based on offering one’s life, and not one’s possessions.

And he demonstrated the New Covenant, in some, by making God’s sons and daughters new from the inside out in areas of deep wounding and deep sin.

****

You could say Christ was Tabernacles in flesh and blood; coming to God’s people and ushering areas of their lives into the Holy of Holies.

Today, unlike times past, Christ is doing an unprecedented deep work of grace.

It’s on a scale unlike the Church has ever seen.

The intensity, depth, and breath of it is unparalleled, and rightly so; because there’s only one age of Philadelphia – the last day bride.

And yet, it is well hidden in the womb of the Church (NIV, Revelation 12:4-5).

Only God could do a profound work and keep it hidden, until he’s ready to reveal it in the fullness of time.

The offering of one’s life “their blood,” symbolically and spiritually speaking, is a fragrant offering to the Lord.

Humility and brokenness are powerful weapons in the hands of the Lord.

A wounded and broken heart can be healed and restored, a testimony of the grace and love of God.

It becomes a heart “broken away” from the things of this life and brought into union the God.

That’s what Christ demonstrated and ushered in throughout his ministry.

The need to sacrifice from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant did not change.

But what was sacrificed from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant did change.

In-Kind

Restoration grace was not available under the Old Covenant.

Sacrifices were made, repentance and forgiveness taught and practiced, but transformation was not available because in-kind can only produce in-kind.

The fallen nature can only produce the fallen nature.

Only grafting the Old into the New, can produce the New Creation in you and me.

It is Tabernacle grace that allows the wise virgins to be grafted into the Tree of Life, Christ; cleansed, healed, and restored.

God has reserved the feast of Tabernacles for that purpose – to turn barley and wheat Christians into the fruit of the precious summer harvest.

For the New Creation to take effect in the lives of others, a new tree had to be planted in the Garden; a tree bearing the fruit of holiness and righteousness.

A tree rooted in truth and grace (NIV, John 1:14), inviting other branches from other trees, destined to die, to be grafted into it and made whole.

God had to start with the new Adam, the man Christ Jesus, who, through his perfection, became the tree of eternal life God could graft others into.

It was the living Christ, the man who sacrificed everything in being made perfect, a perfect lamb sacrifice (NIV, John 1:29), who became the New Testament in flesh and blood, having put to death ancestral transgressions and iniquities.

And having put them to death, he was raised to walk in newness of life (NIV, Romans 6:10, Hebrews 5:7-10).

His death to sin, the death of a testator, “while alive,” destroying the barrier between the law and his flesh, fulfilling the law perfectly, ushered in the New Covenant; a better covenant, with better sacrifices (NIV, Hebrews 9:23), i.e., the living, breathing, Christ, doing the will of God perfectly from the heart (NIV, Hebrews 10:9-10).

These verses are not speaking of Christ at Calvary, but Christ being made perfect, fathered by God, for likely two decades in preparation for birthing the New Covenant and ultimately ministry.

God prepared the tree of life again perfectly and completely; presenting it to Israel for healing and restoration for over three years.

When the Scripture says, “…he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption…

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”, it is not talking about Calvary.

But about Christ’s perfection, being ushered into the heavenly realm, the Heavenly Tabernacle, becoming our salvation – the atoning sacrifice for our sins. (NIV, Hebrews 9:12 – 14)

These and like Scriptures refer to Christ “offering of his life” to be made perfect, becoming the substitute for our sins, having redeemed transgressions and iniquities passed to him from his human ancestry.

Someone had to put sin to death by grace through faith, and that someone was Christ.

And because he did it perfectly without sin, “…God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…” (NIV, Philippians 2:9)

Creeds would have us believe the New Testament was authored, “inaugurated,” by the acts of lawless men with the help of an angry God, killing the only perfect man who ever lived.

In contrast, our salvation was birthed from Christ doing the will of God perfectly from the heart (NIV, Hebrews 10:9), sacrificing his life to the uttermost in being made perfect, putting sin to death (NIV, Romans 6:10, Hebrews 5:7-10).

And finding himself perfected, he emptied himself of rights and privileges (NIV, Philippians 2:8), anything that would conflict with his service to God and man.

And in all that, he pioneered the New Covenant in “him.”

He made one new man out of the two – his flesh and the law – destroying the barrier between them, becoming whole, and holy, the Temple and fullness of God (NIV, Ephesians 2:14-16, Colossians 2:9).

Note

He made the law and his flesh one, fulfilling the promise of grace to come.

The context of Ephesians Chapter 2 is about making the law and the flesh one, not the Gentiles and the Jews.

The Gentiles and the Jews were made one because Christ destroyed the barrier between the law and his flesh (see an interlinear for Ephesians 2:14 – 16, and the rest of the Chapter).

Translators and commentators have not known what to do with the phrase Christ had enmity in his flesh (NIV, Ephesians 2:14-16 and Romans 8:3); structuring the sentences to mean something different than the Greek.

****

Finally, it’s the life of the living Christ, symbolized by his “blood,” atoning for sin at his perfection and eventually shed because they would not believe and come to forgiveness.

The New Testament did not regress to paganism, the killing of a human, but from death to life, the blood of the living Christ.

Christ was the Savior in flesh and blood when he walked the land of Israel; the living Savior, the Messiah; the fulfillment of the promised grace to come.

The Old Covenant killed “life,” serving two purposes.

One, a mirror into their spiritual state before a Holy God; and two, God’s forgiveness in offering a sacrifice necessary for life central to their heart and affections.

The Old Covenant sacrifice both “convicted,” an act proclaiming repentance, and, “atoned,” proclaiming forgiveness by God.

The New Covenant healed and restored “life.”

Christ, the first sacrifice of the New Covenant of the promised grace (and the only sinless sacrifice), brought sin to death by the conviction of the Holy Spirit (not his sins), but transgressions and iniquities passed to him, by grace through faith in repentance and forgiveness for his generations.

He, the perfect lamb sacrifice, was cleansed and healed of generational sins, fathered by God, raised from mortality to immortality, becoming the pioneer of and firstborn of the New Covenant.

In the Old Covenant the same sacrifice brought conviction and forgiveness.

In the New Covenant, the man Christ Jesus sacrificed his life in being made perfect, under the conviction of the Holy Spirit for his generations, and, in putting sin to death, he brought forgiveness to his generations and us.

Important

Because Christ was the New Testament in flesh and blood, the resurrected “complete” man, he was able to offer his life (shed his blood) as an outward expression of what he had already done inwardly, extending grace through physical death and beyond.

Calvary did not bring atonement.

But it did bring unrepentant sin to the surface, and Christ’s righteousness revealed to the uttermost in being raised from the dead.

Calvary confirmed what he said about himself, and testified what he said about them.

Because of Calvary, the cost of salvation increased.

For Christ, in the needless shedding of his blood; having to “purchase” mankind because of their rejection, (NIV, Revelation 5:9), having already “redeemed/atoned” for mankind’s sin in his perfection before ministry.

And for mankind, the cost became greater in the long journey of healing and restoration which would take millenniums; because of Christs physical absence.

In a future post I plan to discuss the difference between the redeeming/atoning work of Christ in his perfection versus the additional cost to him and us in “purchasing” mankind at Calvary.

Calvary served a purpose in extending grace, his ministry, but it was not the place where atonement occurred.

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By allowing himself to be treated with contempt, hatred, rage, and condemnation by God’s chosen people, he was in effect saying,

“If you won’t believe in the signs, wonders, and miracles of God through me over three years, maybe you’ll believe when you hear I’m raised again and you see my disciples doing even greater works.

If the only way some of you will come to me to find eternal life is by seeing me killed and raised again, then my death must occur.

It will expose your sin, piercing your unrepentant hearts; revealing what I’ve said all along, leaving no excuse for sin.

My death at your hands will remove all excuse for sin and place you squarely at the crossroads of receiving me or continuing to serve the God of this world.

The cost for me is great; the cost for you will also be greater because of my physical absence.

I brought back “redeemed,” what had been lost in the Garden over and above, exceedingly abundant (NIV, 1 Corinthians 15:3), being made perfect by my Father.

Since you reject the redemption in my sacrificial atonement for sin in being made complete by my Father (NIV, Romans 6:10, Hebrews 5:7-10), rejecting my love and care for over three years, I will purchase you with my own blood, publicly making my actions toward you unquestionably clear and good.

I reject your rejection of me, the New Covenant in me; I will offer my physical life in one last sign revealing who I am and who you are through my physical death.

I’m going beyond what my Father requires of me; giving my resurrected life up, so you can see your sin and my righteousness.”

More Comparing and Contrasting

To liken and equate the sacrifice of an animal under the Old Covenant with the killing of Christ, at Calvary, is making “light” dark, exceedingly dark.

The Old Testament sacrifice was an offering of possessions to demonstrate the result of sin and God’s forgiveness in giving something of value in recognition of not keeping the law.

The promised grace to come did away with the outward sacrifices, going straight to the structures of sin in the heart passed from generation to generation.

The promised grace to come was not an outward atonement for sins, but the destruction of sin by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Christ conceived in grace was God’s chosen vessel to overcome and put sin to death for his generations, as the substitute for mankind.

The sacrificial atonement of Christ occurred likely over two decades, redeeming and restoring areas over time until Christ was made perfect.

And upon completion of the race, he became not only in prophetic “calling” Savior, Lord, Emmanuel, etc., but “experientially glorified,” defeating sin, becoming our atoning sacrifice.

If one misses the story of Christ, his personal journey, then invariably, in the absence of the knowledge of Christ and the plan of God, the Old Covenant is naturally superimposed on the New.

And in that, the Scriptures about Christ’s journey are pointed to Calvary.

And then, because of that, one is effectively studying the New Testament in light of the Old (instead of the other way around).

Which is like trying to study and describe the sun by studying the moon.

Important

Creeds and traditions have significantly defined New Testament words, events, and actions from the language and perspective of the Old Testament.

The New Testament defines the Old Testament and not vice versa.

The “…law of the Spirit who gives life…” reveals the law of sin; light and truth reveal darkness, and not vice versa. (NIV, Romans 8:2, italicized mine)

The Old Testament and back to Adam have “types” pointing to the New, the “real,” and not the other way around.

And animal sacrifices are not a “type” of Christ.

This is important; the sacrifice of an animal is not a “type,” “prefigure,” or “foretelling,” of how salvation must come about by the killing of a person.

The sacrifice of an animal points to the giving of what’s dear and near to the heart in repentance and forgiveness; an acknowledgement of one’s utter dependence on God for life, and the pain of being separated from intimacy with God because of sin.

It points to the matters of the heart, and not to a future time when someone will be sacrificed on an altar like the ancient pagans.

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Absent experiencing the journey and adventure of Christ – the feast of Tabernacles – the deep work of grace in putting sin to death; the natural mind is left to run free, interpreting the New in light of the Old.

The natural mind cannot discern the spiritual truths of God, and lacking deep intimacy with Christ, the inward journey of being cleansed and healed is lost.

Jesus prophesied the Church would fall away and not come out of darkness until the Sardis church age, and not into fullness until Philadelphia.

Eating and Drinking Christ

Jesus defined his flesh and blood as life and Spirit.

That if we feed on him, “eating what he ate” (the Word of God in putting sin to death), and “drink what he drank” (“…law of the Spirit who gives life…”), then we’ll be made new, just like him, raised to walk in new life. (NIV, Romans 8:2, italicized mine)

In the Old Covenant it was taught the life of the body is in the blood.

In the New Covenant Jesus amplified the understanding by using blood to represent the “giving” of one’s life, not the “killing” of one, but the giving.

Like the sacrifice of fulfilling the law in his flesh, putting sin to death.

That just as the blood sustains and nourishes the body with the life-giving ingredients of food and oxygen, so to the Spirit, in both the realm of the “natural,” and the realm of the “spiritual.”

That is, the Spirit of God not only brings food (the Word of God), but also spiritual drink (the word of God in action by the power of the Holy Spirit) to transform our lowly natures into his glorious nature by the sacrifice of ourselves to God, Christ being the first of the new creation.

The spiritual counterpart to blood in the natural is the Word and Spirit of God bringing life to our body, soul, and spirit in wholeness and holiness.

Jesus connected blood in the natural to the Spirit in the spiritual, both necessary for life in the New Covenant.

And then he went one step further.

He connected “blood” to another concept: the resurrection of the body, mortality changed to immortality, an indestructible priesthood, eternal life restored. (Romans 6:10, 8:10 – 11; Hebrews 5:7 – 10; NIV, Hebrews 7:16)

So, when the Scripture speaks of Christ offering a sacrifice, his blood, when the context is not about shedding his blood at Calvary, it’s speaking about the offer of his life in being made perfect.

That’s why Peter on the day of Pentecost quoted Psalm 16 and said you killed “the resurrected Jesus,” (his first glorification), and it was that Jesus God raised from the dead (his second glorification).

In other words, Peter was saying you killed the glorified resurrected Son of God – the Messiah who performed “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” for over three years. (NIV, Hebrews 2:4)

By saying the New Testament was in his blood (NIV, Matthew 26:28), he was stating,

“I will rise again, because I am the New Testament.

You cannot destroy the New Testament; you can kill my body, but not destroy me, nor the New Covenant in my life.

The same forgiveness I’ve offered you over three years I will offer you again!”

Most of the Scriptures in the New Testament refer to Christ’s living blood – his life, and not about Calvary, unless the context demands it.

The greatest sacrifice one can make is the giving of their “life” to the Father while they’re “alive” in being made complete – cleansed, healed and restored into his likeness – a new creation.

Contrary to common Christian teaching, the journey of being made into the likeness of Christ is here on earth, not in Heaven – this is where transformation and sanctification occur!

Being killed as a “sacrifice,” Christ, or us, is not the journey of being made into the likeness of the Father.

The Best the Old Covenant Could Do Is Point to the Future

Under the Old Covenant resurrection life was not available except for a few types (Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and even David, though he was not translated to heaven).

David’s wilderness journey culminated in possessing the Ark of the Covenant, Psalm 16, a type of the resurrection, fulfilled at Christ’s perfection, his first glorification.

The Old Covenant was a covenant of truth and grace pointing to a future time when men and women would be experientially transformed into a new and better nature.

In a broad way, one could say the Old Covenant presented truths about relationship with God and one another without the means to completely and fully live the truth.

The Old Covenant had a form of truth but not the knowledge and power for it to be effective in putting sin to death – cleansed, healed, and restored in intimacy and relationship with God.

God’s sacrificial system of grace under the Old Covenant gave the people eternal life after physical death; except for the few who were purposed to be “types,” of Christ as examples of hope for future.

The Old Covenant was the first step from the fall to eternal life short of receiving intimacy with God – resurrection life – this side of Heaven.

It pointed to eternal life – what was possible this side of Heaven in the promised grace to come – but not the means to achieve it.

The Old Covenant was designed to build desire and appetite for the promised grace to come – to draw hearts in anticipation and expectation toward God.

To continue the journey out of Exodus and out of Canaan’s land into the arms of God – to want God above all others.

So that when the Messiah came, he would be met with anticipation and expectation fulfilled.

God designed the Old Covenant so God’s sons and daughters would be thirsty and hungry for God.

That they would freely sacrifice all in humility and repentance to have their Messiah; the gift of God in human flesh.

God even gave a timetable of when the Messiah would come, not only one in years (the seventy weeks of Daniel), but one in a successive line of Kingdoms (the great and terrible kingdom, Rome, NIV, Daniel 7:19).

God did everything he could do to build desire in their hearts for the Messiah, from relief for sins to relief from foreign oppression.

The Old Covenant gave the hope of eternal life, but it’s best offer, this side of Heaven, was hope, and only hope; DEATH firmly planted in the hearts and minds of God’s chosen people because of the power of the law of sin.

The best the Old Covenant could do presently is point to something better, and, for posterity in the future, someday, the coming of the promised one.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” (NIV, Hebrews 11:1 – 2)

Faith in the Old Covenant lacked the divine work of grace of the Holy Spirit to put sin to death because no one was sin free.

The law of in-kind works in sin, and, in grace.

Someone had to put sin to death perfectly so others could be grafted into them to produce the fruit of the Spirit as they.

In order for sin to be forgiven someone had to undo what Adam and Eve did, to not only resist it, but put it to death.

Calvary makes it all about the killing of Christ, instead of the killing of sin; sin is the culprit, not God’s anger.

And the only way sin could be killed is by grace through faith through someone who never sinned, born into grace, similar to Adam before the fall.

And having God walk them through the process of cleansing and healing from their generations through not only resisting sin, but putting it to death.  

And that someone was Christ.

Israel rejected the promise in Christ for them.

And today, tragically, the Church of Laodicea is being groomed through lack of vision and teaching to reject the promised grace to be made new from the inside out, forsaking Philadelphia, Tabernacles.

That the promised grace is for Heaven, but then it will be too late.

More on Calvary, Hebrews 12:4

Calvary was not a living blood sacrifice, but the killing of the New Covenant in flesh and blood.

You cannot kill an indestructible life (NIV, Hebrews 7:16); only the body, and that only temporarily.

Hebrews 12:4 says, in regard to putting sin to death (because that’s the subject of Hebrews), we “…have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (NIV)

(The Greek does not have the word “shedding,” that’s been added by translators, to, one must assume, point the Scripture to Calvary).

Creeds and traditions would have us believe Hebrews 12:4 is referring to Calvary, but the context (not only the immediate and adjoining, but the book of Hebrews), is clearly not about Calvary but Christ’s perfection before his ministry.

The context here is clearly talking about the process of putting sin to death by one’s personal cross, the journey of being made perfect through suffering – the race Christ pioneered and perfected (NIV, Hebrews 12:1-2).

He did not pioneer and perfect the cross of Calvary, but the cross he asks you and I to carry in apprehending what God has sought for us.

Blood is used here “symbolic” of Christ giving his life as a sacrifice in putting sin to death, paving the way for mankind.

Calvary is not the sacrifice of the unblemished Christ to God (NIV, Hebrews 9:14), doing the will of God from the heart, being made perfect, becoming our Savior.

Calvary had nothing to do with the Father – Son relationship in being made complete, becoming the “…exact representation of his being…”. (NIV, Hebrews 1:3, bold and italicized mine)

Sacrifice has the sense of “part of a relationship;” the special relationship between the Father and the Son and not, the killing of the Son by lawless men and women.

That’s not a sacrifice but a murder, the shedding of blood. (Acts 7:52, Matthew 21:33-41, etc.)

Christ was the sacrificial lamb when he entered ministry, having already atoned for sin in his perfection.

Phrases and terms such as poured out, slain, killed, flogged, spat upon, rejected, are used in reference to Calvary.

Sacrifice is reserved for the special relationship between the Father and the Son, in making the Son perfect, fulfilling the law in his flesh.

Creeds and traditions have corrupted the use of the term sacrifice, defining the New Testament term of sacrifice in terms of the Old Covenant, instead of the promised grace to come in making men and women whole in God, starting with Christ first.

You don’t start a brand-new covenant by killing the messenger of the Covenant, but by having him, “the testator,” put the law of sin “to death,” – dying to sin (NIV, Romans 6:10).

Simply, death in the New Covenant is not physical death, but death to sin.

The Old Covenant could only produce death because it was just a sign pointing to the promised life to come.

Signs, what the Old Covenant is in relationship to the New, are not the destination.

Christ gave Israel a “sign” at Calvary, the “‘…sign of the prophet Jonah’” (NIV, Matthew 12:39), because they demanded a sign because of the hardness of their hearts.

So he gave them a sign likened in the Old Covenant; Christ reaching back to the Old Covenant to give them a sign some might come to forgiveness even though for over three years forgiveness and the Millennium were in their grasp.

But they could only have the destination, “Christ,” through repentance and forgiveness.

The destination was Christ, not Calvary.

The creeds make the destination Calvary, but that’s not what the Scripture teaches.

The punishment of sin was bringing its death through the destruction of its web of structures passed from generation to generation.

Christ brought an end to one covenant and started the New Covenant while alive – what a glorious testimony to the grace and power of the Holy Spirit to end one covenant and begin another covenant, without having to kill someone.

Noah entered a new covenant without having to die.

So did Abraham, Moses, and David.

The bride will enter a deep relationship with Christ in the last days.

For, those alive at the threshold of the Tribulation will be out – translated to God without having to face physical death.

Just like Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and likely Paul and Peter (per their testimonies of knowing their time was coming) and others we know not of, over the last two millenniums.

All of this has been possible because Christ became the New Covenant in flesh and blood, the sacrificial lamb, John (the Baptist) spoke at the beginning of Christ’s ministry.

Though Israel rejected Christ, he did not reject them.

But went one step further, “purchasing the right” to buy them in an unrepentant state, giving them grace to the uttermost, if they would but repent for killing their Savior.

Maybe, if the price was one they could see with the natural eye – even though deep in sin – they would come to forgiveness.

Nothing changed about Jesus at Calvary.

Nothing changed about sin at Calvary.

And nothing changed in the hearts of men and women at Calvary other than the exposure of their unrepentant sins against the righteousness of God in Christ.

Calvary was Christ’s last attempt to let them see who they were in a mirror by seeing themselves reflected on the marks of his body.

What his outward body looked like, torn and bruised by sin, was what their inward body looked like, body, soul, and spirit.

What they saw outwardly on Christ, the fruit of their words and actions, was who they were inwardly.

And Christ did not condemn them for it, but exposed their sin that they might come to repentance and forgiveness – talk about the love of God!

In Closing

When Christ spoke of shedding his blood for the forgiveness of sins (NIV, Matthew 26:28), he was saying,

“I’m your sacrifice, the atonement, the Messiah.

I’ve been with you for over three years; there’s nothing more I can do other than reveal more about the depth of your sins by the revelation of my righteousness.

I made the sacrifice for your sins, and still, even with the “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” you do not believe me. (NIV, Hebrews 2:4)

Since you won’t believe and receive my words and works, I will show you I’ve already paid the price for your sins by letting you kill me, and be raised again.” (NIV, Luke 18:33 and 24:7)

In the next post, I separate the two streams of prophecy concerning Christ’s coming – the stream of healing and restoration from the stream of rejection, betrayal and killing.

Blessings, Drake

(A) The New Greek – English Interlinear New Testament by Translators Robert K. Brown and Philip W. Comfort, Editor: J. D. Douglas. Copyright © 1990. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.

(NIV) Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblical, Inc.™