HE IS THE FIRSTBORN

HE IS ALL THINGS

” And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Col. 1:15-17

The climax in the unfolding of God's plan to make full revelation of Himself to men was to bring this image within the grasp of men. This is alluded to in the statement which follows in Col. 1:15. Christ is not only "the image of the invisible God," but He is also "the firstborn of every creature." By incarnation He was joined to the creation of which He is the Creator. He became man. He did not cease to be all that He was as God, namely, "the image of the invisible God," but in addition He has now taken on human flesh, and is in every respect also a true man. But His relationship to creation stands in a class all by itself. He is the "firstborn." While this word carried an original significance of priority in time, its very usage has changed and it has come to mean priority in position (2 Chron. 26:10; Psa. 89:27). Though united to creation by incarnation, yet He is higher in position than any creation, and the two verses which follow support this explanation (Col. 1:17, 19) where all fullness dwells. This means that the image of the invisible God is now within the grasp of men, and yet at the same time retains every element and value as a revelation of God. This term does not mean first in order of time, but more probably last in order of time. The firstborn is not one who is at the beginning but the ultimate flower and fruit-age of creation.

ALL CONSUMING PURPOSE

ALL CONSUMING PURPOSE OF GOD

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created by Him and for Him.” Col. 1:16

A vision of the SELF-EXISTENCE of God teaches men that the supreme and all-consuming purpose of God in creating is to bring glory to Himself. God exists by Himself and all creation comes out of Him. "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him" (Col. 1:16). In the consummation of the age, this purpose will be achieved and all intelligence's will acknowledge that, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Rev. 4:11). Alva McClain in his book, “The Greatness of the Kingdom" stated that "The all-consuming purpose of God in creation was to establish a Kingdom on the earth, in which He could display His glory in the Person of His Son. This display of His glory was to be made to creatures made in His image, and therefore, capable of apprehending, appreciating, and applauding His glory. The unfolding drama of the Bible depicts the movements of God in the accomplishment of that purpose."

TRUE FREEDOM

TRUE FREEDOM FOR THE WILL

“I can do all things in Him that strengtheneth me.” Phil. 4:13

“To me who would do good evil is present.” Rom. 7:21  That is the language of the man who has never yet known perfectly the power of Christ. But the language of the man, that same man under the dominion of Christ, is this, “I can do all things in Him that strengtheneth me.” Phil. 4:13  I will the good, and do the evil, until I have surrendered myself to the Lord Christ. But when I have surrendered to Him, I will the good, and do it. Thus my will is free, for action follows its choice. Imperfect still, at the close of every day I hasten back to the cleft Rock, to the shelter of the blood redemption; and yet all the way it is possible, in this life, in the power of the present Christ, not to sin willfully.

But again: Holiness is not freedom from mistakes in judgment; but it is freedom from the need to exercise judgment alone. Master and Lord active from John 13:13. Luke 1:74-75. “To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.” Satan being the foremost and my following his lead through my flesh with its accumulated desires.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

“Who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Phil. 3:21

That is to say, the work of Jesus Christ in a man will never be ultimately perfected until he sees Christ face to face with no veil between, with all the limitation of the present life forever over. The ultimate in my Christian character lies beyond this life in the spacious and far-reaching mystery of the life to come. Holiness today is not perfection of consummation, but it is perfection of condition. It is the right attitude of a human life. Holiness does not mean that there can be no advancement. Holiness is the condition for advancement, that health of the spiritual life which makes growth possible. And this is what the apostle is teaching in the Philippian letter; he is healthy, but not full-grown; holy, but not glorified.

Our likeness to Him in change of body. We will experience attributes of goodness to perfection. Some of the human powers will be intensified. But attributes of greatness will never become ours (1 Cor. 15:35-49).

Part of His unfinished Business. See 1 Thess. which is a letter speaking on the unfinished portion of His work with us.  Cf. 1 Thess. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:19-20; 1 Thess. 3:13; 1 Thess. 4:16-18; 1 Thess. 5:23-24.

Fire and water. Unfinished Business. Completed sanctification at the Second Advent. Using the Spirit with the water of the word. And if it fails to accomplish its intended work in a society of persons there is fire which Sodom and Gomorrah experienced.

PROPER MATH

2 + 2 STILL = 4

“I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.” Phil. 3:8

These words occur in the page of autobiography in which Paul employed his own experience as an argument in appealing to his spiritual children in Philippi. They refer to a mental and spiritual activity. The two exercises were separated by at least thirty years. The first took place when Christ broke through upon him in all the radiant glory and revolutionizing power of His risen life. The second took place as he wrote, in prison, and amid all the difficulties and trials created by his Apostolic ministry. Between the time when he counted his gain loss and abandoned everything, and this hour, what experiences he had passed through! Nothing had occurred which in any way altered his first reckoning and decision; and so, to the "I counted" of the first revelation, he added the "I count" of the present experience. And this should always be so. We are never more in peril than when we are trusting to a past experience. Yet how often it is done! We remember the day when the light broke upon us. It was a very real thing. It changed our entire outlook. It compelled us to reconsideration of all the facts of life; we abandoned our previous philosophy and rethought everything we had learned and then we obeyed. We turned our backs upon all sorts of gains, counting them as merely worthless things. We yielded to the call and glory of the life in Christ. It was all excellent. But what about the present? Is the old attitude maintained? Are the activities of today those of the first days? Do we think the same?  Do we see that the knowledge of Christ as Savior and Lord is higher than all the secular and religious knowledge Paul had learned in his scholastic training as a Pharisee. Similarly, it is higher than any knowledge one could ever acquire from modern science or philosophy, or from any other discipline. Or have we gone back to the abandoned things? Do we allow ourselves to seek again the lower things? It is only as we can express the decision of the past in terms of the present, the "I counted," as "I count," that there is any real value in the past.

GLORY OF GOD

GLORY OF GOD

“Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” John 11:40

The glory of God <finished work of the Triune Godhead> is here explained to Martha in ransoming a man, redeeming him, healing him of his infirmities, and restoring him to perfect health both physically and spiritually which was her brother cf vs 25-26, (SEE BELOW) and this He says because of a previous promise (did I not tell you in vs 4). “When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

For He is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make yo u stand (after death) in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. Jude 24. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.”

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” John 11:25-26

The glory of the Lord is the finished work of the Triune Godhead with man. He is residing on this earth perfected, not able to sin or willing anymore. He is perfect in his worship and work. The glory of God is defined in John 11:40 when associated with verse 25-26. The N.T. usage has its meaning not in my opinion but finds its meaning in "reflection or image." The realization of the purpose of His love in all that His hands have made. The glory of God is a sinner raised out of a dead state and renewed to life because of a previous promise (John 11:40). God is revealed through Jesus Christ as One Whose glory is realized in man's ransom, redemption, healing, and restoration (Rom 5:2). The greatest picture of this is symbolically accomplished in the threefold ministry of Jesus symbolized in the threefold communion service.

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Rom. 5:2

FREE WILL

FREE WILL

“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Phil. 2:12-13

Does man have a free will concerning the human outlook and the attitude of God thereto? You realize that you are raising an old question which has confronted men and women of faith in every age. It is not easy to answer, and yet so far as I am concerned I am perfectly at rest. I remember always that God created man in His own image and likeness, which means, among other things, having the magnificent and yet awe-inspiring power and freedom of the will. Man has used that freedom in rebellion, and all the suffering and the wrong is the result of man's action. I say it with profound reverence that God, by the very nature of the case, cannot prevent these things, but He is overruling them. Man is being compelled, under the pressure of the Divine government, to work out his own choices. It is equally certain that the ultimate victory will be with the righteousness and mercy of God. Those of us who believe in Him abide there and carry on, doing whatever He has given us to do, and believing where we cannot see therefore there is security in our stance concerning salvation.

                The working is mutual. Interdependent are these two things. I cannot work out anything except as He shall work in it; but if I fail to work out I stop the operation of His energy within. But He that began a work in you will finish it to the end.

"work out your own salvation"  In accepting the work of Jesus by resurrecting Him from the dead, God refused all other methods of salvation. He said by resurrection, "Neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved." But we would prefer to work out our own salvation. We would prefer to accept the great Ideal, and see if it be not possible, without reference to the death and resurrection of Jesus, to work out our own salvation. God declares by resurrection that this is impossible, for every other method of salvation attempted by man is doomed to failure and disaster.

                These are blessed words of hope, for in them dynamic is added to injunction. The next verse includes God along with the person addressed in this verse. That means the inclusion of God and our self, and the exclusion of every other human being. The voice of God never comes finally through human lips. We may have heard the voice of God in the sermon preached; we may have heard the voice of God as we have read the page; the voice may have come to us in the silence of our own home; but it always comes ultimately in our own thinking. We may discern between the voice of God and the voice of Satan by the nature of the thought and the thing which is spoken. There came to us a call to higher life, to nobler work, to the consecration of the powers of our being to holy ventures; there came to us the voice that rebuked our sin, there came the moment of illumination when we saw the utter foolishness of our own passionate attempt to satisfy our lives with the things of dust. That is the voice of God finding utterance ultimately, as the voice of God always must, not through the lips of the preacher, not through the written word, but in our own thinking, in our own conception. We can hear sermons by the score and never hear God. It is only when in our souls we say amen to the truth uttered by the preacher that God has spoken to the soul – work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

 See later article TRUE FREEDOM.