BEHOLDING HIM

      There is only one truth and one life for the Christian and that I think we would all agree is Jesus Christ. " I am the way the truth and the life" John 14:6. In the original language 'truth" could be translated as "reality". Which might make this verse more subjective and applicable if thought of in this way. To say that He is our truth and life in quoting this verse is easy: but for Him to be our "reality" as a active expression of our personal existence, however might be a different thing. I covered in my last blog Jesus' statements to His disciples which included this truth verse. I referred to their lack of understanding pertaining to the future Church, which was limited by them not having the Holy Spirit. My recent life's effort has been to perceive myself as a man who rests in spirit by faith, for that it is necessary for me to know The Spirit; which comes by The Word of God. That's where the disciples were limited before the Holy Spirit was given, and also where trouble it seems brews for the Christian in this day and age. There is only one way to learn about the truth of The Word in Spirit for the Christian; through the administration of The Holy Spirit. Any perception that we will be fulfilled by works, law, experience, or mental exercise only is a misconception, and can never be acceptable in the economy of God as application to Christ as life. These things are often used as substitute for internal Spirit truth. The truth is found by the simplicity of God's Word made clear in the Spirits revelation of position and identity in Christ for the Christian. Which is strongly emphasized, and to be quite frank, hard to miss if thoughtfully sought in The Word! We must know who we are in "reality".  However we can take heart, The Father will use all things, even our sins and the natural  minds efforts to form us. Every Christian has the administration of The Spirit. Its what we do with Him, and how we process Him in making ourselves available to The Holy Spirit's leading, through applying the Word of God to our own personality and existence, that makes all the difference.

      In 1 John 5:6 it speaks of the water [Jesus' baptism] the Blood [shed for remission of our sins] and The Spirit; going on to say; "and the Spirit is He who testifies, because The Spirit is the reality". In John 14:6, prior to His glorification while He was still on the earth, Jesus is the reality and life, in 1 John 5:6 it is The Spirit, they are now one in the same. Also in John 14:17 Jesus said to His disciples; "even The Spirit of reality whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him; but you know Him, because He abides [Christ on earth physically] with you and shall be [via The Holy Spirit post Ascension] in you". It is now The Spirit as that reality who is Jesus Christ Himself who lives and forms us, He is our life by The Spirit. By knowing this we can see it is key to consider this same reality and life [Christ Himself] has now been infused in all who believe by The Spirit. The Spirit abiding in our spirit therefore is in place in us to germinate all those who have Faith in Christ; regenerating them with the Divine life. We can now live by the Spirit, in the love of God and be His expression on the earth. It is The Man Jesus Christ who is in heaven that has placed, by the exercise of our own faith, the Spirit in us: hence the mingling of Him with us in our spirit, and our position [union] in Him and our possession of Him by spirit internally. This completion of us comes by our renewed mind as the only means of actualizing Him as life. In truth it is the Tri-Union God Himself in whom we are completely-joined by Jesus' actions on earth, and then through His presence as the representative New Adam-New Man, a Human Man in a glorified form: thereby making us acceptable to God in heaven. This has accomplished The Father's acceptance of man in a new Holy image, which was never before in existence. He may now enter us in Spirit by faith. Because we now have a heritage which is spiritual, of a Adam Who is sin free. The old heritage has been made dead. By apprehending ourselves wholly in this fact by faith we begin to be formed in spirit in the inner man and will behold Him as reality, and life!

      There is no doubt that our eye's should be on Jesus. He is the object which presents everything as to mans salvation and all that God is to man. We should view all that we are is in connection to the Lord Jesus, as to defining our Christianity; any other way is of no value. But it is The Holy Spirit that defines Him subjectively in our spirit for this purpose. He, The Spirit, reveals God to us. What I am trying to say here is; spirit is the most necessary ingredient, not our natural mind; which cannot see him as He is. Even the born again experience itself, us as new men, cannot completely of itself understand Him. The ministry of The Spirit, not the mind, provides the reality. Let me illustrate: I once followed a man who was expert at explaining in a apologetic manner scientifically and using persuasive philosophical reasoning to show that God exists; very stimulating indeed. But you see that is merely using the mind as object or reason. Oh yes belief was there, but no nurturing growth of spirit [Jesus as the reality of life] in this form of conceptualization by the mind only; therefore of little value to growth in spirit. The Spirit enters by revelation and by the Word and is the reality and the life for the Christan. The disciples are good examples; they believed, were born of God after the resurrection, but it was not until The Spirit arrived to give revelation that they were able to behold Him in understanding the scriptures, and enabling them in  power to witness the truth. This my friends I believe is important to recognize, because it is so easy to be diverted by the world or experience, using our mind/intellect and feelings as the primary condition of defining reality and life, making the Word of God nothing more than a helper to our humanity stoking our pride and easing the natural mans inherent troubles. By living thus we cast aside the reality of Spirit and faith which is found in the subjective revelation of The Word by the ministry of The Holy Spirit. It is by the power of God's gift in recognition of who we are: brothers and sisters of Jesus Himself. We are seen by The Father positionally contained  in Christ in heaven just as if we were there personally present. Now as Christ Jesus' Body in spirit we may rest in simple trust and faith; beholding Him in the inner man as the One who is the occupant of the place of salvation for us! No other incite will do for the mature Christian.

      I believe with all my heart that the responsibility of the Christian on whatever level he is capable of  achieving it, is to search for a higher level of intimacy with The Lord. While the mind comes into play here on the human natural level and certainly can accomplish the task of directing us toward that goal, the spiritual roll of faith, must be the paramount way of our entering into Christ. We can only be in touch with Spirit by listening to the voice of our inner man, made clear by The Word [Spirit renewed mind/soul] and even trusting it. This is a sometimes precarious road with many often difficult turns. That is why we must have the Word of God instilled in us as the defining end to all things of The Spirit in the inner man. This requires a right understanding and a proper motivation when we read it. This admittedly can be a road fraught with potential deviations; if denominational-ism be an example. But take encouragement my friends, the Lord is our guide. We only need the all important ingredient of a desire to be formed in the inward parts in His image. By His Spirit it all will be accomplished; we just need to need it enough, and there is the true test.

      "But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as from the Spirit" 2 Cor. 3:18. This verse reflects the condition we should find ourselves in as Christians! By unveiled it's referring to our spiritual sight as compared to the veiled Jew [law tradition self] and the world. The mirror is us reflecting Him by spirit, knowing who we are in Christ in the reality of life. By Glory it is referring to us in ministry as Christ, seen as Him in self conceptualization, His Body on earth both individually and corporately. In the transformation we are changed gradually, in our renewed mind, into the same image as Jesus; by His life giving Spirit. Not making the flesh better by works but the spirit growing in maturity. We actually are being transformed metabolically in spirit  [the process of breaking down our former self] to have His shape: by the renewing of our natural mind into something new in self image. A union of oneness in spirit with Him. We now have His power His life essence, His image by Spirit; the Resurrected One, conformed by Him in death in a new image; putting away all that we were in the flesh. He is ours we are His! The Spirit is the compound title of the all inclusiveness of The God head. It is the Spirit who has the power of the creation, who gives life, who ministers, who transforms and frees us to live His life on earth. We as believers are to imitate Him in our self concept, apprehend ourselves as Him living out His life in us in the understanding of His Word. The Spirit as Life will follow, and overtake naturally. We then my friends will be seen by all the world as those who are beholding Him. Thank you to The Local Church recovery bible for clarity of this important verse.

      Just as a personal note: again I say this blog is for my growth and advancement in the Body life. Not a teaching. Although I do have a strong desire for others to come to the realization of Christ as life. I know I sometimes stumble and also use logic our verbiage which is hard to understand. I also know from the dieing off of readers that many probably just don't get it. Or perhaps they are unwilling to take up the challenge, give up the comfort zone. I do not know! I therefor request, you that are still with me, to please pass this blog on to friends you think might have a hunger for something more than the status quo. A final request, and perhaps this is my ego speaking, but a word of encouragement or even criticism once in a while would be greatly appreciated. God bless you all!!