Perfection for the Children of God

Perfection for the Children of God

Hebrews 10:14

“For by on offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

            “For by one offering” Christ Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, as it is written “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, at down on the right hand of God;” (Hebrews 10:12). Christ Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins; His one offering for sins was absolutely and perfectly effective for the purpose for which it was intended. That the one sacrifice for sins was perfectly effective to the purpose for which it was intended is shown in that after He had offered that one sacrifice for sins Christ Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, in perfect immutable stability as King of Glory; (Psalm 24:1-10).  It is but once, only “once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26). The Old Testament priests, had first, to offer for themselves; and then for the sins of the people: Christ Jesus offered but once for the sins of His people, that is, the members of His spiritual body or the spiritual seed of Abraham. For it is the spiritual seed of Abraham alone that Christ Jesus “took on” as the subjects of His everlasting kingdom, for “he took on him the seed of Abraham.” (Hebrews 2:16; Galatians 3:16, 29). The Old Testament priests had to offer, first for their own sins, because they were sinners; they were sons of Adam, and therefore they had a fallen nature, a nature that is ruined by sin, both original and actual sin, sinners in thought, word, and deed; as all the natural sons of Adam are. Christ Jesus offered only one offering for sins and those sins for which He offered Himself were the sins of His chosen people who were given Him of His Father before the foundation of the world, (Ephesians 1:3-5). Jesus Christ is and was the sinless one, The Holy One of God, He “knew no sin” (II Corinthians 5:21) Christ Jesus is the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” and He is “a Lamb without blemish and without spot:” (John 1:29; I Peter 1:19). Therefore Christ Jesus never offered for Himself for He was the sinless one, but offered only once for the sins of His people whose iniquities were “laid on Him” (Isaiah 53:6).

 I ask the reader to allow me to bring before him what world it is whose sin it  was that Christ Jesus took away; it was not “the world of the ungodly” who God destroyed in the flood in the days of Noah, (II Peter 2:5) nor “the whole world" that “lieth in wickedness” while the little children are of God, (John 5:19) here are two separate and distinct worlds, one is of God; the other lieth in wickedness. There is that world that is in Adam, in that world all die: and there is that world that is in Christ Jesus in this world all are made alive: it is written “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (I Corinthians 15:22). There is that world whose sins were laid on Christ Jesus and therefore in God’s sight they have no sin (Jeremiah 50:20) these live in Christ Jesus; this is that world that God so loved in John 3:16; and it is this world whose sins the Lamb of God has taken away. (John 1:29). Reader if you would avail yourself of a more full view of the two separate worlds that are extant in this world see the following verses of holy writ: (James 4:4; I John 2:15-17; 3:1; Revelation 12:9; Romans 11:7; John 17:9, 14, 16 ).

            “He hath perfected for ever” all that world that is “of God” (I John 5:19) is in Christ Jesus; for they were set apart or sanctified in Christ Jesus from everlasting (Jude 1; I Corinthians 1:2) that world is made accepted in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:6) for Christ Jesus is to them “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6) and Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8). That world that is in Christ Jesus and perfected in Him is the “general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23) they are “not of the world” (John 17: 14, 16, 20, 21) but they are all one in Christ Jesus (John 14: 20; 17:21-26). That world that is in Christ is perfected in Christ, they abide in Christ, and are robed with the robe of the righteousness of Christ and the garments of salvation in Christ. That righteousness that is inherently in Christ Jesus is upon them as their robe, and covering. Each individual member of the body of Christ is a member in particular (I Corinthians 12:27), and all the members collectively make up the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:20) who is the Head of the body (Colossians 1:18) the individual members collectively form the one body of Christ and collectively are the fullness of that body; of which Christ is the head and it is He that filleth all, in them all. Christ Jesus is all to each of those who are in Christ; for “of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 1:30-31).  

            “Them that are sanctified” are those that have been set apart or “sanctified in Christ Jesus,” (I Corinthians 1:2). These are the children of the covenant (Acts 3:25) and children of the promise (Galatians 4:28). They are set apart in, or preserved in Christ Jesus (Jude 1) from everlasting, or before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). They were chosen in Jesus Christ unto salvation from the beginning (II Thessalonians 2:13) according to the purpose and grace of God which was given them in Christ Jesus before the world began (II Timothy 1:9). They were given faith in Christ according to the ordination of God (Acts 13:48) and were “justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39) through that faith in Christ Jesus: as it is written “therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed;” (Romans 4:16). “The seed” is all that believe in Christ Jesus as it is written “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” (Galatians 3:7). That is they who believe are the spiritual seed of Abraham, (Galatians 3:16, 29) and “the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:” (Romans 4:13, 14). These sanctified ones were chosen in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, and were predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, as it is written “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1: 3-6).  See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com   A.J. Ison    

The Righteousness of God

The Righteousness of God

Romans 1:16-17; 3:21-22

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written the just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:16-17) But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:21-22)    

            What is the righteousness of God? The righteousness of God is that perfection of character and conduct that is in Christ Jesus. It is the absolutely perfect moral rectitude of His character and His corresponding absolutely perfect moral conduct in all He does and has done. It is His doing righteously, according to perfect righteousness, in the entirety of His existence; that is, in Himself, before He created of the worlds; and in His walk among men as Mediator and Surety of the everlasting covenant of grace. The righteousness of God is that perfect righteousness that resides in our Lord Jesus Christ and is manifested in His thoughts, words, and deeds. The Righteousness of God is that righteousness that resides perpetually in Christ Jesus, and was manifested in this world by His obedience of all that was stipulated in the covenant of grace and fulfilled by Him in His life and in His death; as it is written in the scriptures: He shall “bring in everlasting righteousness” (Daniel 9:24). This righteousness that was brought in; and established by Jesus Christ the God-Man and Mediator between God and men is the righteousness of God. This righteousness of God that has been established by Jesus Christ is imputed to the account of believers; for it is written “Now it was not written for his sake alone (that is, the for the sake of Abraham alone, writer’s parenthesis) that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;” (Romans 4:23-24). And the righteousness of God is received by faith by those who do believe on Jesus Christ as the only Savior of sinners. The righteousness of God thus brought in by Jesus Christ; imputed to the account of believers by the Father; and received by faith by those who do believe, is ordained by God as the only sufficient clothing for the children of God in which they stand complete in Christ Jesus.    

The righteousness of God that was brought in and established by Jesus Christ through His obedience and death is that righteousness that is ordained of God as the only sufficient covering for the children of God. The righteousness of God is the righteousness of saints, for it is written “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Revelation 19:8). This righteousness of saints is that righteousness with which the Lord has clothed His saints, as is written “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10). This righteousness of God is that clothing that in the presence of God makes the wearer of it “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). The righteousness of God is the wedding garment for the saints of God, as it is written “And the King came in to see the guests, and he saw there a man which had not on the wedding garment: And he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to his servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 22:11-13).

The righteousness of God is received by faith. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Romans 3:22). The faith of Jesus Christ is that faith that has Jesus Christ as the object of faith: it is Jesus Christ that has brought in everlasting righteousness for the children of God. It is Jesus Christ that has by himself put away the sins of His people, (Hebrews 1:3; 9:26-28).  Jesus Christ “by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). “By Him (that is, Jesus Christ, writer’s parenthesis) all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39). “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3). Abraham believed God, that is, trusted in God, through, the promised seed of Woman who was to crush the serpents head (Genesis 3:15), and therefore having seen and on believed the woman’s seed; Christ Jesus, by faith, it was counted or imputed to him for righteousness. As our Lord Jesus said “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” (John 8:56). Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;” (Romans 4:20-24). “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace: to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed:” (Romans 4:16). The seed mentioned in this verse is all the church of the elect in Christ Jesus, that is, Abraham’s spiritual seed, (Hebrews 2:16; Galatians 3:16, 29).

In summary of what haw been written above it may be said: (1.) The righteousness of God is that righteousness which is and was ordained of God, the only sufficient covering for His people. (2.) The only righteousness which is accepted of God as a sufficient clothing, for the dress of the children of God, in which righteousness they are accepted in Christ Jesus; for He Himself is “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23: 6). And His church robed in that righteousness “she shall be called, Lord our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:16). (3.) The righteousness of God was brought in and established by Jesus Christ alone; by all He did as the Head and Husband of His church, it is His finished work, His accomplished salvation of His people, His fulfilling the law and  prophets in the room and stead of His elect, (Matthew 5:17-18). (4.) The righteousness of God is imputed to those who are given faith in Christ as complete Savior of His people. (5.) The righteousness of God is received by faith alone; through grace of God alone, in Christ Jesus alone; for our trust in God is through Christ, (Colossians 3:3). (6.) The righteousness of God is the justifying righteousness of the children of God. (Romans 9:30-10:4). See the writer’s blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com        

A.J.Ison          

MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT

MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT

Or

The Great Whore

Revelation 17:1, 5

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: (Vs. 1) And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”. (Vs.5)

            The title has reference to the religion of antichrist. “Little children it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know it is the last time. They (the antichrists, writer’s parenthesis)   went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” (I John 2:18-22) And again the same Apostle has written “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is in the world.” (I John 4: 3).  

          Any perversion of the doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ is adherence to the doctrine of antichrist. An example will be sufficient to reveal the truth of this statement: our Lord Jesus said “the Son quickeneth whom he will” (John 5:21); quickeneth means to give life, or to make alive, in this verse we are speaking of spiritual life; therefore the Lord Jesus is saying that He gives spiritual life to whom He will. That shows that Christ Jesus is the sovereign Lord of life; but in these days men say that the choice is in the hand of men, and therefore not in the hand of Christ, for it cannot be both, either Christ is Lord, or Man is the master of his own destiny.  Another example begs to be given; according to the articles of faith of one religious organization “the grace of God is equally accessible to all men” this is a perversion of the doctrine of the gospel; and is therefore the doctrine of antichrist for the scripture declares “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Romans 9:11-13). In the gospel the Holy Ghost declares that God the Father chose some persons to eternal life “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4); but the current popular doctrine among religious people is that the choice is to be made by each individual; reader who do you believe? Will you believe men, or will you believe God?

          The destruction of antichrist and that antichristian party and doctrine is sure, for all the enemies of Christ shall be destroyed. “For he must reign, till he hath put all things under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (I Corinthians 15:25-26). The Great Whore is false religion, established upon false doctrine, and it is false religion of every sort. In these days the prevalent idol of false religion is the will of man, in that system, the will of man is predominate, and Christ Jesus must have the permission from man to save the soul of man. This enemy is to be destroyed as it is written “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)” casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (II Corinthians 10:4-5). Christ “must reign” how opposed is this doctrine of holy writ to the false doctrine of man’s supposed free will, Christ Jesus reigns to bring to pass the eternal purpose which God purposed in Him from all eternity, “According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” (Ephesians 3:11). This purpose is, first, to manifest the redemptive glory of God in Christ Jesus and then to secure the salvation of the entire election of grace; which is the family of God, (Ephesians) 3:15.

          Man’s will in a fallen will, it is a sinful will, and a will to sin; it is the subject of a corrupted and ruined and fallen nature, and no entity can act above its nature. Therefore because man is polluted by sin he will always turn to sin, until checked by some check other than the law of his own miserable nature. Today men say, “Give God your heart” the truth is, that, God does not want man’s miserably sin corrupted heart! But what God does for some is to give them a new heart, (Ezekiel 36:26) with the law of God written in it, and the law of God is the principle of that heart. The doctrine of free will works religion is of the spirit of error, for it says to dead sinners, give yourself life. Raise yourself from the dead. Give yourself a new birth. Surely reasonable persons should not adhere to such ill begotten principles. But such is the depravity of the natural man, who goes along with the religious crowd instead of believing the doctrine of Holy Scripture. See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com         A.J.Ison          

           

The Eternal Union of Christ and the Church

The Eternal Union of Christ and the Church

John 14:20

“At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.”

Believers are the body of Christ, so say the scriptures, and therefore, thus saith the Holy Ghost: who is the author of the scriptures, (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:21). Consider the following passages of holy writ: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23). “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;   and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ;” (Ephesians 4: 11-12). “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members of another.” (Romans 12:5). “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (I Corinthians 12:27). “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:” (Colossians 1:24). And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. (Colossians 2:19). “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:18). “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23). All these scripture verses bear witness to the scriptural truth of the opening statement; that believers are the body of Christ. Now since Christ Jesus is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8), He has the same body as ever He had. And since the church was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world or without beginning, then the union of the Head, Jesus Christ, and the body, the church, is without beginning or it is an eternal union.

The union of Christ and the church being eternal, and without beginning presents to His members this most beautiful and comforting truth, that all the church in Christ was before the fall in Adam, that is, what the church in Christ, as chosen in Christ, was in Christ, such she is now, and such she will be to all eternity, for “this is the name where-with she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:16). The church having union in “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6); is, “made the righteousness of God in Him.”(II Corinthians 5:21). “For thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” (Isaiah 54:5). “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:29-32). Therefore the church, in union, in Christ may be called the mystical body of Christ; (the body kept secret in God from the foundation of the world but is now revealed in the gospel) for she is His body which was hidden in that wonderful mystery “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:” (Ephesians 3:6). “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God. Who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” (Ephesians 3:9-12).   A.J. Ison  See the writers blog at: www.hebrews 915.blogspot.com.