December 2002

Christ:
The Landscape of Life

Part Fifty-One

“LO and BEHOLD”

“Guarding our garments” (P)

            In recent studies we have seen that name reveal people’s nature or character; and, “Mary”, the name of Jesus’ mother, is defined by Heb 4813: “MOST REBELLIOUS, UNPLEASANT, GRIEVOUS, BITTER, PROVOKING and DISOBEDIENT!” Why would God choose a virgin with such a disagreeable nature to bear His Christ Child in her womb? The answer is simple- who would be in greater need of His Saving Grace than someone with such a quarrelsome temperament?
             Mary typifies all whom God has clothed in the “first Adamic nature that was made a living soul” (1 Co 15:45); and in that “low estate” she is blessed to receive the Seed of His Saving Anointing (Jesus Christ)! Then having been delivered of this Manchild; He, in turn, delivers her soul from her “low estate”! This outfitting with the “Last Adamic Nature that was made a Live-giving Spirit”; redeems the soul from her rebellious, unpleasant, grievous, bitter, provoking, disobedient nature!! Deliverance from carnal-minded death (Ro 8:6) is irrevocable and eternal; but it is not seen all at once, for God “has delivered us from that great death; is still is delivering us; and we trust He will yet deliver us from death!” (2 Co 1:10) Why do we trust Him for this? We are assured in 2 Pet 2:9, “The Lord knows how to deliver the Godly out of temptations (provocations to sin)!!” This is good news for all men! If the virgin Mary could be blessed to receive the Holy Seed despite her self-proclaimed “low estate”, there is hope for the greatest of sinners and the least among men! Jesus Christ vexed His own religious ranks saying, “Those who are strong and well have no need of a physician; but those who are weak and sick! I came not to call righteous ones to repentance, but sinners- the erring ones; and all those not free from sin!” (Mk 2:17)
             The Church is comprised of NEW CREATURES IN CHRIST; not “human retreads”! There is no memory of mortal malignancy in heaven; thus its citizenry are PERFECT BEINGS, not “perfected beings”! God’s Kingdom is not populated by “sinners saved by Grace”; but by saints whose “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Co 15:54) That victory is well-defined in 1 Co 5:4, “Death is swallowed up by (eternal, spiritual) LIFE!” What are “Death and Life”? Ro 8:6 says, “Death is carnal-mindedness; and Life and Peace are spirit-mindedness!” Hear this, beloveds, when time is ended, God will leave NO SEMBLANCE OF SIN OR DEATH in existence (either in earth or hell) to remind Him, or creation, of the shame, degradation and destruction the man of earth has produced!
             If you labor under the delusion that God has endowed natural man with a self-will that can exercise dominion over His Sovereign Will, your thoughts are controlled by the carnal mind and are in need of purging and purifying by the Mind of Christ! Only as we “Cease from our works and ...labor to enter into God’s Rest” (Heb 4:11) can we enjoy the blessed freedom of worshipping ONE OMNIPOTENT GOD! Then the true Church will “Appear in heaven as a great wonder; as A WOMAN CLOTHED WITH THE SUN (“of Righteousness” Mal 4:2; the Spirit of Christ); with the moon (soulish intellect, emotions and will) under her feet (brought into dominion to God); and upon her head (“Christ is the Head of every man” (1 Co 11:3); the “Head of the Church”; Eph 5:23) she wears a crown (“of Life” Jas 1:12) with 12 stars (12 = governmental perfection); and being far into her pregnancy, she cried out with her birth pangs; and was in great anguish as she prepared to deliver her Child!” (Rev 12:1-2)
             The Church has labored hard to bring forth God’s Manchild; and soon that deliverance will take place! This great event will produce “Our adoption: the redemption of our Body!” (Ro 8:23)

[TO BE CONTINUED]