("And he said unto them, "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God...
That seeing you may see, and perceive; and hearing you may hear, and understand; that you should be converted, and your sins should be forgiven you". Mark 4:11-12 Parashrased)
#2. FAITH comes when we HEAR the Word of God speaking TO us , resurrected BEYOND the cross! (1 Pet.1:21)
#3. HOPE comes when we OBEY the Word of God living IN us, about to return WITHOUT the cross! (Col.1:27)
Meaning #1 - "We receive LOVE: Upon our SEEING The Word laying UPON
Our initial salvation begins 'the moment' we "SEE" (i.e. totally recognize) 'Jesus laying Upon the cross For us', for ourselves for the first time, and what this all means.
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, thou shalt be saved... and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom.10: 9-10)
It is at this "moment in time" when we come to SEE the love that God has for us in His Son, Jesus Christ!
And "IF" we are SEEING it properly, we have no choice but to be 'Blown Away' by it as Peter and Thomas had been...
"And Simon Peter answered and said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God'." (Matt 16:16)
"And Thomas answered and said unto him, 'My Lord and my God'." (John 20:28)
Without this critical, Initial "RECOGNITION - SEEING HIM" for WHO He is and what He came to do and accomplished (John 19:30), NO ONE can be saved! (1 John 5:20)
"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matt 16:17)
Jesus saith unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed". (John 20:29)
And Jesus goes on to decribe any "Future Seeings" of Himself who has since returned to the Father...
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" (John 15:26)
Meaning #2 - "We receive FAITH: Upon our HEARING The Word speaking TO us from BEYOND
Our salvation is secured 'the moment' we "HEAR" (i.e. fully comprehend) the resurrected Christ speaking Beyond the cross To us (i.e. to our heart).
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom 10:17)
"...and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved...
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;" (Rom.10: 9-10)
Not only does the world (along with the way we all once were) think the preaching of the cross is foolish, but doubly so if that same man also claims to know exactly what they're talking about....
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor 1:18)
"For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matt 7:29)
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness." (John 3:11)
IF we have "Heard" the word of God that has saved us, then we are eager to go and preach it to the others. And if we have heard Him and have the love of God in us then we will be eager to do so at every opportunity (never forgetting who we once were) (Gal.6:10)...
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Cor 4:6)
Meaning #3 - "We receive HOPE: Upon our OBEYING The Word at work IN us, about to return again, WITHOUT
"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness," (2 Pet 3:11)
"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John 13:17)
Our salvation is assured (Heb.11:1) 'the moment' we "OBEY" (i.e. fully yield to) Jesus who then comes and lives In us and is going to return Without the cross.
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Heb 9:28)
His second coming "without sin" is His second coming "without the cross"! He will be coming to fulfill the HOPE of the Gospel to all who Obey Him thus Love His appearing. Otherwise He comes to judge and rule.
"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44)
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)
To the Returning Lord goes our Obedient Hope of looking for His coming in glory to glorify us. And it is this "Hope" we have of Him whereby we continuosly purify ourselves through our obedience to Him that we may be found worthy of Him (Matt.10:37-39) at His second coming.
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:13-14)
"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Rom 6:22)
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor 5:17)
Love comes in our Seeing/Recognizing Him who had Died For us (Mt.16:16),
Faith comes in our Hearing/Understanding Him who is Speaking To us (Rom.10:17),
and Hope comes in our Obeying/Following Him who is Alive In us, and who is about to come again (1 Pet.1:22).
This is 'the Word of God' who came For us IN PERSON Upon the Cross (1 Co.1:18),
who comes To us today Beyond the Cross (in the power of the Spirit) (Heb.12:25),
and who is In us and will again come to us tomorrow and appear IN PERSON Without the Cross unto salvation (2 Th.1:8).
This is 'Him'who came For us (Rom.5:8), To us (Eph.2:18), and In us (Col.1:27),
and this is 'Him' who was, and is, and is to come, The Almighty! (Rev.1:8)
"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." (Gal 5:6)
"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (I Jn 2:5)
"Jesus answered and said unto him, 'If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him'." (John 14:23)
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
May every blessing in Christ be yours,
Biff
