The Cadre of the Kingdom

“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14

Do you believe that God reigns Supreme? That the Bible is the inspired Word of God? Do you believe the Truth as taught and practiced by Jesus Christ and His apostles? That God’s Word is Truth? Do you believe that this Truth was corrupted with false doctrines and practices, to be labeled Christianity by men? My writing will be grounded by God’s Truth. My writing will contain warts and blemishes. I’m not a teacher. I write simply and plainly, backed by Scripture. My hope is to uplift, edify, encourage, and refresh God’s called on their pilgrimage toward His Kingdom.

“Revelation Begets Understanding”

It’s 6:00 am in the Northeast United States. The thermometer reads a perky minus seven degrees fahrenheit. To stand outside looking up into the frigid January night sky is to understand just how weak and puny man is before God. Could a man survive through a night like this except by God’s provision? Mankind must learn to dwell in the understanding God produces through revelation. This applies throughout the course of a physical lifetime and to the “lifetime” from God’s calling to the indwelling of His Holy Spirit and beyond. Receiving the Holy Spirit is the start of one’s spiritual gestation, regardless of duration.

A key component of man learning to dwell in the understanding God produces is thankfulness. Thankfulness is backward looking, present looking, and forward looking. It never hurts to pray for increase, but the foundation of contentment is upon that which has already been received. Getting back to the cold and God’s provision. The aspect of fire fits nicely here. Mankind leans on secular knowledge to help understand this basic building block of life. Apart from revealed understanding he will sometimes ponder, “how did man discover fire?” Belief in the Genesis account of Adam and Eve produces understanding that God did reveal fire to their understanding while they were in the Garden of Eden. A revealed necessity that would help sustain them after they were driven from the Garden. After all, they wouldn’t be running back to the flaming sword that guards the way to the Tree of Life whenever they needed fire. Throughout the entire Bible Godly revelation meant for man’s understanding is visible. Woven together throughout the “mind of God.” God’s revelation is intended to be mankind’s understanding. God’s revelation will be his understanding. Understanding is intended to grow. How? God’s revelation begets His understanding. Does not God beget His baptized with the Holy Spirit? To put it simply, God’s Spirit produces the power to comprehend. Growing in spiritual understanding is impossible without His Spirit. At work is the Power in Christ forming, nurturing, growing and through revelation refining the “gestating” Spirit that will be “born again” at the last trump in the resurrection of God’s saints.

The first step in the process to being “born again” is taken by God, not by man. God calls (yes, there is a calling!) those predestined to hear. They are drawn, carrying the gifts of repentance and belief toward Jesus Christ. (This would be the True Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of our Father. The Helper. “Paracletos” of the Living God, El Shaddai. The One by which the power of God creates and accomplishes. The Power and Authority of the Father move with Him.) God’s gifts of repentance and belief are active (alive) in His calling. A malleable mind is opened to receive understanding through revelation to the Way of God, the Word of God, the Truth and Life of God: Jesus Christ. A supple mind is responsive and willing to answer God’s calling. Repentance and belief flow into the gift of faith. In the words of Jesus Christ, “the spirit of God is among you.” Christ Shepherds “the walk to the water.” Faith in Christ draws one to baptism and it is Christ who draws up from the water- our Deliverer. A New Covenant with the Living God has begun. By the laying on of hands (a gift from God is a true minister of Jesus Christ) one is placed under God’s Authority in Jesus Christ to receive His Holy Spirit, thus becoming a living vessel of the Living God. The “Paracletos” is in the house, so to speak. The baptised, being drawn up from the water unto Power, now walk forward in God’s gift of “newness of life.” The Shepherd is followed away from evil and toward abiding with Him. The journey proceeds into the Way of living in Christ (John 17:6-26). One grows in grace and knowledge revealed by the Word of God. True understanding blossoms. The fruit is Jesus Christ living in the baptised, reflecting His mind and Life to this “world” while preaching the coming Kingdom of God as a witness- revealing the True God to all other nations.

Faith “in the name of Jesus Christ” convicts and impels one beyond this flesh (seeing the big picture). Throughout life’s fleshy battles Godly revelation produces a more profound understanding to abiding together with Jesus Christ and God our Father. The working of the indwelled Christ creates and will complete the “born again” spiritual self. Christ will inculcate the “new man” with the Truth, both physically and spiritually, instilling the mind of God. Consider what Merriam-Webster offers on the definition and meaning of inculcate:

“Sometimes before a lesson sinks in, you’ve got to go over it in your mind for a long time. The same is true for when you want to make a path: you have to walk over it again and again. The connection between walking and learning is at the heart of inculcate, which comes from a form of the Latin verb inculcare, meaning “to tread on.” In Latin inculcare possesses both literal and figurative meanings, referring to either the act of walking over something or to that of impressing something upon the mind, often by way of steady repetition. It is the figurative sense that survives with inculcate, which was first used in English in the 16th century. Since then, the word has kept the meaning of impressing facts, ideas or ideals on someone through repetition. If you have trouble remembering inculcate’s definition, you may find it helpful to know that it’s a synonym of the word instill (“to impart gradually”), which shares the Latin prefix in-.”

Jesus Christ inculcate’s the “new man” – instilling the mind of God and the Way to life in His family. Godly character is laid up. Spiritual lessons are learned. During one’s physical lifetime of trials, tests and myriad of sin, Christ uses what is learned to help shape the “new” spirit. Yes, Christ is at work sculpting the spirit that will be born in the first resurrection. In the blink of an eye a perfectly mature God family creation. Begotten of God by His power in revelation to transform one’s understanding. This is Jesus Christ “living in us.” The “Paracletos” revealing the Truth and producing spiritual increase. This is the “mystery of Christ in us.” The power to change the “new man’s” earthy, carnal direction while at the same time shaping and forming the spirit to come. From begettal to birth the physical formation in the womb pictures the “new man’s” gestation toward spirit. Formed where the eye cannot see, nor the brain understand.

Ancient Israel floundered in God’s physical Way, not comprehending the spiritual. Lacking faith, Israel turned from the True God and the body of His Law. Thusly, blinded to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and deaf to the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God He preached (God having withdrawn revelation, Israel’s understanding ceased). The “called” of God, spiritual Israel, have received the gift of faith yet, “hardheadedness” can rear it’s ugly head and give rise to rebellion just as in ancient Israel. Be it a rejecting of the Holy Spirit or to being disqualified (God is judging His “ekklesia” now), either choice (it would be a choice) will withdraw revelation as understanding evaporates. God’s begettal being trod underfoot. Understand that this begettal is not in the same way that a man begets a child, but it is more of a depiction of a relationship with God.

Being endued with power from on high, one is now learning not only physical lessons but spiritual lessons as well, building up Godly character. This is part and parcel to the mystery of abiding in Christ. God’s revelation promises that Christ will finish His spiritual work. A lifetime of physical, worldly exposure is traveled as Christ imprints spiritual glad tidings within. Yes, those who believe and are baptized are being revealed by the Living God unto understanding – spiritual understanding – a blueprint to fulfilling the opportunity to live in God’s family with the power and authority of eternal spirit – with Godly agape. Created from the dust of the earth to be like Christ. To the praise and glory of God Almighty.