Sons - The Presentations Of Christ

Summary Scripture:

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

There is a mentality that the saints of old walked in that the Church of today must see. It seems their whole perspective on Christianity differs greatly from our own. There was an understanding that they all shared concerning their Faith. The Lord has spoken concerning this and He is demanding that we all return to the strength of the Faith.

Read the scriptures; and as you read, hear the heart of the scribes. Listen to their spiritual disposition. First, you will discern a great reverence for God and His Holy Spirit. They respected God. They feared Him. They were never in the slightest presumption to think that they had secured their spot in the Kingdom of God by their own works.

I have found that many in the Church today walk in delusion. They look to the future and see a blessed day when all their sins will truly be eradicated. Until then, their fellowship with God is based on, a ‘deep’ heart based deal with God that says, God will not kill me before I get myself right. He will wait for me, to fix me. He knows my heart is to eventually be right. However, this is far from the mentality we see from the men of the scriptures. They walked in a daily fear of being cast away simply from a single sin.

Acts 5:1-11

1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

Peter was greatly troubled at Ananias and Sapphira. The disposition of their heart was far from the character of Christ. Firstly, they conceived an evil thing in their heart. This is unbecoming of a true Son of God. Secondly, they were brazen enough to voice the darkness of their hearts, in an attempt to deceive the saints of God. The Holy Spirit responded to their disposition, by killing them on the spot.

On the contrary, today, lying is a common thing throughout the Church; and not just lying, but darkness of the heart. It seems that darkness of the heart is not regarded as evil or as a force powerful enough to rob us our place in the kingdom of heaven. Ananias and his wife were also of this mindset. However, they bore their judgment immediately. Nevertheless, we must ask ourselves, “where is the disconnect?” I believe we can pinpoint it in the words Peter responded with. …why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost. Simply put, Peter believed the Word. Christianity was not simply an activity of fellowship with people that shared the same values. It was not simply a name to separate them from other people. Christianity was (and is) the life of God present in their flesh. They totally embraced oneness. It was no longer Peter who lived in the flesh, therefore, there was no need for him to mention his name; rather, he stated, they lied to the Holy Ghost. He understood oneness and the call of being a Christian. This call is one of sinlessness.

1 Thessalonians 2:10

Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

Listen to Paul as he speaks of his sinlessness at Thessalonica. He is saying plainly here that he was sinless as he abode with them. However, many in the church do not even consider having a testimony of sinlessness. Let me be frank. This difference in the mentality of the men of the scriptures and with ours today is found in the perception of who a Christian is. Christianity, according to the dictionary, is the religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ, or its beliefs and practices. I did a little more research on Christianity and found that 33% of the global population are Christians, that is approximately 2.4 billion individuals. However, how many of the 2.4 billion are actually sinless? Oh Saints, we must move to where the Holy Ghost is.

From God’s perspective only Christians will be raptured. It matters not that you professed Christ; that you were baptized at a tender age; or that you are a dedicated church goer. If you are not sinless God does not see you as a Christian. This is the understanding the disciples had. They understood that they did not qualify to be a Christian unless they were sinless. The difference in mindset has produced an overly sinful church. A body of dark lights.

Read as John identifies the state of some in the Church.

1 John 1:6

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

If we say we are Christians and walk in darkness, then we are liars. How then does God see one who finds themselves in the paradox of the term sinning Christian? They are a lie. At salvation, the Holy Ghost became one with us, by submerging the soul in Him. He then took the flesh as His temple; His dwelling place. The fusion of soul and Spirit caused a springing forth of a new nature; a spiritual or divine nature. The divine nature is the innate character of Christ given to every son of God. Once the Spirit of the Holy One is within you, He brings with Him a great excitement to use you. Your body belongs to Him, and in it He releases the law of the Spirit of life. This law prevents the body from being able to sin. It will never agree with unrighteousness. At salvation God created a triune being. He did so by merging the soul in the Spirit and the Spirit in the flesh. This is the being that we have become. Our souls are in Christ and Christ is in our flesh. This makes us literal carriers of Christ. We are His witnesses.

If I would take this further, in relation to the body, the scripture terms it dead, and the life that is now lived through the flesh is by Jesus Christ. Therefore, being a Christian is more than simply learning and trying to obey the teachings of Christ; rather, it is having Christ resurrected in you and living through you. This would mean, therefore, that every son of God is a presentation of Christ. At all times, Christ is actively attempting to live through our bodies, however, sin is a hindrance to Him accomplishing this.

1 Corinthians 6:15

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

I want you to pause for a moment and consider Jesus in sin. Consider His members joined to a harlot. What do you see? I am unsure about you, but I know that what I see is not the true Jesus Christ. This imagery is a false Christ; or rather a false presentation of Christ. The moment you profess Christianity, your life is being watched. It is being thoroughly examined by your family members, by your coworkers, by your boss, and by principalities and powers. They know how Christ behaves, thinks, and acts. Seeing that the profession of Christianity is a profession that Jesus has been resurrected in you and is living through you, this must be proven. However, when we walk in any form of iniquity, you misrepresent Christ.

THE FALSE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST

At salvation, we became new creatures. Once again, the new creature is the soul within the Holy Spirit. Another name for new creature is son of God. We have taught over and over that a son of God has the ability to sin. However, in these times, it seems in our thinking we always manage to separate Christ from the soul. I am in no way saying that Christ has or even can sin, however, what I am saying is that He is very present when we do.

1 Corinthians 3:17

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Our bodies are the temples of God because He is in them. If He leaves the flesh, it is no longer His temple. Therefore, in order to defile His temple, He has to be in it when the defilement is taking place. If it is still His temple after it has been defiled this means He remained in it before, during and after the sin was done. Why is this important? It is important that we see who a son of God truly is.

Embedded into the nature of a son of God is choice. With that choice, the son of God (who is a soul merged with the Holy Ghost) can choose to sin. At this point he is still a son of God, but a false presentation of one. Though a son of God is one with Jesus, this does not mean that Jesus sinned with the soul. He was simply forced to experience our actions because He has given us the ability to usurp authority.

To help us see this, consider the following analogy. In a situation of rape, on the face of it the act is an act of fornication, however, this does not mean both parties have sinned. Though, the woman was forced into a sexual situation, her heart can be very far from it. In her heart she has not sinned, and God has judged her holy. Even though their bodies were in the physical action, sin is of the heart. Likewise, Christ remains holy even though he is now joined to a harlot. He may have to suffer the consequences of this sexual union, however, He remains spotless. Remember it is the temple, (the body), that is defiled, not the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. Seeing therefore that Christ is present when we sin, we have misrepresented Him, and not only Him, but ourselves as well. Oneness is absolute and so is our sonship. Whether we sin or not, the creature we are is a son of God, only God can change that reality. Therefore, if we choose to walk in darkness, we become a pseudo manifestation of a son, or a false brother. Seriously, this road leads to becoming an anti-christ.

Galatians 2:4

4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

The term false brethren is very paradoxical. How can you be a brother yet false? This defines a sinning Christian – a false brother. They are false because they are not manifesting the life of Christ, rather they are walking contrary to the nature of the brethren. I believe Paul takes this further. … And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Galatians 2:5-9, 11-14

5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. …

11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

There came a point in Peter’s walk that He turned to the preaching of the law, so that he would avoid persecution. However, at that point the Holy Ghost considered him a false brother. He was falsely representing Christ by avoiding the persecution he was ordained to. This reveals that though someone may be truly gifted by God, when they walk in sin they become false; false apostles, false prophets, false teachers, false witnesses, false Christs. I implore you! Walk according to nature. Only the true sons of God shall see the Father’s face in peace. Remember, only those who live as holy gods in this world will qualify to live as one in the next. Therefore, you should live your life in such a way that people will think that you lack the ability to sin.