We mentioned in previous articles that the purpose of the church, meaning “the called out ones, is the same purpose as the general assemble or festive gathering of the Israelite’s. It is to learn and apply, or put on the truths practiced through the repetitious patterns and cycles, which are designed to bring us to a full knowledge of Christ.. “Till we all reach the full stature of the son of God”
The repetitious patterns and cycles were the acts and the observances that can become redundant and un-profitable, like the Sabbath, the Passover, baptism, and so on. These are the things we do to understand eternal realities. Israel (a people and not a place) did the feasts and all the hoopla that went along with it and lost sight of the fact they were doing those things to learn truths about the Kingdom they were called into. They thought doing those things pleased God but they learned nothing.
They were still waiting for the King man Jesus to come to Jerusalem. They had their own form of eschatology and Christ rejected any notion of being crowned on earth stating “my kingdom is not from here, if it was I would call a band of legions and they would fight.
The whole gospel message is for us to return to the Father, not Him to come here. He already did that so that through His Son. “The hour is coming and now is when you will no longer worship in Jerusalem, for God is spirit and He is truth and He seeks such to worship Him. Jesus said “follow me that where I am you may be also” And He prayed “that they may be one as You Father are in Me, and I in You, that they may be one in Us”. And  “I am no longer in the world but these are in the world, keep in Your name those whom you have given me that they may be one as we are one”. And “Father, I desire  that they whom you have given Me may be where I am, that they may behold My glory”.
You have to start confessing and believing these truths to realize them. His precious blood didn’t buy us a ticket at a bus stop to depart for a kingdom some 2000 years later. We are not waiting for Him to come and help us, He did that. He has given us everything that pertains to life and godlikeness by these precious promises having already delivered us from the corruption that is in the world. We have been quickened, translated and seated next to Him. And if these words are from the scriptures they are more true than all the earthly facts. Facts and dates are enmity against God. He is not in a time capsule, the old man is. But there are portholes.
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Our Transfiguration and looking at the face of God in the mirror of the spirit
We all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror are being transfigured into the same full image (unless our mind sees Jesus a mere man) from glory to glory by the spirit of God. He is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to bring to light the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.(can you see Him?)” He who has seen Me has seen the father”
This all happens in the here and now. Our transformation is the process of knowing Him, NOW. We see Him as He is and we become like Him, now, TODAY if you will hear His voice.Â
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To put all this off till a second coming stops Him from working in us. We reject His Holy Spirit, our mirror. (Wis of Solomon 7.26 and 2 Cor 3.18) for our old man is dead symbolized by the repetitious pattern of baptism, and when we come up it symbolizes being resurrected now, today, not at some rapture. This is the main teaching in Romans. And if we are raised and a new creation then we have eyes to see and ears to hear. We can see the true light. Not the sun but the light that shines into the heart of every man. The baptisms and Lords supper and the Sabbath  are the repetitious patterns that are designed to take us to the Father as Paul pleaded. “Be ye reconciled!” Are the patterns working at your church?
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Dressing the part, putting on Christ
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Having put off the old man by faith,we are to put on Christ by faith. Meaning more than just the armor of God. If we do not accept His gifts and put them on we shall be found naked. But i want to continue being swallowed by immortality as I grow in Him.
Do not wait for a second coming. That is a faithless act. We put on His righteousness like new flesh. His bones are truths. We are bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh, now by faith. His words are Immovable un-shakeable, more solid than granite or any other earthly composition. That is what He is and as We see Him like this we see Him as He is and we become like Him.in the spirit of our mind.You don’t keep the flesh any way  Jn 3.2 beloved now we are the children of God, as He is revealed in the spirit of our mind, we see Him as He is for we shall be like Him. When? When we wake up to these truths. Isaiah 52 Awake, Awake! Put on your strength, put on your beautiful garments, shake yourself from the dust of the earth”.Â
These gifts are activated by faith. As you see them, you accept them, you become them. This is the transfiguration, your transfiguration, to see Him as in a mirror seeing “the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, you see God face to face, but not with the carnal eye.
So what is Gods heart about fruitless repetitions we do in His name?
“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices. I have had enough burnt offerings, Why do you trample my courts? Your new moons and feasts My soul hates. They are trouble to me, I am weary of them”.Isaiah 1.10-15. Â They were just repetitious cycles with no transformation.
Israel was judged for not understanding this. If church does not facilitate this they have left their calling. They are not entering nor allowing those who are trying to do so. “In vain they worship Me with their lips but teach my commands as doctrine of men”.
Walking with God, following His voice
Walking by faith is like walking backwards following the voice of God. Abraham went out not knowing where he was going, and this was accounted as faith. (Heb 11.8). When we enter the Kingdom we can only describe where we’ve been. Like a kid looking out the back window of a car ride. Dad knows where He’s going. I can explain them to you but you have to confess these things and start walking backwards. It is easier to wait for a second coming but one has to ignore the voice.
B.T.W. the term second coming is not found once in scripture. I am not saying He is not coming. I am saying He is coming now. In the 1st, 2nd and 3rd watch. And His reward is with Him to give to each according to their faith. Behold I stand at the door and knock. If you sup with Me and eat my flesh and drink my blood you will become like Me. My body was broken down in small portions for you to spiritually digest. My words are spirit and they are life.
When the God spoke, Let there be light, did it take 2000 years? When He said “rise! take up your bed and walk” or “Lazarus come forth” did He not walk, did he not rise immediately?
We have to believe His word or our faith is in vain. Heb 12.25 see then that you do not refuse Him who speaks from heaven, for if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, how much more shall we not escape. Let us not reject such a great salvation. The Exodus is in full swing. The Kingdom of God is preached and men are forcing their way in.
John in the book of Revelation had discourse with an angel He supposed to br Christ. As John started to bow before this one He was stopped by the angel who said “see that you don’t do that, For I am jsut one of your brothers of those who keep the testimony of Jesus Christ”
This one looked like Christ but was not Him but was in all appearances like Christ, but not because of a beard and saddles, but heavenly attire. The question is, How was this one able to put on christ before a so called rapture and second coming? I mean he is totally out of order.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.