EVE AND THE GLORIOUS CHURCH

Possibly most of the women in the Bible could be used as a type and shadow to speak of some aspect of the church. For example the choosing of a bride for Isaac in Genesis 24 or the preparation of Ester to go into the king. The various types may speak of the various and diverse preparation of the bride for Christ. Eve is such a type and has many parallels to the glorious church. Paul uses Eve as a picture of the church being deceived in the same way as Eve.

2 COR 11:2] For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. [3] But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

The real difficulty of teaching these things and making application to the glorious church is that we can receive all these truths as a doctrine to be learned and never bother to be diligent to put these truths into our life, by our experience. It is similar to learning all the doctrines of the Holy Spirit but not experiencing Him in our lives.

The first two chapters of Genesis are so tremendously important to clearly understand because there is so much revealed that we need to comprehend God’s Eternal Purpose. Since all this took place before there was any history of sin, the truth revealed must apply to God’s purpose and not to redemption. Since nearly all the “gospel” that is preached is related to sin and our redemption, we may easily overlook the purpose for which we were created and set on this earth. While the Gospel of the Kingdom certainly doesn’t ignore sin, the focus is upon God’s government and God’s eternal purpose! It focuses upon man fulfilling God’s heart desire and bringing joy to His heart. The “gospel of salvation” focuses nearly entirely upon the sin problem and man’s need.

Since Adam “slept” and Eve was created from Adam’s rib before the fall of man, her creation has to do with God’s purpose and not with redemption. Since sin is related to the shedding of blood it is interesting that when Adam “slept” and God removed the rib from which He made Eve, there is no mention of blood. Adam didn’t “sleep” to provide redemption for Eve but to give existence to Eve. This is a major distinction in the “gospel of the Kingdom.”

Gen 1:26] Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our [plural] image, according to Our [plural] likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." [27] And God created man in His [singular] own image, in the image of God He [singular] created him; male and female He [singular] created them. [28] And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth..

God created everything prior to the creation of man simply by speaking it into existence. He said let there be light and there was light! However, when God desired to create man there was a conference in heaven and the Father, the Word and the Spirit said “let us make man in our own image and likeness etc.” Man was not created with a view to redemption but with a view to God’s eternal purpose for man.

Man was created male and female. The female was in the male and the two were one. Since Adam couldn’t find any other creature in all of creation that corresponded to him, God removed the female part of Adam and from that “rib bone” He built a woman and brought her to Adam.

GE 2:18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." [19] And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. [20] And the man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. [21] So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place. [22] And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. [23] And the man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

From the beginning Eve only had existence within Adam. She was there “in Adam”at creation

but was only made visible after she was removed from Adam. Since Eve is a picture of the bride of Christ this is very significant. What God created, fashioned or built from the rib bone of Adam was called woman [Eve] because she was taken from Adam. She was from Adam’s body and was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. In that sense Adam was IN Eve and she was part of him. Unless we understand this point it will be difficult to understand how we could have been chosen in Christ before the world was

What Eve was made of is only Adam. It doesn’t say that God took the rib and then added something else to it to build a women. Eve was built from Adam. This is very important because when we speak about the glorious church we must see that this church is only built from Christ. The church must be “bone of His bone” and be His body. That which is built from anything except Christ cannot be the church which is His body. This is presents a great problem when we look at what we think the church is and then complain because it doesn’t look like His body. ONLY that which is from Christ and out of Christ can be built into the glorious church and be presented to Christ as Eve was presented to Adam.

As a portion of Adam was in Eve so also that portion of Christ must be in the church which is His body. Man attempts to build the church out of wood, hay and straw or material that is natural and from the earth. Christ is building His church out of Himself. It will be difficult to believe there really will be a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless unless we understand that the “glorious church” will be built wholly from Christ and also take her Life from Christ. That which is of another “life” cannot be the glorious church.

When Paul said “all things become new” it was not just a cliche but referring to the fact that nothing of the old can be used to make the new [which is this church that is Christ , Himself.] This tremendous statement that Paul made in Colossians 3:1-4 where he stated that we are raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places -far above- must be exactly accurate because this is the Word of God. Then we must ask how is it possible? God sees these things as finished facts because He sees from eternity to eternity and the end from the beginning. The church sees from the fall and our bondage to sin to redemption and hopefully on to God’s eternal purpose. We, for the most part, only see from the viewpoint of the actual history of the church.

From God’s viewpoint the church is fashioned 100 % out of Christ and contains nothing of the old Adam because that all that He will accept in His eternal dwelling places. From our viewpoint the church still contains too much of the earth and the fallen nature of Adam. The church that God sees is already without spot or wrinkle and she is holy and blameless and will be ready for the glorious presentation to His Son. We can easily see her defects and lack of Christ’s Life in her activities. It is not that the church has NOT received Christ in His fulness but that we have so many other things within us that prevents His Life from being manifest in its fulness.

Some of the scriptures evaluate the church from God’s viewpoint and indicates that the church is already made perfect “in Christ.” The “church doctrine” then assumes that nothing more needs to be accomplished to present the “glorious church” to Christ as His perfected bride. This concept must ignore quite a few scriptures that speak of going on with God and growing up into Jesus Christ. This ignores the putting off of the old nature and the putting on of the divine nature.

Eph 5:25----Just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; [26] that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.

This refers to the “washing of the ‘rhema’ or the word of God. While the Laver speaks to us of the “logos” it is really the rhema [water] or the spoken / the now word that cleanses us.

The “cleansing” that is referred in Eph 5:26 is the process of removing the filth of this world and the fallen nature of man. [This of course follows the forgiveness of sins by the blood.] “Washing” refers to a subtraction of all that is unacceptable and not an addition. Man’s wrong concept insists upon an addition before there is a subtraction. We listen to this “gospel of the free ride” and determine that we do not need cleansed by the washing of water with the Word {rhema} because we have had our sins forgiven by the blood. There seems to be a conflict between what the blood does and what the Word { rhema} does. Those who think they have no need of the cleansing by the water of the Word are either ignorant or deceived.

1 John 5:6] This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. [7] And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. [8] For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

To ignore one or the other is a great mistake! Thank God for the blood, we all need it, but does that eliminate our need for the water.

JOHN 19:33] but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs; [34] but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water. We all know that the “shedding of blood” is for our forgiveness of sins but what is provided by this “shedding of water” after Jesus was dead? The water must represent something that was released of the Word of God that was suddenly made available to mankind. This must provide for us the washing of water by the Word of God for our cleansing. The Logos that became flesh is now released as the Rhema so that all His sheep can hear His voice, receive the now word and be cleansed. Ephesians 5:26- 27 must become the church’s history within the church age. Since redemption was already achieved by His death, this “water” may also apply to His Life becoming available to us.

Relying upon forgiveness by the blood may get us to “heaven” but it requires the washing of

water with the Word {Rhema} for the glorious presentation. A good portion of the visible church will accept redemption through the blood but reject any further cleansing by the Word. We can sit under good doctrine and not be changed but the Rhema demands action or we may be listed with the lawless.

A large part of our failure as “ministers” is that we preach the “Logos” rather than the “Rhema” and little cleansing takes place. Men speak while the Lord is silent and we wonder why the church doesn’t change. It is the living Word of God that produces life in those who respond in obedience. Even if we minister the Rhema it still requires a response of obedience in those who hear before they are washed by the Word.. Even the sword of the Spirit is the Rhema of God. The logos is wonderful but it is still not the sword of the Spirit.

In all our preaching and Bible studies we have received so much knowledge and information. It is not a matter of “if it is right or wrong or good or evil” but what is the source of our knowledge. Is it from the Rhema or from the Logos? Is it just outward knowledge or is it inward revelation. There can be a lot of preaching but very little Word of God. The growth and cleansing of the church is totally dependent upon the Lord’s speaking directly to us. It seems to me that one of the unique privileges of the church is to hear His Voice, His Rhema.

Jesus clearly said that His sheep will hear His Voice. We should ask what went wrong. My thought is that hearing His voice should be the major focus of our prayer. Lord bring me to that place where I can clearly hear your voice. Those who have never heard His voice within have probably never sought God diligently and sincerely ask Him to speak to them. This has seriously hindered the subjective work of God in us and limits God’s grace to us, which in turn limits of growth and perfection in Christ.

The other problem with hearing His voice is that He speaks from between the cherubim in the Most Holy Place. If we are content to listen from the Outer Court there is a possibility that we will never hear. Especially if He speaks in a clear small voice.

While the blood deals with sin and forgiveness, the church will be seriously lacking if she doesn’t participate in His Life, Zoe! Calvary must also provide for the impartation of His resurrection Life, Zoe. Those who only emphasize the blood are offended when we mention something in addition to forgiveness of sins. This offence causes the church much harm because it leaves the church forgiven but unchanged.

Unless the Word of God extracts something from us as it washes us we retain the very reason for the washing of water with the Word. It is the old that is supposed to removed so everything becomes new. The Rhema ,the Word of Jesus Christ spoken to us, is Spirit and it is Life. There must be His Life imparted with His Word to produce His Life in us. While His Word informs us, it is His Life that first touches us and then changes us as we respond. To get offended by either His Life or His Word will cause us eternal loss. The Lord has designed His Word, Rhema, to restore and recover “the church” to His eternal purpose. To lightly measure the Word of God, and be indifferent to do it, is such a serious mistake that it is impossible to evaluate the eternal loss.

I and many others have confused “spiritual knowledge” with “spiritual growth”. We think that if we know, then we are what we know. However, spiritual growth is not a matter of participating in the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” but a matter of eating from the Tree of Life. Perfect knowledge will purchase us very little in the Kingdom of God while a prefect Life is highly regarded by God..

I have noticed some confusion about the “body of Christ” and the “bride of Christ” in these last studies. It is assumed that the body of Christ is also the bride of Christ and that the body of Christ on earth has it’s future secured in eternity. The distinction may not be so clear but let us try to clarify it. The body of Christ is now on earth and we can follow it’s history throughout the ages. The bride of Christ will only be recognized in glory as the ONE prepared and perfected to be presented to Jesus Christ to become His wife. She is the ONE who is radiant with His Glory and clothed with fine linen garments. Today all who are part of “the church in preparation” are included in His body. He is therefore disciplining, testing, trying, purging, cleansing and preparing His body to become the church which is His bride and His wife for all eternity. Those who have come to this “perfection” will be presented to Him as the “glorious church” without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless. To teach that all this takes place when we are born again is a great disservice to the church.

While it may seem that we put so much emphasis upon the spiritual life and development of the church in the inner life, we don’t want to neglect the divine calling and the objective work of the church in its function during the church age. I am sure both are necessary for the perfection of the church. Our character development is certainly essential but “faith without work” is not complete. While the greater part of the book of Ephesians focuses upon the spiritual life and maturity of the church there is the summation of the work and calling of the church in Chapter 6.

Since most of us have been bombarded by teaching on spiritual warfare, I want to include in this study some obvious things about our calling to deal with God’s enemies. A few years ago a few pastors took some days for prayer and fasting and this discussion came up and I listened to several theories about pulling down strong holds and disarming principalities and powers. Over the years we have done our share of yelling at the devil and calling him names. We have cast out countless demons and tried to discern the strong man over our area. However, I want to put all this in perspective of this study of the body of Christ and the glorious church.

The first thing that we discern about the armor of God and the schemes of the devil is that there is obviously a mighty battle raging and those who are ill prepared will be taken captive. Many theories and some wild and strange teaching has resulted from these scriptures in Eph 6:10-20.

First we need to assembly some facts about this battle that is between the church and Satan’s hierarchy of fallen angels and demons, principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness that make up his army. We need to ask was Jesus Christ’s victory completely decisive and was the battle completely won? Has He been given ALL authority over both heaven and earth? That answer is YES! Is there still other victories to be won over Satan? The answer must be NO if Christ completely defeated Satan at Calvary? Then what is all this armor for? If we examine the armor it is clear that the armor is defensive and not necessarily offensive. The exhortation is not to attack the enemy and defeat him but to “stand firm”. Since the enemy is already defeated, the church must maintain and enforce the victory of Calvary. The devil is shooting flaming arrows and the church is to put on the corporate armor and stand firm. Don’t give up any ground and resist every attack! This is not an exhortation to attack the enemy and defeat him! It is an exhortation to hold on to the victory that we already have and to pray for the saints who are under attack.

Others have pointed out that all the armor is defensive except the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.. When Jesus was attacked in the wilderness by Satan He used the word of God as a defensive weapon but did not attack the devil in an offensive way. He defended Himself but did not violently attack Satan and pull him down and humiliate him then. Jesus’ victory must wait for Calvary. It was at Calvary that Satan was humiliated and soundly defeated. As the “Son of God” it would have been no contest but as the son of man it was the greatest of victories and the first for authentic man. Satan was totally “overcome” at Calvary by Jesus Christ and it is probably a big mistake for us to try to duplicate His victory through our own feeble power. However, we can enter into His victory and see to it that His victory is enforced upon this earth and declare His total authority over both heaven and earth.

This is probably theologically sound but there are a few scriptures that leave some doubt that total victory was realized.

1Cor 15:23] But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, [24] then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. [25] For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. [26] The last enemy that will be abolished is death. [27] For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.

1 JOHN 2:13] I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. [14] I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

While the victory at Calvary was decisive and final from heaven’s viewpoint there is still the history of the church on earth. Christ won a total victory but now He is ruling UNTIL every enemy is put under His feet. This obviously refers to His body enforcing His victory on earth and not trying to win the victory all over again. If Christ has totally overcome the evil one why does it say that the “young men” have overcome the evil one? Again I think it means that heaven is satisfied in the victory and has declared Jesus Christ to be the winner but now we still have the history of the church on earth. The “young men” are strong and the “logos” of God abides in them and they have enforced the victory of Calvary upon the evil one and overcame him.

Jesus overcame the world and sin and death but now “in history” and experientially His church must also overcome the world , sin and death. We of course have a great advantage because of Christ in us working His purpose out.

1 JOHN 5:4] For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. [5] And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Jesus has overcome the world and now we participate in His victory by exercising our faith. The church must present a solid front in resisting Satan, the world and the flesh. There must have been a very important reason why God left the devil, the fallen angels and the demons on this earth during the church age. There is! Overcoming the forces of darkness is all part of our “perfection” and part of our “on the job training” for eternity.

Psalms 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Thy name in all the earth, Who hast displayed Thy splendor above the heavens! [2] From the mouth of infants and nursing babes Thou hast established strength, Because of Thine adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. The rest of the Psalm identifies this is clearly speaking about man. Hebrews 2 also identifies man as fulfilling these scriptures. God has given man [and now the church] this work of causing the adversaries, the enemies and the revengeful to cease their activities on earth.

We could easily misinterpret why God has assigned us this work of overcoming. The fact is that the MAN Christ Jesus has gained total victory and now all the church must do is use His name and enforce His victory over these principalities and powers. It is not a matter of attacking but of guarding and enforcing. Too much time has been lost trying to defeat Satan instead of trusting in the Lord and enforcing His victory. This is now a matter of the Kingdom of God casting out the kingdom of Satan and his demons.

MAT 12:28] "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

One of the manifestations of the Kingdom is spiritual warfare and the neutralizing of the kingdom of darkness. Where ever the Kingdom of God is manifest, Satan cannot stand in that place and must flee to some other place. The church’s work is to release the power and authority of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ upon this earth. The church’s work is NOT to assume a power and authority of its own. This has been a problem within certain emphases. Men trying to share “their authority” with others by the laying on of hands. If we tap into HIS AUTHORITY we won’t need any other authority. If Christ becomes our armor, the fiery darts of the enemy will have no effect.

Eph 3:8] To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, [9] and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; [10] in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. [11] This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Bringing the revelation of the mystery about Christ’s total and complete victory over Satan to his subordinates now has been assigned to the church and is part of God’s eternal purpose.

PSALM 149:5 Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. [6] Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, [7] To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishment on the peoples; [8] To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; [9] To execute on them the judgment written; This is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the LORD!

Those who assume it is enough to be saved have failed to recognize the work assigned to the church to deal with God’s enemies until they are subjected under His feet. Sadam Hussien was soundly defeated in the first gulf war but still insisted upon ruling over Iraq and continued to threaten the world. Most of the world just put up with him much like the church puts up with Satan and his threats.

It is imperative that we understand the origin of the “church” which is “His body”or we may get discouraged by seeing the “visible church” and confuse that with what Christ is building. Much of our criticism of the visible church today could be reduced if we saw the “church which He is building” is made entirely out of Christ. What man is “building” is not the glorious church! Nothing that originates on this earth can be used to build the glorious church and must be left behind.

The difficulty is in discerning that which is at the present time invisible to us but visible to God. If we are just looking at that which is natural, visible and outward we will certainly be disgusted. The glorious church MUST be built out of “the inner man who is the image of Him who created him.” The natural and the outward man will remain on this earth and can never be built into the New Jerusalem. The church He is building cannot be made of “humans” who are just wood, hay and straw.

Still, it not just the “spirit, inner man” that is already in His image [but not yet mature] that must be “built up” but the soul of man is also involved in man’s perfection.

It is NOT that the “visible church” does not have Christ but that she has a lot of things that are NOT Christ. Those are the things that God is at work removing from us. That portion that is “raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places ” is Christ in us. That portion that is left behind is of the Old Adam. COL 3:1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. [3] For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Our goal is GAL 2:20] "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.

To assume that everything has already taken place and there is nothing more to be done except wait for Jesus to break through the clouds and take us to His throne is a serious mistake although from God’s viewpoint it is already accomplished. Our problem is that we will be judged according to our actual history while in this body.

If everything was accomplished at Calvary and all we have to do is just believe, there are a series of warnings in the Book of Hebrews that are irrelevant.