#536 Calvary: The Dawn Of The Final Fulfillment – Document #2

            The New Covenant; The New Genesis Begins

            The Word Becomes Flesh To Birth The New Species

            The Relevance of the Foundations For the New Species.

            The Fulfillment of God’s Purpose Is In the New Species

December 21, 2012

John 12:27 “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

Luke 4:43 But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”

2Cor 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

Rom 14:7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Calvary began with God and NOT with man. Calvary was to meet God’s need and NOT exclusively to meet man’s need as is taught today. The articles published under Billy Graham’s name indicate that the ONLY reason for Calvary was to get man to heaven so he could live a wonderful life for eternity. However, reality is this; Calvary is ALL about fulling God’s Purpose NOT about fulfilling man’s purpose! Calvary was NOT enacted by man’s will but was fully sanctioned by God’s will! The resurrection is very poorly preached. Why? Because, it is presented as man centered. The real resurrection has opened up realms of Life linked to a totally new creation and the Dawn of the Final Fulfillment.

2Timothy 1:9 who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.

We must continually adjust our belief systems, along with our consciousness, to understand the Sacrifice of Calvary more clearly. Calvary must be evaluated from God’s viewpoint for it to coordinate with God’s Eternal Purpose. The Sacrifice of Calvary is not just a historical fact, as a past event, but is a progressing revelation that should grow greater and deeper until it becomes a full revelation. Calvary is designed to produce a “birth” in us and that “birth” (new man) is designed to grow to full maturity. Maturity means to the measure of the stature that belongs to the Fullness of Christ. As we mature, our understanding of Calvary should increase in direct proportion to the stature of our inner man. We should continually remind ourselves that Calvary was not man centered but Father Centered. That means that Calvary was wholly for God and NOT primarily for man. The fact that man benefits from Calvary does not change the purpose of God or the definition of Calvary as being God Centered. “He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” changes the perspective from which we evaluate Calvary and WHY He died. The proper understanding of Calvary should provide a rectification within us to “convert” us from just a man centered focus, to being wholly Christ centered. Calvary was a moment in time when man’s concepts of eternity and the personal focus of his life was to radically change. Following Calvary, now at last, mankind could be converted to live wholly for God and to do His Will. To accomplish that basic experience it was essential that man hear the voice of God and obey.

Heb 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

The “Word Became Flesh” expresses an Eternal Reality that might easily escape our full understanding. Why? Because “the Word became Flesh” is another progressing revelation, increasing as we develop our inner man. A growing revelation indicates a growing inner man. A stagnant understanding of eternal things indicates a comatose inner man or one that is stuck in a baby state of growth. Of course, my opinion is that this “babyhood of the believer” is epidemic in the visible church.

The “Word became flesh” is an eternal “FACT” that begins with God and NOT with man. “The Word became flesh” was NOT man’s idea but exclusively God’s design. Why is this event significant? It is because this tremendous occasion signaled “The Dawn of the Final Fulfillment” of the Eternal Purpose of God. It was at this specific time that a totally New Creation was possible. Therefore, this event signaled the Dawn of a New Beginning! Not only could the Word become flesh in Jesus but was released so the “the Word could become flesh” in a completely new species of mankind upon the earth. ( John 17) This event signaled the beginning of the last Adam and the provision for the creation of the last Eve, the perfected Church! None of this was possible before Calvary and even John the Baptist was excluded from this dimension of the Kingdom Life.

God’s Purpose, that was to be fulfilled in this new creation, was predestined before the earth was restored in Genesis 1:2. At the Sunset of this beginning, when the Eternal Purpose of God is fully realized for this earth, another New Creation will begin called the Tabernacle of God. This Tabernacle is made up of three areas; A New Earth, A New Heaven and A New Jerusalem.

It is the New Species man that will make the transition from this earth realm to that eternal realm, called the New Jerusalem. It is for this very reason that our emphasis is always upon the full development of the New Species of Man. It is during this church age and within the salvation process that God is “transforming” the present generations of believers and equipping them to populate the “Tabernacle of God” which is the “Next Creation.” The New Jerusalem will be populated with the “perfected saints!”

It must be made clear that there are three dimensions of Life and three dimensions of perfection that will inhabit each of the three realms of eternity. Individuals, in each level of their “fulness of His Stature,” will be assigned their position in the Tabernacle of God according to their level of perfection. Therefore, our explanation of the eternal goal must point out the different levels of perfection revealed in the Tabernacle of Moses. For example; the requirement to function in Outer Court realm is much less than the requirements necessary for us to function in the Most Holy place. It is because of this understanding that we insist upon presenting these foundations that, if they are effective, will enable us to achieve the highest levels of His Life that is possible. The Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek requires the highest level of perfection. That is the “perfection” that Paul was pressing toward. This “perfection” is defined as the highest level of His Life that is available to mankind.

“The Word Became Flesh” began a “True Realism” that had never occurred before in the history of mankind. Man must deal with this reality accurately and prudently, remembering that this event singled the beginning of a totally New Creation, a New Genesis chapter ONE!

This signaled a New Invasion of God’s Eternal Government into the earth realm. “The Kingdom is at hand” identifies the time is NOW! The Kingdom becoming Flesh in “man” introduced a completely new element into the regions of mankind. This established the Kingdom of Heaven, the “Eternal Realism,” as present fact that is available to those who do the will of God. “The Government of Heaven Became Flesh” in the Man, Christ Jesus, and this established a “Present Realism” in the earth realm and among men. This tremendous event was designed to begin the fulfillment of God’s Eternal Purpose which He purposed BEFORE the world was! The Kingdom came into the earth realm and God’s will was done on earth as it was being done in heaven. How? Through the man, Christ Jesus, and this IS the evidence that the Kingdom had come. Why? It is because no one can participate in the Kingdom of God that does NOT do the Will of God.

 

Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

 

For man to place this Ultimate Reality of the Kingdom of God into the future “sometime” is gross ignorance! All this is current fact and that is what makes this understanding of the Kingdom especially relevant today. Why? Because if we don’t BEGIN our eternal experience correctly we could end up at an unauthorized finish line.

 

The Word became Flesh, The New Covenant, The Kingdom of God and His great and magnificent promises ALL began with God and were supplied to us so we could fulfill God’s Eternal Purpose. All these “ultimate Realities” could only begin because of Calvary. Then how does mankind fit into all this eternal design? God has created man and has chosen him to manifest His Kingdom and to fulfill His Purpose. This was NOT man’s idea nor did it happen because of something wonderful that man did. In fact man was not even present when God determined the end from the beginning. All this began out of God’s Absolute Sovereignty and that ultimate goal is already predestined and is non-negotiable! Our ONLY option is to adapt to and conform to God’s Predestined Plan.

 

Job 38:4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, 5 Who set its measurements, since you know? Or who stretched the line on it? 6 “On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God [angels] shouted for joy?

 

It is for this reason that ALL areas of our existence and the circumstances that affect man, including and our eternal concepts, MUST begin with God and then we can reason down to man and his plight. When the church turned from the Gospel of the Kingdom and substituted the gospel of salvation, the whole concept of salvation became a man centered gospel. Salvation became another “entitlement” that was received by believing something about Jesus! The “leaders” began their “gospel” in Genesis three (at the fall), instead of before the earth was formed, and concluded that man’s sin was the reason for everything, including Calvary. It is that spurious gospel that has focused “salvation” upon man’s personal benefit and the source of all man’s blessings. “Salvation” was perceived to be the central focus of this “other gospel.” Doing the will of God and obedience to Jesus was made optional. Therefore, God’s Eternal Purpose was set aside because it was just a secondary issue and of much less importance than man’s need! Eventually God Purpose was forgotten all together and the eternal issues became man centered. The “gospel” was just for winning souls to populate heaven and so His table would be full.

 

It is for that reason that some groups are seeking relevancy in an outward religion to be seen of men. This kind of outward relevancy was condemned by Jesus as totally irrelevant. Today, this condemnation of “outward religion” is very important to us because the New Covenant is focused upon the New Species of man that is inward. This New Man begins a New Creation ( a new Genesis Chapter one within the New Covenant). This is the current reality for anyone that has an eternal vision! From the Kingdom Viewpoint, from which Jesus was preaching, this condemnation of outward religion is VERY logical and necessary because the Kingdom begins as an inner reality. The Outward Man is related to the Outer Court dimension and is eliminated from the Kingdom reality. Why? Because the Kingdom is within you!

 

Mat 6:5 “And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

 

From the earth / visible church viewpoint, to be ego-centric, egotistical and ego-exalting so as to be seen by men is how the “church” is built. The self-important person determines what is relevant and what is irrelevant by what revolves around him. Man builds “his church” on human personality, his speaking ability and a LOT of hype. To be recognized as a “leader” in the earth realm, man needs to exercise authority over others to demonstrate his self-importance and the position he holds.

 

Mat 20:25 But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 “It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;

 

But what has all this to do with the foundations for the Kingdom / Christian Life? In this New Genesis / New Covenant process, we once again are seeking for relevancy totally within the context of the Kingdom of God, God’s Purpose and God’s Ideal and Ultimate Man. These are the unchanging “absolutes” of eternity. Seeking Relevancy totally within God’s ABSOLUTES is the only relevancy that makes Eternal Sense when we BEGIN with God and reason down to man.

 

It is these “foundations” that are designed to help us adjust to the qualifications associated with the Absolutes! For example; If we define repentance as “a change of mind” then this

 

change” is to readjust to the eternal viewpoint associated with these absolutes.

 

This “readjustment” is necessary to perceive the “absolute” of elimination of the natural man and his fallen attributes from each of us personally. Why? It is because this whole realm of egotism and self-importance, the whole man centered gospel is all part of the “old man! The “seven” foundations are designed to do a complete eternal work in us in the beginning realms of our “conversion!”

 

The reason this is so important is because to take our place in the Body of our High Priest requires an extremely radical transformation that includes the removal of all our defects. This “transformation” requires the removal of the dominion of the natural man and establishing the predominance of the New Species Man (the Head, Christ) through the growth, “perfection” or maturity of New Inner Man. Why? The natural man is forbidden from having ANY part in the New Covenant blessings. Why? The natural man is unable to adjust to the Kingdom requirements. The natural man is locked out of the Lampstand Church He is Building. How do we know that? It is because there is no dross, impurities and no wood in the Lampstand Church! These “churches” have come to the Outer Court perfection but not yet to the Holy Place perfection. They are pure gold but NOT yet transparent gold or precious stones. It is for these reasons that NOT EVEN ONE of the seven foundations are optional. Each foundation, that is personally experienced, is God’s way of producing this essential transformation, create a new vision and to refocus us upon a new and eternal goal! The old things have passed away and all new things have come is the primary goal of the beginning Christian Life. The New Goal must eventually refocus our vision upon the New Jerusalem / Mount Zion of eternity.

 

For many years we have used the Tabernacle of Moses as a type and shadow or a word picture and graphic to understand the unfolding of the Eternal Purpose of God. This purpose must be first be established in man before it can be demonstrated through man. From Hebrews 5 to Hebrews Chapter 10, the Tabernacle, the Priesthood and the sacrifices are used as types of New Covenant reality. Since the Tabernacle uses seven Outer Court, personal experiences, as preparation for the Old Testament corporate priesthood, we use these seven Outer Court “Personal Experiences” as the Reality of preparing / perfecting the saints for the New Covenant Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek. Again, we MUST begin with God and His provision and then reason down to how man can participate in His Provision and to establish each of these truths as personal experience.

 

No priest after the Order of Aaron dared even step near or approach the Sanctuary unless they had experienced ALL seven stages of their preparation! We also have identified these natural examples as types of the Seven Foundations for the Christian Life, in the Kingdom Dimension! Since each “foundation” is essential to growth and fulfillment, we present them as “absolutes.” In other words, none of these beginning experiences can be understood as optional or marginal. Rather, we insist that these Seven Stages of preparations are “absolutes” and to ignore them has tremendous eternal consequences that cannot be reversed.

 

However, it seems that the more we emphasize these seven foundations, the more they become common place or routine and can easily just become another Christian concept to be learned. For that reason it is reasonable to use different phrases to say the same thing but though them to “change our mind”, adjust our concepts and increase our understanding of their ultimate importance. I have created over 20 different phrases to emphasize the importance of these Seven Foundational Experiences but with other words!

 

(1) The Seven Correctional Steps.

 

(2) The Seven Steps to Restoration.

 

(3) The Seven Steps to Proper Function.

 

(4) The Seven Steps to The New Covenant Priesthood.

 

(5) The Seven Designed Preparations For Ministry.

 

(6) The Seven Designed Steps to Perform Good (LIVING) Works.

 

(7) The Seven Steps to Outer Court Perfection.

 

(8) The Seven Steps to Living in Matthew 5-6 & 7.

 

(9) The Seven Designed Steps to Basic Maturity.

 

(10) The Seven Steps to Overcoming the Flesh!

 

(11) The Seven Steps to Walking in the Spirit.

 

(12) The Seven Steps to Christ-likeness.

 

(13) The Seven Steps to Restoring Image and Likeness.

 

(14) The Seven Steps to Releasing the New Inner Man into function.

 

(15) The Seven Steps to Becoming POOR ENOUGH to Receive Everything.

 

(16) The Seven Steps to Opening the Resources of Heaven.

 

(17) The Seven Steps To Humility.

 

(18) The Seven Steps to New Covenant Fulfillment.

 

(19) The Seven Steps To Body Membership in the Church He is Building.

 

(20) The Seven Preparations To Participate in the Body of Our Great High Priest.

 

(21) The Seven Stages to Full Redemption.

 

At the present time these terms may seem too abstract or just another idealism. Hopefully, we will be able to clarify these “preparations” with many scriptural references as we identify these seven stages of preparation in practical terms and in personal experiences.

 

To first recognize these “preparations” as “Absolutes” and not optional, may require an adjustment to how we think about the eternal expectations of God. The first adjustment is when we recognize that what we see in the visible Church is Not enough nor is it normal. The spiritual maturity of the believers needs a LOT of growth and adjustment before there can be any eternal fulfillment of God’s Purpose by the believers. We might call these The Seven Steps to the necessary transformation of the visible church. Or The seven Steps to the Ultimate rectification of the saints!

 

But why do we put so much emphasis upon these foundations when it is obvious that the visible church, everywhere, considers them irrelevant and are ignoring them? It is because our Eternal Destiny depends upon our fulfilling God’s Predestined Purpose! In our natural condition or in our under developed inner man, none of this is possible! If we had a clear understanding that these are the first Seven Steps to the Throne or to the highest (third) heaven, it might make some difference in our understanding.

 

Since this second document is to introduce this sequence of events that leads up to the Kingdom / Christian Life and our part in God’s Eternal Purpose, let us present a short overview.

 

If we could divide the Bible into two chapters (instead of 66) it might help us understand His Purpose much better. Chapter 1 is the revelation of His Purpose from Genesis one to Malachi 4. Chapter 2 then begins the final phase of our preparation from Matthew 1 and until it ends in Revelation 19. Of course many details concerning our necessary growth are revealed in the Epistles.

 

Both Chapters are ESSENTIAL to understand God’s process of developing a totally New Kind of Government for the World Yet to Come! To accomplish that, God must begin with a completely new creation that is much different from the Genesis one creation and its 4000 years of history. The First Chapter deals with examples and explains how Israel failed and the natural man was incapable of doing anything relevant to fulfill God’s Purpose. Matthew begins with the Kingdom of Heaven and the Divine Person. This theme is carried into the other three Gospels and clearly identifies the Divine Person, who is of a totally New Species, and whom is born of God! This New Species is called the Last Adam! This corporate “man” (Christ) is ONLY made up of the New Species of Persons. The Epistles introduce the reason we must bring a conclusion to the Old Species of persons, born of the first Adam! Why? Because they were all created from the dirt of this earth and are “earthy.” Only those who have been “born of God” can be new creations and ONLY the New Creation Man can fulfill the purpose of God. The first “man” of the New Species, Jesus, is the prototype Son for each succeeding generations.

 

Heb 2:14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil;

 

1Cor 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.

 

1Co 15:45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

 

The Last Adam, Jesus, was a genuine man but following the resurrection He became a Life Giving Spirit. Jesus also “began” in the natural ream with a human body but with a new inner man. However, at the resurrection He became wholly spiritual as the second man. The “Divine Person” that remained, following the resurrection, is the “New Man” that came from the realms of heaven. How does this apply to us?

 

As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

 

1Cor 15:50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

 

In order for the corporate New Creation Man, Christ, to fulfill the Eternal Purpose of God he must first be SEVERED for the old creation man. He must be severed from sin, rebellion, anarchy and everything connected to that genealogy. He must also be set free from the Law that governed the natural man. Why is this essential? It is because the New Covenant provision must be effective in producing a New Creation Man to fulfill God’s Eternal Purpose. This New Species of Man must be totally free of the old creation man after first Adam. The Old Covenant, along with its laws, statutes and ordinances must be fulfilled and become obsolete and kept free from the New Species of man. The Old Covenant demands, established by carnal laws and physical requirements, must be eliminated and kept inactive because they cannot be mixed with the New Covenant blessings. Why? It is because the New Species functions under a much different and higher kind of law, the Law of Life, in Christ Jesus. Even though the Law remains in effect for the old creation man, Adam, it must be set aside for the New Creation Man, Christ! Why? It is because the New Species of Man must live BY THE DIVINE ZOE LIFE and not by carnal commandments and physical requirements.

 

Rom 7:5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

 

These “Seven Steps” to the full foundation must provide for these “deaths” to the former things and deliverance from ALL the other hindrances inherited from first Adam to permit us to live wholly within the Kingdom and the Christian Life! This “elimination” must include the multitude of irrelevant ideas, ideologies, concepts, religious fantasies, defects and abominations that we carried into this new dimension within the “old creation man.” The elimination of ALL these things is what I believe should be called “redemption” or “reconciliation” or “conversion” rather than just “salvation” by forgiveness of sins. It is AFTER this elimination of the “natural man” that we can begin to work effectively with God to fulfill His Eternal Purpose!

 

While the visible church is busy establishing new laws to govern the assembly, the New Species Man is busy trying to escape the laws so he can live in the Spirit. The old species man will heartily agree with the natural laws because he knows he needs fences to guide him.

 

New Covenant provisions must produce a New Genesis or a genuine New Beginning rather than another new doctrine! This “new Creation process” must “create” a New Species of Man that is born wholly of God. This “birth” is not related to the outer man and his birth but is a birth into a higher dimension of Resurrection Life. Unless there is a new kind of birth into the Divine Realms, there can be no new species of man. Without a New Species of man there can be no ultimate fulfillment. The old species of man (after Adam) has 4000 years of history to prove he cannot fulfill ANYTHING, do the will of God, or even to please God.

 

The New Covenant MUST produce a New Genesis or a new beginning for the New Creation man which is of a totally New Species. Only the New Species man may participate in the Promises of the New Covenant and therefore, only the New Species can participate in the Kingdom or even live the Christian Life! Even though we have repeated these things many times let us be sure we all understand. Repeating and repeating these principles might bring illumination to some believers.

 

So let us review to sum up what we have shared.

 

This series of studies will carefully present these Seven Foundational Experiences as essential to actually participate in the full New Covenant promises. These Seven Foundational Experiences are essential to remove the Old Species from function and to develop, grow and prepare the New Species Inner Man to function in the Great, Precious and Magnificent Promises so we might share in the Divine Nature. It is the “foundations” that bring about this exchange of life from the natural to the eternal realms of Life. For example; the Book of Romans, as well as the Book of Galatians, reveals that even after we are born again and have New Life that the old life of the flesh still persists. We are limiting the “fulfillment of God’s Ultimate Promises” to the new inner man that can only be of the New Species. It is for the purpose of developing and maturing the inner man that we are linking these seven foundations to our personal experience of Christ in us.

 

My thesis is this; The lack of these Seven Foundational Experiences is the reason the visible church is in such a pitiful condition. If we start wrong we end wrong. Becoming a “member” in the Body of our High Priest will NOT be determined by how many meetings we attended or how well we sang but how fully we completed OUR Maturity / PERFECTION / PREPARATION. If there is NO PREPARATION, there can be NO PARTICIPATION! THERE CAN BE NO HARVEST UNTIL THERE IS FULL GROWTH! IF WE DON’T PLANT THE KINGDOM SEED, WE CAN NEVER REAP A KINGDOM HARVEST! Jesus is coming back for “THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE KINGDOM HARVEST.”

 

To continue the summation let us review from the viewpoint of the Kingdom.

 

In the first document and also in this second document, we have begun to identify these Seven Foundational Steps into the Kingdom of God and God’s Eternal Purpose. Thefore, now we want to add the Kingdom dimension to these foundations.

 

At this point of my inquiry into this NEW GENESIS it appears that getting each of these “foundations” as living experiences in each of our lives will be the responsibility of each individual. Why? Because, a “ministry” mandate for “the perfection of the saints” will end up with more laws, new programs, carnal commandments, contrived systems, corporate projects and physical requirements. Why? Because that is how a human hierarchy works and the best they can do. We appoint a man to go up the mountain to hear from God so he can tell us what God expects. He generally comes back to the assembly with a new conceived program of his own design but that has no Divine life. Rather than benefitting us, these “new ideas” will prevent us from growing and advancing into the Kingdom as an inner Life reality. How do we know that? Because, we have 500 years of history as evidence. Why is this true? It is because this method produces another outward system of physical projects that ignores the Life of the Kingdom that must be in each one of the new species of mankind. God has actually called EVERY believer to come up the Mountain and NOT to depend upon another to ascend. This call is to be a Kingdom of Priests and is a corporate call to the ascending Life, rather than just an individual call to be “saved.” It is the personal confrontation and individual discipline by God of ALL his sons that corrects us to share His Holiness. This is NOT a corporate activity!

 

Mat 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

 

Mat 11:16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, 17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

 

We called the meeting but you didn’t attend, as is the habit of some!

 

Luke 16:16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the

 

gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

 

It seems obvious that ALL those who are participating in “casual Christianity”will have a “lukewarm attitude” toward the Kingdom and God’s Eternal Purpose. Therefore, they will NOT pay the price of experiencing each of these foundations as real life experiences. Cooperating with the Holy Spirit to cleanse us from these fallen attributes and conflicting attitudes is NOT for the faint hearted or the unconcerned. To think that forgiveness of sins is equal to this “transformation” and cleansing to remove the garbage we carried into the Christian Life is ignorant.

 

It appears to me that if we are successful in “experiencing the full, seven fold foundation” that we MUST deal VIOLENTLY with every issue connected with the old species. These corrupt and crooked attitudes, ideas, motives, thoughts, and actions that have clung to us and persisted for years MUST be severely and violently dealt with. Why? Because, “the Kingdom is at hand.” In other words assigning this “entrance by force” to another time is stupid because it is defined in the present tense.

 

This attitude persists everywhere in the visible church, “Well, God knows my heart and I would change and overcome if I could but He knows I can’t! However, He knows my name and address so if He wants to change me, I am open to anything so He can look me up. Anyway, this work is His responsibility because the Bible says; in Phillippians 2:13, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Therefore, I gave Him permission several years ago to do whatever He wants to do. All this is really out of my hands and this responsibility belongs to God.”

 

I can testify that this attitude toward the Kingdom of God is totally ineffective and accomplishes NOTHING! THIS LEVEL OF ETERNAL CHANGE does NOT come by that kind of casual attitude or placing the responsibility on someone else. Eternal Change is VERY difficult and requires a violent attitude against EVERYTHING that is anti-Christ and anti-Kingdom.

 

Mat 11:11 “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

 

None of the seven commentaries in my computer addresses this statement about the “violence” associated with the Kingdom of God. This appears to be another mystery that makes little sense. The word translated “violence” can ONLY be translated as “violence” so the statement is quite straight forward. Therefore, the “violence” aspect is not subject to interpretation. Since the “Kingdom of Heaven” was only in the prophetic mode at that time and had not been established on earth, (even though it was near) it seems difficult to apply this “violence” to something past tense. It obviously cannot apply to heaven. The word “suffers” also is translated as “seized” or “to force.” Therefore, The kingdom of heaven is violently seized, and violent men take it by force seems to be a reasonable translation to me.

 

If this is true, then approaching the Kingdom in some casual way, by half committed persons, or by those who consider the Kingdom to be optional, will be a waste of time. This is why the kingdom is often rejected. However, those who are willing to deal violently with everything that is not compatible with Christ Jesus, His Kingdom or His Eternal Purpose seems to fit the context of “seizing the Kingdom.” This “violence” appears to be a definition of how John the Baptist announced that the Kingdom was at hand.

 

If we are going to “violently seize” the Kingdom, it should be obvious that some “violent or radical change” needs to take place within us because the natural man will be making up excuses of why it is not necessary.

 

In my thesis I am assuming that this “radical change” is completed by experiencing the seven foundations for the Christian / Kingdom Life! Nevertheless, to “violently seize” the Kingdom (rather than receiving it as a gift of Calvary) is a strange concept in the great majority of assemblies. I am guessing that the reason for this ignorance may be as simple as the lack of preaching and expecting the proper foundations to be experienced by the “ministries.” It seems certain that the early church had something that we don’t have because they joyfully died proclaiming the Kingdom. They took hold of the Kingdom by violence as the lions took hold of them!

 

In these past pages we have made an application of the seven foundations as they relate to the Christian / Kingdom life. We could continue by using many more examples and references from the scriptures. However, to be adamant and clarify what we have shared thus far we repeat; the foundations are designed to remove “everything” that will prevent the Kingdom from becoming a reality in our experience. At the same time, the foundations will add “everything” necessary for us to fulfill the demands of the Kingdom in our lives. The full foundation, laid as genuine experience, is essential for us to fulfill the Purpose of God. This IS essential for us to complete the very purpose for which He saved us!

 

2 Peter 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

 

The “ADDITION” of all these practical experiences to our beginning experiences seems very rational. For anyone to ignore these “additions” and therefore, to lack these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins and is preventing himself from entering the Kingdom of Christ. We are relating these seven foundations with these “additions” and linking these qualifications to entering the Kingdom.

 

John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

 

This, born of water, then, is one of the foundations for the Kingdom. It seems obvious that there is a serious lack of understanding of why God created the earth and then created us on it. It is clear that this was to produce a people to fulfill His Eternal Purpose, but this then signals a even greater problem. That problem is with the ignorance of those who are in leadership in the visible church. This lack of understanding in the “ministries” simply means that they have neglected these essential foundations in their own experience. For that reason they see no importance in mentioning or insisting upon these foundations in their believers. Therefore, most believers that I have met are totally ignorant of why they lack the Kingdom reality in their lives. There are many testimonies / excuses of why they cannot live an overcoming life or excel in the ministry or even live the Christian Life and be a testimony before their family. In most cases we don’t have the time or the opportunity to complete these foundations in other places. This should be the total responsibility of the local ministers. Why? Because their job description is “for the perfection of the saints.”

 

It is my opinion that this IS the reason that we see such a pitiful display of immaturity in the visible church! Now I am asked what are the believers to do because none of this emphasis is seen in their assemblies. My pitiful answer is “you must take responsibility to search out, ask, seek, knock until these things become a reality in your life.” Another inappropriate answer is “You must become aggressive and violently press into these absolutes because now that you know you have no excuse.” The reply is generally “But I am alone and I am the only one in this assembly that is seeking God.” Another of my pitiful answers is this “Well, Paul was alone and He got all these foundations in his life.” But how do we know that? It is because he wrote about all these things and had the maturity to suffer terrible things to reveal this truth. Also, he could confidently confess, “I laid the foundation and another is building upon it.”

 

The reality I see in the pulpits is this; Yes, it is true, “I preached a lot of irrelevant messages but I laid NO experiential foundations in my assembly. Therefore, NO eternal building can take place no matter how many more irrelevant sermons that I preach.” Only a few pastors can admit to such a pitiful failure but many know it is true. I am having less and less embarrassment in admitting how I failed for 30 years to just focus upon what is clearly evident in the scriptures. However, in the time I have left I want to alert as many as possible to this travesty within the ministries. Someday I hope the visible church will be a powerful witness to the world. However, much change will first be necessary. Our purpose is to remove this “NECESSARY CHANGE” from a dimension of abstract thought and transform our methods of preparation to include the Seven Foundations as personal life experiences.

 

These seven foundation follow the picture that God has given us in the Tabernacle of Moses which is a COPY of heavenly things. God has invested over 40 chapters of the Bible in the revelation of the Tabernacle, the Priesthood and the Sacrifices. It is blatantly stupid to ignore God’s clear Revelation to the church of what He expects..

 

(1) Repentance in all its dimensions

 

(2) Calvary in all its dimensions

 

(3) Removing the old manner of life and life-style in all its dimension.

 

(4) Being truly Baptized in Water and receiving, by actual experience, EVERYTHING the Scriptures says will happen. (the 20 things)

 

(5) Putting on ALL the garments of the New Covenant Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek. Being CLOTHED with Christ.

 

(6) Experiencing all the realms of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit including ALL the details of Feast of Pentecost.

 

(7) Being fully consecrated to God to do His Will in ALL things and to fully experience everything necessary to participate in the Lampstand Church and to function in the New Covenant Priesthood.

 

Our purpose in these next 8 studies will be to research what each of the Seven Rows of Foundations mean for each of us personally and how we can begin. Why are we intimating that this must be BEGUN? Because, we have yet to meet anyone who can testify that they have experienced ALL these things and come to an Outer Court Perfection/ Maturity / Fulfillment.

 

Why are we putting so much emphasis upon these foundations? It is because these things must become an Inner Man / Life Reality BEFORE we can go on to the Next Perfection of the Holy Place. It is in the Holy Place that the Kingdom of Priests begin to function. Since the “World yet to Come” will be ruled by a Kingdom of Priests after the Order of Melchizedek, it seems important that we at least understand what the qualification are to participate in that dimension of Eternity!