#559 – Redemption VS Purpose
Forgiveness VS Perfection
The Old Man VS The New Man
The Old Covenant VS The New Covenant
November 13, 2013
Every time that I suggest that redemption or forgiveness of sins is not the central theme of the Bible or of the Gospel I get some blow back. To me this is rather amazing until I listen to the message in our “Christian” media. The preaching, books and TV all seem to be proclaiming the “Gospel of Forgiveness of Sins.” I watched the Billy Graham Program on Fox News and various interviews since 1950 when his ministry went national and international. In every interview from every period of time his central message focused upon the Cross of Calvary and the forgiveness of sins. His ministry spanned 60 years and thousands of “decisions for Christ” was recorded.
In all those years there was never a scandal, financial mis-management or anything the news media could criticize. It was a proper and accurate report and was certainly a wonderful and special honor and recognition for Billy Graham. This accolade was certainly earned by his faithfulness.
However, over all these years the emphasis was always upon redemption but nothing about God’s Purpose. The message was directed toward the sinner who needed to be redeemed through the Cross so you could go to heaven someday. It was, maybe, for that reason that the primary theme of the modern gospel has been to follow that example as an evangelistic outreach.
The Adam man is fundamentally only interested in his own well being and in his own plans. His problems and troubles is the foremost thing in his life. Even AFTER redemption, the Adam man is preoccupied with himself and what he will receive FROM redemption.
The redeemed person remains ignorant of the fact that God drew the blue print for all of creation BEFORE He began to put His Plan into operation in Genesis 1:2. The redeemed, but still natural man, has wasted most of his life trying to adjust the blueprint so that everything God did was to benefit man and to turn redemption into a wholly man centered gift instead of a God centered purpose.
The fact that God saves us so we can fulfill His Eternal Purpose is seldom even mentioned. Most all evangelistic messages focus upon what man can receive and what God has to give that will benefit man. To even imply that man can have his sins forgiven but then has no obligation except to wait until he dies so he can go the heaven just seems wrong and certainly ungrateful.
Even in the church meetings, the messages seldom even mention that God has given us His Uncreated Life so that, at last, we can live for him instead of just for ourselves. This critical difference is between living by our former and natural life and receiving His Uncreated Life, which is eternal. The difference between these two lives is the difference between Judaism and Christianity. The common error of many groups is that they assume the person, who has his sins forgiven, can now serve God without this exchange of Life. Without this exchange of Life it is difficult to understand how that “service” could even be called “Christian.”
The “obligation” that the redeemed person is informed about is toward the church and its agenda. Or maybe even an obligation to help the pastor fulfill his call and ministry. Most of the groups I visit are totally ignorant of the reason God saved us and the “WHY” of the Christian Life.
When we suggest that the real meaning of being “Christian” is receiving His Life and living for Him, it seems strange and out of balance. Still, to be a true Christian we MUST be “Alive with His Life.” This Exchange of Life is integral with the New Covenant. The Old Covenant is called “the ministry of death and condemnation.”
2Cor 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
When we say “GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS AND HE WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY,” it may seem that we are ridiculing this concept. However, we are just showing how shallow this concept really is when viewed from God’s Ultimate Purpose! Our emphasis has always been to turn Evangelism from a “sinner center” to a God centered approach! That means from a fallen man and his needs centered gospel to a God’s Purpose center message. Why do we need to be born again? So we can see the Kingdom!
We have suggested that “Redemption” is not just to get a person to heaven but to prepare the redeemed person to fulfill God’s Eternal Purpose and to take their place in the Kingdom Government of God. But doesn’t the sinner need to be forgiven? Yes, certainly! The real question is WHY must he be forgiven as a “first” experience? Redemption is necessary so the person can begin a series of further experiences and adjustments before he can find his place in the purpose of God.
Our purpose has never been to ridicule the first basic experience of forgiveness of sins but to expose the “WHY” of our redemption. It is one thing to know “WHAT” God is saying and “DOING” but it is quite another to know “WHY” God is saying and doing it. While dozens of ministers are focused upon winning new souls to salvation and “HOW” that redemption takes place, my emphasis has been upon “WHY” God saved us and the Purpose He has designed for us AFTER we have experienced our basic redemption.
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,
Our basic salvation (forgiveness of sins) is NOT the GOAL but just one step toward the goal. Making forgiveness of sins the whole journey seems ridiculous to me and a sad concept when it should be viewed as just one part of the Gospel of the Kingdom. When we follow the reasoning from the viewpoint of the New Covenant, it seems so clear that “forgiveness of sins” is just the introduction to the Covenant and extremely short of being complete when the magnitude of the Covenant is understood. To just accept the forgiveness of sins but then reject the rest of the Covenant appears to be extremely ignorant.
What we are suggesting, and must soon be realized, is that an entirely new and different kind and dimension of ministry is required to turn the believers to an clear vision of the eternal journey. The “next” dimension of ministry must be “God centered” and “Purpose centered.”
It should be noted that in past recent church history when the sun set on one ministry it was rising on another ministry. Being able to make the transition to the next dimension was the main problem with the established ministries at each change of vision. When the sun was setting on the Evangelical Movement in 1890 it was rising on the Pentecostal movement in 1906! When the sun was setting on the Pentecostal Movement in 1945 it was rising on the Tent Meeting, miracle ministries. When the sun was setting on the Tent Meetings in 1963 it was rising on the Charismatic Movement. Now that the sun has set on the Charismatic Movement in 1985 we are speculating that the sun began to rise on a new and different kind of ministry shortly after 1985. However, what was rising was so different that it has not yet been understood or even accepted as valid.
Of course there were plenty of false starts since 1985 that were just a new twist on an old type of ministry. This radical nature of the next dimension of ministry has caused a long delay in the revelation of the Lampstand Church and the Priesthood Ministry. My theory is that several transformations, revelations and restorations within the minister himself must precede this new dimension of ministry and that is the reason for the delay. Pointing out these new inner man transformations that is necessary for the next dimension of ministry has been a slow process.
This next dimension of ministry requires the full New Covenant as a personal experience, the Kingdom Government of God as an inner reality, and, certainly, the access to the Realm of the Seven Spirits of God or what we are calling the Fullness of the Spirit for Ministry.
Each of these rectifications will require the direct discipline of God to solidify and stabilize the higher vision and experience. This severe discipline is related to maturity and Sonship. A new strength, steadfastness and stability must be maintained by the ministry so that “our hands don’t hang down” and discouragement sets in when the discipline of God is experienced. Why?
This “time” of Consecration is essential because of the magnitude of the change that is necessary within the minister / Priest! The light discipline we have experienced before will have to be increased by possibly 10 fold. Why? Because any flesh or errors of judgement in this next realm are so serious that every precaution and rectification must precede the ministry function.
The example of Nadab and Abihu making a mistake in the Holy Place with the fire and the incense is clearly given. These were consecrated priests of God and had all the Outer Court preparations but were still of the old species. A casual lifestyle, pride, arrogance or ego centric attitudes are very dangerous in this place of ministry.
Lev 10:1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
It seems obvious that the transition to this next dimension of ministry might require some “time” of consecration and a radical adjustment in all areas our former ministry.
However, if this message and understanding of the next dimension of ministry is held back or rejected, I am guessing, that we will remain in this status quo stagnation and hollow, ineffective ministry for a long time. Of course, if the current level of “ministry” is judged to be normal or sufficient to assist in producing the Glorious Church, no need to change will be recognized. In that situation all we can expect is just more of the same pitiful results.
How has this sad condition fallen on the current ministries? That was probably because these “ministries” were only trained by other men who had never made the transition to the next dimension of ministry. But why, after all these years, would God be saying anything different from 30 years ago? I am guessing that this is because of the radical difference between the fundamental nature of the Light in the Holy Place and the natural light in the Outer Court. I am speculating that since 1985 God has been speaking about the rectification of our vision and a radical inner life adjustment and a serious preparation of the minister to function in the next dimension of ministry. Why we haven’t heard or taken it seriously is the big question.
Here, once again, the understanding comes from the shadow, the Tabernacle of Moses! Prior to the transition to a radical and different kind of Light behind the Second Veil, the Consecration Offering was required preparation. While the sacrifice was being totally consumed, the entrance to the Holy Place was delayed. Of course, if there is no Consecration Offering there can be no further progress in the ministry. Why? That is because without the sacrifice being totally consumed it would be too dangerous for the average ego centric minister to even approach that realm. Now, at this point, we are NOT speaking about the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary but full consecration offering of the minister, himself.
To be able to mentally process the gravity of this transition, we should be aware that the reference to being Vomited out of His Body is related to this Lampstand realm. The experience of Nadab and Abihu indicates a very short priesthood ministry, following the preparation. If we are Baptized with the Holy Spirit AND Fire, as part of our Outer Court preparation, it may require a new evaluation of Holy Place ministry and move us into the survival mode.
Brother, that realm is too hot for me so I will be content just to get in the First Veil and let the Second Veil survivors continue the ministry. Even though that IS the vision of the Outer Court converts, this is NOT what God has established as His Purpose for the Kingdom of Priests!
At this point in the restoration of all things spoken by the prophets, it should be clear why the visible church and its ministers has hindered the progressive process and the further development among the believers. The “ministers,” for some reason, failed to perceive the necessity of experiencing a radical change or they rejected the next dimension of their preparation and have preferred to remain in a casual system of ministry. However, this has not just affected them and their eternal destiny but whole congregations. Why? These casual ministers have also become a stumbling block for the many believers who have entrusted their eternal destiny to these shallow ministers. These “ministers” are satisfied with the status quo and have become “the cork in the bottle” for the growth of the church. The sun IS rising on the next dimension of ministry but the ministers, that are sitting in darkness, have obviously NOT seen the great Light.
This could be compared with Israel at Mount Sinai. The people were afraid of the fire and refused to go up the mountain. They went backward and NOT forward and their opportunity to experience the Mountain of God was lost forever. Was it dangerous to go up into God’s manifested Presence? Yes! Did God give Israel some severe warnings? Yes! But Moses, Aaron and his sons, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders did go up and survived. Seventy four men out of about six million people did go up the mountain and ate and drank in the Presence of God, Almighty.
But after all that revelation didn’t Nadab and Abihu perish in God’s Presence? Yes, but they perished in a different location and for a different reason. The greatest majority in Israel were satisfied with the status quo and to remain in the earth realm. Even though the ratio of seventy four persons responded to six million who refused may be the same ratio today, it remains, for at least some, to be fully prepared and to enter into this Holy Place, Priesthood Realm of Ministry!
But, Brother, aren’t at least some functioning at that level today? Of course there may be a few but I haven’t found them yet. Most all the ministers and people that I have encountered, including me, are at some experience short of the Holy Place dimension of function. How do I know that? This is because that realm of ministry is so radically different from what we see that anyone functioning in that dimension would be easily recognized. How do you know that? I just read Revelation 2 and 3 and pictured that realm of correction, discipline, the judgement and the severity of that realm of preparation and function. This radical viewpoint and serious demands were focused upon the Lampstand Church and its members in particular.
It is in this Holy Place Realm that the Government for the Millennial Reign of Christ is being prepared. It is also possible that candidates for the Government of the World Yet to Come are being selected from that realm! These are also members of the body of our High Priest and the Priests who will ultimately fulfill the Eternal Purpose of God.
But what if the Lord returns before the Priesthood ministry is ready to perfect the end time church? Even though that silly concept is popular, I doubt if that could happen until God’s Eternal Purpose for the church age is fully complete. The chance that He will return for a defective, frail, blemished and half dressed bride with soiled garments is rather remote.
Well, brother, if any of this is true, what are you guessing will indicate some transition has begun?
I am speculating that the “message” will cease to be “man centered” and will slowly become “God centered” with the emphasis upon God’s Eternal Purpose. This, out of pure necessity, will require the message to focus upon the Kingdom Government of God. Very quickly the message from the Throne of God will center upon the Internal Laws of God and a Personal Obedience to God’s Interior Government. The Message will focus upon the Subjective Kingdom while setting it into juxtaposition to the Objective Kingdom and Universal Government of the Millennial Reign of Christ and the Government of the World Yet to Come. To define this Ultimate Government it will be essential that the Tabernacle of God be in full view and the emphasis upon absolute reality of each dimension of activity in each of the Three Vertical Dimensions or the Three Realms of Heaven.
Since every dimension of that ministry will appear to be too difficult for the casual minister AND for the believers, it will be necessary to begin and then stay focused upon the multilayered provisions of the New Covenant and the supernatural ability contained in the Promises of God. EVERY provision of power offered by and in the Holy Spirit must be fully received and experientially manifested to function in this tremendous work. A new and real consciousness must be maintained that everyone involved in this level of ministry is cooperating with our High Priest in completing this great and Eternal Work.
This will obviously be received by the visible church and its casual ministers as a rejection of the mercy and grace of God and returning to a legalism which is an abomination. The Gospel of the Kingdom has already been declared to be a “false doctrine” by some large groups so that Matra will be heard constantly. The rejection will be so intense that only those who are fully consecrated and experientially mature will be able to stand and be faithful to the end.
It may be that Paul will become a prototype minister of this next dimension of ministry. It may be necessary for this next dimension of ministers to get a peek through the torn Third Veil and see something of the Third Heaven before they will be equipped to complete this work.
Only those with an Eternal Vision will be able to pass through and survive the testings of 2 Corinthians 11 and the disappointments of 2 Corinthians 6. It is my opinion that these chapters were carefully placed in our Bible for a greater reason than to fill up the pages with more words. It is becoming more clear that these chapters are Plan A for the Priesthood Ministers.
Romans 15:15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points, so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
It should be obvious that “ministering as a Priest” is much more than “winning souls” by experiencing “forgiveness of sins.” The Priesthood Ministry is focused upon a higher purpose; that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. It is for that reason that I am connecting the Gospel of the Kingdom of God with the Kingdom of Priests who are able to function in that Governmental Realm.
Rev 2:26 ‘And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; 27 AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father;
Just to speak about “ruling and reigning” with Jesus is rather silly if we have no revelation about the breaking into tiny “Christian” pieces so we can qualify to rule with an iron rod. Rulers who have Not been broken or dealt with severely by God, so that pride, arrogance, flesh, ego and self exaltation has been eliminated from their personality, cannot qualify to rule in God’s Government. However, they can be acceptable to rule in the church, be pastors, elders or deacons and to stand in the pulpit to lead. The difference between these two groups, the ones broken and the ones NOT broken, is monumental. Our eternal destiny hangs in the balance.
At this point we are no longer talking about going to heaven someday but in participating in the fullness of the New Covenant provision, bringing our life under the Sovereign Government of God, progressing into the Priesthood Ministry and taking our place in the fulfillment of God’s Eternal Plan and Purpose.
Our goal is to help everyone who wants to respond to God’s High Calling with the encouragement they will surely need. Hopefully, there will really be a Lampstand Church that can manifest the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. It would be a great privilege to witness the Glorious Presentation of the Perfected Bride to the Ultimate Bridegroom BEFORE He returns with the saints for that final battle with the forces of darkness. If we can qualify to participate in the Millennial Reign of Christ that would be an added bonus. At this point QUALIFYING is the great burden.