The Bringing Forth of His Image
Linda Keith
part 1
Rom. 8:28-29, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose, For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
In this study, I want to look at things that are needed to be in the Son's image. There are many things, but, only a few can we go through, to see what it takes to be in the image of the Son. There is the KNOWING of who we are; the KNOWING of the mind that has been given to us, by Father; the attributes; and some of the incorrect thinking about what it takes to be in His image. We will look at some things that we have gone over before, but, is needed and worthy to be repeated again.
VS 28, "to those who love...."
First and foremost, it takes love, for Him, to have His image show forth through us.
John 14:21, "He that hath my commandments; and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
This word "keepeth" means "to guard over". In the Book of Revelation, in the first chapter and we are told:
Rev. 1:3, "Blessed is he that readeth (or receives) , and they that hear (in the Spirit) the words of this prophesy, and keep (protects) those things which are written therein......"
We hear, everydeay, the words spoken by some "unhearing" folks, "God doesn't need us. We are to do nothing". Well, I don't agree with those words. For God's plan to be completed and manifested, on earth, He needs us. If He had wanted a bunch of clones, He could have had that at the very beginning of all things. But, He doesn't want clones. He wants someone who THINKS, TALKS, and IS just as He is.Someone who is not only LIKE Him, but, IS actually Him, as His Body. He wants someone to commun with. Yes, Father needs us, as much as a dad here on earth needs the children he so desires. And as for "we need to do nothing", again, I disagree.
Why does a parent tell their children to do things if they don't really want them to do the things? You see, Father made a plan, finished the work of that plan, and now waits for us to walk into the finished work. WALK is a doing. It is a work that we, as His Son does.
As I've said, a million times, MAN cannot do the work that Father intended for His Son to do. Man can do nothing. But, for those who KNOW that they are no longer MAN, but instead, are the Son that Jesus died to make us, THEY are the ones who, not only does Father want to do the things He has said to do, but, that CAN do the works that Father has laid before us. The idea that we are mortal man, will keep us from doing what He has told us to do.
So, we see that the first thing that has to be done, is to LOVE HIM. If we love Him, He loves us. There's nothing hard about understanding that. But, to do it, we have been shown the wrong way to love. His love is not the love that we think of with the natural mind. How do we love Him?
MT. 22:36-40, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself. On these two commadments hang all the law and athe prophets."
Like I have told you before, the first four books of what we call the New Testament, is actually, still Old Testament. Jesus and the disciples were under the law. UNTIL Jesus died and resurrected did the New Testament begin. That would be in the Book of Acts.
Now, I want to say something that I've said a million times and will continue to say it. The above scripture tells us that we are to love Father with ALL OF OUR SOUL. It is STILL taught and discussed, that we are a soul, and a Spirit and a body. This simply isn't true. Gen 1:27 tells us that we are created in the likeness and image of God. We were and we STILL are. That can not change anymore than Father can change. John 4:24, 2 Cor. 3:17 tells us the God is a Spirit. Also, spirit can live in flesh and blood, but flesh and blood cannot live in a spirit, right? Well, aren't we told that "IN HIM we live, move and have our BEING?" The soul is the flesh natured part of our mind. Yes, we have a soul, but, we are not a soul. In Gen 2:7 , we are told:
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathd into his nostrils the breath of life; and man BECAME a living soul."
It says that the man that, in Gen 1:27, was created a Spirit Being, because God is a Spirit Being, here in Gen 2:7 that Spirit man became a living soul. That man was NOT CREATED a soul. He was created a Spirit Being. He was created out of the VERY SUBSTANCE of God. Now, IF God cannot change, then neither can that Spirit man change from what he was created, because of what and Who he was created out from within. It has been taught that the man, Jesus, was the soul of God, and I agree with that. Likewise, when the Spirit man was created, his soul was ONLY the thoughts of God. He knew NOTHING BUT GOD. BUT, another LIFEFORM came alive within that man when he was "formed" of the dust of the ground. That LIFEFORM that came alive was his THOUGHT LIFE, his soul life. The soul is the seat, of thought, passions, desires, emotions etc. God breathed into that formed man the capability to THINK on his own. As you saw, when God told him to name the animals, GOD DIDN"T TELL HIM WHAT TO NAME THEM, man thought up the names himself. THE MAN created NATURES!! Each name of each animal is a NATURE! The soul is that part of us that is our personality and nature. Many teach that in Gen. 2:7 , God breathed into the BODY of the man that created a Spirit Being. At that time, MAN DID NOT HAVE A BODY! I believe that when it says "man became a living soul", that was the part of Father's plan, for man to be allowed to think with his own thoughts. (remember, up until then the man ONLY had the thoughts of God. He knew NOTHING but God, UNTIL God brought forth Eve or the soul part of the man.)
It is sometimes a help, to be able to read all the different translations of the bible. But, with all the different bibles that are now out, man has changed them to be what they want them to be. I read , "I refer you to Gen. 46:15-27 (KJ) to see that the scripture identifies persons as souls and in many newer translations the Hebrew word for soul is translated "person or being". unquote.So, are we now to take this rendering of some man, who has taken the bible and made it to say, what he wants it to say. The bible doesn't say, a soul is a person or a being. Folks are quick to say, "oh, that's not in the bible, saying specifically that", but, when it is convenient, they will take a scripture that does not say, specifically, what they are teaching, and say, "this scripture really means what I am saying". Again, this is why I say that ONLY the Holy Spirit can truly give us the real interpretation of any scripture. What He gives us to understand may differ from person to person, because of what realm of Him, we are walking in. All the theoLOGICAL learning in this world, is not going to help anyone understand Father's truth. It is just going to give us LEARNING of this world. We are Spirit, and we need to understand in the Spirit.
And God caused that Spirit Being to sleep, and He brought forth the SOUL, EVE. This is where the THINKING fell and everything changed. The thinking, that since has followed, was/is the THINKING of the carnal mind, in the soul. This feminine part of Adam, liked the flesh, the natural. And she wanted to see if it was true, that she would become as God. Little did she know, she had already been what God was. And we know where her thinking led us. The natural thinking IS DEATH, the Spirit thinking IS LIFE!
And we're also told that this flesh body is us. Which is also untrue. IF this flesh body is us, then, when it dies , is that the end of us? How would we enter the Kingdom of Heaven if this body was us. Flesh and blood cannot do so. We are told that when the body dies, it returns to the dust, right? Aren't we told in MT 10:14, Mark 6;11 and Luke 9;5 to shake the dust off of our feet? Our feet represents our walk in the Lord. We are to shake ALL of the earthly, fleshly being off of our walk and walk in what we are, SPIRIT! And IF, this body was purposed, by God to be us, why did He plan that we get "another self", the NEW CHANGED BODY? Do you see what I mean? I think folks get so logically minded, that they can't see the forest for the trees. We are a Spirit Being, that has a soul and lives in a flesh body.
Let's look at 1 Corinthians. The whole chapter is speaking about the resurrection of the dead. And we can look at this resurrection in two different ways. (1) the returning of those who have seen physical death and are waiting to be called back into new bodies; or (2) we can look at it as OUR resurrection, when we went to the cross with our Saviour, Jesus. But, it deals with "bodies", and let's look at it.
1Cor. 15:36-44, "Fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some oth. But God giveth it a body as it hath please him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh fo men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds."
Notice, so far, in these verses, it is FLESH that is being talked about. And we are told that God gives a body as it pleases Him. There are 4 kinds of flesh mentioned here. Men, beasts, fish, and birds.
The flesh of animals and birds refer to the meat of an animal. (as food). The flesh of man refers to the human nature.(with its frailties and passions. Specifically, a human being as such, carnally or fleshly minded. Now, here in verse 39, it speaks of flesh. Flesh is not US. The flesh is what we THINK is and has been us, but, it's not. We are Spirit. The flesh is simply, a state of mind. What our focus is stayed on. The more we focus on what we are, the more it is seen within and through us. It's not IMAGINERY, it is TRUTH. Just as though, when the soul began leading our thoughts, our beliefs, we FORGOT who we are, and took on the thinking that we are mere mortal man. But, IF God cannot change what He is, neither can we; because we are His very substance.
Now, let's look at verse 40.
"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrrestial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one staar differeth from another star in glory."
Here, it is speaking of BODIES, not flesh. There are many kinds of bodies. We were told that each seed has its own body. Now, what we're talking about, is , is the human body us? Although God has given every seed its own body, and that seed is within that body, is the body the seed? No. No, it's not. It is a container, or a vehicle. When the oak seed is ready to spring into life, does the body that it was incased in remain? No. The seed becomes a tree. The body of the seed of a bird, is the same. The body is an egg shell. Is the shell the bird? No. As the bird breaks into life , the shell is left, it isn't used anymore. OK. We are a Spirit, we live in a body. Is the body us? No. When one's body perishes, does that person perish? Absolutely not! That Spirit returns to the spirit realm. That Being has eternal life. This body doesn't. BUT, when the Firstfruits are fully manifested in the earth, and they have put on a NEW BODY, is that body them? Yes, the Spirit, the Soul and the Body become ONE IN LIFE. No death is connected with either part of that Being.
We must remember what we're told in Proverbs.
Prov. 22;20, "Have I not written to thee EXCELLENT things in counsels and knowledge?"
This word "excellent" means, "in three realms, 3 fold. So, these, stars, moon, sun, all have deeper meanings than what the natural mind would think, when we hear these words. EXAMPLE: STAR
Now we know that there are stars in the night skies. But, look at what Revelation tells us.
Rev. 1:20 (remember John was seeing and hearing IN THE SPIRIT) "The mystery of the seven STARS which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches...."
Angels are messengers. You are receiving a message. I am an angel. I am a messenger. When you teach someone something, you are an angel, a messenger. Stars are LIGHT GIVERS. The moon and the sun are varities of light. Each has a different level of glory. The moon just reflects from the sun. The Sun (Son) is the true Light. It's the same with bodies. This flesh body that we are living in, is just a reflection from the REAL one, the one that the change is being seen in now. The one that can't see death; the one just like Jesus' body. It can change to whatever is needed in a situation. It can be seen, or it can't be seen. THIS BODY OF FLESH IS NOT US!!
I ask you, don't believe what I say. Because what is a revelation from Father to me, is merely knowledge and secondhanded at that, to you, UNTIL Father witnesses the truth of these words to you. THEN it becomes a revelation of truth to you.
But, I'll tell you something. This Spirit Being is being awakened to the fact of what and Who he is and ALL things are become new, not the old fleshly thinking. The soul has become new, she's back where she started out at, at ONE with the man; and they are BOTH THINKING ALIKE, with Father's thoughts. "AS A MAN THINKETH, SO IS HE".
How are you thinking? Are you thinking that you are a mere mortal man? If you are, then you have to take what comes with mortality, sickness, death, pain, suffering. Your thoughts and word CREATE!! (Prov 18:21, 23:7, MT 12:34) Are you thinking what Father has told us? As I am, so are you in this world. You are created in MY image. In ME ye are complete. You don't live, it's MY LIFE, CHRIST, that lives in you. These are words that Father has told us. Do you believe them AND HIM, regardless what your natural eyes see; or regardless of what some really great preacher tells you? or are you going to WAIT until THAT PREACHER tells you that it's time to believe? If you wait on him/her, you'll be hearing it from the other side, because people are waiting themselves right into death!
Folks, this is what John 14 and Rev. 1 are talking about. KEEP HIS WORD. To keep means to PROTECT Father's Word. How do you protect God's Word? By allowing the Holy Spirit to do the interpretating to you the written Word; and then YOU ALLOW NO-THING OR NOBODY to tell you any different. There is a difference in being stubborn and protecting Father's Word. If you KNOW Father has revealed something to you, KEEP IT, PROTECT IT. I don't care who teaches what, PROTECT WHAT HE GAVE YOU, this shows your love for Him!! This is what the Word says. "IF you love Me, you'll keep my commandments." You'll protect them.
While we are here, I want to say something about anyone who is raising a big fuss about having the 10 commandments taken out of public buildings. Instead of complaining, you should be shouting for JOY!! It is Father who wants them out of places. The 10 commandments are OF THE LAW. When you try to keep ONE of them, YOU FALL FROM GRACE!! You don't believe that? Read Gal 5:3-4 There are many who have fallen from grace because of those religous laws!!
Trying to keep the 10 commandments is bondage to the law. Exactly what Jesus set us free of! Do you know what WHOREDOM is? Whoredom is being unfaithful to your husband. The law is not our husband, Christ IS!! You can't keep one ioda of the law and be married to Him at the same time. You wander away from Him. BUT, He is always willing to forgive and take you back. No guilt needed. No condemnation required. Just go back and live as He lives. Without condemnation; without looking for something wrong in folks; just LOVE THEM, HIM and YOURSELF. Get back under that beautiful grace that He so lovingly gave us. WE don't have to try to stop doing anything. All we have to do is keep our focus on Him and all that is fleshly will fall away. The fleshly has no place in the Spirit. You see, that's the difference in mere mortal man and the Spirit Being you were created as and are; man can do nothing, so they try to keep the law, which they can't, but the Spirit Being keeps looking at Who he is the image of. When our focus is on HIM, you can't see anything else. You don't see right and wrong; you don't see good and bad; you see ONLY HIM in EVERYTHING, regardless what it might look like by the natural eyes. You see, the law was for people who did not have a Saviour; we have One. All we need is what we are, Spirit. It's HIM that we came forth from.
So, we see that there's only two commandments that we must keep to show our love for Him. BOTH OF THEM ARE LOVE!!!
Let's look back at Romans
Chapter 8: 28, "....to them who are the called...."
This word "called" is "invited". I use to think, "Father, it's not fair that SOME are invited, and some aren't". I had a preacher tell me, "God doesn't owe you anything, He doesn't HAVE to be fair". Well, I still disagree with him regarding this. He tells us " to PROVE Him". And He gave us His word, "IF you do this.....I'll do that". I believe Him. But, we have ALL been invited, to be conformed to the image of His Son, but, all will not come. Which , once again, tells me, we DO have a part to play in Father's Plan. This is a truth that I refuse to be robbed of. As I said, He doesn't want a bunch a clones. He wants someone who will take up what He has given us, and use it.
He has invited us to:
1) the proclaimation of the gospel
2) to attain eternal salvation
3) with a Divine selection and appointment.
according to His Purpose. Purpose= the original intent of what God wanted us for. He predestinated us.
Pre=before or before hand, destinate= where and how we are to end up; to be conformed. Conformed= to be a profile, likeness, image of His Son.
Each thing that we go through is to produce the image of the Son in and through us.
To love and protect Father's Word is a MUST for being seen in the image of the Son. We MUST take what Father tells us, BY HIS SPIRIT, and hold it close and depend on HIM to do the interpretating to us. We MUST never let the lust of the eyes, rob us of what He has given us. The lust of the eye is seeing SOMEONE show you how well educated and profound they are in the Bible, and then you take what they give you, over what Father gives you. You MUST protect what He gives you. IF you don't , YOU DON' T LOVE HIM!!! This isn't what I say, this is what the Word says, you read it for yourself. As you protect His Word within you, it will manifest through you and He is seen more clearly.
Look back at the Pattern. Jesus never once backed down from what He heard from Father. Man would try to tell Him this and that, but, it didn't work, HE PROTECTED AND LOVED what He heard His Father speak. And He loved it so much that He told everyone!! Hallelujah!!!
So, this is a MUST, part of the image of the Son to be seen in you, LOVE and PROTECT.
to be continued......