CONTEXT Matters to GOD

The BEST-known Bible verse is probably John 3:16 -- 'For GOD SO LOVED the World that HE GAVE His ONLY Begotten SON that whoever BELIEVES INto HIM shall NOT PERISH, but have EVERlasting LIFE.' (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/the-love-of-god/)

You yourself probably KNOW it by heart--but do you REALLY understand, ACTUALLY comprehend its GREATness of meaning and WEALTH of doctrinal TRUTHs? John 3:16 is like a mountain peak with such GREAT elevation that the other great mountain peaks around it are over-shadowed and even remain UNclimbed. (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/god-so-loved-2/)

But the CONTEXT of John 3:16 is revealed by The Risen LORD JESUS Himself in verses 11-21 as He enLIGHTens the highly educated, but spiritually DEAD Nicodemus -- a Pharisee, a ruler of Israel, a teacher himself, YET ignorant of the REALity of The TRUTH, YESHUA Himself -- The CHRIST of GOD, The MESSIAH of Israel. (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/understanding-the-spiritual/)

CHRIST JESUS Himself said: 'TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, We SPEAK of what We KNOW and bear witness of what We have SEEN, and you do NOT accept Our witness. If I told you earthly things and you do NOT believe, HOW will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? And NO ONE has ascended into Heaven, but HE Who descended from Heaven, The SON of Man. And AS Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, EVEN SO MUST The SON of Man be lifted up; SO THAT whoever BELIEVES will IN Him have ETERNAL Life. (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/the-nature-of-belief/)

'For GOD (The FATHER) SO (intensely and supremely, eternally and infinitely) LOVED the (perishing and ALREADY judged and condemned) World (of SIN-natured SIN-practicing Humanity), that He GAVE (delivered up to shameful degradation, excruciating crucifixion) His ONLY Begotten (NOT created) SON (Who IS CO-Equal, CO-Essence, CO-Eternal with The Holy TRInity), that whoever BELIEVES INto Him shall NOT PERISH (condemned INto EVERlasting HELL), BUT have ETERNAL Life (with GOD The FATHER and GOD The SON and GOD The Holy SPIRIT -- forEVERmore). For GOD did not send The SON INto the World to JUDGE (condemn) the (ALREADY condemned) World, but that the World (of hopeless, helpless, perishing Sinners) might be SAVED (from the Power of SIN, Satan, SELF -- from HELL EVERlasting) THROUGH Him (The Sacrificial LAMB of GOD, The PRINCE of Peace, The KING of kings and LORD of lords -- CHRIST JESUS Himself). (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/man-and-his-need-of-salvation/)

'He who BELIEVES IN Him is NOT JUDGED; he who does NOT BELIEVE has been JUDGED ALREADY, because he has NOT BELIEVED IN the Name of the ONLY Begotten SON of GOD. And THIS is the JUDGMENT, that The LIGHT has come INto the World, and men LOVED the Darkness RATHER than The LIGHT, for their deeds were EVIL. For EVERYone who does evil hates The LIGHT, and does not come to The LIGHT lest his deeds be exposed. BUT he who practices The TRUTH comes to The LIGHT, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been done by GOD.' (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/the-light-has-come/)

The LORD JESUS proclaimed: 'I AM The (ONLY) WAY, The (REAL) TRUTH, and The (EVERlasting) LIFE. NO ONE can come to The FATHER (IN the Heavenly GLORY) except THROUGH Me' (John 14:6). (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/the-only-way-to-god/)

Friend -- your personal response to GOD's ONLY Way of SALVATION determines your IMmortal soul's ETERNAL Destination. Your stubborn rejection OR grateful acceptance of GOD's Invitation to His Kingdom of GLORY through His ONLY Begotten SON, CHRIST JESUS, seals your EVERlasting Place. Your willful UNbelief OR heart-and-soul FAITH in The TRUTH, The Incarnate WORD Himself -- cements your Eternal NOW. May you respond GOD's Way. AMEN. \o/

You MUST be Born AGAIN!

CHRIST JESUS Himself said -- "TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, unless one is born AGAIN -- he CANNOT see the Kingdom of GOD.

"TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, unless one is born of water and The SPIRIT he CANNOT enter INto the Kingdom of GOD. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of The SPIRIT is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You MUST be born AGAIN’" (John 3:3,5-7).

The Kingdom of GOD is the eternal RULE over ALL Creation of the BLESSED and ONLY Sovereign, The KING of kings and LORD of lords, Whose throne is in the heavenly realm of UNapproachable LIGHT. The Kingdom of GOD is the SPIRITual RULE over the hearts and lives of those who have trusted and believed in the SAVING Work of CHRIST JESUS. The Kingdom of GOD is the ETERNAL destination of the born AGAIN from Above.

To enter INto GOD's PERFECT Heaven, His utterly PURE and HOLY and RIGHTEOUS and altogether LOVELY Kingdom of LIGHT -- YOU must be utterly pure, holy, righteous and altogether lovely! Since every SOUL born physically is a SIN-natured SIN-doer, he cannot enter GOD's Holy Domain. GOD abominates SIN. And His hatred of SIN was demonstrated at The CROSS, where He smote His ONLY Begotten SON, CHRIST JESUS, for your SINs and mine. 

BUT at The CROSS where The LAMB of GOD was sacrificed to SAVE penitent SIN-natured SIN-doers like you and me -- GOD also demonstrated the UNsurpassed greatness of His amazing GRACE, the UNfathomable depth of His amazing LOVE, the INcomprehensible GLORY of His amazing SALVATION! HalleluYAH! \o/

'He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of REgeneration and reNEWing by The Holy SPIRIT' (Titus 3:5).

By the GRACE (UNdeserved Mercy and Favor) of GOD alone, through genuine FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone (His perfect LIFE, atoning DEATH, historical RESURRECTION and witnessed ASCENSION back INto The GLORY of Heaven) -- repentant SIN-natured SIN-doers are quickened ALIVE from spiritual DEATHness! Believers IN The Risen LORD JESUS are REborn, REgenerated, REnewed children of GOD. HalleluYAH! \o/

https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/you-must-be-born-again/ -- What is so dangerous about the religious life? "It is the mistake of trying to grow BEFORE you've been born" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones). He says that often times people who claim to be Religious are trying to live as CHRISTians without actually being SAVED. They try to be Sanctified without being Justified.

https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/born-again/ -- Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks about the clear and visible marking of the TRUE CHRISTian in that the child of GOD ought to be more interested in the state of one’s SOUL than in their nationality, class, or ability. CHRIST-like LOVE is the one common language that binds the Church together.

THESE Things are TRUE JOY Always!

TRUE JOY is Holy, Serious, Deep... IT is the JOY of The LORD JESUS! THIS Pure JOY that was set before CHRIST strengthened Him SUPERnaturally to endure The CROSS of shame and torture and abandonment. THIS UNassailable JOY of GOD The SON was absolutely INdependent of earthly circumstances, of people that negatively impacted His Life on earth. And THIS same UNfathomable JOY of JESUS is available to ALL 2xborn Believers and Followers IN CHRIST! HalleluYAH!

The LORD JESUS Himself said to His disciples before His Crucifixion: "THESE THINGS I have spoken to you so that My JOY may be IN you, and that your JOY may be COMPLETE. THESE THINGS I speak in the world SO THAT they may have My JOY made FULL in themselves" (John 15:11; 17:13). What are "THESE THINGS" we must know and understand SO THAT the JOY of The LORD may be our REALity, our experiential JOY for the world to see for GOD's GLORY?

THESE THINGS are TRUTH. 'DO NOT LET your heart be troubled; BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN Me. In My FATHER’s House are many dwelling places; IF it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And IF I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL come AGAIN and receive you to Myself, that where I AM, there you may be ALSO' (John 14:1-3).

For TRUE Believers IN CHRIST, there are NO IFs -- only AMENs! We who are born again from Above by the GRACE of GOD will be WITH The LORD of GLORY, IN His Kingdom of GLORY, even NOW positionally -- and actually, forEVERmore! HalleluYAH!

THESE THINGS are PROMISES of GOD. 'And I will ask The FATHER, and He WILL give you another ADVOCATE, that He may be WITH you forEVER; The SPIRIT of TRUTH, whom the world cannot receive, because it does NOT see Him OR know Him. You KNOW Him because He abides WITH you and will be IN you. I WILL not leave you as orphans; I WILL come to you' (John 14:16-18).

The Holy SPIRIT Who INdwells EVERY child of GOD is the Almighty ADVOCATE against the devil Satan. The SPIRIT of TRUTH illumines and transforms our MINDset with the Mind of CHRIST (1 Corinthians 2:16) -- GOD's TRUTH as WRITTEN in Holy Scriptures. The SPIRIT of The Risen LORD JESUS is our Comforter, Helper, TRUTH-Teller -- conforming the BLOOD-bought Redeemed into the Image of CHRIST, from glory to Glory to GLORY (2 Corinthians 3:18)! HalleluYAH!

THESE THINGS are HOLY Scriptures. 'Just AS The FATHER has LOVED Me, I have ALSO LOVED you; ABIDE IN My LOVE...Greater LOVE has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends IF you DO what I COMMAND you. NO LONGER do I call you SLAVES, for the slave does not know what his Master is doing; but I have called you FRIENDS, for ALL things that I have heard from My FATHER I have made known to you. You did NOT choose Me but I CHOSE you, and APPOINTED you that you would GO and BEAR Fruit, and that your Fruit would ABIDE, SO THAT whatever you ask of The FATHER IN My Name He may give to you' (see John 15:1-16). 

The born-again IN CHRIST are lavishly LOVED by The GODhead, are INtimate Friends of GOD, are CHOSEN Fruit-Bearers, are APPOINTED witnesses for the GOOD News -- richly supplied with GOD's sustaining Providence! HalleluYAH!

THESE THINGS include PEACE -- the INcomprehensible Peace of GOD that surpasses ALL human understanding (see Philippians 4:7). 'Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I AM not alone, because The FATHER is with Me. THESE THINGS I have spoken to you, so that IN Me you may have PEACE. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I HAVE OVERCOME the world' (John 16:32-33).

CHRIST's UNassailable PEACE was His KNOWing the REALity that His FATHER was with Him ALWAYS! And THAT is ALSO the REALity for the Believer IN CHRIST -- experiential PEACE from The PRINCE of Peace Himself. The LORD CHRIST JESUS IS The OVERCOMER of Death and Sin and Satan and the world system -- and IN CHRIST, we ALSO are more than conquerors (see Romans 8:37)! HalleluYAH!

THESE THINGS are PRAYERS of CHRIST for Believers. 'I ask on their behalf; I do NOT ask on behalf of the world BUT of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and ALL things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been GLORIFIED IN them... I have given them Your Word; and the world has HATED them, because they are NOT Of the world, even as I AM NOT Of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to KEEP them from the evil one... The GLORY which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be One, just AS We are ONE; I IN them and You IN Me, that they may be PERFECTED IN Unity, SO THAT the world may know that You sent Me, and LOVED them, EVEN AS You have loved Me' (see John 17:9-23).

TRUE Believers are prayed for by GOD The SON Himself (as our Great High Priest -- see Hebrews 4:14-16), are granted the highest privilege of glorifying His amazing Name, are kept by The ALL-Mighty FATHER, are LOVED by GOD The FATHER just AS He loves GOD The SON -- INfinitely, INtimately, Eternally! HalleluYAH!

THESE THINGS The LORD JESUS Himself 'have spoken to you SO THAT you may be kept from stumbling... SO THAT His 'JOY may be IN you, and that your JOY may be COMPLETE' (John 16:1; 15:11). Are you personally experiencing the exhilarating REALity of the Holy, Serious, Deep JOY of The LORD JESUS?

O magnify with me The LORD JESUS! GOD The SON, The CHRIST of GOD, is altogether WORTHY of ALL Praise and Honor and Worship and GLORY! \o/

WHEN (not IF) GOD my Holy FATHER has called me UP to be with my Beloved JESUS, His ONE and ONLY Begotten SON -- The LORD of my rejoicing Heart, The SAVIOR and LOVER of my immortal Soul -- i pray that GOD The Holy SPIRIT will use my other GAZILLION words for GOD's GLORY! \o/

Glorifying GOD IN CHRIST

WHY did GOD The SON, The LORD of GLORY, leave His heavenly Kingdom of LIGHT to come down to this corrupt, evil world of Darkness? To glorify GOD, The FATHER of GLORY. WHY did GOD The FATHER and GOD The SON send GOD The Holy SPIRIT into this fallen world? To glorify CHRIST JESUS, The SON of GOD and SON of Man. "WHAT is the chief end of man? To glorify GOD (The ONE TRUE Living TRIune SOVEREIGN: Creator-Sustainer-Controller of The Universe) and to enJOY Him forEVERmore" (The Westminster Confession of Faith).

HOW did GOD The SON glorify GOD The FATHER? By fully succeeding in the Work of REDEMPTION that The FATHER sent Him to do -- by fulfilling ALL that GOD required for the Redemption of SIN-natured SIN-doers like you, like me. As SON of Man, JESUS was born of a virgin, a real Human Who lived a perfectly sinless, blameless, righteous earthly life. As The Anointed HOLY ONE sent of GOD, CHRIST is The LORD and SAVIOR of those who would REPENT of their SINs, who would TRUST IN Him, in His Sacrificial DEATH at Calvary's CROSS to PAY-IN-FULL the JUST penalty and JUST punishment for SIN-natured SIN-doers like you, like me (see Philippians 2:6-8).

HOW did GOD The FATHER glorify GOD The SON -- CHRIST JESUS? By approving of CHRIST JESUS' own BLOOD-Payment to redeem LOST sinners; by raising JESUS CHRIST from the Grave and seating The Risen LORD JESUS at the Right Hand of The MOST HIGH. 'GOD also highly exalted CHRIST JESUS, and bestowed on Him The NAME which is ABOVE EVERY NAME, so that at THE Name of JESUS EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the GLORY of GOD The FATHER' (Philippians 2:9-11).

HOW does The Holy SPIRIT sent of GOD The FATHER and of GOD The SON glorify The Risen LORD JESUS? By testifying about The LORD JESUS; by applying the INfinite riches of GOD's superabounding GRACE paid for by the Precious BLOOD of CHRIST JESUS for those born-again of GOD; by conforming the 2xborn Believers into the image of CHRIST, The SON of GOD (John 15:26; Ephesians 1:3-14; Romans 8:29).

CHRIST JESUS, The LORD of GLORY, communing with GOD The FATHER of GLORY, said: "I AM glorified in them" (John 17:10). "THEM" are those who have repented of their SINs and have believed the GOOD News of SALVATION, who've admitted to GOD that they are indeed helpless, hopeless SIN-natured SIN-doers, needing His merciful FORGIVENESS for their rebellious sins against The MOST HOLY GOD. "THEM" are those who have humbly acknowledged that they are SAVED from EVERlasting HELL by the GRACE of GOD alone, through FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone.

So then -- HOW do we (who are IN CHRIST, who are born again from Above, who are NOW the adopted children of GOD) glorify our Beloved LORD and SAVIOR, CHRIST JESUS? By being a "LIVING PROOF of the FACT that The LORD JESUS CHRIST has finished the Work which His FATHER sent Him to do" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "Safe In The World" p.94).

Are we manifesting to the world the finished Work of CHRIST -- that we have been quickened ALIVE spiritually, living OUTwardly HIS Resurrection Life IN us, walking by HIS Light so that we do not stumble in Darkness? Are we repenting DAILY of our daily stumbling? Are we proving to the world by our Life-101 the literal TRUTH that 'CHRIST is the POWER of GOD, and the WISDOM of GOD' (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)? Are we who are the REDEEMED proving to the world that The LORD JESUS CHRIST has been made Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption (1 Cor 1:30) IN us, and that to us individually -- HE is THE ALL in all?

Are we hungering and thirsting for the SPIRITual nourishment of The Word of GOD? Is GOD's Written VOICE speaking into our hearts, illuminating our minds with the very Thoughts of GOD? Are we eager to meet with GOD with unceasing adoration and loving fellowship with Him through our prayers, so that we may be granted the GRACE of KNOWing Him more intimately and experientially as GOD reveals Himself to us personally? 

Are we demonstrating to the world of our NEW position IN CHRIST -- that we have been 'rescued from the Authority/Dominion of Darkness, and transferred to the Kingdom of The SON of GOD's LOVE' (Colossians 1:13)? "Are we a LIVING PROOF and example that the tremendous POWER of The SON of GOD has literally taken hold of us and transferred us into the Kingdom of GOD's dear SON?" (MLJ, p.96) Do our lifestyle, mindset, and worldview reflect our NEW citizenship in GOD's Heaven?

Are we glorifying our LORD JESUS by confidently KNOWing that ALL our SINs have been forgiven by the efficacy of His ATONING Death? Are we showing the UNfathomable PEACE of GOD withIN that flows from having PEACE With GOD (Who was IN CHRIST, reconciling sinners back to Himself, 2 Cor 5:19)? Are we rejoicing IN The LORD, even when assailed with trials that are but common to all humankind living in this fallen world (see James 1:2)?

Are we running after the Holiness of GOD? Are we proving our SALVATION from the Power of SIN by no longer practicing or immersing ourselves in that sinful lifestyle that we were rescued from? Are we mortifying our UNredeemed Flesh by the SUPERnatural emPOWERment of The Holy SPIRIT withIN? Are we becoming more aware of the subtlety of SIN and is hatred of our own SINs increasing? Are we resisting the devil and overcoming temptations?

Are we LIVING PROOF that we have the Promised Holy SPIRIT living IN us -- leading, teaching, controlling, conforming us into more and more CHRIST-likeness (Romans 8:14-17, 29)? Is the INdwelling SPIRIT growing and maturing His Fruit of LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL (Galatians 5:22-23), as well as The SPIRIT's Fruit 'in all GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and TRUTH' (Ephesians 5:9)?

Our LORD JESUS Himself declared to our Heavenly FATHER that "IN THEM" (who belonged to The FATHER and were given to The SON) -- "I AM GLORIFIED" (John 17:10). We IN CHRIST are the special LOVE-gifts from The FATHER to His ONE and ONLY Begotten SON; and we have been given the SUPERLATIVE privilege of being part of glorifying The GODhead. As for me -- "i am one of a people in the world today through whom CHRIST is glorified. i am NOT here for mySELF, or for ANYthing i want to do -- the Main Thing for me this day is that CHRIST should be glorified and praised in me" (MLJ, p.104).

Are you a LIVING PROOF of the FACT that The LORD JESUS CHRIST has finished the Work which His FATHER sent Him to do? \o/

(This blogpost was developed from my notes from the book's chapter, "Manifesting the Work of CHRIST.")