Christmas thought

[mfblume]

I spoke to the church yesterday about this thought. Gen 5:1 says God made man in His Likeness. But in Philippians 2:7, we read God made Himself in Man's LIKENESS.

Genesis 5:1 KJV This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Philippians 2:7 KJV But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Man lost his dominion God gave to Adam when He made Adam in His likeness. God ruled the heavens and man ruled the earth. In order to get man back to this place again, He had to come in the LIKENESS of men in order to take man's sins and take our death penalties due to those sins.

Imagine a man on death row who dies the death penalty. His death penalty paid for his crimes. If he could only resurrect, he could live a life free of all the guilt of his crimes, since his death penalty paid the price.

That is just what happened to us. Since Jesus took our sins and death penalties, we came into a union to Jesus. Therefore, when He resurrected, we are said to have resurrected with Him. And now we can live our lives free from the guilt and judgment of our sins since the death penalty was paid THROUGH Jesus.

And not only that, He raised and ascended us right up there with Him to sit in heavenly places.

Ephesians 2:5-6 KJV Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved; ) (6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

So He had to come in man;s likeness in order to unite us to Himself, die our death penalties, and raised us up with Him back ON THE THRONE as Adam had dominion.

That is the sole reason the baby was born in Bethlehem! To come in OUR LIKENESS so He could die and take us with Him to the position of dominion Adam lost.

He came IN OUR LIKENESS SO WE COULD UNITE TO HIM AND RETURN TO HIS LIKENESS.

[Pressing-On]

Excellent, Bro. Blume!

Did you expound some on I Peter 3:21; Col 2:12; and Romans 6:4?

I would have liked to have read that as well. Very powerful!!!

I'm thinking that the penalty doesn't apply to our lives until we identify with Him in Baptism. "Buried" in Romans 6:4 is very powerful, meaning: "to inter in company with".

[ForeverBlessed]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Excellent, Bro. Blume!

Did you expound some on I Peter 3:21; Col 2:12; and Romans 6:4?

I would have liked to have read that as well. Very powerful!!!

I'm thinking that the penalty doesn't apply to our lives until we identify with Him in Baptism. "Buried" in Romans 6:4 is very powerful, meaning: "to inter in company with".

I didn't realize that...thanks for sharing that... it confirms what I believe that baptism has more to its spiritual side. I know what the outward physical going down into water represents to everyone (whether it is the same belief or not).

I have seen baptism spiritually meaning to immerse yourself in everything that Jesus was... every word and action. That sure can't be done without inter into company with him... that is a daily thing.. that continues.

It is by faith, but faith produces action (works) in James 2:18. Romans 10:17 (Amplified Bible) 17 So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).

hearing/reading the word brings about faith... faith brings about action of doing what Christ did on this earth. Doing what he said and doing what he did so that it identifies you as His. When we operate as he did...under his authority... Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

I love what Bro Blume has said about we have been restored to the dominion (authority) that man was created with in the beginning.

Awesome. I love it when God confirms things to me that I am seeing while studying.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by ForeverBlessed

I didn't realize that...thanks for sharing that... it confirms what I believe that baptism has more to its spiritual side. I know what the outward physical going down into water represents to everyone (whether it is the same belief or not).

I have seen baptism spiritually meaning to immerse yourself in everything that Jesus was... every word and action. That sure can't be done without inter into company with him... that is a daily thing.. that continues.

It is by faith, but faith produces action (works) in James 2:18. Romans 10:17 (Amplified Bible) 17 So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).

hearing/reading the word brings about faith... faith brings about action of doing what Christ did on this earth. Doing what he said and doing what he did so that it identifies you as His. When we operate as he did...under his authority... Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

I love what Bro Blume has said about we have been restored to the dominion (authority) that man was created with in the beginning.

Awesome. I love it when God confirms things to me that I am seeing while studying.

Sounds like we're in the same church. The Spirit is like that. I do not know how many times some brethren whom I knew across the miles were hearing the same thing from God that he was speaking to us.

One brother and I seem to have been connected in the Spirit, and he would call on several occasions all excited about what he saw to preach about. And it turned out I was on the very same biblical account and concept. One time it was about something to do with Noah, and I had the exact same thought on the same weekend. Real Spirit leading!

One sister in our church studied Saturday mornings and after I preached the next Sunday morning, she came to me and showed me her notebook she wrote in the day before. She had the SAME GENERAL TITLE I used in my message, and the same passages. She said, "I don't know why I shouldn't expect this now, it happens so much." That day took the cake, though!

[ForeverBlessed]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Sounds like we're in the same church. The Spirit is like that. I do not know how many times some brethren whom I knew across the miles were hearing the same thing from God that he was speaking to us.

One brother and I seem to have been connected in the Spirit, and he would call on several occasions all excited about what he saw to preach about. And it turned out I was on the very same biblical account and concept. One time it was about something to do with Noah, and I had the exact same thought on the same weekend. Real Spirit leading!

One sister in our church studied Saturday mornings and after I preached the next Sunday morning, she came to me and showed me her notebook she wrote in the day before. She had the SAME GENERAL TITLE I used in my message, and the same passages. She said, "I don't know why I shouldn't expect this now, it happens so much." That day took the cake, though!

I know exactly what you mean. It does sound like we are in the same church... and I can relate to that sister.

I had been studying and seeing things in the scripture for a long while but I wasn’t hearing it in the church I was attending. I would think to myself, “how can I trust I am hearing from God”. When I changed churches, it was a scary thing for me. However, I knew that my new church was exactly where God wanted me when almost every week, something would be said, done or taught that confirmed to me what I have been studying. It was amazing. I found a church or at least a pastor who believed like I did.. and I am not referring to outward standards either.

It still continues. I am just amazed week after week at church. I thank God for the open format bible studies and that my Pastor welcomes the viewpoint of others. I can’t believe how often our studies through the week are the very same scriptures and thoughts…and Pastor and I rarely have any contact other than church. It just amazes me.

One Wed night I was struggling to get to bible study… I almost gave up, but went on anyway and was late… On the way to church (30 min drive) I told my daughter all about what I was studying that week… gave her a bible study on the way… LOL When we got there, I sat down and when I realized what he was teaching… I started laughing.. the joy of the Holy Ghost was overwhelming… I don’t believe I had ever had that happen to me, the Spirit witnessed the Word and I didn’t think I could contain the joy… (actually it is the thought of my original post here…only lots more detail. ) I opened my bible to the same scriptures pastor was teaching from… the bookmark in there. I couldn’t believe it, my daughter looked at me really odd and I knew why it had been a struggle to get there… I was meant to be there. Pastor claimed he was studying it throughout the week too. He told me it meant so much to him that God is showing me the very same things and confirming to him that he is on the right track. We are both multi generational Apostolics raised in ministry who have left the traditional mindset.

Even this past Sunday.. he started his message and I was amazed.. again, I could have preached that message with him. It is happening so much, and I am finding that one of us will have a little bit to add, and makes things clearer.

That is what I have felt like reading your posts lately. I was in Romans for a long time.. and I kept being led there…but not everything clicking exactly right. I am so glad for your sharing your thoughts here too.

It is the same with others too…and Jeffrey posts some things that click and make me think too… actually others. I always come to the fellowship hall, but I need to venture out to the bible parts of the forum. I am so thankful for the body of Christ… thankful for AFF and the opportunity to share the word of God.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by ForeverBlessed

I didn't realize that...thanks for sharing that... it confirms what I believe that baptism has more to its spiritual side. I know what the outward physical going down into water represents to everyone (whether it is the same belief or not).

I have seen baptism spiritually meaning to immerse yourself in everything that Jesus was... every word and action. That sure can't be done without inter into company with him... that is a daily thing.. that continues.

It is by faith, but faith produces action (works) in James 2:18. Romans 10:17 (Amplified Bible) 17 So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).

hearing/reading the word brings about faith... faith brings about action of doing what Christ did on this earth. Doing what he said and doing what he did so that it identifies you as His. When we operate as he did...under his authority... Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

I love what Bro Blume has said about we have been restored to the dominion (authority) that man was created with in the beginning.

Awesome. I love it when God confirms things to me that I am seeing while studying.

Amen! Good thoughts, Foreverblessed!!!

[mfblume]

Great thoughts all. We came into UNION with Jesus. I like how the GNB translates the picture:

Romans 6:3-4 GNB For surely you know that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, we were baptized into union with his death. (4) By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.

Baptized into union with Christ's death kicked off a sequence of events in which God, in a moment, caused us to unite to everything that followed His death. That is, His burial, resurrection, ascension and seating in Heavenly places.

Understanding this union is the entire key to victory. This is why Paul said it is like looking at a mirror when we see Jesus, in 2 Cor 3:18. He is a mirror because when we see the one who died, was buried, arose and ascended to sit in glory on the throne, we see the same experiences He had that are in ourselves since we DIED WITH HIM and experienced all the rest WITH HIM, even the seating in glory.

If all we see in Him is the HE experienced these things, we do not have the MIRROR IMAGE REVELATION that 2 Cor 3:18 is trying to instill within us. Only when we realize we experienced these things THROUGH HIM having experienced them, can we gain confidence to overcome anything we know Jesus can overcome. He did say, after all, that the things He did shall we do!

He came to return us to his likeness. And how much more is that possible if we are in the likeness of his resurrection and seating in glory over every name that is named???

[mfblume]

I did not get into those specific verses, but did concentrate on how Rom 6:3 says it is only so many of us -- a particular people - who were baptized into Jesus can say they were baptized into his death. They came into union and share his death.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by mfblume

I did not get into those specific verses, but did concentrate on how Rom 6:3 says it is only so many of us -- a particular people - who were baptized into Jesus can say they were baptized into his death. They came into union and share his death.

Amen! Sounds like a great Christmas message!!!

[Scott Hutchinson]

Great thoughts.