Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Body of Christ’

Water Baptism – A Covenant

Posted in The Covenant, tagged , , , , , , , on June 5, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: Matthew 3:11 & 1 Corinthians 12:13

Water Baptism is an act of Covenant, just as a Marriage Ceremony. When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour, there was no cost accrual to us. Our salvation was bought and paid for by The Blood of Jesus Christ. Now that we are Christians, God is asking us to reciprocate. If we want to be a part of the Body of Christ, our first act would be to make a covenant with the Body of Christ, or in other words, declare our loyalty and love by some act of our will. We, therefore, must renounce the former things, and declare our stand for Christ, thus becoming dead to sin and alive unto God.

  1. Natural – Matthew 3:11
    Baptism in water
    Baptizer is man
  2. Spirit – Matthew 3:11
    Baptism in Holy Ghost
    Baptizer is Jesus
  3. Fullness – 1st Corinthians 12:13
    Baptism into Christ
    Baptizer is Holy Ghost

As the chart shows, let us look at the three dimensions which God has ordained for us to operate.

(1) NATURAL – The First dimension is always the natural. Every principle of God is first given to us in the natural. If we allow our understanding to remain in the natural, then it has no real meaning, since the natural will pass away, and at best is temporary. THE NATURAL BAPTISM, THEN, IS IN WATER, AND PERFORMED BY A HUMAN PERSON.

(2) SPIRITUAL – The Second dimension is always spiritual. The spiritual, therefore, is the real purpose for the natural, and it is upon a higher plane. The spiritual baptism is called the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. This is the entering in of the Holy Spirit into the spirit of the individual. In this baptism, instead of being covered over with water, one is covered over with the Holy Spirit, inside and outside. The pattern, however, was laid by the water baptism. Just as the water covered the believer, so also the Holy Spirit covers him, and the Baptizer is Christ Himself.

(3) FULLNESS – The Third dimension is the absolute fulfillment of both natural and spiritual. If we then understand the water baptism, then we will easily understand what the fullness of baptism will be. In this baptism, we are immersed into Christ by the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 6:2 speaks of “baptisms,“ while Ephesians 4:5 tells us that there is only “one baptism.“ These are reconciled when we understand that in the one there are three. Matthew 3:11 tells us that John the Baptist baptized with water, but Jesus would baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. That gives us the scripture for the first two. The third is found in 1st Corinthians 12:13, where it states that the Holy Spirit baptizes us into Christ.

An example would be in order at this point. There was a natural man named Israel, and he produced a people named Israel. If this was the end of the story, then it would be a sad one indeed, but the natural Israel produced a man named Jesus Christ, who became the Saviour and Lord of a spiritual nation, and then some of the promises which it was impossible for natural Israel to walk in, the spiritual Israel are walking in. However, this spiritual Israel is just as unsatisfactory before God as the natural Israel. God, therefore, must bring another Israel to be made out of both, which He calls Zion (The Body of Christ), which will be the perfection of Beauty.

(Excerpt from The Pattern, pg. 56-57)

Thought for today: We, therefore, must renounce the former things, and declare our stand for Christ, thus becoming dead to sin and alive unto God.

Read Full Post »

Seven Divisions

Posted in The Firstfruits Company, tagged , , , , , on May 22, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: Romans 8:29

The human being at the very height of his development, as shown in the lesson from the Tabernacle of Moses, will give up his life in order to be absorbed into a higher life form, the MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST. Instead of being a whole, he becomes a part. Even at the height of his wholeness or perfection, he pours out all his goodness which he received of God for one great ACHIEVEMENT, “the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 3:14.

We need to note at this point that the Church as a division of the Tabernacle is represented by the outer court which compasses and envelops the other two divisions. The second division, THE BODY OF CHRIST, is represented by the holy place, which is also a part of the church. The third and final representation of the HUMAN DWELLING PLACE AND MEETING PLACE OF GOD AND MAN, the human body, is represented by the holy of holies. This is the reason why a human life is such a precious thing to God, and should be to us.

The seven divisions are distributed under the three headings as follows:

1. The Church (The Outer Court):

a. The Brazen Altar (brass altar)
b. The Brazen Laver (brass basin)

2. The Body of Christ (The Holy Place):

a. The Candlestick (lampstand)
b. The Table of Shewbread (the dining table for the priests)
c. The Golden Altar of Incense

3. The Human Body (The Holy of Holies):

a. The Mercy Seat (the cover of the ark, made of pure beaten gold)
b. The Ark of the Covenant

From this chart, one can readily draw the inference that the duty of the church is to lead the man to the fiery Altar of sacrifice and to the watery grave, the Laver, for washing and cleansing. Beyond this, the work is on the inside of the believer’s own heart, where the work of the Candlestick or Lampstand (Holy Ghost), the Table of Shewbread (Christ-life), and the Golden Altar of Incense (total separation unto God of one’s whole human and spiritual life) takes place.

The third stage of development in the human soul, as depicted by the Mercy Seat and the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle, brings man out of himself and into the nature of the Father. It is the third experience and the end of all flesh (carnality).

From this third experience, man comes to be like Jesus in His natural body. He walks and lives in flesh and blood, yet without sin. Then afterwards in a resurrected body – human, eating if he wants to, but Godlike enough to come through the wall or disappear at will. This is the experience Paul describes in 1st Corinthians 15:51-53.

Romans 8:29 bears that fact out that we shall be like Jesus, not only spiritually, but physically also. It must be, that one day soon, the Lord will truly answer our prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth (our being), as it is in heaven.”

“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,” Romans 8:29.

(Excerpt from The Pattern, pg. 27-28)

Thought for today: Let us press forward to the third stage of development which brings man out of himself and into the nature of the Father.

Read Full Post »

My Vision of the Lord Jesus Christ – Part 2

Posted in Time of the End, tagged , , , , , , on May 13, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: Revelation 11:3

Let us look at Brother Hicks’s vision from our previous devotional in more detail. The Scriptures declares that when a vision is repeated three times, it is a sure sign that it will surely come to pass. I believe this is the case with this vision of Brother Tommy Hicks.

  1. The vision begins with what I believe to be a past condition of the Body of Christ: lying in the dust, covered with the debris and myriads of demons. The body began to quiver and convulse, which is the first sign of awakening. This vision was given in July of 1961, and I believe that the body commenced its convulsions from somewhere around 1948.

You will note that there was first a trembling before the convulsions. The trembling began way back at Azusa Street in Los Angeles, somewhere around 1907. But in 1948, God anointed many ministries, and each one was given the opportunity of preaching the message of the Kingdom or whatever else was chosen. We saw men like William Branham, who is the first man I heard preach a word against the denominational system and make a clear call to humanity to turn from the Babylonish denominations to Christ as head of the Church. It was necessary for a man like Branham to make mistakes, or else men would worship him; therefore, we will not think about the mistakes or faults of these men, but let us think of the ministry which God brought to the Body.

Wigglesworth, Finney, Howe (The builder of Zion City, Chicago), Tommy Hicks, Jack Coe, A. A. Allen, Oral Roberts, Miller (Argentina), McPherson, Seymour—I could fill this page with names. These were genuine miracle workers who God used to bring not only the Church but the world to a new consciousness of His power.

  1. The right arm being lifted up—I am convinced that some of the people of God are His right arm in the earth. The right arm of the Body of Christ is being lifted up in our time, and I believe we will soon see it reaching up into the heavens. The thundering from heaven is the blowing of the Fifth Trumpet (or message), which calls humanity to total surrender to Christ, and the giving up of every other head which rivals the headship of Christ in our lives. This precedes the raising of the left hand, which speaks of the awakening of the people of God who did not catch the first vision, but will recognize the moving of God among one segment of the Body and will repent of their laxity.
  2. The pouring out of the Spirit of God upon this generation is imminent. There is absolutely no doubt that the revival of all revivals is about to break upon us. This great pouring out of the Spirit will bring to pass the rest of the prophecy of Joel, which Peter said commenced with Pentecost. It did not end with Pentecost, but it will end with TABERNACLES. “BEHOLD, GOD HAS TABERNACLED HIMSELF WITHIN MAN” (literal translation of Revelation 21:3).
  3. The pouring out of the liquid light upon the people of the Body is certified by the Word of God in Revelation 11:3, “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three score days, clothed in sackcloth.”

The two witnesses are the Spirit and the Word being manifested in human beings—the power of the living Christ Himself with the Firstfruits Company. These will move and walk in the Christ ministry for three and a half years. Even as Jesus Christ ministered in His flesh and blood body for three and a half years, so will the Church. What follows then in the vision is only a description of the Man Child ministry being caught up into the heavenlies, yet ministering here on earth, pushing back the forces of Satan.

  1. It is noteworthy that at one point, some of the brethren turned back from this anointing, because they had lost their positions of pastors, apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers; because the Body of Christ had risen up in maturity and was doing everything and more than these ministries did before.
  2. THE FINAL STAGE OF THIS VISION SAW THE RESURRECTION OF THE SAINTS, AND THEIR BEING CAUGHT UP TO THE THRONE OF GOD. IT IS TRUE THAT WE SHALL BE EXALTED TO THE HIGHEST HEAVENS, AND THAT WE SHALL REIGN AND RULE WITH HIM ON EARTH.

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, August 1989)

Thought for today: Behold, God has tabernacled himself within man.

Read Full Post »

Who Are the Dead in Christ?

Posted in Christian Walk, tagged , , , , , , on April 22, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: I John 3:23-24

In our previous devotionals we have talked about dying to sin, but what are the signs of being dead in Christ. Those who are dead in the natural have no feelings, and are not involved in the things of the living anymore. So it is those who are dead in Christ – they are not involved in carnality and sinfulness. They do not willfully sin, would be more specific.

I John 3:23-24, “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

Those who abide in Christ are dead – dead to sin. If sin calls, they will not answer because they are dead, but if righteousness calls, they will answer and be ready to obey. It is like a machine that is tuned to one frequency and will not be stirred by another.

2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

The terminology “in Christ” means “under the headship of Christ”, or in other words, “be in the body of Christ.” The beginning of the New Creation Man therefore is In Christ. When Christ becomes the head of the individual, then that person is in Christ. Christ comes into the believer in order to take the believer into Christ. The believer has Christ within his spirit when he is baptized with the Holy Ghost and not before then. This is clearly stated in John 14:17 that there are two operations of the Holy Spirit – with and within.

The dead are those who have crucified the flesh:

Galatians 5:24, “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

God hides those who are dead in Christ:

Colossians 3:3, “For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

Jesus heals us spiritually, not just naturally by His stripes:

I Peter 2:25, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes we were healed.”

The believer is being asked of God to attend his own crucifixion every morning he rises. Being dead to sin is not one mighty act of sacrifice and it’s all over with, but a daily uphill task of bringing the members of one’s body under Divine Control. The man whose eyes are used to roving will find that his eyes will, even without his conscious participation, BUT when he submits this condition to God, he will as it were catch up himself just before he commits the crime.

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, August 1984)

Thought for today: Let us attend to our own crucifixion today and bring the members of our body under Divine Control.

Read Full Post »

Secrets of God Are Being Revealed

Posted in Body of Christ, tagged , , , , on March 5, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: Acts 13:47

Let me tell you something about the evangelistic ministry: The evangelistic ministry must preach the revealed truths of the Body. God said that at the end of time, all of the mysteries of the gospel would be finished. That means that God is telling somebody. The secrets of God are being revealed to somebody.

When I met Jesus, He began to talk to me and tell me some things that the church never heard before. I wondered if Paul knew some of those things when he wrote the books we have in the Bible or whether God just prophetically used him. You know, the prophet can prophesy above his head. The prophet doesn’t know what he is saying. He prophesies above his head. He himself is sitting down waiting to see the thing come to pass, because he never thought of it before he prophesied it. So therefore, the church now, the Body of Christ, is going to speak words beyond its own understanding. I am talking about your daily life. In your daily life you are speaking things. “Never mind, child, God is going to bless you.” “The LORD will bless you.” “Let us pray. Oh God, bless this person.” And you have let loose deliverance to that person. As long as that person lives, that blessing is going to follow them, because you pronounced it.

Your right hand will not lift a bigger thing by itself, but the left hand goes along with it and the thing is lifted completely. This is what God is doing with you. You are the left hand that will come together with the right hand of God – God and man working together to bring forth light in the earth. Every mystery of God is being revealed to this church. Now, my detractors will say that Cecil says that we are the only ones getting the truth. If you notice, that is not what I said. This church means this church over the whole world that is walking with God. The ears must begin to hear. Do you notice that we have five discernment gifts on the outside: hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting and smelling? You are the outside part of God’s discernment. You are hearing. You are seeing. You are smelling. You taste. You don’t even know what you are doing. Sometimes you wonder what is going on. You don’t know that you are smelling. But, let me give you an example of what we mean by a smell.

A spirit can come in the congregation on a certain spiritual frequency. I’m using words that you probably need to consider. Frequency – a spirit walks in through a door; he comes in on a certain frequency. If you are one who hears from God, you don’t hear him. If you are one who sees all the visions, you will never see him. If you are one who feels, you will never feel him. But he is coming in on the frequency of a smell, for you will never see a smell, you will never hear a smell, and you will never taste a smell. However, there are some people who God has put on that smelling frequency. If you are the one, you alone can discern that spirit and, if you are functioning, you will. Now, if you are not functioning, that spirit will have freedom in the midst of the congregation.

God is calling people to function in their own capacity. God is calling to His anointed. Amen.

(Excerpt from Keeping in Touch, December 2006, pg. 11)

Thought for today: You are the left hand that will come together with the right hand of God – God and man working together to bring forth light in the earth.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »