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GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE
“Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called…” – 1 Tim. 6:12 |
Perfected in His Eternality ---------------------------------------- God is eternal; he that dwelleth in perpetuity of character dwelleth in God and God in him. |
GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE – “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 4:11-12). If we “walk” (1 John 2:6) in the Son of God, or abide in Him, we will “continue in the Son” (1 John 2:24), and so we shall be worthily “as He is”, as rightful inheritors of eternal life (1 John 4:17). Let us learn how He is, so that we might become “as He is”. He is perpetually consistent, steadfast, unchanging in righteousness, and enduring in charity. The eternality of God in which we must be perfected in right NOW, in this life, refers to those powers available in Him which perpetuate His character in us.
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“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” (1 Pet. 1:22-25)
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We have been born again by an eternally enduring word of God, thus our love, which was borne, and is now sustained by, the power of God’s word, should also be eternally enduring. This is the “as He is” logic of worthiness taught in 1 Peter 1:22-25. God, Who is eternal life, Whose attributes are eternally enduring, Who is the Word of God and the seed of our birth, is the reason that our attributes in Him should be enduring throughout the time of our sojourning here on earth. The birth seed is “incorruptible”, the word of God “liveth and abideth for ever”, therefore we should love one another with an incorruptible, ever living and abiding love. This is the due expectation of the enduring powers, therefore we should endure in His character by His enduring nature. If we were called to love after the flesh, live in the flesh, or rely upon the flesh, then, understandably, it would be justifiable that our love is withering and falling like a fading grass flower. “Charity” in God “never faileth”, nor ceaseth to be (1 Cor. 13:8), though prophesies, tongues, and knowledge does. Charity in God “beareth all things…endureth all things”, and, it shall not ever “vanish away” (1 Cor. 13:7-8), and having been given His Spirit, we are responsible to persevere in His ways. We have not been given a spirit that fades and vanishes, but of eternality and perpetuity, thus let us persevere unto the end, into eternity, by and through the unfailing Spirit.
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“Thy Name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and Thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.” (Ps. 135:13) |
We should endure, for He endured all things (Heb. 2:17-18, 4:15), and He is with us now as He promised, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). He is with us now on earth, lifting our heads up to look, and lo, there again, He standeth in heaven for us as a “lively hope” (1 Peter 1:3). Yea, there He is! And He “maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34)! This is not temporary! God is able to save everlastingly, forever, and all throughout your sojourning in time! Why? Let the scripture declare the answer: “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25)! He is our “living way” (Heb. 10:20), and in Him we should “know the way” (John 14:4), because He is “the way” (John 14:6). He is the “author” of our faith, the writer of our salvation story, and lo, He is the “finisher” of faith, of every true story, writing them all up for eternal glory (Heb. 12:1-2). We should be “confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the Day of Jesus Christ” (Php. 1:6). He is the living waters from the living fountain that faileth not! He is, as He declared from enthroned glory – “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely” (Rev. 21:6). Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).
The life of God is not some neutral cloud of gas. The life of God is righteousness and not neutrality, and we have His life in us if we have His Spirit. Are you alive? “The Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:10). Are you righteous? Our righteousness should be enduring in the eternality of His life, because, He can never die. “To be carnally minded is death” (Rom. 8:6). Do not “walk as men” (1 Cor. 3:3) in the passions and lusts of men, for all of this is passing away. Don’t be of the flesh, don’t abide in the flesh, or in anything of this world! “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17). His life is forever, and so is His will! Live in Him, “for what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). We should overcome the world because He has overcome the world, and therefore, “He that is born of God overcometh the world” (1 John 5:4). Therefore Jesus said that, “in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, Rev. 3:21). Do you have “eternal life abiding” in you (1 John 3:15)? So walk in it; as He is eternal in existence, as He is perpetually steadfast in righteousness and purity, so be it with you – Amen.
The life of God is not some neutral cloud of gas. The life of God is righteousness and not neutrality, and we have His life in us if we have His Spirit. Are you alive? “The Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:10). Are you righteous? Our righteousness should be enduring in the eternality of His life, because, He can never die. “To be carnally minded is death” (Rom. 8:6). Do not “walk as men” (1 Cor. 3:3) in the passions and lusts of men, for all of this is passing away. Don’t be of the flesh, don’t abide in the flesh, or in anything of this world! “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17). His life is forever, and so is His will! Live in Him, “for what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). We should overcome the world because He has overcome the world, and therefore, “He that is born of God overcometh the world” (1 John 5:4). Therefore Jesus said that, “in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, Rev. 3:21). Do you have “eternal life abiding” in you (1 John 3:15)? So walk in it; as He is eternal in existence, as He is perpetually steadfast in righteousness and purity, so be it with you – Amen.
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GOD is PERFECT, LOVE, ONE, HOLY, A STRANGER, HEAVEN, LIGHT, GLORY & VIRTUE, & ETERNAL LIFE. |
Do you see how GOD IS, what GOD IS, and how that, even so we MUST BE, and that this is Christian perfection? Do you believe the gospel? It does savingly unite us to God so that we can walk in Him, Whom the world hates! Will you walk in Christ so that your living “is Christ” (Php. 1), and so, you will be “as He is” (1 John 4:17) – or rather, will you walk in yourself like the rest of humanity that do “walk as men” (1 Cor. 3:3)? Are you seeing these principles clearly? Written again just below is the template verse which I was able to frame all other attributes of perfection in. With this same vein of logic as seen in this template verse, please read and study the following points after this verse. These points cover more attributes than the eight which I have just written about. Each one is an explicit reference which is pointed to something of how God is, and how we must be “as He is” in perfection, that is, if we wish to be finally saved. These things are “the Image of His Son” (Rom. 8:28-29).
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“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 Jn. 4:17-18)
“every one that is perfect shall be as his Master.”(Lk. 6:40) “Called according to His purpose… to be conformed to the Image of His Son.” (Rom. 8:28-29) |
We have been called by the Gospel which has made us one with Him (John 17), which has placed us in Him (Rom. 8:1)…therefore we must be like Him (inwardly) because we have been made like Him by NATURE:
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Perfect Faith - (James 2:21-22, 1 Thess. 3:10) Perfect Christian – (Matt. 6:43-48, Lk. 6:35-36, 40, Col. 1:28-29, 4:12, Eph. 4:12, 1 Cor. 2:6, 2 Cor. 13:9, 11, Php. 3:15, 2 Tim. 3:17, Heb. 6:1, 13:21, James 3:2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- These bullet points outline God’s NATURE and salvific works. When a man sees and understands these principles of the faith, which can be summarized as The Person & Work of Christ, and when he is properly related to them by faith, believing on Jesus Christ’s Person and salvific works, then the Christians will be conformed to Christ’s nature so as to be empowered to live by, and walk in, Him. The tie that binds a man to the Person and Work of Christ is “perfect faith” in these principles, so the apostles seek to perfect the faith, and when this is perfected, so is the Christian, thus they do the DEEDS of their Father, because they are conformed to the Nature, Image, & Person of the Son. |
We must also, therefore, walk in our NATURE which was a free gift given to us once, and thereto promised to abide forever, and so outwardly our life will follow that which is alive inwardly; thus we must be “as He is” by DEED:
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Perfect Works – (Rev. 2:26, 3:2, Heb. 13:21, 2 Thess. 2:16-17) ----------------------------------------- Jesus says that salvation is granted to him that “keepeth My works unto the end” (Rev. 2:26). When a man sees the Person and salvific work of Christ and believes on Him with perfect faith, then such a one will have perfect works. Being unified with the Nature and Person of Christ within is accomplished by seeing the entirety of His historical and living works of salvation today, and then you are enabled to walk in Him Who is in you, and not merely imitate Him; thus, you are by DEEDS conformed to “the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:28), which is living worthy of your calling. |
Now do you understand the charges of God to lay hold upon, live worthy of, and make sure your calling? Do you understand the charge: “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye DO THESE THINGS, ye shall never fall” (2 Peter 1:10)? Is your calling sure?
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Eternal Life Sure: We must lay hold upon the consummating eternal life which is to come (1 Tim. 6:12).
Election Sure: We must lay hold upon election, even though we are elect now (2 Peter 1:10). As the elect, we are regenerate, thus our nature is the nature of the elect; so is our charge then – we must “put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Col. 3:12). How do you know if your election is sure? Ask yourself this question according to the tests of scripture: are you fulfilling the purpose of God for which He has elected you, which purpose is “to be conformed to the Image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29), or in other words, are you in the Image of God’s Son Jesus Christ – in NATURE and in DEED? Or in other words, are you perfect? Will you be of those, God says, “upon whom My Name is called” (Acts 15:17), not only now, but in the END? Perfection Sure: In this very same sense, we must lay hold upon the consummating perfection to come, even though we are perfect now. This is done by walking in the attainable perfection presently and progressively, unto the end. |
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WORTHY -->
PERFECTION --> ABOUNDING / WITHOUT OFFENSE --> |
“pray always” (2 Thess. 1:11)
“do not cease to pray” (Col. 1:9-10) “exhorted, comforted, & charged” (1 Thess. 2:11-12) “Night & Day praying exceedingly” (1 Thess. 3:10) “preaching, warning, teaching, all wisdom, labour, striving, His working, mightily” (Col. 1:28-29) “I pray” (Php. 1:9-10) “put you always in remembrance” (2 Pet. 1:12) “stir you up by putting you in remembrance” (2 Pet. 1:13) “always in remembrance” (2 Pet. 1:15) |
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