THE SPIRIT LETTERS

Message Twenty-Three - Book Five - SOMEWHERE BEYOND BELIEF

After Beloved Apostle John had inscribed his revelational message in Jn. 14:1-4 – declaring that Jesus Christ was going to prepare a place for those of His — John then wrote:

“Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, HE does the works. Believe me that I am  in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works sake. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and HE shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever: even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, neither knows him: but ye know him: for he dwells with you, and shall be in you” (Jn. 14:10-11; 15-17) After Paul’s spiritual conversion and enlightenment on the Damascus Road — described in Acts Chapters 9 et seq. — Paul wrote to the Corinthians to explain that it was the Holy Ghost that would explain to those undergoing spiritual rebirth, the spiritual things that the Holy Ghost teaches; whereas the “natural man” — in his unspiritualized state — does not and cannot receive because they are foolishness to him; and that in his unspiritualized state he cannot know them, because they are only spiritually discernable.. This spelled out that unless and until a “natural man” unspiritualized by the Christ Spirit, underwent the spiritual rebirth process as had Paul, he would be unable to comprehend  “the things of the Spirit of GOD.” (1 Cor. 2:13-14).

Paul indicated that he had received these matters of truth, and spoke them: not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches: comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor. 2:13).  Before Saul of Tarshis’ spiritual rebirth, after which he was renamed Paul and made an Apostle of Jesus Christ’s, he had been an example of a “natural man,” devoting much of his time to persecuting Jesus’ followers.. Paul subsequently apologized for his militant behavior, explaining:

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the Ministry: who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.(1 Tim. 1:12-16).

The thrust of this is that men are not ordinarily born in the earth dimension with a built-in knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ’s New Covenant principles: during one earth experience of another they need to receive His Spirit Energy in order to become enlightened as did Apostle Paul — even to comprehend the spiritual meaning of Paul’s writings. The Bible contains “letter” writings, and spiritual writings, the spiritually meaningful ones ” that give life” take precedence (2 Cor. 3:3-6). Men receive the Christ Spirit when by believe in Him and dedicatedly follow Him as a Disciple. Those who are “born of water, and not of the spirit” — are able to become spiritualized with GOD’s Holy Spirit Energy by passing through a spiritual rebirth experience, as did Apostle Paul. As Saul son of Tish, Paul had been a tormentor of Jesus’ followers; but after his Damascus Road experience he turned his life completely around, and went off teaching and preaching Jesus Christ’s New Covenant Gospel. Belief and faith in Jesus Christ as man’s Savior, Intercessor, and Eternal High Priest in heaven is established by understanding and accepting that He, the Son of GOD in flesh, suffered unspeakable pain on the Cross to Save those who would ever afterward trust and rely upon Him to save them into eternity.

As Jesus is quoted as having declared: “In my Father’s house there are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you.” (Jn. 14:2). In those same four verses, Jesus promised to go and prepare a place for us, that where He is we may also be! (Jn. 14:3-4). The Holy Bible tells us that GOD raised up Jesus Christ to HIS own right hand in heaven, where He has been given power over heaven and the earth (Mt. 28:18). What do we have to gain by believing otherwise?

To Be Continued… 

Message Twenty-Two - Book Five - SOMEWHERE BEYOND BELIEF

When GOD the Father empowered Jesus Christ over heaven and the earth (Mt. 28:18), it signaled fulfillment of the promise Jesus had made to His followers that He would return when it was time, and that in His absence He would prepare a place for them where He had gone. Apostle John reported that Jesus had specifically promised:

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in GOD, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; that where I am ye may be also. and whither I go ye know and The Way ye know.” (Jn. 14:1-4).

The thrust of these two remarkable verses is that Jesus knew that it was contemplated by GOD His Father that He was to be taken from the earth plane and raised up into the highest of all heavenly dimensions above the earth, and that He would at some time in the future draw all of those who would believe in Him UNTO HIMSELF. This meant that it would be the souls of those human beings who believe in Him and followed Him in faith and belief that He would save them into eternal life who would also be transformed and “taken up” – translated into heaven even as He had been — forever to be with Him.

One implication of Jesus’ promise to His loyal followers, was that they would need to die before this transformation and translation could take place: It was the souls of His Saved ones that would be transformed into eternity. After Apostle Paul’s illuminating spiritual rebirth experience on the Damascus Road, he admonished the Corinthians:

“This I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of GOD; neither does corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:50)

Paul thus explained that “the last trump” SHALL SOUND, and in the twinkling of an eye the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we all shall all be changed so that then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:52-54).

And Paul added:

“The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks to GOD, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Series to be Continued in Message 23 - Book Five - SOMEWHERE BEYOND BELIEF.