S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Are you hungry? Not physically hungry, but do you have a hunger for something more in life? Is there something deep inside of you that never seems to be satisfied? If so, Jesus is the way! Jesus sa...

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July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Al Mari Supporter Private practice as a cardiovascular & thoracic surgeon

This is a plan on "how to be in the God-Kingdom". In essence, "how to" is anchored, not on "works" but on the righteousness of faith, the faith "of" Jesus and not on anyone's faith. 

God the Father shows us how to "enter" the Kingdom of God, meaning how to be saved, as in, "unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, (which is by works) you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 5:19, 20). 

The "righteousness of God" is the "righteousness of faith", by faith "of" Jesus (Rom 1:17; 3:21-31; 5:1), who started it; He is the "author and finisher of our faith"(Heb 12:2). It is by grace through faith so that "no one can boast"(Eph. 2:8-9; I Cor. 1:29), and is based on love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT)

Moreover, this faith of Jesus continues "from faith to faith"(Rom.1:17), as his faith is the one that the Father sees as ours, imputed on us, as we ourselves adopt this faith. Meaning, we have to have faith in Jesus and by extension, faith in the promise of God the Father.

That faith "of" Jesus is in the Father to reckon Jesus' death as payment in full for the punishment of Adam's/mankind's sin with the goal of reconciling us to the Father. His death reconciled us to put us in the status of Adam prior to him committing sin against God. Reconciliation, as important as it is, did not actually "save" us. To explain this concept, just consider if Jesus stayed "dead". That means he indeed "reconciled" us but did not "save" us, because as Paul said, "we are saved by his life"(Rom.5:9-10). Meaning, he has to be resurrected "to life" and for what purpose?:

"But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."(Jn. 16:7).

"By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were "later" to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had "not been given", since Jesus had "not yet been glorified"(Jn. 7:39)

This Holy Spirit was given on faith, by grace and for what purpose?

"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father--he will testify about me."(Jn.15:26).

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you"(Jn. 15:26).

Why the need for the Holy Spirit?

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness."(Rom. 8:26).
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God (Father) sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh"(Rom. 8:3)
"Spirit is willing but flesh is weak" (Mk 14:38; Matt.26:41)and needed "re-doing like a Potter to marred clay" (Jer. 18:4;Heb. 2:6; Ps.8:4); "marred by sin".

In summary, we, who are called and predestined, will receive this Holy Spirit promised, even before the foundation of the world, by the Father to Jesus(same Logos in John 1Creator,YHVH ELOHIM in Gen. 2). This HS was given not because of the "works" of Jesus as "a reward for dying". Rather, it was given on faith "of" Jesus, by grace and on love of the Father. This is "the righteousness of God the Father". It will "seal, nurture, guide, sanctify us to have "the mind of Christ"(Phil.2:5; Rom.12:2) and to be "conformed into his likeness". Without this in-dwelling of HS, there is no salvation. It takes this power in us to be "like Christ".

Mankind was created to be in the God-kingdom, not in the plant-kingdom, animal-kingdom, nor among the angelic species. To be "saved" is to be in the God-kingdom.

March 08 2015 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report