God's Most Important Work

Of all of God's works, which one is most important to you? I'm not asking of all the qualities and characteristics of God. Which one is most important to you? God is love. That is His most important characteristic. If God were not love, if God was not filled with love and grace, divine favor, we would have never been created, never had this opportunity to share in the Godhead. Of all the works of God, which one is most important to you? We used to play games with daughters or daughters, and then the granddaughters and grandson, with regard to looking up in the sky, who made the sun, who made the moon, who made the stars. Of course, you'd always come back to the answer is God did. God created all things. God's principle work is creation. I'll say it again. God's principle work is creation, both physical and spiritual. What I'm saying here at the beginning and putting these things together have taken hours of study through the years. You cannot get all of this, and we still like when I was looking at a handout today that was handed out some time ago in ABC with regard to the nature of God in which the Holy Spirit was called the power of God.

God does, as we shall note later on, works of power through His Spirit. So God's principle work is creation, both physical and spiritual. God performs works of power through His Spirit. If you would go to Zechariah chapter 4, Zechariah chapter 4, and verse 6.

Haggai and Zechariah had been raised up by God, prophets, one of the few times that the people of God responded to prophets that God sent them, and they rebuilt the temple, what is called the Restoration Temple or the Second Temple. And here in the midst of this vision that Zechariah received, you have this verse 6. Then He answered and spoken to me, saying, This is the word of the eternal and His rubble-bell, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts. The Lord of Hosts, He is God the Father. The Lord of Hosts, that title for God the Father appears 46 times in the book of Zechariah. God performs works of power through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the essence of God. If you were to look at it in human terms, we'd say that human beings are composed of flesh. Our essence is flesh. We are flesh. So look at John 4.24, which was our verse of the day yesterday. Now we're turning to John 4 and verse 24.

In John 4.24, God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

So just as you and I are flesh, God is Spirit. God does works of power through His Spirit. Whatever works you do, you do through your flesh as far as manual labor. Now you may do some works in the area of abstract thinking and so on through your mind, but God does His works through His Spirit. Spirit proceeds from the Father.

We're in John here. If you look at John 15 verse 26, the great debate that took place between the Eastern Church and the Western Church in circle 1000, I think was in the 900s, technically, about the procession of the Holy Spirit resulted in the great split in the Catholic Church or the Universal Church. There were two great headquarters, Constantinople in Rome, and there was a split over this procession of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, as it says in John 15.26, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. So John 15.26, but when the comforter has come. Now John 14.26 tells you clearly that the comforter is the Holy Spirit.

So you could just as accurately say, but when the Holy Spirit has come, here it's the comforter, which is masculine in gender, and therefore, referent pronouns are in the masculine form. But when the comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father. So Jesus Christ plays a role in the Holy Spirit being shed on us, whom I will send you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, Talmuma.

Talmuma is neuter, which proceeds from the Father. It shall testify of me. Now if you go to Titus chapter 3, what I've just said there, you will see in Titus chapter 3 that the Holy Spirit is shed on us through Christ exactly how that is done. I don't know for sure, and I don't believe any other human knows for sure how it's done. In Titus chapter 3, we know that the Father is the one who begets us with His Spirit, otherwise it wouldn't be our Father.

He would not be our spiritual Father if He were not the one who begets us. He also brings us to birth. In Titus 3 verse 5, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of the regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He, God the Father, shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Also, in other places in the New Testament, it says that God is our Savior, God and Christ working in unison.

They are our Savior, that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. So we see that Jesus Christ plays a role in it. The Father, the Holy Spirit, proceeds from the Father, and through the Holy Spirit, God does works of power. God speaks through the power of His mighty Spirit. Works are done. Of course, a lot of the works were done. The creation works were done through Jesus Christ, but God the Father also played a role in it.

Now, we're going to look at what I just said, that God directs, and He speaks, and things are done. Look at Genesis 1, verse 3. In Genesis 1, verse 3, God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. I want to go back up to verse 2. It was really the one I wanted. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God, the Spirit of God moved with the Spirit, the essence of God, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

There was like a cloud of darkness, and the firmament was removed from the face of the waters, so the light could come through. God said, Let there be light, and there was light. Look now at Psalm 33, verse 9. We're talking about that the Holy Spirit is under the direction of God. The Holy Spirit is not out freelancing on its own. It is directed by God. God speaks, and certain things take place. With regard to us, we have to go physically do whatever it is.

But with God, He can speak, and certain things take place, where it's Psalm 33, verse 9. For He spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood fast.

Now, look at Isaiah 42.5. We're talking about that the Holy Spirit is under the direction of God the Father, and through the Holy Spirit. Of course, it's crisis playing a role. It's not at the exclusion of one or the other. In Isaiah 42, verse 5, Thus says God, that's El, all caps eel, the strong one, the eternal, the yavi, he that created the heavens and stretched them out, he that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it, he that gives breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein, showing that God is our Creator. And then you look at Hebrews 11.3 with regard to what was the universe made of. And that's one of the things that they're desperately trying to do at the present time is to discover. There's this approximately 17-mile-long collider in CERN, Switzerland. It's on the border of France and Switzerland near Geneva, in which they are smashing atoms at the speed of light, trying to get down to the tiniest particle. And they claim, they call it the Higgs particle, that they have discovered what they call the God particle. And scientists, in looking at these things, say, well, there must be some kind of design or whatever in this, and these particles are not stable. They're moving around. But yet, at the same time, they say, well, there is some kind of some kind of spirit or whatever that's holding this together, something holding them together. Then this involves quantum physics. And we have people who think, well, we can really get close to God and understand God somehow by delving into the unseen world. Whereas the Bible just simply says, I haven't turned there yet, in Hebrews 11.3, through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God. He spoke, and it stood fast. We read it from Psalm 33.9. Now, was there a big bang when this took place?

Well, there might have been a big bang, but the big bang presupposes the existence of matter before the big bang can take place. Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, and Jesus Christ was the spokesman, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. So one of the things with regard to these particles, they're not stable. And, of course, this conflicts with Newtonian law that says that matter is stable until it's acted upon by an outside force. But these particles are moving around, but yet at the same time they hold together. Now, one of the things that they are also saying about this collider in Switzerland, you could look up the collider that they are trying to discover what they call the Stargate, the entrance into the parallel universe or into the unseen world.

And there are preachers out there who are preaching saying that they're going to, by this, they're going to turn loose the devil. Well, the collider will not turn loose the devil. If you read Revelation 9, a great angel turns loose that one there in Revelation 9 of the Abaddon, the angel over the bottomless pit. So, Satan will not be loosed by the collider. It's called the Hadron Collider, H-A-D-R-O-N. That's just sort of a side point, but man is trying to get to the how was the universe created. The Bible we just read, he spoke, it stood fast, the things that were made were not were made from things that are not seen.

The Holy Spirit is under the direction of God. The Holy Spirit is not out freelancing on its own.

If that were true, the Holy Spirit would be a separate entity. It is not a separate entity. The Holy Spirit is not separated from God. God is Spirit.

Through that Spirit, he does works of power. God created spirit beings millions of years ago. Let's go to Job 38, verse 6. In Job 38, verse 6, here we see that after Elihu finally gets Job's attention, then God begins to speak to Job. He asks Job some very probing questions because Job has come to the point of accusing God of being unfair.

In Job 38, verse 6, whereupon are the foundations there of fasten, or who laid the cornerstone thereof? This is talking about when God created the physical universe. When the morning stars, the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. The angels are referred to as sons of God in several different places, especially in Genesis 6. There are some other places as well. When the angels shouted for joy, this universe had already been created, and then the universe was created. Physical matter. God's work of creation and his spiritual work began about 1985 years ago. On the day of Pentecost, 31 A.D., he began at that point the marvelous act of begetting humans with his spirit so they could become his spirit-born children at the resurrection of the just. Even though there was already a spiritual creation, the angelic realm, the angels, and there were other spirit beings that you can read about in Revelation 4 around the throne of God. They were created to a certain state and a certain level of being. Let's go now to Hebrews chapter 1 and look at that. Hebrews chapter 1.

The angels were created for a specific purpose. Speaking of Jesus Christ, verse 2, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. We just talked about the making of the worlds. Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his purpose, and upholding all things by the word of his power. So somehow the word of his power. And there are natural laws that have been created that hold, I guess you would say, the universe together.

If the law of gravity were suddenly suspended, there would be a lot of collisions throughout the universe.

Appolding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sin, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. Being made much better than the angels, you know it says in Romans 8, verse 17, we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. So whatever level that Jesus Christ is on now, Hebrews 2 says he's not ashamed to call them brethren. Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For of which of the angels said he at any time, you are my son this day have I begotten you, this day have I brought you to birth. That's quoting from Psalm 2. And again I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. When he never did, there was never a plan A and a plan B. God's plan is perfect from A to Z. You notice in verse 13, once again, but what but to which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Jesus Christ is the first of the first fruits, as we shall note later on. There were no spirit-born sons of God before humans were created. The angels are not spirit-born sons of God.

The angels had no part in the creation process. The Logos spoke and it was done. He spoke and it stood fast. They were created to whatever rank or station. They were spirit. They were perfect. And then given free choice to serve and obey God and helping bringing sons and daughters to glory in his family, as we just read from Hebrews 1.14. So note Ezekiel 28. Ezekiel 28 and verse 15. Here the king of Tyre becomes a type of Satan the devil. In Ezekiel 28 and verse 15.

You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created till a nicotine was found in you. You look at the verse 14. You are the anointed carob that covers. He was at the throne of God and I have set you so. You have been upon the holy mountain of God. You have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created until lawlessness was found in you.

Verse 17. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. You were corrupted by your wisdom, by reason of your brightness. Beautiful, intelligent, great wisdom created to help you and I become born sons of God and probably because of jealousy.

He decided to rebel and look at Revelation 12. And in that rebellion, he was able to draw one third of the angels with him. Did God know this rebellion was taking place? Yes, he knew this rebellion was taking place. Why didn't he step in and do something? Well, God wants people. He wants all beings that he has created or all beings that are being born to come to the point where they choose to go the right way. I've said before you life and death, blessing and cursing, choose life. In Revelation 12, there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of 12 stars. The nation of Israel and she being with child cried, travailing in birth and pain to be delivered. Also, a picture of the church. There's duality in this. And there appeared another wonder in heaven and behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his head and his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven. Stars symbolized angels and did cast him to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered to devour the child as soon as he was born and Satan has tried to kill and destroy the plan of salvation from the Garden of Eden to the present time.

We were created physical, subject to sin and death, and after being called we were given the opportunity to participate in becoming spirit-born sons and daughters of God.

The spiritual creation of sons and daughters is not done by God's simply spoke and a finished being is created or born.

Unlike the angels, we go through a process. God doesn't just speak and you are a spirit being born into the family of God. We go through a process. God calls us and it's up to us whether or not we're going to respond. It begins with being called. It requires repentance, faith, and the sacrifice of Christ for remission of sins that are passed, baptism, and laying on of hands. We want to look at each one of those briefly. We look at Acts 2. Acts 2, the first part of Acts is taken up with the Holy Spirit being sent and each person hearing the apostles in their own tongue showing that the miracle was in the hearing. Peter gets up and he preaches his inspired sermon. Then in Acts 2 and verse 36, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus whom you crucified, both the Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Man and brethren, what shall we do? We are convicted. What are we going to do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Now there are certain elements that are left out of this one verse that are required.

Obviously, you have to be called. You have to repent. You have to exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ for remission of sins that are passed. You have to be baptized. And then the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit.

Now with regard to repentance, is it necessary? Look at Galatians. We're going to look briefly at repentance, faith in the sacrifice of Christ, baptism, the laying on of hands, which leads to this new mind. So in Galatians chapter 2, so much we'll read in just a moment, Romans 3. Sometimes we'll read Romans 3 first and then go to Galatians, but we're talking about is repentance necessary? Is it just by believing?

Or is repentance necessary?

Galatians 2 16, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law. You can keep the Ten Commandments perfectly, or you could offer all the animal sacrifices that you could possibly muster, but that in and of itself will not justify you. Why? Why won't it justify you? Because the wages of sin is death, and it requires death to pay for the penalty. And instead of us having to die, Christ died. But by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have who have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners. So this shows you very clearly that you must repent is therefore Christ the minister of sin, God forbid. Christ did not come, neither did he die, to save us in our sins. He came to save us out of our sins, to repent.

For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Now go back to Romans chapter 3. So we have the repentance aspect, and then Romans 3, faith in the sacrifice of Christ, and this element of repentance is also contained in this, if you note it carefully. Once again in Romans 3.23, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Therefore, if all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and if the wages of sin is death, Romans 6.23, then the death penalty is on everybody who's ever lived, and the only way back to reconciliation with the Father is through faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Romans 3.23, all have sinned, come short of the glory of God, whether you Jew or Gentile, it doesn't matter, being justified freely. In other words, the penalty being paid by His grace, His divine favor, through the buying back power, the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. So Jesus Christ paid the penalty in our stead, whom God has set for it to be a propitiation. That means a go-between, that He went in our stead. He paid the penalty for us through faith in His blood. It is individual and specific. Nobody else can have that faith for you. You must personally come to that point to declare His righteousness, meaning His faithfulness, that He had promised a Messiah from the Garden of Eden to the present time for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God, His long suffering. To declare, I say at this time, His righteousness that He might be just and the justifier of Him who believes in Jesus. So we are justified by faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Verse 31, do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid, yes, we establish the law. How do we establish the law? Because if the law were not in effect, there would be no need for a Savior. And it would be farcical and tragic for one to die in our stead if the law were not in effect.

Baptism. You look at Romans chapter 6. In Romans chapter 6, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin? The grace may abound. God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? No, you not, that so many of us as were baptized unto Jesus Christ were baptized into His death. Now we interject here, and hopefully we could get this straight. Even some in the ministry have not.

What makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven? Is it baptism? Does baptism wash away our sins? And some might say, no, it is the blood of Christ. We just read it in Romans 3, 25. Faith in the blood of Christ. It requires the death of the Son of God. That is how sins are remitted. Now baptism is a ceremony in which you make a public profession and commitment that you are going to live God's way from that point on, henceforth and forevermore, that the old man, the old way, will be buried in baptism and never able to raise its ugly head again.

We do not receive the Holy Spirit upon baptism. If that were true, what would be the point in laying on a pan? I'll show you this very clearly in just a moment.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so also we should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we should be also in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed to remain under the water, never able to get up again, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. The penalty has been paid. Does that mean you'll never sin again? Well, you will, but we still have that Savior, that paracletos, that advocate, as 1 John talks about, chapter 2. We can go before the throne of grace that we heard about in the opening prayer, and we can be forgiven. Now this part about receiving the Holy Spirit and baptism, we look back now at Acts 8. In Acts 7, Stephen gives his inspired sermon, and it results in him being killed. Now in Acts 2, we read that Peter gave his inspired sermon on the day of Pentecost, and they said, men and brethren, what shall we do? And they did repent. 3,000 added.

But in this case, they were pricked in their hearts, and they rushed upon Stephen, and they stoned him. They killed him. So in Acts 8.1, and Saul was consenting unto his death, and at that time there was a great persecution against the church, which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea, Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, who became Paul, next chapter deals with his conversion, he made havoc of the church entering into every house, and hailing men and women committed them to prison. Therefore, they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria. Remember, Philip was one of the original deacons. The account of the ordination there is in Acts 6, and he preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did, for unclean spirits, crying with the loud boys, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with posies. And they that were lame were healed. There was great joy in the city, and there was a certain one called Simon, which before time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was a great one, to whom they gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is a great power of God. No, this man was imbued with power by the devil. He was a sorcerer, and to him they had regard because out of a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed, Philip's preaching, the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women. So here we have baptism. Then Simon believed also, and when he was baptized he continued, and Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, whom when they were come down prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, they did not receive the Holy Spirit upon baptism. The apostles went up, they prayed, verse 16, for as yet he was fallen upon none of them it was, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, then laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

That's when you receive the Holy Spirit. It's not upon baptism. Baptism does not wash away your sins. It is symbolic of your sins being buried. The blood of Jesus Christ in blood, life is in the blood. It represents him dying for your sins. This receiving of the Holy Spirit provides us with a new mind, a new conscience, a new knowing within, and the spiritual mind is supposed to rule over the mind of the flesh. This is what we're going to do today. We're going to do a spiritual mind. The spiritual mind is supposed to rule over the mind of the flesh. We must be aware of this creation that is going on.

Since 31 A.D., the day of Pentecost, God has been calling out the firstfruits. This day, pictures are calling out of the firstfruits and the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

Now, let's go back to Acts 2. Pick up where we left off. We'll start in verse 39. Now, Acts 2, 39. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all them that are afar off, who are those that are far off? It is the Gentiles, as we'll see in just a moment. And to all that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

So we are in that period of time of the calling out of the firstfruits. Now, we have those in the church, including even some ministers. And I recently received a paper trying to make the case that the resurrection, first resurrection, will take place on Pentecost. I see absolutely no evidence for that in the Bible, no matter how you want to parse the seventh trump or whatever.

There are so many verses saying, when the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, the dead and Christ shall rise, quoting from 1 Corinthians 15. Let's go to Ephesians chapter 3 now. In Ephesians chapter 3, all of the symbolism and even the Jewish tradition has the resurrection taking place at the seventh trump. In Ephesians 3, for this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you Gentiles, if you've heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, dispensation, this word in Greek is oikonomia. Oikonomia, from that you can get the word economics. It has to do with a period of time of testing, a certain administration that God allows humans to be in. The first administration was a period of innocence in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were created in a state of innocence. They were subjected to a simple test. Don't partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And they, of course, failed the test. We are in this period now, this dispensation of the grace of God, which has given me to you, word. Believers are made the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. You heard in the special music that we might become the righteousness of God. And in 2 Corinthians 5, 21, says that we become the righteousness of God through Him, in Him. See, we can't even be reconciled to God the Father apart from the sacrifice of Christ. Now you look at this, the two loaves. We go back to Leviticus 23, where the seven annual festivals are listed. Of course, there's an eighth one, too, the Passover, which is a separate festival itself. And, of course, the weekly Sabbath is also called a festival in Leviticus 23, but we are concerning ourselves with Pentecost, Leviticus 23 verse 9. Leviticus 23 verse 9.

And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying, Speaking of the children of Israel, and said unto them, When you come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a omer. Now you look it up. The Hebrew word is omer, O-M-E-R. It's about a pick.

Now they did go out, the rabbis would go out into the, it's the barley harvest, the first harvest in the spring, and they would cut the finest of the grain. But they would then take this, and they would harvest the grain from the stalk, and they would have this omer. It's about a pick in what we call in our measurements today, of this finest grain, and they would put it through several processes, removing all the impurities. You could think about all of the things that Christ went through in His crucifixion and suffering to pay the penalty for leavening, for sin.

But it is, you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest, and he shall wave the omer before the Lord, look it up, to be accepted for you on the morrow after the Sabbath, the priest shall wave it, and you shall offer that day when you wave the omer, and he lamb without blemish for the first year, or burn offering unto the eternal. And you continue here, verse 15, and he shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the omer of the wave offering, seven Sabbaths shall be complete even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath, shall you number fifty days, and shall offer a new meat offering unto you. You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves, and those wave loaves were made from that grain that they got from the sheaths that they cut, two wave loaves. What was wave? Two wave loaves. That's why they call wave loaves. They shall be a flower, and they shall be bacon with leaven. They are the first fruits unto the eternal. Now, people have said over the years, and not the first time, and even though you may say it a hundred times, once people get something in their minds, they pretty much keep it there. And some say, well, the two loaves represent Old Testament Christians, and are Old Testament saints and New Testament saints. Well, we even read last Sabbath, or the last Sabbath or two before that, to where Jesus Christ says, unless I go away, I will not send the Holy Spirit to you.

What was the purpose of Pentecost in sending the Holy Spirit? So these two loaves, let's go to Ephesians chapter 2.

It seems rather obvious here. Even on that day of Pentecost, listen to what I'm saying, even on that day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent, there were assembled in Jerusalem Jews throughout the Mediterranean world, and converts from a few Gentiles were there who had they're called proselytes who had been proselytized and become a part of the congregation of Israel. But even in becoming a proselyte, you were still limited in some ways.

It was not until Peter went to the house Cornelius in Acts 10 that it was made manifest that the Holy Spirit had come upon the Gentiles as well. So in Ephesians chapter 2, starting verse 12, well, 1, 11. Ephesians 2, 11.

Wherefore, remember that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh. Notice that Gentiles in the flesh. Are they Gentiles in the spirit after conversion? No. Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands.

That is, that time when you were without Christ, that at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. You were like cut off. You were a far off.

Can they be called? But now in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were far off. Do you remember that verse I read from Acts 2, including those who are a far off, even those whom God shall call? You who were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

For He is our peace who has made both one. Two loaves were made one, and had broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having established in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to maketh himself of toying one new man, so making peace. Remember the book of Romans. The book of Romans. We have mastered the book of Romans. First chapter takes the Gentiles to task. Second chapter takes the Jews to task. And the third chapter we've read some from, how can both be justified through the blood of Christ?

And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the stake, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you, which were afar off, and to them that were near, who were afar off the Gentiles, who were near the Jews. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Therefore we are no more strangers, foreigners, and fellow sitteth but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also, the Gentiles, are built together for an habitation, a dwelling place, of God through the Spirit. And you look at chapter 3. Remember, we're in the church age. Paul says, look, I'm a minister here. This mystery of how Jew and Gentile would be joined together in one body has been hidden through the ages but is now made manifest.

Look at verse 3, Ephesians 3.3, how that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before, in a few words, whereby when you read you may understand my knowledge and the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of man, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostle and prophets by the Spirit. Now, what is this great mystery?

He's made a minister of it in verse 7, verse 8, unto me who am blessed in the least of the apostles in this grace, that I should preach among the nations, unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things but Jesus Christ, to the intent now unto the principalities powers in heaven places might be known by the church that manifest the manifold wisdom of God. What is that mystery that they have been joined together, Jew and Gentile, into one body, and both share now can share in the same common essence the Holy Spirit. Christ is the spiritual wave sheath. Christ is the spiritual wave sheath. The high priest waved two leaven loaves. The only way that sins can be forgiven is through the blood of Christ.

In Acts 4, 12, it says, there's none other name given under heaven, whereby men must be saved. Look at Hebrews 9, verse 12. Hebrews 9, verse 12.

After Jesus Christ was resurrected at the close of the weekly Sabbath during the days of unleavened bread, after that, he appeared to Peter and John and Mary Magdalene.

He told her not to touch him because I've not yet ascended to my Father.

He is that ultimate wave sheath. In Hebrews 9, verse 12, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he, Jesus Christ, entered in once into the holy place, not on earth, but in the heavens, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Verse 15, for this cause he is a mediator of the new covenant, that by means of death for the redemption, the buying back of the transgressions, or unto the first covenant, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Picking you up again, verse 19, for when Moses has spoken every precept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats with water, scarlet, wool, hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined unto you. More where he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and the vessels of the ministry, and almost all things are by the law purged with blood. And without shedding of blood, there is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the pattern of things in the heaven should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ has not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true. It represents that which is above. But into heaven itself, now, to appear in the presence of God for us. And in that sense, he was, way before the Father. He is the first of the first groups.

Nor yet that he should be offered often as the high priest entered in the holy place every year with blood of others. For then must he have been suffered since the foundation of the world. But now, once at the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. The heavenlies were purged by better sacrifices than these. Now, some ask the question, well, why did the heavenlies need to be purged? And the best answer I can come up with, somebody else may have a better answer, was that through the centuries, the sins have been confessed, and the heavenlies need to be purged by better sacrifices than that of the blood of bulls and goats.

I don't know if that is the ultimate explanation or not, but I do know that Christ is the spiritual fulfillment of the wave sheaf. He was waved before the Father. The Father accepted Him, and through faith in the sacrifice of Christ, our sins can be remitted.

So now we go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. We'll see very clearly here that Jesus Christ is the first of the first fruits. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, what we call the resurrection chapter. See, one of the things in Corinth was some were saying that there is no resurrection from the dead. How could you possibly be clean to be a part of the church of God and not believe in the resurrection of the dead?

In 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 16, For if Christ rise not, for if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. If this is all there is to it.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as an Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, every man in his own order Christ the first fruits afterward, they that are Christ at his coming. Since Pentecost 31 A.D., God has been calling out representatives from all nations, kindreds, races, tongues, to help him, to work with him in establishing the true New Age, not the phony New Age that is talked about by the New Agers, the true New Age in which dwells righteousness. The church, the firstborn, the first fruits of his salvation, made immortal, will reign with him as kings and priests in the exciting task of building a new civilization wherein does dwell righteousness.

The new civilization, what we have called the Wonderful World Tomorrow, the kingdom of God, will emphasize the things that are spiritual, the things that are eternal.

In contrast, this world emphasizes the things that are physical, vain things that are temporary. They try to solve their problems through physical means.

But our admonition is, look at Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 1.

Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 1.

Now the things which we have spoken, this is the sum. We have such a high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of his majesty in the heavens. Several places in the New Testament you will see this thing of Jesus Christ sitting on the right hand of the majesty in the heavens. What is he doing there? He's our high priest. He's making intercession for us. Therefore, he's able to save them to the uttermost, those who would come to him. That's Hebrews 7.5. A minister of the sanctuary under the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man. And see, this tabernacle is where this tabernacle not pitched by hands is where the Holy Spirit dwells today. Not in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle in the wilderness, not in Solomon's temple. The Holy Spirit did not fill the Holy of Holies in the second temple, but appointed that second temple, pointed to this temple that is the Church of God in you and I individually. And so, this wonderful promise that we have in view of that, look at Colossians chapter 3 verse 1. G-E-P-C, Colossians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians chapter 3 and verse 1. If then you be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God, just like we read from Hebrews 8. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth, for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ and God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. Then it tells you how to mortify the flesh. We have now within us, abiding in us, God's Holy Spirit. The very essence of God is in us. We have within us a new mind, a new knowing within. This new mind is able to put to death the old man. It is able to keep the old man under the water.

This inward man has to be renewed daily, as it says in 2 Corinthians 4, 16. You ask God for his Spirit, you read his word. You see, how do you nourish the new mind? Well, to John 6, 63. The words I speak, they are spirit and they are life.

It says in John 16, 13, that the Holy Spirit does not speak of itself, but it speaks what it hears. Obviously, the Holy Spirit only speaks and hears the truth, the Word of God. So as you read, you study, you meditate on the Word of God. Like David said in Psalm 119 verse 97, O how love I your Lord is my meditation all the day. If you want this mind of God, David said I have more understanding than all my teachers. Why? Because I meditate on it. I think about it.

So this seeking of the new mind and the gifts of the Spirit, one of the things that I pray continually, Father in heaven, give me the gifts necessary to fulfill the role that you've called me to fulfill. Whatever that may be, wherever it may lead, whatever may take you.

So the Holy Spirit has been sent that you might have this new mind. Treasure this new mind. Nourish it. Feed it. You can't just do it on the Sabbath. You have to diligently strive to obey God. If you sin, go and seek God's forgiveness and mercy. He's faithful and just to forgive us all in righteousness. Cast all your cares on him, as it says in 1 Peter 5, 7. Cast all your cares on him for he cares for you. You have been called to liberty, to love, to joy, and to peace. In fact, it says in Romans that the kingdom of God is love, joy, and righteousness. So do you pray? Do I pray? I know I pray that God will give me the new mind. The new mind, of course, is the spiritual mind.

The spiritual mind can rule over the carnal mind. So if we get our focus completely off ourselves and allow God's Spirit to work in us, there's no limit to what we can do in the spiritual sense. So let us go to God actively, diligently, in every area of our life on a daily basis, and ask him to help us with whatever we're struggling with, to continue to create a new mind within us through the Spirit so we can walk as he wants us to walk. Confess to God what you don't have. If you're lacking, ask him to create it within you. See, he is a spiritual creator. You could have all the willpower in the world and yet fall short.

Willpower is a part of it, but it is through believing, trusting, obeying, praying, renewing the mind daily that God will give you this new mind. You'll not be fearful. You'll not be dreading life, discouraged, unhappy, but rather, what are the first three fruits of the Spirit? Love, joy, and peace. So the power that God sent us through the Holy Spirit 1985 years ago must not be denied. Stir it up, as Paul writes to Timothy. Stir up the gift that was given to you by the laying on the hands of the presbytery, for God has not given us a spirit of fear but a power and a sound mind. But you have to focus on it. You have to concentrate on it. So God is faithful, and being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will finish it under the day of Jesus Christ, looking unto the author and finisher of our faith, whoever lives, who is seated at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. So let us come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace in time of need, and let us beseech God day and night to give us His mind, the spiritual mind, and to live by it.