CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GROWTH

An excerpt (1)

"So, where did Jesus offer His blood?

The word “purified” (Hebrews 9:23) was translated from the Greek word “katharizo”, which implies to cleanse out or wipe out.

The writer also spoke about Jesus purging our sins in Chapter one

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Notice that the first thing he did was to wipe out our sins and then sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.

Now, observe how the writer explained it (where Jesus offered his blood) in Context (Hebrews 9),

Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: Vs 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Thus, Jesus through the eternal Spirit offered his blood in our hearts – He purged our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

So, when he said (in Hebrews 9:24) that “he appeared in the presence of God for us”, he was referring to the believer. The presence of God is in the believer.

Hence, the writer explained further in Chapter thirteen

Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Thus, what Jesus purged and sanctified was not a building or temple built with hands, but a people – The Church!

Hebrews 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Vs 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; Vs 21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

“His house” or “the of house of God” clearly was in reference to a people – the Church of the firstborn; believers. Jesus therefore, did not take his blood to a planet, but to men. The reason for His blood, was to sanctify (purge / cleanse) men and not a building built with hands.

Hence, the writer now explained in Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, Vs 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, Vs 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

The phrase “To the general assembly” was translated from the Greek word “paneguris”, which implies a celebration or festivity. That is, to celebrate a victory. In essence, we have come to the finished work of Christ.

The word “city” was translated from the Greek word “polis”; which implies to a people or a gathering. It was the same word used in Hebrews 11

Hebrews 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: Vs 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Vs 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Vs 12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

In other words, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God was not referring to a place, rather, used figuratively by the writer to refer to a people…the Church of the first born!

Hebrews 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Vs 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

The things purified are not earthly vessels but human hearts. The believer therefore is Christ’s heaven. Thus, his going to the Father was not a departure but an arrival in the believer.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  Vs 2 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.  Vs 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Therefore, the new creation is a reality. We are indwelt by the Spirit of God forever! God’s heaven in in man! The heavenly Jerusalem; the temple of God is in man.

Thus, Jesus said in John’s synoptic account:

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Back to Revelation 21:3

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Vs 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Vs 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

The question is:

The phrase “new Jerusalem” was it in reference to a place or a people?

The writer explained it in context

Vs 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

The tabernacle of God today is in men- the believer. And we are in an eternal union with the father.

Notice that John, had spoken about this “new Jerusalem” in Chapter three

Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Who is He that “overcometh”?

Recall, from John’s Epistle

1st John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. Vs 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Vs 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

John clearly was referring to the believer and not a place!

This are the same people he spoke about in Revelation 1:5-6

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Vs 6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

The “new Jerusalem” or the “holy city” was in reference a people – Those who are washed from their sins in the blood of Jesus and have been made kings and priests unto God and his Father

Back to Revelations 2

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Vs 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The word “bride” implies one who is to be joined in marriage to another, which can be literal or figurative. The following are other instances where John (the same author) used it:

John 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

Revelation 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

Revelations 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

The question is:

Who is this bride?

Paul in his epistles gives us a lead

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Vs23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Vs 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Vs 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Vs  27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Vs 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. Vs 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: Vs 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Vs 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. Vs 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Notice Verse 32…I speak concerning Christ and His Church!

Thus, the phrases “the bride”, “the lamb’s wife”; “a bride adorned for her husband” were to figuratively speak of Christ’s union with his Church, which was upon his resurrection from the dead! This is not futuristic, but a present-day reality of our eternal union with the Father in Christ! Therefore, the Church is not about to be married to Christ, that happened upon his resurrection.

We are in Christ! We are the Father’s dwelling place, in Christ.

Jesus’ going to the father (John 14:2) was not a departure into space, but an arrival in the heart of men (The New Creation) as a permanent residence…He has come again to us!

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
He abides in us forever!

Therefore, John’s Vision in Revelation 21 of “a new heaven and a new earth”; “the holy city, new Jerusalem” was in reference to the New Creation (the believer) - The union of God (the Father) and man (the believer) in Christ, upon His resurrection!

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Vs 6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

This book will surely provoke true spiritual growth - A reviewer.

It's over 340 pages of bible explanation devoid of sentiments !

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Pastor Chris Segun Onayinka
Saints Community