The Revelation of Jesus Christ
The book of Revelation gives a great insight to the mystery
of godliness. In it Jesus Christ reveals himself as God incarnate, but first
some background.
How is Jesus revealed?
Through his Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:7,10, 11b, 14
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the
hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the
Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11b even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit
of God.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned.
Why is Jesus Revealed?
Ephesians 3:19
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that
ye might be filled with all the fulness of
God.
Jehovah’s desire has always
been to dwell among us. From the days of the constructed tabernacle in the
desert until the manifestation of his greatest plan to tabernacle in a tent of
flesh rather than wood and animal skins; God has been progressing toward
dwelling with his creation in the closest way.
Is it essential to know the God we serve?
Or is just knowing about him
and believing good enough?
How can we achieve deep personal
relationship with one whom we do not know or care to know. It is impossible.
God, our Father, invites us
to know Him so that we may have deep personal relationship with Him.
Psalm 27:28 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my
heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
Jesus felt it was important for his disciples to know who he was, so much that he asked them.
Matthew 16:15-17
13 When Jesus
came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom
do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they
said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others,
Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith
unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon
Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus
answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Knowing God brings comfort, because relationship springs from knowing.
Colossians 2:2-4,8-9
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit
together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding,
to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are
hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 And this I
say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy
and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ.
9 For in him
dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Now through God’s Spirit the mystery of
all that God is, or godliness, is revealed.
1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Without debate or argument,
the mystery is great, but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. 1
Corinthians 2:10
What is God’s Spirit?
John 14:16-19
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;
17 Even the
Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you.
18 I will not
leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a
little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye
shall live also.
20 At that day
ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
God’s Spirit is the Spirit of truth, namely his own self.
God is Spirit. Jesus told his disciples they know the Spirit of truth because
he dwells with them. Who was with them, but himself? “I will not leave you
comfortless”, he says. “ I will come to you.” Jesus tells the disciples that
the comforter the Father will give them is again himself. “I will come to you.”
God’s Spirit is the Spirit of Christ.
Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so
be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
It is through this Spirit
that the mystery of godliness is revealed and understood. It is by His Spirit that
we can acknowledge the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.
Without this Spirit, we cannot
understand spiritual things.
Luke 8:10
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see,
and hearing they might not understand.
Luke 24:45
Then opened he their understanding, that they might
understand the scriptures,
How do we access the
Spirit?
Believing.
John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Repenting.
Luke 24:47,49
And that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
49 And,
behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of
Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Receiving.
Acts 2:38-39
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 ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all
that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call.
Jehovah is calling all
mankind, every single one of us to personal relationship with him. Not just to
know about Him, but to really truly know him. That begins with believing,
repenting, and receiving, and continuing in a journey of a growing relationship
with our Father.
2 Peter 3:18a
But grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
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