...As the Waters Cover the Sea

The Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord

“…the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14 NIV). 

Have you ever stopped to think about how it is that the waters cover the sea? The simple answer to this question is that they cover the sea completely—from the surface all the way to the ocean floor. And so, in like manner, we look forward to the knowledge of the glory of the Lord covering the earth fully and completely. This sentiment is echoed throughout Scripture -  

“May the whole earth be filled with his glory” (Psalm 72:19 NIV). 

“... as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth” (Numbers 14:92 NIV). 

“The whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:2 NIV).

What is the Glory of God?

God's glory has to do with his power, and his renown, but it is also directly related to his nature. When Moses asked to see God's glory, Scripture tells us that God acted by showing Moses the one thing the world needs the most...his goodness.

"Then Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory.’ And the Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence’” (Exodus 33:18-19 NIV).

The glory of the Lord is awesome in its splendor like a vast, deep ocean which covers everything beneath it. Yet, beyond its depth and its fullness, the ocean exhibits other qualities and attributes which address the implications of the manifestation of his glory. These four states of oceanic glory help describe the magnitude of the majesty and glory of God. 

Still Waters

At times, waters are placid, peaceful and still. This glory emotes safety, serenity, and rest. Not only is it peaceful, it is a state that reflects on earth, the glory of heaven above. In this state, we might be tempted to sit and be stagnant in the status quo of the moment, forgetting the deepness beneath. 

Wind and the Water

Gentle motion, navigable sea lanes, and the ebb and flow of normal life are accomplished in the midst of fair weather. Wind that fills the sails and ruffles the surface of the waters makes for easy travel. The glory of this state is that learned skills can be applied in conjunction with the rhythm and flow of nature to produce forward motion and momentum. 

Stormy Weather

Heavy storms can unsettle the sea, bringing challenge and risk, making travel dependent upon the mercy of the waves. The vast majority try to avoid its unavoidable glory and run from its transformative power. But the fact that at least two miracles recorded in the Gospels took place amidst stormy weather, should encourage us to trust and leave fear behind.

Volatile Conditions

Harsh atmospheric and geological events can turn the sea into a force to be reckoned with. An earthquake, for example, can set water in motion, building wave upon wave until it reaches critical mass, not unlike the waves of revival. Often resisted, this force of glory is actually the remedy for those who possess an unquenchable thirst. Here, there is no more argument as to the majesty of His power.

Navigating the Glories

If we pray for the knowledge of the glory of the Lord to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, then we must respect every aspect of how his glory manifests and the manner in which it covers creation.

What are Works and Why Should Believers Perform them?

The Works

Work: 2041 érgon - work, task, employment; a deed, action; that which is wrought or made, a work.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these…” (John 14:12).

Types of Works

In the New Testament, works (sometimes translated as deeds or some other variation) consist of anything from clothing or feeding someone in need to healing the sick. When the word work (ergon) is used in Scripture, there is no indication as to whether it refers to a natural or supernatural work, outside of the context in which it is used. That said, even passages which favor natural works to supernatural works, or vice versa, don’t necessarily exclude works on the other end of the spectrum. So the above passage could also include natural works like feeding the poor, and James 2:14-25 could also include healing the sick, without either passage specifically referring to these alternate works.

Work Standards

Whether supernatural or natural, it is clear through scripture that we are to do the works of Jesus—and as Jesus said, greater works than he performed. It is not clear whether Jesus was saying that we will perform more powerful works than he performed, or merely that we will perform a greater quantity of works. Regardless, we would do well to at least attempt to match the works of Jesus, despite not having a full record of the works he performed.

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name…Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 20:30-31, 21:25 NIV).

The Worth of a Work

The deciding factor in terms of a work’s worth, as far as it concerns those who perform them, is whether the work is done in the name of Jesus and if it is performed in love.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed (ergon), do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17 NIV).

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV).

When Jesus rebuked those who would perform works in his name, he did so because they performed these works outside of a relationship with him while at the same time, they tried to justify themselves by their works, not by the righteousness imputed to them by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23 NIV).

While God is omniscient and is familiar with the entirety of his creation, this passage refers to a lack of intimate relationship which was not of his choosing. This situation speaks to the state of their hearts and not their performance of the miracles. Jesus would not punish anyone for doing the very works he commanded us to perform, but he is obligated to judge the heart and motivations of man.

“…He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.” (1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV).

We should not neglect the works of God for fear of punishment.

“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:17-18 NIV).

The opposite of the fear of punishment is love and in this love, we are empowered to be like Jesus so that we can perform the same works that he did.

Works Commission

John 14:12 does not stand alone as a command to do the works of Jesus. The Great Commission, given to all believers, is a call to spread the Gospel in tandem with performing the works of Jesus.

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well” (Mark 16:16-18 NIV).

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV).

“…Wait for the gift my Father promised… the Holy Spirit…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:4-5, 7 NIV).

“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams’… Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:17, 38-39 NIV).

Matthew, Mark, and Luke settle the argument of whether the performance of supernatural works were just for the original disciples, or for all. Mark tells us that “those who believe” will do these things. First of all, those "who believe” are what we refer to as believers—the same believers who in the previous verse are saved by means of their belief. Then, becoming believers, they will do these works—unless of course, they stop believing. Are you a believer? 

Matthew lets us know that the things Jesus commanded them to do, they were to teach those who came after them, up to the end of the age. Luke reiterates the same theme that supernatural ability accompanies the giving of the Holy Spirt who is offered to even those who are “far off” into the future. As believers, we’ve been commissioned to repent, believe the Gospel, and do the works of Jesus. That’s what believers do!

Love Your Work

As already stated, a work as referenced in the New Testament is more than an action; it is an expression of love as Paul so eloquently expresses in his letter to the Corinthians:

“But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way…Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy…So also you — since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church” (1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:13, 14:1, 12 HCSB).

So in these passages, Paul reiterates Jesus’ intention that we should perform the works of the Spirit and he does so in the most intense way. The term eagerly desire means to burn with zeal, to be jealous for, and to bubble over out of desire. It would be difficult to believe that Jesus would ban us from performing these works, then allow Paul to endorse them with such intensity. Jesus’ rebuke, while off-putting, should not overwhelm the subject as his rebuke does not apply to those who are in good relationship with him, are pursuing love, and are not seeking to establish their own righteousness by means of the works they perform. 

And, remember that the opposite of love is not hate, but fear (1 John 4:17-18 NIV) and it is fear that keeps most from pursuing the gifts so that they may perform the works of Jesus. In addition, if we love our work, we won’t hide our light under a basket, nor will we, through fear, bury in the ground the investment that he’s given us.

Why Works?

The works of Jesus are performed to confirm his word. Scripture could not be clearer about this. These passages show that they were performed by Jesus and all who come after him so that it is clear that God’s kingdom has begun to manifest as an ongoing and perpetually growing witness of that Kingdom until he returns with a full manifestation of heaven on earth.

“For the works that the Father has given me to finish--the very works that I am doing--testify that the Father has sent me” (John 5:36 NIV).

“Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father” (John 10:38-39 NIV).

"Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22 NIV).

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28 NIV).

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness” (Matthew 9:35 NIV)

“Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness…’As you go, proclaim this message: “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give’” (Matthew 10: 1, 7-8 NIV).

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV).

Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim the Gospel in the same way that he proclaimed the Gospel—with signs, wonders, and miracles. He then commanded them to teach others all that Jesus had commanded them. Years later, Paul followed suit with the same emphasis upon the power of the works of God. 

Keep Working!

We do the works of Jesus because:

• He commanded us to do them (John 14:12, Mark 16:16-18, Matthew 28:18)
• He demonstrated how to do them (Matthew 4:23, Acts 10:38)
• He empowered us to do them (Acts 1:9, 1 Corinthians 12:11)

Believers should do the works of Jesus out of obedience to his word and out of love (John 14:15-23). Yet it is clear that many believers are not aware of what Bible says about the works we are to perform, nor have they been exposed to a proper demonstration of their use. As believers, our first priority is to read the Scriptures and prayerfully consider what they say and then, seek an opportunity to fulfill them.

Remember that:

“..Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17 NIV).

If We Like Him, We Should Be Like Him!

Jesus tells us that we need to receive power from the Holy Spirit to become his witnesses (Acts 1:8). That word receive means "to lay hold of." We must purpose to "take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of [us]...," and "...press on toward the goal..." (Phil 12:8-14 NIV).

While attaining to the resurrection of the dead is a future promise, it is also a present reality for Jesus said, "I AM the resurrection and the life." We must walk in that resurrection power now, just as Paul prayed for the Ephesians:

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ...may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know...his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead..." (Eph 1:17-23 NIV).

Paul understood that his audience didn’t fully perceive that they had been given the very same power that raised Christ from the dead. How could anyone fully comprehend that all at once? Regardless, this is a truth that we must lay hold of so that we might have a better relationship with the Father, through the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. His power is the key to understanding the love and compassion of God.

We have often felt unworthy to walk in that power because we've felt that we come up short and lack the love of Christ. We haven’t understood that we must walk in the midst of his power so that we might be transformed. We’ve had it backwards! Subconsciously, we thought, "Get right and God can use you." Instead Scripture tells us things like, “For when I am weak, then I am strong,” and “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Co 2:11, 12:9 NIV). Our weakness is the conduit by which his power flows and that power, according to Paul, is for us who believe.

It is in that spirit that Jesus said, "These signs will follow those who believe." He wasn’t speaking to an elite group but simply those who believe, and then lay hold of what he promised. If we like him, we must be like him!

We become like him by believing (agreeing with) what he has said. Do we want to know Christ? Then we must walk as he did and BE Jesus in the world. We are to do the works of Christ, and greater (Jn 14:12). As we do them, we take another step closer to knowing him better. After all, how can one know a man unless he walk in that man's shoes? That has been the goal all along. We walk by faith, not by what we see concerning our unworthiness. Faith says that in my weakness, I lay hold of the truth that God has made me worthy to accomplish (Eph 2:10). We know him BY walking in faith and we know him by walking as he did. Humility is not displayed by how low we denigrate ourselves, but in how highly we esteem what he has said about himself and what he’s said about us. If he says we are, “More than conquerors,” “The light of the world,” “The salt of the earth,” and other lofty things, who are we to disagree?

"This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus" (1 Jn 4:17 NIV).

"Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did" (1 Jn 2:6 NIV).

If we like him, we must be like him! We must lay hold of what he laid hold of for us.

Think Different!

𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple Computer back in the late 1990s, Apple launched an ad campaign using pictures of iconic achievers who went against the grain, like Pablo Picasso, Albert Einstein, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Over their heads were posted the words, "Think Different!" It was an effective and inspired campaign. Like Steve Jobs, God wants us to think different. 

The words, holy, saint, and sanctification, are all forms of the same Greek word, hágios, which is normally defined as being “set apart.” Recently, however, I heard someone define holiness as being "different, or of a different nature. It is that quality which sets something or someone apart:

hágios – properly, different (unlike), other ("otherness"), holy; for the believer, 40 (hágios) means "likeness of nature with the Lord" because "different from the world.” (HELPS Word-Studies)

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁?

God’s ways are more than just a better version of what we can conceive, or merely an amalgamation of the best of human qualities. He is different! That’s why Scripture uses words like wonderful, majestic, glorious, awesome, etc., to attempt to describe him. He is full of wonder, majesty, glory, awe, etc. That’s very different!

The thing about different is that it’s…well, different. You can’t conceive of different until you experience different. With God, he is not only different, he is multi-faceted. That means there are many different aspects to God that we can come to know. We know all that is different about him through faith.

𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁

Faith has to do with believing that God’s invisible qualities and blessings become visible to those who believe. This is different from the way we naturally think, and it distinguishes faith from wishful or positive thinking. Faith comes from hope, and hope is built through our experience in our knowledge of God and his faithfulness, based upon Scripture. If our natures are no different than that of those around us, it’s likely we haven’t been seeking and experiencing just how different God is.

𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁

Jesus was different. Those who met him noticed he was different.

”No one ever spoke the way this man does…” (John 7:46 NIV)

“…the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” (Matthew 7:28-29 NIV)

“Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (John 9:32-33 NIV)

Do people ever say these things about us? Are we that different? Different is scary. Different is uncomfortable. By human nature, we don’t seek out or readily accept what is different. But, we’re encouraged in Scripture to seek his kingdom - a kingdom so different, it is not of this world.

𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁

When we talk about seeking what is different about God, we’re not talking about some vague, supernatural, or esoteric world. To seek God is to seek him through the Scriptures and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Although we’ve been born into a different kingdom, there are parts of us which haven’t been transformed and been made different. These “unspiritual” parts will not accept, nor will they seek out God’s nature on their own; in fact, they’ll avoid what is different altogether:

“A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the things of God's Spirit, for they are nonsense to him. He can't understand them because they are spiritually evaluated.” (1 Co 2:14 ISV)

It takes risk and trust to move forward in the kingdom of God. Like Abraham, we have to trust that God is leading us somewhere. We can’t stay in the same place, we must get on board.

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻

We need different now more than we’ve ever needed it before. If insanity is doing the same thing over an over, but expecting a different result, by doing so, we’re seeking the rewards of being different without becoming different. It’s like burying our talents in the ground and expecting a return. It’s like carrying a lamp, but leaving the oil behind. Different is a moving train. Taking the same old train, or camping out at the train station will not move us forward. We don’t want to miss that train’s visitation.

As previously stated, we don’t know different until we’ve experienced it. Therefore, we don’t know what to ask for in prayer so that we can move towards different. To keep it simple, we might merely ask the Lord to show us something different and to give us a path forward to reach it. As Watchman Nee said -

“Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.” ~ Watchman Nee

Overcoming Unbelief

While God is all-powerful, he choses to use his power within the confines of the plan of redemption. That plan operates by his will and through our willing participation which works by our faith in him. Because of this, and based upon our response, either of the following scenarios can be true:

“Anything is possible for him who believes” (Mk 9:23), 

or...

“He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief” (Mk 6:5-6  ESV). 

Faith is the avenue which completes the circuit and allows God’s power to bring positive change. And, it doesn’t take great faith for things to happen! 

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Mt 17:20 NIV). 

That said, nothing can thwart God’s intentions and desire to intervene more than the power of unbelief. Unbelief acts like a grounding agent attached to a lightning rod. Outside of God's graciousness, any positive effect of God’s power is absorbed, or dispelled when affected by unbelief.

According to Jesus, Peter was enabled to walk on the water by using this “little faith,” but when Peter began to doubt, the power to continue walking was thwarted. As Jesus said, “‘You of little faith…why did you doubt?’” (Mt 14:31 NIV).

So while we may have sought to do great things for God, survive the sin which so easily besets, and/or to overcome the works of the enemy,  we have come to feel or have reasoned that we needed more faith, what we likely required was that we nullify our doubt and unbelief.

“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’ ‘If you can’?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” (Mk 9:22-24 NIV).

Belief creates possibility, but possibility is diffused and shielded from us until unbelief can be overcome. Only overcoming faith can overcome unbelief—as long as that faith is in Jesus. Formulas have been tried and doctrines have been instituted which allow Jesus to flow in varying degrees within our situations, but ultimately, many of these methods have focused upon themselves instead of upon the true object of our faith, and that’s Jesus himself. Faith must always be in him and not in our faith.

Jesus is the name above all names! His name embodies his character, his goodness, and willingness to bring redemption to every area of our lives. Unbelief is the force which challenges these truths concerning the nature of God. Unbelief says that the world was more than a match for Jesus and that Christ’s character, power, and willingness to bring breakthrough in our lives is not available to us. The only way to overcome this unbelief is to take heart that Jesus has overcome the world.

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33 NIV).

“This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 Jn 5:4-5 NIV).

Now it is one thing to say that we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but it’s another thing to believe that he is the Son of God over our situation. Unbelief may on one hand acknowledge Jesus’ power and authority, but on the other hand, it won’t recognize that his power and authority have dominion in our situation. 

Unbelief is not actually the lack of belief; it is the belief that everything we experience, the world in all its turmoil, has more power and authority than Jesus does. It is a transfer of faith (and sometimes even our default belief) that the world is more powerful than Jesus. Isn’t that what happened to Peter on the water? Peter's fear motivated his belief that the lie was more powerful than what Jesus had told him. 

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’” (Mt 13:30-31 NIV).

The lie that Peter believed was that the world around him had power over the word Jesus had given him to come towards him on the water. Despite popular belief, Jesus did not rebuke Peter for his “little faith.” Instead, he asked Peter why he had shifted his faith towards the circumstances around him. Doubt and unbelief say that what we know and are familiar with is more powerful than what God has said. In that case, our faith is in what we know or can see, not in him. 

Faith, after all, is the substance of the things we hope for and the evidence of what is unseen (Heb 11:1), but this can only be true if our hope is in the character of God as expressed through the promises he has given. But if our hope is based upon, or gives way to what we see or "the way things are," we deny that the unseen Kingdom has dominion over our circumstances. While this seems to put us in a rather dire position, we can take heart that stepping out in faith is always rewarded, and when we start to sink, Jesus is only a call away—more than willing to reach down and pick us up. That too is part of his character. 

We need to be reminded of who he is, but also, we need to be reminded of who he is in us.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro 8:28-39 NIV).

We must remember that we are “those who have been called according to his purpose.” We are the “us” Paul says that God loves, justifies, and makes more than conquerors. 

He is worthy to be believed, he is the trustworthy God who loves us. He is worthy of our belief which completes the circuit and allows those things to be true in our lives and circumstances. And, it only takes faith the size of mustard seed to receive it.

Jesus Christ…In the Flesh!

I’ve often heard people say that their faith would be strengthened and they would feel more comforted if Jesus were actually standing in the room with them, here in the flesh. While Jesus did come to earth to live in the flesh over two thousand years ago, that seems little comfort to some now. 

Yet, the idea of Jesus coming in the flesh is more than a hope and desire, it is an established fact and has become a matter of theological interest, particularly for those who focus upon the end times—mainly due to the following found in 1 John. But are those concerns really the focus of what John is saying in the following passage?

“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (1 Jn 4:2,3 NIV)

I propose that this passage has less to do with identifying some sort of false messiah as it has in defining who we are in Christ…or more directly, who he is in us. Christ in us, after all, is the hope of glory. Before we go there, we should first establish that Christ has indeed come in the flesh (Heb 2:15, Phil 2:8). This truth is fundamental to our faith.

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (Jn 1:14 NIV).

This truth is not in contention and it is evident that this sentiment is reflected in John’s statement concerning Jesus Christ having come in the flesh. But John is concerned about more than recognizing or denying the incarnation two thousand years ago. We don’t worship a historical Jesus who once came in the flesh and left us to our own devices; we worship the one who is the same, yesterday, and today, and forever (Heb 13:8).

We worship the one, as translated in the King James, who “is come” in the flesh. The word translated as is means I exist, or I am and is used elsewhere in passages such as, “I am the way the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6 NIV). Jesus has not stopped coming in the flesh for he has come for that very purpose, to set up an eternal Kingdom—not one that is merely historical or futuristic. Now, I understand with so many passages decrying the flesh as evil and in opposition to the Spirit of God, that the idea that Jesus has come to dwell in our flesh might be difficult to accept at first. The fact is that no good things lies within my flesh (Ro 7:18), but fortunately, this problem was remedied:

“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Ro 8:3-4 NIV).

God condemned the sin that resided in the flesh so that his Spirit had a place to dwell. Paul, throughout all his writings on this subject, repeatedly decried the flesh as an inferior and evil source of existence. We are not to follow its ways, but instead, overcome the flesh by the Spirit.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal 5:16 NIV).

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:25-26 NIV).

 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20 ESV).

All this is to say what is already readily apparent, our flesh is still here, but it must be dealt with by the power of the Spirit. As believers, the Spirit lives within our flesh and was sent that we might overcome the flesh. Does this sound like a new concept to you? It is not new. Ezekiel knew all about it thousands of years ago when through him, God promised (twice) that this would be so.

“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh” (Ez 11:19 NIV).

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ez 36:26 NIV).

If our flesh is unworthy, why would God give us a heart made of flesh so that his Spirit could reside there? Because, that is how God's unlikely plan of redemption was meant to unfold.  Christ in us is the fruit of that redemption. Because of what he accomplished, he lives in our flesh just as he lived in his own flesh. We are not worthy of this, except for the fact that he makes us worthy. The spirit of the antichrist is any force or influence which denies that Jesus Christ has come in our flesh to carry on the ministry of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. All we can ever be for Christ is only by what he has accomplished within us that we may be enabled to co-labor with him. As Michael Card wrote in his song, To The Mystery, "He was made like us, so we could be like him." If this were not true, these Scriptures would not have been so clear otherwise:

“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did” (1 Jn 2:6 NIV)

“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus” (1 Jn 4:17 NIV).

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12 NIV).

“You are the light of the world. …let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt 5:14,16 NIV).

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these” (Jn 14:12 NIV).

I especially like the fact that Jesus tells us that he is the light of the world, and then turns around and tells us that we are the light of the world. This was not written as poetry to be admired, but as a truth to be lived. Any voice that purposes to buffet the work of Christ in us is from the Spirit of the antichrist—the spirit of the world. John tells us that false prophets have gone into the world, but these are not necessarily those who take on some sort of grandiose position or public platform! This warning speaks more to the tone and source of their voice than their position or status. John tells us that the spirit of the antichrist was already in the world back then as the voice of how the world thinks and speaks. We are to test those voices to determine their source. Those who deny that Christ has come in our flesh, exist to deter the work of Christ within us.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 Jn 4:1-4 NIV).

These voices are in the world and are from the world. But John tells us that the good news is that we have already overcome the world! How could we manage such a thing? There is nothing good that resides in our flesh, right? That is true, except for the fact that the Spirit of Christ has come to reside within the flesh of the believer and guess what…he overcame the forces of the world and the voice by which they speak so that through him, we have done the same:

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col 2:13-15 NIV).

Again, Paul spells it all out. Our flesh was dead because of sin...sin was dealt with along with the principalities and powers connected with it. These contrary voices of influence have been defeated. Paul goes on to connect the dots by defining our mission:

“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus…His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph 3:6,10 NIV).

That is why Christ in us is the hope of glory. He has given us his heart of redeemed flesh that he can carry on his mission through us. That’s why we’re called The Body of Christ! It is his body, made up of his flesh. Any voice that denies this truth is trying to usurp our place and thwart God’s plan. That’s what a false prophet does. They speak a false humility that says that we’re not worthy to carry the cause of Christ. True humility, on the other hand, says that we will lay down our own way of thinking and listen to what the Spirit says:

“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Co 2:14-16 NIV).

We have been given hearts of flesh so that the Spirit can give us the mind of Christ. Any voice that denies this fact comes from the spirit of the antichrist which has gone into the world where human judgments are born. Jesus has come in the flesh of the Body of Christ with the same mission he’s always had, to destroy the works of the evil one (1 Jn 3:8). That includes these contrary voices which deny that Jesus has come in the flesh. We take these voices captive, just like Jesus did in the wilderness.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Co 10:3-5 NIV)

I suggest we stop searching for some kind of personification of the spirit of the antichrist and acknowledge that John was merely pointing out the influence already embedded in the way the world works. Individuals who speak these words will come and go, just as John told us they would, “…as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.” Many means…many. But he also tells us to take heart because we have already overcome them.

So while many people, even believers have pined for a physical manifestation of Christ that they can hold onto, the truth is that the Church is that physical manifestation. As we express him, he lives more vitally through us. If that idea feels foreign to us, than we need simply to ask for a greater revelation of our place in the Kingdom and the purpose for which we were called.

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph 2:19-22 NIV).

Or flesh is the dwelling place where God lives by his Spirit. It could not be presented more plainly than that.

Persuasive Power

An Unknown God

I’ve always thought it was pretty nifty how Paul ministered to the Athenians. Distressed at pervasive idol worship in Athens, Paul was quick on his feet, referencing an idol to an unknown god that he had found in the city (Acts 17:22-34). He had found a talking point that he believed that he could use to persuade them to follow Christ. Yet however clever he may have thought that he was, his appeal to the Athenians did not bear much fruit. Paul gained only a handful of converts there and we have no indication that he planted any churches in Athens. 

Persuasion to Preaching

And so from Athens, Paul moved on to Corinth where this time he attempted to persuade the Jews. He had about the same luck with the them as he had with the Athenians (Acts 18:4). But when his associates arrived, Paul began to alter his tactics. For whatever reason (perhaps his poor results), he abandoned the power of persuasion for the power of preaching and testifying (Acts 18:5) which, in New Testament terms, are always accompanied by a demonstration of the Spirit's power (Mk 3:14,15, Acts 10:42-44, 1 Co 1:17, 18, Heb 2:3,4). So while up to this point, the Jews had tolerated and even welcomed a good argument, they were in no mood for signs and wonders.

Jews to Gentiles

So, Paul shook off his feet and left the Jews behind and turned to the Gentiles in Corinth. With a handful of defeats behind him, Paul swore off “wise and persuasive words." Instead, he preached to the Corinthians through much fear and trembling, but in return, operated under the Spirit’s power. According to Paul, this resulted in their faith being established, not through human wisdom, but by means of the power of God (1 Co 2:3-5). And so, Paul stayed with them for a year and a half and established a Church there.

Fear and Weakness

The humbling effects of Paul's fruitless encounters with both the Athenians and the Jews likely affected his demeanor, leaving him weak and fearful. I like how some of the words used here are defined. In the Greek, trembling, or weakness, speaks of either an illness or a problem that comes from being wrongly overdependent upon something. Being very wise and learned, it would have been very easy for Paul to have become overly dependent upon his intellect. What’s more, the word used for fear in this passage has to do with a feeling of inadequacy that would make one withdraw. In this case, these would be considered healthy fears.

Weakness to Power

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.…For Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Co 12:9, 10 NIV). 

Paul discovered that his real weakness was his reliance upon his greatest strength...his intellect. While he did not abandon his ability to persuade, he learned to subjugate it under Christ's power—the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Eph 1:19-20, Ro 8:11). This fact should inspire each of us to ponder what drives or hinders our own effectiveness and how we can submit what we can do to what he can do. 

[This post was inspired by a teaching from Ray Lander Vaan]