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"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me,
When we think of Jesus praying to The Father on our behalf, and requesting of HIM that all, who believe on Him might be One with Him and The Father, we need to contemplate and understanding what, or Who it is that makes us One with Himself and One with GOD--The Father, WHO sent Him.
We know that from the time that man sinned against GOD and HIS Word, men have been in a state of unrest; looking for that place that will bring to them peace, joy and happiness. Christ Jesus, as a man lived in this world, without sin, and He proved that it is possible for us to live in this world without sinning against GOD, or against our fellowmen. It we spend our time looking at each other, we will continue to fail, because we have all come short of GOD’S Standards of perfection. But if we turn our eyes and hearts to look upon GOD’S Standard that is presented and revealed in HIS Son, Christ Jesus, it is written that, “…the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:17, 18). It is by receiving His Spirit that He gives us Power, not isolated from Himself, but by His indwelling Power, to enable us to become the sons of God, even to those, who believe on His Name, to be born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, WHO works through Him to reconcile us unto HIMSELF.
When we seek to define the condition of man in this world of darkness and death, the condition that is given in The Scriptures is defined as transgression of Sin. For it is written, saying, “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:7-10).
Notice The Truth that is revealed in these words. There is the righteous works that are done by him who is righteous. And there is the sin that is committed, which is of the devil, who has sin from the beginning. The Son of GOD came into this world for the purpose of putting an end to the works of the devil, that all who will be born of GOD by Him, they will receive Power by Him, to become sons of GOD. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, because The Seed of The Word of GOD remains in them. For The Word of GOD has revealed that, “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:19-23).
When GOD made man, Adam walked with GOD, or he walked in accordance with GOD’S Will. But when the enemy led Eve and Adam to sin against GOD and HIS Word, “…the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden” Genesis 3:7, 8).
It is said that, “God Himself gave Adam a companion. He provided "an help meet for him"--a helper corresponding to him--one who was fitted to be his companion, and who could be one with him in love and sympathy. Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self; showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation. "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it." Eph. 5:29. . . .” (The Faith I Live by, Page 251)
Notice how Eve was made to be one with Adam. She was his companion, a helper corresponding to him. She was one with him in love and sympathy. She was not above him, nor was she below him, but an equal to stand by his side, as his second self, which showed the close union, the oneness of the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation. Adam and his companion Eve walked together as one with The Lord until the adversary led them to transgress, or to go astray, to break their fellowship with The LORD by HIS Word.
It is said, “Man's mind, although divinely created, may be worked by another power, as was the mind of Adam, a man who had walked and talked with God. He who foresees all things, could, in His providence, have kept and directed Adam and Eve, if they had heeded the warning against evil. But they allowed themselves to be allured by the seductive influence of Satan's voice. The enemy, speaking through the serpent, lied against God, and bore false witness of the Creator. Satan exalted himself in preference to God. The sinless pair were beguiled, and believed the false statements made regarding God. So fully were they seduced, that they could not discern the power that was leading them into apostasy. (SpTB07 Chapter 12, The Result of a Failure to Heed God’s Warnings, Page 53)
It is said that, “In Eden each day's labor brought to Adam and Eve health and gladness, and the happy pair greeted with joy the visits of their Creator, as in the cool of the day He walked and talked with them. Daily God taught them His lessons. The fruit of the tree of life in the garden of Eden possessed supernatural virtue. To eat of it was to live forever. Its fruit was the antidote for death. Its leaves were for the sustaining of life and immortality. But through man's disobedience death entered the world. Adam ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the fruit of which he had been forbidden to touch. This was his test. He failed, and his transgression opened the floodgates of woe upon the world.
“The tree of life was a type of the one great Source of immortality. Of Christ it is written, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." He is the fountain of life. Obedience to Him is the life-giving, vivifying power that gladdens the soul. Through sin man shut himself off from access to the tree of life. Now, life and immortality are brought to light through Jesus Christ.
“Christ declares, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." "Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed....As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me. . . .The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." "To him that overcometh will I grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Manuscript Release Volume 17, No 1299, Page 351, 352)
Notice that the enemy of GOD and man was able to cause man to transgress against GOD by causing man to believe his false witness against GOD--The Creator. And Christ Jesus came into this world to put an end to the works of the devil, to purge our minds from the lies of the adversary, that The Word of Truth might sanctify us, and fortify our hearts in The Knowledge of The Truth. For it is written, “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received [them], and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me” (John 17:1-8).
Notice that the best defense against the lie of the adversary is in knowing The Truth of GOD. Because over and over The Word of GOD has Testified of Himself and of His Father, Who sent Him, to reveal Himself as The True Witness of GOD. He—The Word of GOD came to the prophets, and was sent, as The Messenger of GOD, by Whom GOD--The Father spoke to His servant Moses in The Old Testament time. And through Paul, who was led to bear witness and say, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 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; 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” (Hebrews 1:1-3).
It is revealed that, “The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate--a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father--one in nature, in character, in purpose--the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6. His "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2. And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: "The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting. . . . When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him." Proverbs 8:22-30.” (Patriarch and Prophets, Page 34, par 1)
Notice that The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in HIS work of beneficence. HE—The Father had an Associate--a Co-worker. One, who could appreciate HIS purposes, HIS Way, and He could share in HIS Attribute of Joy in being HIS Channel Blessings in giving happiness to created beings. He--The Word was with GOD, and is The only begotten Son of God, Who was one with the eternal Father--one in nature, in character, and in purpose. He enters into all the counsels and purposes of God. Notice that there are Characteristics that make Christ One with GOD The Father.
For The Word of GOD has revealed that The Father was not alone in HIS work of beneficence. He Testified by His servant Solomon and said, “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When [there were] no depths, I was brought forth; when [there were] no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, [as] one brought up [with him]: and I was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights [were] with the sons of men” (Proverbs 8:22-31).
By creating man—male and female in HIS OWN Image, GOD made man to reflect HIS Creative Power, by Whom, HE made all things. Christ Jesus has Testified, saying, “These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father” (John 16:25-28). Notice that by revealing His Testimony of The Father to those, who received Him— Christ, as The Word of GOD, is received by those, Who believe The Witness He has revealed of GOD—The Father to them.
“For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God” (John 16:27). In viewing the holiness and glory of the God of the universe, we are terrified, for we know that His justice will not permit Him to clear the guilty. But we need not remain in terror; for Christ came to the world to reveal the character of God, to make plain to us His paternal love toward His adopted children. We are not to estimate the character of God by the stupendous works of nature alone, but by the simple, lovely life of Jesus, who presented Jehovah as more merciful, more compassionate, more tender, than our earthly parents.
“Jesus presented the Father as one to whom we could give our confidence and present our wants. When we are in terror of God, and overwhelmed with the thought of His glory and majesty, the Father points us to Christ as His representative. What you see revealed in Jesus, of tenderness, compassion, and love, is the reflection of the attributes of the Father. The cross of Calvary reveals to man the love of God. Christ represents the Sovereign of the universe as a God of love. By the mouth of the prophet He said, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee" (Jer. 31:3).
“We have access to God through the merits of the name of Christ, and God invites us to bring to Him our trials and temptations; for He understands them all. He would not have us pour out our woes to human ears. Through the blood of Christ we may come to the throne of grace and find grace to help in time of need. We may come with assurance, saying, "My acceptance is in the Beloved." "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him" (Eph. 2:18; 3:12).
“As an earthly parent encourages his child to come to him at all times, so the Lord encourages us to lay before Him our wants and perplexities, our gratitude and love. Every promise is sure. Jesus is our Surety and Mediator, and has placed at our command every resource, that we may have a perfect character.” (In Heavenly Places, Page 18)
Christ Jesus has said, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:14-17)
Notice that we are no longer one with the world, if we believe The Word of GOD, as The Truth of GOD. And if by The Truth we are separated from the world, then by receiving The Word and The Witness of GOD, we also become a witness for GOD by believing The Truth of HIS Word.
Having received The Truth of GOD’S Word, John testified of Him, Who spoke of GOD and said, “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure [unto him].The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:31-36).
John also said, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:3, 4).
"This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). "Only by knowing God here can we prepare to meet Him at His coming. . . . But many of those who profess to believe in Christ do not know God. They have only a surface religion. They do not love God; they do not study His character; therefore they do not know how to trust, how to look and live. They do not know what restful love is, or what it means to walk by faith. . . . They fail of understanding that it is their duty to receive, in order that they may enrich others.
"The world by wisdom knows not God. Many have talked eloquently about Him, but their reasoning brings men no nearer to Him, because they themselves are not in vital connection with Him. Professing themselves to be wise, they become fools. Their knowledge of God is imperfect.
"We cannot by searching find out God, but He has revealed Himself in His Son, who is the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person. If we desire a knowledge of God we must be Christlike. . . . Living a pure life through faith in Christ as a personal Saviour will bring to the believer a clearer, higher conception of God.
"Christ is a perfect revelation of God. "No man hath seen God at any time," He says; "the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Only by knowing Christ can we know God. And as we behold Him, we shall be changed into His image, prepared to meet Him at His coming. . . .
"Now is the time to prepare for the coming of our Lord. Readiness to meet Him cannot be attained in a moment's time. Preparatory to that solemn scene there must be vigilant waiting and watching, combined with earnest work. So God's children glorify Him. Amid the busy scenes of life their voices will be heard speaking words of encouragement, hope, and faith. All they have and are is consecrated to the Master's service. Thus they prepare to meet their Lord; and when He comes, they will say, with joy, "This is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us. . . . We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." (Maranatha, Page 76)
Notice that no man has seen GOD at any time, yet as children of GOD we can have the privilege of bearing witness of HIM by The Testimony of HIS Son, as we continue to behold Him, to bear witness of Him. Although The Son of GOD, The Only Begotten Son of God, was one with the eternal Father--one in nature, in character, in purpose, He also became one with man to redeem us back to GOD. And it is His connection to that makes us one with Him to learn of GOD through Him.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1) "What love, what matchless love, that, sinners and aliens as we are, we may be brought back to God and adopted into His family! We may address Him by the endearing name, "Our Father." . . .
"All the paternal love which has come down from generation to generation through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness which have opened in the souls of men, are but as a tiny rill to the boundless ocean when compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God. Tongue cannot utter it; pen cannot portray it. You may meditate upon it every day of your life; you may search the Scriptures diligently in order to understand it; you may summon every power and capability that God has given you, in the endeavor to comprehend the love and compassion of the heavenly Father; and yet there is an infinity beyond. You may study that love for ages; yet you can never fully comprehend the length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of the love of God in giving His Son to die for the world. Eternity itself can never fully reveal it. Yet as we study the Bible and meditate upon the life of Christ and the plan of redemption, these great themes will open to our understanding more and more.
"Christ came to reveal God to the world as a God of love, full of mercy, tenderness, and compassion. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour each day reviewing the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary. We should take it point by point and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene, especially the closing ones of His earthly life. By thus contemplating His teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by Him for the redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our Saviour. If we would be saved at last we must all learn the lesson of penitence and faith at the foot of the cross. . . . Everything noble and generous in man will respond to the contemplation of Christ upon the cross. (Maranatha, Page 77)
Christ says in His prayer to The Father, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:18-23).
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). "However large may be a man's claim to knowledge, to wisdom, unless he is under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, he is exceedingly ignorant of spiritual things. He may handle truth in such a way that little understanding is imparted to his inner heart life . . . .
"Place your entire dependence on the One who is able to keep the souls committed to His trust, able to imbue them with His Spirit, able to fill them with unselfish love for one another, thus enabling them to bear witness that He has sent His Son into the world to save sinners . . . .
"The root of all true self-sacrifice is an affection for the Lord Jesus so strong that it makes the wearing of His yoke easy and pleasant, and leads men to choose to learn His meekness and lowliness . . . .
"God's servants have one common work. Their aim is to be to convert people to the pure truth of the Word of God. They are not to attach men to themselves, so that they will echo everything they may say, and carry out all the suggestions they may make.
"Christ is the foundation of every true church. All who are brought to a new faith are to be established on Him. The plain, simple truths of the gospel are to be kept before minds. Christ crucified as the atonement for sin is the great central truth of the gospel, round which all truths cluster. To this great truth all other truths are tributary.
"All truths, rightly understood, derive their value and importance from their connection with this truth. The apostle Paul makes this fact stand out in royal dignity. He calls the minds of all teachers of the Word to the importance of pointing souls to Christ as the only means of salvation. "God forbid that I should glory," he says, "save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14) . . . .
"Let not man seek to fasten minds to himself. God Himself is the Founder of His church, and we have His unalterable promise that His presence and protection will be given to His faithful ones, who walk in His counsel. To the end of time, Christ is to be first. He is the source of life and strength and righteousness and holiness. All this He is to those who wear His yoke, and learn of Him how to be meek and lowly. He will not tolerate self-exaltation.--Letter 39, March 12, 1902, to Elder E. E. Franke, an evangelist. (The Upward Look, Page 85)
"But Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11). "Christ, the precious Saviour, is to be the Christian's all in all. Every holy thought, every pure desire, every godlike purpose, is from Him who is the light, the truth, and the way. Christ is to live in His representatives by the Spirit of truth. . . . Paul says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). . . .
"Under the mighty impulse of His love He took our place in the universe and invited the Ruler of all things to treat Him as a representative of the human family. He identified Himself with our interests, bared His breast for the stroke of death, took man's guilt and its penalty, and offered in man's behalf a complete sacrifice to God. By virtue of this atonement He has power to offer to man perfect righteousness and full salvation. Whosoever shall believe on Him as a personal Saviour shall not perish but have everlasting life.
"Jesus identifies His interest with His chosen and tried people. He represents Himself as personally affected with all that concerns them. . . . After presenting His relation to His people in various lights, He finally declares that in the great day He will judge of every action as if it had been done unto Himself.
"His sympathy with His people is without a parallel. He will not simply remain a spectator, indifferent to what His people may suffer, but identifies Himself with their interests and sorrows. If His people are wronged, maligned, treated with contempt, their sufferings are registered in the books of heaven as done unto Him.
"The privileges, the blessings, of the child of God are represented by the apostle in the following language: "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). When we realize that our hope of glory is Christ, that we are complete in Him, we shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (In Heavenly Places, Page 65)
By Carron Lake @ www.thelightoftheword.org
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that
the world may believe that thou hast sent me”
(John 17:21).
