All of the benefits and blessings
that are given to the created sons of God come to them through
the life which naturally occurs in Christ Jesus, who possesses
life by virtue of being eternally one with the Father. His life
has no beginning and no end simply because He is God, whom Isaiah
describes as the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,
whose name is Holy. Nothing can be added to Him,
nor can anything be taken away. All things and creatures of any
sort are the product of His creation, and none can share in that essential
glory which is His as the Eternal God. Even as he told Isaiah,
I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give
to another. Or as Paul says, who only hath
immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach
unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see, to whom be honor and
power everlasting. All creatures and things occupy
that realm which we know as time, and he alone occupies that realm
which we can only partly comprehend, which the scripture calls eternity.
This is essentially that which forms the separation between
himself and all that he has created. Many are the schemes and theories
of men that have clouded that separation and subsequently caused
confusion and often division among the sons of God. God is
never under any sort of obligation and always does things according
to His will, completely unfettered by any other moving force. We
rejoice when we read that He has loved His people with an
everlasting love, for it describes to us an enduring love which
cannot possibly end. We are also blessed in consideration
of it, for we cannot see with human eyes when such love had
its beginning. Though we are quite certain that
its beginning, as are all things, is in Christ, and is according
to His eternal purpose. The true blessings of the sons
of God flows to them as their understanding is fully open to
behold the beauty of that truth which Paul expressed, saying,
But Christ is all and in all. It is seen in the words of Simon
Peter, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life, and we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ,
the Son of the living God. And this is the record that God
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son
of God hath not life. We rejoice in the glorious truth
of the Lord's unconditional election of a people in Christ from before
the foundation of the world. Yet our joy cannot be full apart
from his application of the truth of Christ's sufficiency in all
things to our mind and heart. This is that which Paul describes
to the Corinthians when he said, For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. Is this not the manifestation
of being made a new creature in Christ? Is this not the fruit
of having the Son and having life? Eternal life is in Christ. John plainly said this life is
in his Son. Where else would one be able
to find such life? Man, by nature, is not only dying
constantly as he moves toward the day when the grave shall
swallow him up, but he is already dead in trespasses and sins.
Thus he is essentially twice dead and is totally helpless
to extricate himself either from the carnal grave or from that
state wherein he abides in darkness without the knowledge of the
Holy One. How can he find this life when he has neither the
desire or ability to discover its source? Eternal life is of
Christ, like a fountain which gushes forth, so the Lord does
bring this life to those whom he loves. Even as he said to
the Samaritan woman, the water that I shall give him shall be
in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. We
live because he lives, and we believe because he has granted
to us this life. Thus we see that eternal life
is by or through Christ. He is that blessed conduit through
which life comes to us and by which we are enabled to come
to the Father. Christ Jesus is the manifestation
of the tender mercy of our God. All blessings which are given
to the children of God, both in this world and that which
is to come, flow through Him, who is the possessor of eternal
life. In Him we live and move and have our being as the sons
of God. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at 4the4 at windstream dot net.