God is Not in the Box!
“He is risen! These three simple
words have changed the world. Believing in the literal and physical
resurrection of Jesus is a defining factor of true Christianity. If you
are not willing to believe in the truth of the resurrection of Jesus
(and it is a choice), you cannot be saved and “born again.” The
resurrection of Jesus is a critical aspect of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. Without the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the work of
redemption is not finished.
When I say these three words have
changed the world, most people have no comprehension of the way in which
the resurrection of Jesus changes the eternal dynamic of human
existence. The theological, as well as the practical, ramifications of
these three words are overwhelming.
“1 In the end of the sabbath, as it
began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and
the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2 And, behold, there was a great
earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came
and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His
countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for
fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the
angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye
seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as
he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and
tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth
before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you”
(Matthew 28:1-7).
The resurrection of Jesus is what
makes Jesus the “door” into the New Genesis. Therefore, salvation
cannot exist apart from being miraculously placed into the body of
Jesus, which body is the New Genesis “in Christ.”
“7 Then said Jesus unto them again,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that
ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear
them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and
shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:7-9).
The resurrection of Jesus refers to
the resurrection of the human body of Jesus as the Son of God who was
born of the virgin Mary. Therefore, the resurrection makes Jesus the
“firstborn” of the New Genesis. Jesus’ resurrection provides an opening
to escape from the cursed first creation for all those who will rest
their trust in Christ’s finished work of redemption. Jesus is “the
beginning” of the New Genesis and the “door” opened “by grace” and
entered “through faith” for “whosoever will” to come.
“12 Giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints
in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is
the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For
by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he
is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preeminence” (Colossians 1:12-18).
The words “who is the beginning” in
Colossians 1:18 are words that should incite the passions of every true
believer. These few words are a promise to every believer that rests
his faith in the finished work of Jesus. The promise is that what has
happened to Jesus will happen to every true believer who rests his soul
in the finished work of Christ. The amount of what we are capable of
comprehending regarding the miracle of the New Genesis “in Christ” is
minute compared to the scope of this new existence.
The religious apostates of Judaism
attempted to seal the crucified Son of God in a tomb. Unbelief prompts
fools to try foolish things. A huge stone had been prepared to roll
into a trench dug into the earth that would require a small army of very
strong men to move it. Then, the Jews wanted a guard put upon that
sealed tomb so no one could come and steal the body of Jesus. Even
after they had crucified their Messiah, they were doing everything they
could to keep him from being known. They wanted no one to believe in
Him.
It is amazing to see the depth to
which religious apostasy will stoop in order to continuing protecting
their position of hierarchy. Throughout Matthew chapter twenty-seven
God reveals to us that even the pagan Roman Pilate and the “centurion,”
along with the one-hundred soldiers under his charge, all recognized
that Jesus was more than just another man.
Pilate said, “Whom will ye that I
release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ” (Matthew
27:17)? Then, Matthew 27:18 tells us by the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit that Pilate “knew that for envy they {the apostate priesthood of
Israel} had delivered him.” Even Pilate’s pagan wife was given a dream
by God revealing that Jesus was something more than what He was being
accused of being by the Jews. Pilate’s wife sent testimony to her
husband on behalf of Jesus, “Have thou nothing to do with that just man:
for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him”
(Matthew 27:19).
Any attempt to contain the infinite
God in a finite space is a ridiculous premise at its best. All that the
unbelievers could see was a helpless man. They were spiritually blind
to the God-man in Jesus.
“57 When the even was come, there came
a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’
disciple: 58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then
Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59 And when Joseph had taken
the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 And laid it in his
own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great
stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 61 And there was Mary
Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. 62
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief
priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 63 Saying, Sir, we
remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three
days I will rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made
sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal
him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the
last error shall be worse than the first. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye
have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66 So they went,
and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch”
(Matthew 27:57-66).
When reading these texts, we are
reminded of the transition from the wilderness experience of God under
Moses to the Promised Land experience of God under Joshua. This is very
similar to what happened with the Apostles after the resurrection and
ascension of Jesus. In the wilderness under Moses, the children of
Israel had the visible presence of God in the pillar of cloud by day and
the pillar of fire by night. Every single day for their many years in
the wilderness, they saw and knew the visible presence of God (except
the time Miriam and Aaron “spake against Moses” recorded in Numbers
chapter twelve and God “departed.”). When the children of Israel
entered the Promised Land, the presence of God was thought to be in the
Ark of the Covenant carried by the priests. In Joshua chapter three,
God instructed Joshua to have the priest carry the Ark of the Covenant
into the swollen Jordan River. As the feet of the priests carrying the
Ark touched the flooding waters of the Jordan River, the waters of the
river were backed up to the city of Adam. The natural inclination of
Jewish believers was to now think that God was in the box. From this
point forward, the children of Israel were to “walk by faith, not by
sight” (II Corinthians 5:7). From the time they entered the Promised
Land, they would know the presence of God, and the blessing of that
presence, only by the outcomes of their victories.
There are two basic problems with the
faith vision of most people. First, many forget that God sees all
things. Second, many fail to see God working in all things (Romans
8:28). Many are so ignorant of God’s will and expectation that they
think almost anything goes with Him. Joshua learned very quickly that
courageous faith comes only to those who trust in the God that goes
before us rather than in the numbers that follow behind us. God’s
promise to Joshua is the same promise Jesus gave to His disciples.
Notice the similarity in the promises.
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong
and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the
LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:7).
“18 And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go
ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with
you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Matthew 28:18-20 is the last statement
of Jesus, other than the statement in Acts chapter one, where Jesus
tells His disciples to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit before
they attempt any ministry. Again, the filling of the Spirit must
precede any attempts at spiritual warfare. Biblical faith understands
this reality. In both God’s promise to Joshua and Jesus’ promise to His
disciples, we find three wonderful truths.
1. The unlimited availability of divine power
2. The continuing presence of God
3. Victory is sure since the battle is the Lord’s
The very nature of the spiritual
dynamic of the New Genesis is that Jesus died vicariously for us so that
He might live vicariously through us. This is the spiritual dynamic
behind the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus tried to explain the
necessity of His going away in order for Him to remain with His
disciples in the Person of His Holy Spirit. In other words, Jesus’
departing from the believers in a physical way would cause them to lose
the kind of intimacy they had known in the physical presence of Christ.
However, once Jesus departed physically, He released His Spirit to
indwell each of them to empower each of them in a much higher level of
intimacy than they could have experienced had Jesus remained
physically.
“7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient {conducive or an advantage}
for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not
come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he
is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of
judgment {He will accomplish what believers could never do}: 9
Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I
go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto
you, but ye cannot bear {endure} them now {endurance would be a byproduct of the filling of the Spirit}. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you {show you the way or teach you how to live the truth}
into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it
unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I,
that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:7-15).
Understanding the spiritual and
doctrinal ramifications of the reality of the resurrection and ascension
of Jesus opens to our understanding the potential that lays within
every “born again” child of God throughout the Church Age. Living
within the newly created spiritual dynamic of the resurrection of Jesus
is exhibited throughout the book of Acts. The book of Acts provides a
powerful spiritual portrait of the Spirit-filled potential available to
every true disciple of Jesus who lives separated from worldliness and in
holiness before God.
Before salvation, every person is
“dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Upon salvation, Jesus
quickens (makes alive) the believer and indwells that person’s body in
the Person of His Holy Spirit. In His resurrection, Jesus emptied the
tomb in which his body was laid in order to move into believer’s body in
order to bring that body to be a new creation (II Corinthians 5:17).
This is regeneration!
John 16:7-15 is a transitional text
similar to Joshua chapter three. In Joshua 3:7-13, we can see that the
transitional issue is that the presence of the Lord will be known by
faith. The Ark of the Covenant was merely a token of His presence. The
knowledge of God’s presence would only be seen through the outcomes of
His promises. Therefore, when the feet of the priests carrying the Ark
touched the waters of the river Jordan, then God would miraculously
act. The presence of God was visible by what happened. His presence
would be invisible until something happened. The children of Israel
knew of God’s presence only by promise and believed it by faith. Faith
acted upon the promise. This is true of believers today. We know of
the presence of the Holy Spirit only by faith in the promise of Jesus.
We see the presence of the Holy Spirit when spiritual blessings happen
or when the “fruit of the Spirit” is evident.
“7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee {Joshua as a type of Christ} in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses {as a type of Christ},
so I will be with thee. 8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear
the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the
water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. 9 And Joshua said unto
the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your
God. 10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is
among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and
the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark
of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you
into Jordan. 12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of
Israel, out of every tribe a man. 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon
as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD,
the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the
waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from
above; and they shall stand upon an heap” (Joshua 3:7-13).
Most believers believe what Jesus said
about the presence of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit indwells
us. This promise is stated by Jesus in Scripture. However, real faith
acts upon that promise because they believe the promise is a reality.
Just as the Old Testament priests stepped into the flooding Jordan river
at the peril of their own lives and waited upon God to act, so must the
present day believer do the same. Faith acts believing God will do
what He says He will do. Believing in the resurrection of Jesus, and
understanding the theological ramification of what that resurrection
effects, the believer should then live in expectation of realization the
outcomes of that resurrection.
Do you think there might have been
some trepidation on the part of the priests carrying the Ark as they
approached the edge of the rapids of the flooding river Jordan? Some
might say fear would be the opposite of faith. Many would say, if the
priests had trepidation or doubts, God would not do what He said He
would do. This is not the way it works. The point is that their real
faith moved them passed their real fear of the real danger to risk their
real lives to obey what their real God said to do in a real way. Faith
moved them forward in obedience. Then real faith caused those priests
to stop in the midst of the flood waters where the soles of their feet
came “to rest in the waters” (Joshua 3:13). There are not many with the
quality of faith that can “rest in the waters.” The greatest testimony
of a Christian’s life would be the words, “he was a person who could
“rest in the waters.” Think about this for amount. Whether or not the
whole nation of Israel would enter their Promised Land depended upon the
faith of a handful of priests willing to step into the swollen flood
waters of the Jordan River and stand there a moment waiting on God to do
what He said He would do. This scenario repeats itself every day more
often than we will ever know.
The life of EVERY TRUE Christian, who
seeks to be faithful to God’s commands to be holy and to make disciples,
will always be lived in the midst of the flood waters that threaten our
very lives. The fires of trials will never wane when a believer is
trying to change the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However,
the person of real faith always sees the forces of demonic evil as they
are compared to the power and Person of God, who dwells within us and
goes before us.
Every local church, regardless of how large, is actually led by a
handful of people with real faith willing to risk everything in this
world just to be used by God for some seemly insignificant moment. They
never now at that time the real importance of that single moment of
their faithfulness. Yet, their faithfulness at that singular and
seemingly insignificant moment will be the trigger for thousands of
other events that will follow, causing the cascade of the blessings of
God. The point is that none of us know of the continuum to which any
moment of faithfulness connects us and those following us. The only
thing with which we should be preoccupied at any moment of life is
simply doing what God has commanded us to do knowing that what we are
doing connects us to that continuum. Generations of faithful people are
created by the treasure of real faith of tried in the fire believers
who live the moments of their lives trying to be as faithful to God as
they possibly can. Don’t cut yourself short. You are an important gear
in that wheel.
This continuum of spiritual life and spiritual blessings is the
substance of God’s intention in the ordinance for the sanctified that we
know as water baptism. Water baptism is an ordinance of
choice following a decision that wants to “walk in the newness of life”
more than anything else in this world. We need not read too far in
Romans chapter six to understand that living separated from sin
(sanctification) is the subject of the text, not salvation. In fact,
the text applies only to people who are already saved.
“1 What shall we say then {now transitioning from the grace that saves to the ‘grace wherein we stand,’ Romans 5:2}? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin {positionally ‘in Christ’}, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were {Spirit} baptized into Jesus Christ were {Spirit} baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by {Spirit}
baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by
the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we
shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that
our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is
dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that
we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from
the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in
that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth
unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto
sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:1-11).
Perhaps one of the greatest failures
of preaching and theology is the failure to connect Christians in a very
practical way to the ramifications of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. This is what water baptism is SUPPOSED to do. There should be
some instruction along with the water baptism ordinance that connects
the thinking of the person being baptized to the supernatural
availability of the empowering of the indwelling Christ. This
empowering is resurrection power released through the believer’s life
that allows Christ to live vicariously through the yielded believer.
The point here is that the ordinance of water baptism is intended to
reflect a choice and an attitude about a righteous relationship with
God. To say we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and then to
not live in the power made available to all believers through that
resurrection is to practically deny the whole purpose of the
resurrection of Jesus.
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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
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