Eternal Relationship

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“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit (I Cor. 6:17).”

In studying the text for a course concerning bible doctrine, I was struck and inspired by a section regarding the integrity and character of God in providing the highest and most costly level of salvation to mankind.  In reviewing scripture, it was wonderful to note such confirmation of how He put everything He had into saving us from the wrath to come (I Th. 1:10; Rom. 5:8-9), and placed all seriousness and devotion toward our well being.  That is, He dealt with us straight on by yielding his closest and most precious possession as a final and eternal sacrifice for the world!  All of His works and commandments are most certainly “done in truth and uprightness (Ps. 111:8).”

To possibly illustrate this in some degree (and in an extremely small way), let’s say in preparing an offering, I have $20, $50, and $100 bills in my wallet, but decide to give the $50 bill.  Although this may be considered generous, I also could have offered the $100 bill, or even the total $170.  By withholding a portion, I tend to convey the degree of heart-felt significance that I personally ascribe to the offering.  Conversely, God’s sacrifice is more akin to a parent who needs to provide a ransom of a substantial sum (comprising the parent’s total financial net worth).   But unknown to anyone else, the parent also possesses a most priceless and costly treasure.  In an effort to redeem the child, the parent not only submits the entire ransom demand, but also surrenders the priceless treasure because of the depth of love and devotion for the child.

Although the above is a somewhat crude illustration, it is intended to provide an example that hopefully at least touches to some degree on what God has done in love for the world.  Please remember, that Jesus was God’s daily delight before the world existed:

“Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him (Prov. 8:30):”

As we know, God owns everything as confirmed in the following verses:

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein (Ps. 24:1).”

 “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10).”

But the Lord Jesus Christ is truly God’s only begotten son.  While all else was created (both beings and matter), Jesus was with the Father from the beginning.  As the scripture states:

“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 (Jn. 1:1-2).”

Not only did God delight in Jesus, their relationship is further spoken of in the Gospel of John as follows:

“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was (Jn. 17:5).”

So nothing else in God’s creation compared to the priceless and most precious person that He yielded up for us all.  (Please take a moment to carefully consider and breathe that in.)  Consequently, our “reasonable service” is to yield ourselves to Him (Rom. 12:1).  And we can then be His friend as was spoken concerning Abraham (II Chr. 20:7; Is. 41:8; Jas. 2:23).  Our Lord confirms this in saying:

“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you (Jn. 15:15).”

God will have many sons through Jesus.  As provided by the writer to the Hebrews:

“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Heb. 2:10).”

How mighty and profound is this?  In gifting His most precious only son to man, true believers may experience friendship and fellowship with the Father and the Son!  How great wonderful!  No wonder an Angel inquired by asking:

“ … What is man, that thou are mindful of him: or the son of man, that thou visitest him (Heb. 2:6)?”

This is all so wonderful.  Jesus prayed that we would be one in He and God (Jn. 17:21).  Additionally, He made us “accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6) and literally part of His body:

“For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones (Eph. 5:30).”

We must understand, that He has "married" us (Jer. 3:14), and made us joint heirs with His son:

“And if children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together (Rom. 8:17).”

Being friends and made one with Him, we come to know and love Him more and more:

“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit (I Cor. 6:17).”

“ … for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God (I Cor. 2:10).”

What a wonderful gift and privilege to essentially be included in the eternal glorious relationship.  His salvation plan is unfolding moment by moment in the lives of those who have been ordained to eternal life.  Since He has committed so faithfully and earnestly toward us (Heb. 13:5), we certainly ought to equally commit ourselves to Him and truly set our affections on things above to learn more and more of him and His greatness and glory (Col. 3:1)(I Cor. 2:9-10)(Ps. 27:11).

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