To the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect

 The Church:

 

            Church of the first-born:

 

Hebrews 12:23

23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

 

            We are members of the Church of the first-born. There is only one Church; not many like we have today. Jesus was the first to be born from the dead. We will follow in the future. That is our destiny. We’re not destined to fly with the vultures. We’re destined to fly with the eagles.

            Notice the reference about the spirits of the righteous made perfect. When we die, that isn’t it. Our spirits still live in Him and with Him. It also says made perfect. We shall be made perfect in Him. We may not look like it now, but we will be one day.

 

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are ever in My thoughts. You are ever in My heart. I want only the best for you. I have planned only the best for you; but you cannot experience it without surrendering yourself to Me. That is the only way to overcome in this life. You will succeed. You will rise to the top. You will be better than those around you, as you allow Me to operate in your life; to control the circumstances that face you. If you try to control them, you will not succeed in the end. You may prevail for a while, but in the end, you will fail. You are not alone in this fight. There are many here and there that will come to your aid as you walk in My Word. That is the reason I allow things to come upon you … is so that you can prevail in My strength; in My guidance; with the help of all those that are Mine.”

 

            83. I am one of those who is a member of the church of the firstborn. One day I will be made perfect.

And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

 What happens to one happens to all:

               

1 Corinthians 12:26

26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

 

            Too many times if someone gets blessed, others get jealous. And if something bad happens to that person, they “secretly” rejoice. God says, “That’s not My way. My way is just the opposite. Remember that the other Christian is one with you. So, when that person gets blessed, it’s like you’re getting blessed. When that person gets hurt, it is like you’re getting hurt.” They are family to us. We’re supposed to be very supportive of our family. We’re to rejoice at their blessings and cry at their pain.

 

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Do not rejoice when your brother or sister has problems. Do not turn your back on them; for they are precious in My sight and so should be in yours. You are all one people, and what happens to one of you is what happens to all of you. If one is hurt, you all are hurt. If one is ill, you all are ill. If one is dying, you all are dying; for you are one in My Spirit. What one feels the other feels. What one experiences, the other experiences. There is not one body of one kind and another body of another kind. You are all alike in Me. Rejoice with your brother and sister when they rejoice, and weep with them when they weep. Thus, all will know that you are Mine when you rejoice and weep together.”

 

            82. When you suffer, I hurt. When you are blessed, I rejoice.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

                                                                           Chapter 9

 

All Together

 

             We are not alone in this life. We have each other. We are to show to the world that God is in this Christianity thing by the fact that we are united. We show that by our love for one another.

            In one Interlinear Greek New Testament that I have, it translates the Greek of Acts 2:1 as … they were all together together (King James … all together with one accord in one place). In other words … they had it all together. They stayed “all together” for a while before humanity slipped into the Church. Of course by “staying together”, they didn’t go into all the world. God wanted both. He wanted them to be united, but He didn’t want them to get “satisfied” with the status quo. He wanted them to disperse and bring people outside of Jerusalem and Israel into His Kingdom.

 

Body:

 

            One of everything:

 

Ephesians 4:4-6

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

 

            One is the theme of these verses. We came into the Kingdom in only one way through the one God, and we’re to stay that way. God didn’t make a bunch of little bodies (man did). He made us all to be one. If someone is different or believes differently than we do, we tend to exclude them from our group. Christians can be just as vicious with their tongues as animals can with their teeth to those not their own. Being one with each other is so unusual to the world that Christians being that way will attract people into the Kingdom.

 

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are one, My children. There is not one of this kind and another of that kind. There is only one kind … My children. You are to love one another as brothers and sisters; for you are one body … one people … one kindred. You shall not look down on your brother or sister as not being worthy to be your brother or sister. You are to look upon them with favor; for they are just as much Mine as you are. You are not to treat them differently because they are different from you. Who said you were better than they; who said you were more favored. You are all alike in My Book. You shall all be judged alike. You are one and we are one together.”

 

            81. I am one with you and with the One Father in one way forever.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life

 Passed out of death into life:

               

John 5:24

24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

 

            We have heard the Word and have believed the Father who sent Jesus. Therefore, we have eternal life and do not come into judgment. This is the final Judgment. Believers are judged daily, but unbelievers are judged one time at the End. It won’t be pleasant and it will be permanent. We, however, will never face that Judgment. We began our eternal life the moment we believed. We experience it here and now; not just when we get to Heaven.

 

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are free from the power of sin and death as you walk in My Word. This is My Kingdom … that you walk in the power of My Word. Then you are free from the power of sin and death; and nothing shall harm you if you are diligent to walk in My Word. The Kingdom consists of this … that you walk in My Word and so prove to be My disciples. You are My disciples if you walk in My Word. Then are you truly free indeed. You shall overcome all obstacles if you walk in My Word. There is power in My Word, and you shall walk in power as you walk in My Word. The Kingdom of God truly is righteousness peace, and joy in My Holy Spirit.”

 

            80. I have heard His Word and believed in Him. Therefore, I have eternal life now and will not come into judgment. I have passed out of death into life.

 

 

            It may not be pleasant to think about, but we are accountable to God for what we do and think. We may be able to get away with things in our jobs, but not with Him. He’s not going to let us off the hook. It’s our destiny. It may not be the kind you’d like to think is yours, but it is. However, it’s for our own good, as all discipline is for good. This is to show forth to the world what God expects from His people. He wants only the best for the best … and that’s us.