The Lord’s Work – Part 18
1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
You are either abiding in Him, and thus not a sinner, or you are a sinner and thus are not abiding in Him.
But this isn’t pickle. You don’t ping pong back and forth. You either sinneth, or you sinneth not.
A sinner CAN sin (sinneth), a son of God cannot sin (sinneth not). A righteous man is not a sinner.
A righteous man sinneth not, EVEN AS Jesus Christ sinneth not. He cannot sin. He is not a sinner. He is righteous.
This is not describing how to get saved. And neither is this:
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
You can’t stop sinning first, and then be born of God.
And you can’t doeth truth first, and then come to get saved.
And we’ve looked at many of these. We’ve seen that the Bible says:
he that doeth truth cometh to the light
he that doeth righteousness is righteous
Every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
He that doeth good is of God:
Every one that loveth is born of God
Whosoever is born of God sinneth not
The Bible says all these things.. and if you don’t rightly divide them, if you don’t maintain the order, you teach heresy! And you are in a real pickle! You are in bondage! We MUST rightly divide.
We must maintain the order and we mut divide the true from the figure.
Do these verses all mean that a natural, unsaved man that stops sinning and does good, loves, shows compassion … that he is, or that he becomes, born of God? Is that what the Bible teaches? Does this mean that the way to be born of God is that you just have to do good and love others and stop sinning (mostly – “for there is no man which sinneth not”)?
So just believe in Jesus and do your best to do good and stop sinning and you’ll be saved?
Of course not!!!
Sin has power in the law. The Bible says there is only one way to be free of the law of sin. There is only one way to be free from sin.
The ONLY way to “sinneth not”, to be as sinless as Jesus Christ, is to DIE. We must DIE to sins.
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
The only way a man can stop sinning, is to die (with Christ, to sin and to the law), and be born again of God, by faith in Jesus Christ.
You can’t stop sinning and then get saved.
There is only one way to stop sinning. You must DIE, and be BORN AGAIN OF GOD. DIE and be born again! (Not repent of your sins and give your life to Christ!)
Die, and be born again. And there is only ONE WAY to be born of God.
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: …
The order is: believe in Him, then be born of Him, then work true good in Him.
It’s not first, work good in Him, then be born of Him. No. You must be born of God FIRST.
The ONLY way to work TRUE good is to FIRST be born of God. And the ONLY way to be born of God is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You must rightly divide. You must maintain the order.
What about this?
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: …
Would you believe that a man has to first overcome the world in order to be born of God? First defeat the whole world, and THEN you will be saved? Of course not! If I could overcome the world, I wouldn’t need a Saviour.
Don’t confuse the order. Rather, in first believing and being born again, in this, we overcome the world, in Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The only way a man can overcome the world is to die, and be born again, BY FAITH in Jesus Christ.
So it’s not, if a natural man first overcomes the world, he is then born of God. Instead it is a spiritual man, who has been born of God in heaven, by faith in Jesus Christ, who overcometh (has already overcome and doth presently overcome and one day will overcome) the world. It is a spiritual man that sinneth not. It is a spiritual man that works TRUE good. And remember, this is what we are studying: TRUE good works!
True good works are not done on the earth. They are done in the Spirit, in heavenly places.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth … his deeds … are wrought in God.
This is the only time that any variation of this phrase ever applies to men, in the Bible.
No man doeth truth outside of God. True works must be wrought in God. And one must be in God, to work in God. One must be in God to work truth, to work TRUE good works.
But the birth is first. Being born of God is first. The heavenly birth comes before the true heavenly things can be worked. But true good works are not possible for a carnal man, outside of Christ.
Working is only possible after being born, is it not?
If you aren’t born in the world/flesh, you can’t work in the world/flesh. The birth must be first.
Likewise, if you aren’t born in God/heaven, you can’t work in God/heaven. The birth must be first.
Only once saved, only once born again, only once in Jesus, can we do true good works (heavenly things).
The order is: have faith in Jesus Christ, die to sins, and be born of God. THEN, you are sinless and righteous, a true man, working true good and true righteousness. Sinless and righteous, even as Jesus Christ is sinless and righteous.
So, now that we understand the order… let’s go back to John 3:21.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth [i.e., he that is born of God] cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
This man here, must already be (born) in God because there is no other way to have “wrought in God”.
This man here, must already be born of God because there is no other way to “doeth truth”. One cannot doeth truth, and then come to get saved. Working truth is only possible after salvation. There is no other way to “doeth truth”. TRUE good deeds must be wrought in God, by one that was born in God, and is abiding in God.
Don’t confuse the order. Nobody’s works are wrought in God before coming to Christ. That is not what the Bible teaches. No matter what order of events you think this verse lay out.
This verse is not describing how to get saved, or how to repent. This verse is not describing who gets saved or who repents. This verse is describing an already saved, born-again, son of God who cannot sin. This is saying that, they that “doeth truth” do so because they ARE in God, and all their deeds are wrought in God. They are 100% perfectly, eternally saved.
They that doeth truth are saved, and they that are saved doeth truth. They are always one and the same. There is none that “doeth truth” and is not saved, and there is none that are saved that sinneth.
This verse applies to a present-tense, already-saved Christian. This is saying that they that have already been born of God, and have wrought their works in God (in heaven), that when the light (the truth, the gospel, Jesus Christ) manifests their works, it is revealed that their works are wrought in God, because they themselves ARE in God. Their works are TRUE, heavenly, spiritual. Their works are not done in the flesh, but in the Spirit (Capital S).
And this verse is saying that a true man, a saved man, a son of God, a Christian who “doeth truth” (not because his own works are good but because he is already born again by faith), one day will come to Jesus, and be translated and judged and rewarded, and then, at that time, on that day, it will be manifested by the light of Christ Himself, both that that man is born of God and that all his deeds have been wrought in God. It will be manifest that a Real Christian’s works were not mere carnal shadows, but that his works were TRUE; done IN THE TRUE.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, …
Don’t confuse the order. It’s not because an unsaved man “doeth truth”, that he comes to Jesus to get saved.
It’s that the saved man, who has already come to the light (Jesus) will one day again come to the light (at Jesus’ second coming) to reveal what he is, and what he does. This man always comes to the light. He lives in the light. He is light. He IS a son of God. He IS a true man that worketh true good. All his works are wrought in God. That is precisely why he comes to the light. Not so that he can be true, but because his works already ARE true. Spiritually, he has already come to the light, has been born in it. Fleshly, one day he will again come to the light in his new glorified body to reveal what he doeth in truth.
Deeds must be wrought IN GOD, or they are evil!!! Outside of THE TRUE (the Spirit), we cannot DOETH TRUTH, we cannot do THE TRUE, but rather we work carnal figures. Unsaved men, and all Christians in the flesh, can ONLY work fake, feigned, fraudulent good works.
They can look good, sound good, smell good, taste good, feel good. But if good works are not wrought IN THE TRUE, they are mere figures and shadows.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
THE TRUE worshipper is not a carnal man. There was no true worshipper under the law, neither now is there a physical place of true worship, or any physical true sacraments or ordinances. They are all figures of the true.
Only since Jesus’ coming can men worship in truth. But now, we live in the true, that is, we live in the Spirit. We are not the figures of true worshippers as Israel was according to the flesh, but we are THE TRUE worshippers.
Only in Jesus can one do worship, or do good, IN TRUTH. Now, we are THE TRUE worshippers.
The only way to do the truth is to be in the true tabernacle (the body of Jesus), and work in the true tabernacle (the body of Jesus).
The only way to do the truth is to eat the true bread (the gospel of Jesus), and work in the true bread (the gospel of Jesus).
The only way to do the truth is to care for the true riches (saved people), and work in the true riches (saved people).
The only way to do the truth is to be in the true light (Jesus), and work in the true light (Jesus).
The only way to do the truth is to be in the true Spirit (Jesus), and work in the true Spirit (Jesus).
But you say, “How can these things be? All carnal works are figures? What about all the works in the Bible? The Lord has worked carnal things in this world. Jesus did carnal things in this world. Right?”
Yes, but every one of those works was a picture, a shadow, a figure, to make known the true work that He has done in truth, in the Spirit.
Carnal works, which are seen with men’s eyes, are figures.
What things the Lord has done in the earth have been the figures of the true.
He has done the figure of the true (the carnal works). But what things He has done in a shadow, in a figure, he also doeth in truth.
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
Carnal works are the figures of the true, but the Lord’s works, in Spirit, in heavenly places, are the true. The Lord doeth both: the figure and the true. All of His works done in the figure are also done in truth.
Creation itself is a figure, a carnal shadow of a past, and pending spiritual, eternal, new heaven and a new earth that will be created.
The Garden of Eden was a figure, a shadow of the true mountain, the temple, the city of God, New Jerusalem.
The flood of Noah was a shadow of a past and a future event when the deep above and the deep beneath will return to cover the Earth. And only one man (Jesus Christ) and his family will be saved.
The confusion of languages at the tower of Babel was a shadow of a future time when the Lord will take away the understanding of mankind and scatter the wicked.
The calling of Abraham out of his land into a land of promise was a picture of Jesus Christ leaving Heaven to sojourn and die in the Earth that one day He will inherit for Himself.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was a shadow of the future judgment of God on the earth when hail, fire, and brimstone will rain down to destroy this earth and will continue to fall forever in the Lake of Fire.
The birth of Isaac out of a dead, barren womb was a shadow of the body of Christ being resurrected / born out of death.
The birthright of Esau being sold to Jacob was a shadow of the first man Adam selling his birthright and the Lord, the Second Man, redeeming it for himself, and all His seed.
The butler and the baker were figures of the saved and the lost. The butler being released from prison and restored to his place beside the king, and the baker being released from prison only to be killed and eaten by birds, this being a figure of the redemption of the elect and the condemnation of the sinners.
The Lord causing Joseph to save the house of Israel by feeding them in famine was a shadow of Jesus opening His storehouses to give meat to feed His house in the time of famine.
The 10 wonders of Egypt were shadows of past and future events that they each stand for. And they are but shadows of the torments, plagues that will be in the Lake of Fire.
The crossings of the Red Sea the Jordan River were shadows of this creation we live in and of a future event when we will, with the Lord, pass through the deep, turned to fire, as by dry land.
The promised land which He watered himself and which flowed with milk and honey is a shadow of the land of Israel that will exist in eternity.
The salvation of Israel in the many Bible stories, in the days of the judges and kings and even in the days of their captivity, were all shadows of the true eternal salvation of Israel.
The greatness given to David as a conqueror and the wisdom given to Solomon as the sitting king judging in wisdom and righteousness, their kingdoms were but a shadow of Jesus Christ’s kingdom.
The exceeding magnifical temple that Solomon built was just a shadow of the temple that Jesus Christ is building in heaven.
David and Samson slaying lions with their bare hands was a picture of Jesus slaying the roaring lion, the great dragon Satan, while delivering his sheep out of the lion’s mouth.
Jonah being swallowed of a great fish, three days and three nights in the belly of the deep, which fish vomited up Jonah on dry land, was a shadow of Jesus descending into the belly of hell and being delivered of it three days and three nights later.
The dead man that they lowered into the sepulchre of Elisha, when that dead man’s body touched the bones of Elisha he immediately revived and stood up on his feet, was a figure of those men who die with Christ, and that they will be raised again at the last day.
The manna that rained down from heaven to feed Israel in the wilderness was a shadow of Jesus Christ, the Word of God being made flesh, and that body of flesh being broken unto men that we may eat it and live for ever. The manna was the figure, the Word of God is the true.
The water that Moses brought out of the rock to give Israel drink was a figure of the living waters coming out of the Rock: Jesus Christ, which if a man drinks (believes the gospel) he lives for ever. The water in the wilderness was the figure, the Word of God is the true.
The widow woman being sustained with just a little flour and oil, and the barrel wasted not for many days was a shadow of The Lord feeding his people with the true bread of the gospel of Jesus Christ that wastes not.
Peter walking on water. The apostles working miracles. The apostles being let out of prison by angels. All carnally performed, and all shadows of past and future spiritual things that the saved will do.
The earthquake that opened the prison doors for Paul and Silas, was a shadow of the Lord breaking asunder the bars of iron in the prison house of death to lead forth His captive saints free.
Even Jesus turning water into wine, walking on water, feeding thousands, healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, and raising the dead. All these are figures of the true.
I would possibly go as far as to say that:
Jesus dying and being buried in the earth was a figure of His descent into death and hell.
Jesus himself rising from the dead was a figure of His having risen out of that prison house called death.
All these works, done to be seen of men, were figures.
All carnal works ARE figures.
Now, though Jesus did the figures of the true, Jesus’ carnal works were not JUST figures. Maybe to us they were figures, as in order for man to see them, they had to be done in a carnal figure… But they were in FACT also done in TRUTH. Why? Because they were done “in the Spirit”. They were done IN CHRIST. Jesus IS THE TRUE vine. His body IS THE TRUE temple of God. He is the Word of God (The Spirit) made flesh. His body is a true, spiritual, glorified body; that same body that was seen by John in Revelation and which we will see in eternity. Jesus IS THE TRUE.
I cannot say all Jesus’ carnal works were ONLY figures – but I think I can say that all carnal works ARE figures. However, I may be able to say that Jesus’ works were both true AND figures of the true. Because all his works are done in truth.
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
If He does it in figure, He also does it in truth. And He is truth.
But for unsaved, carnal mankind, dwelling outside of Jesus Christ and outside of the Spirit, all his works are ONLY figures.
Carnal things, what our eyes behold, are all just shadows. But The Lord’s works, of which we have only seen the shadow, the figure, the pattern, are and will be done IN TRUTH: in the Spirit.
Psalms 111:7-8 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. 8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
You might do a really good thing in the flesh, in a shadow… but it’s still only a shadow. It’s still not the true.
True works are not fleshly, carnal things. True things are eternal things. True works, last for ever!
Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
God’s works are for ever. But wait.. everything God has worked in this world has not been for ever, right? Creation is not still “very good”. Man is no longer living, he’s dying. The garden of Eden is not still here. The flood of Noah is not here. The river of Egypt is not still blood. The water is not still flowing out of the rock in the wilderness. The manna stopped raining down from heaven. Aaron’s rod, where is it? Lazarus, who Jesus raised from the dead is not still here alive. Those 5000 that Jesus fed in the wilderness, they hungered again and they died. Israel is not forever saved from oppression. The land of Israel is not still flowing with milk and honey. The Earth itself is not going to abide for ever. How are any of these works “for ever”? They aren’t. These are the shadows. All works done in the world, to be seen of men, are shadows of the true.
But what God doeth, it SHALL BE for ever. What He works will be for ever. But sometimes, He works the figure of the true (carnal things), to show man the figure of His true works which He has done, and will do, for ever.
The true works of the Lord are spiritual, and cannot be seen with man’s natural eyes. True things are done in the Spirit, in the true vine. But.. whatsoever God doeth, shall be done in truth, and shall endure for ever.
What man does, is a figure, a shadow, a FAKE. A pattern of good, but not true good.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
We know (at least we think we know) what good works look like (because they’ve been manifested in shadows – e.g., salvation from death, delivering the prisoner, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, raising the dead, giving to the poor, keeping the sabbath, sacrificing to the Lord, etc.). So we can fashion ourselves, pattern ourselves according to them. We can transform ourselves. And no marvel, Satan himself can transform according to them, and his ministers can do the patterns of righteousness. And men, as his children can also appear righteous (unto men). Because we know the pattern, the figure of righteousness.
Satan’s “ministers of righteousness” look good in shadows, and expect that that makes them good in truth. They look to give life.. but inwardly, they are corrupt trees – they produce corrupt fruit, they produce unsaved people who die, they bring forth fruit UNTO DEATH.
Think about that: “fruit unto death”. Death (the place) opens its mouth and eats their fruit…?
Will the wicked be rewarded for doing the according to the pattern, and not the very true? No.
A man (at least today – after the time of reformation) is rewarded good for doing true good in the light, not for doing a figure, a shadow of good, in darkness.
Jun 27 2021
The Lord’s Work – Part 18
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The Lord’s Work – Part 18
The Lord’s Work – Part 18
1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
You are either abiding in Him, and thus not a sinner, or you are a sinner and thus are not abiding in Him.
But this isn’t pickle. You don’t ping pong back and forth. You either sinneth, or you sinneth not.
A sinner CAN sin (sinneth), a son of God cannot sin (sinneth not). A righteous man is not a sinner.
A righteous man sinneth not, EVEN AS Jesus Christ sinneth not. He cannot sin. He is not a sinner. He is righteous.
This is not describing how to get saved. And neither is this:
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
You can’t stop sinning first, and then be born of God.
And you can’t doeth truth first, and then come to get saved.
And we’ve looked at many of these. We’ve seen that the Bible says:
he that doeth truth cometh to the light
he that doeth righteousness is righteous
Every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
He that doeth good is of God:
Every one that loveth is born of God
Whosoever is born of God sinneth not
The Bible says all these things.. and if you don’t rightly divide them, if you don’t maintain the order, you teach heresy! And you are in a real pickle! You are in bondage! We MUST rightly divide.
We must maintain the order and we mut divide the true from the figure.
Do these verses all mean that a natural, unsaved man that stops sinning and does good, loves, shows compassion … that he is, or that he becomes, born of God? Is that what the Bible teaches? Does this mean that the way to be born of God is that you just have to do good and love others and stop sinning (mostly – “for there is no man which sinneth not”)?
So just believe in Jesus and do your best to do good and stop sinning and you’ll be saved?
Of course not!!!
Sin has power in the law. The Bible says there is only one way to be free of the law of sin. There is only one way to be free from sin.
The ONLY way to “sinneth not”, to be as sinless as Jesus Christ, is to DIE. We must DIE to sins.
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
The only way a man can stop sinning, is to die (with Christ, to sin and to the law), and be born again of God, by faith in Jesus Christ.
You can’t stop sinning and then get saved.
There is only one way to stop sinning. You must DIE, and be BORN AGAIN OF GOD. DIE and be born again! (Not repent of your sins and give your life to Christ!)
Die, and be born again. And there is only ONE WAY to be born of God.
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: …
The order is: believe in Him, then be born of Him, then work true good in Him.
It’s not first, work good in Him, then be born of Him. No. You must be born of God FIRST.
The ONLY way to work TRUE good is to FIRST be born of God. And the ONLY way to be born of God is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You must rightly divide. You must maintain the order.
What about this?
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: …
Would you believe that a man has to first overcome the world in order to be born of God? First defeat the whole world, and THEN you will be saved? Of course not! If I could overcome the world, I wouldn’t need a Saviour.
Don’t confuse the order. Rather, in first believing and being born again, in this, we overcome the world, in Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The only way a man can overcome the world is to die, and be born again, BY FAITH in Jesus Christ.
So it’s not, if a natural man first overcomes the world, he is then born of God. Instead it is a spiritual man, who has been born of God in heaven, by faith in Jesus Christ, who overcometh (has already overcome and doth presently overcome and one day will overcome) the world. It is a spiritual man that sinneth not. It is a spiritual man that works TRUE good. And remember, this is what we are studying: TRUE good works!
True good works are not done on the earth. They are done in the Spirit, in heavenly places.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth … his deeds … are wrought in God.
This is the only time that any variation of this phrase ever applies to men, in the Bible.
No man doeth truth outside of God. True works must be wrought in God. And one must be in God, to work in God. One must be in God to work truth, to work TRUE good works.
But the birth is first. Being born of God is first. The heavenly birth comes before the true heavenly things can be worked. But true good works are not possible for a carnal man, outside of Christ.
Working is only possible after being born, is it not?
If you aren’t born in the world/flesh, you can’t work in the world/flesh. The birth must be first.
Likewise, if you aren’t born in God/heaven, you can’t work in God/heaven. The birth must be first.
Only once saved, only once born again, only once in Jesus, can we do true good works (heavenly things).
The order is: have faith in Jesus Christ, die to sins, and be born of God. THEN, you are sinless and righteous, a true man, working true good and true righteousness. Sinless and righteous, even as Jesus Christ is sinless and righteous.
So, now that we understand the order… let’s go back to John 3:21.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth [i.e., he that is born of God] cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
This man here, must already be (born) in God because there is no other way to have “wrought in God”.
This man here, must already be born of God because there is no other way to “doeth truth”. One cannot doeth truth, and then come to get saved. Working truth is only possible after salvation. There is no other way to “doeth truth”. TRUE good deeds must be wrought in God, by one that was born in God, and is abiding in God.
Don’t confuse the order. Nobody’s works are wrought in God before coming to Christ. That is not what the Bible teaches. No matter what order of events you think this verse lay out.
This verse is not describing how to get saved, or how to repent. This verse is not describing who gets saved or who repents. This verse is describing an already saved, born-again, son of God who cannot sin. This is saying that, they that “doeth truth” do so because they ARE in God, and all their deeds are wrought in God. They are 100% perfectly, eternally saved.
They that doeth truth are saved, and they that are saved doeth truth. They are always one and the same. There is none that “doeth truth” and is not saved, and there is none that are saved that sinneth.
This verse applies to a present-tense, already-saved Christian. This is saying that they that have already been born of God, and have wrought their works in God (in heaven), that when the light (the truth, the gospel, Jesus Christ) manifests their works, it is revealed that their works are wrought in God, because they themselves ARE in God. Their works are TRUE, heavenly, spiritual. Their works are not done in the flesh, but in the Spirit (Capital S).
And this verse is saying that a true man, a saved man, a son of God, a Christian who “doeth truth” (not because his own works are good but because he is already born again by faith), one day will come to Jesus, and be translated and judged and rewarded, and then, at that time, on that day, it will be manifested by the light of Christ Himself, both that that man is born of God and that all his deeds have been wrought in God. It will be manifest that a Real Christian’s works were not mere carnal shadows, but that his works were TRUE; done IN THE TRUE.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, …
Don’t confuse the order. It’s not because an unsaved man “doeth truth”, that he comes to Jesus to get saved.
It’s that the saved man, who has already come to the light (Jesus) will one day again come to the light (at Jesus’ second coming) to reveal what he is, and what he does. This man always comes to the light. He lives in the light. He is light. He IS a son of God. He IS a true man that worketh true good. All his works are wrought in God. That is precisely why he comes to the light. Not so that he can be true, but because his works already ARE true. Spiritually, he has already come to the light, has been born in it. Fleshly, one day he will again come to the light in his new glorified body to reveal what he doeth in truth.
Deeds must be wrought IN GOD, or they are evil!!! Outside of THE TRUE (the Spirit), we cannot DOETH TRUTH, we cannot do THE TRUE, but rather we work carnal figures. Unsaved men, and all Christians in the flesh, can ONLY work fake, feigned, fraudulent good works.
They can look good, sound good, smell good, taste good, feel good. But if good works are not wrought IN THE TRUE, they are mere figures and shadows.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
THE TRUE worshipper is not a carnal man. There was no true worshipper under the law, neither now is there a physical place of true worship, or any physical true sacraments or ordinances. They are all figures of the true.
Only since Jesus’ coming can men worship in truth. But now, we live in the true, that is, we live in the Spirit. We are not the figures of true worshippers as Israel was according to the flesh, but we are THE TRUE worshippers.
Only in Jesus can one do worship, or do good, IN TRUTH. Now, we are THE TRUE worshippers.
The only way to do the truth is to be in the true tabernacle (the body of Jesus), and work in the true tabernacle (the body of Jesus).
The only way to do the truth is to eat the true bread (the gospel of Jesus), and work in the true bread (the gospel of Jesus).
The only way to do the truth is to care for the true riches (saved people), and work in the true riches (saved people).
The only way to do the truth is to be in the true light (Jesus), and work in the true light (Jesus).
The only way to do the truth is to be in the true Spirit (Jesus), and work in the true Spirit (Jesus).
But you say, “How can these things be? All carnal works are figures? What about all the works in the Bible? The Lord has worked carnal things in this world. Jesus did carnal things in this world. Right?”
Yes, but every one of those works was a picture, a shadow, a figure, to make known the true work that He has done in truth, in the Spirit.
Carnal works, which are seen with men’s eyes, are figures.
What things the Lord has done in the earth have been the figures of the true.
He has done the figure of the true (the carnal works). But what things He has done in a shadow, in a figure, he also doeth in truth.
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
Carnal works are the figures of the true, but the Lord’s works, in Spirit, in heavenly places, are the true. The Lord doeth both: the figure and the true. All of His works done in the figure are also done in truth.
Creation itself is a figure, a carnal shadow of a past, and pending spiritual, eternal, new heaven and a new earth that will be created.
The Garden of Eden was a figure, a shadow of the true mountain, the temple, the city of God, New Jerusalem.
The flood of Noah was a shadow of a past and a future event when the deep above and the deep beneath will return to cover the Earth. And only one man (Jesus Christ) and his family will be saved.
The confusion of languages at the tower of Babel was a shadow of a future time when the Lord will take away the understanding of mankind and scatter the wicked.
The calling of Abraham out of his land into a land of promise was a picture of Jesus Christ leaving Heaven to sojourn and die in the Earth that one day He will inherit for Himself.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was a shadow of the future judgment of God on the earth when hail, fire, and brimstone will rain down to destroy this earth and will continue to fall forever in the Lake of Fire.
The birth of Isaac out of a dead, barren womb was a shadow of the body of Christ being resurrected / born out of death.
The birthright of Esau being sold to Jacob was a shadow of the first man Adam selling his birthright and the Lord, the Second Man, redeeming it for himself, and all His seed.
The butler and the baker were figures of the saved and the lost. The butler being released from prison and restored to his place beside the king, and the baker being released from prison only to be killed and eaten by birds, this being a figure of the redemption of the elect and the condemnation of the sinners.
The Lord causing Joseph to save the house of Israel by feeding them in famine was a shadow of Jesus opening His storehouses to give meat to feed His house in the time of famine.
The 10 wonders of Egypt were shadows of past and future events that they each stand for. And they are but shadows of the torments, plagues that will be in the Lake of Fire.
The crossings of the Red Sea the Jordan River were shadows of this creation we live in and of a future event when we will, with the Lord, pass through the deep, turned to fire, as by dry land.
The promised land which He watered himself and which flowed with milk and honey is a shadow of the land of Israel that will exist in eternity.
The salvation of Israel in the many Bible stories, in the days of the judges and kings and even in the days of their captivity, were all shadows of the true eternal salvation of Israel.
The greatness given to David as a conqueror and the wisdom given to Solomon as the sitting king judging in wisdom and righteousness, their kingdoms were but a shadow of Jesus Christ’s kingdom.
The exceeding magnifical temple that Solomon built was just a shadow of the temple that Jesus Christ is building in heaven.
David and Samson slaying lions with their bare hands was a picture of Jesus slaying the roaring lion, the great dragon Satan, while delivering his sheep out of the lion’s mouth.
Jonah being swallowed of a great fish, three days and three nights in the belly of the deep, which fish vomited up Jonah on dry land, was a shadow of Jesus descending into the belly of hell and being delivered of it three days and three nights later.
The dead man that they lowered into the sepulchre of Elisha, when that dead man’s body touched the bones of Elisha he immediately revived and stood up on his feet, was a figure of those men who die with Christ, and that they will be raised again at the last day.
The manna that rained down from heaven to feed Israel in the wilderness was a shadow of Jesus Christ, the Word of God being made flesh, and that body of flesh being broken unto men that we may eat it and live for ever. The manna was the figure, the Word of God is the true.
The water that Moses brought out of the rock to give Israel drink was a figure of the living waters coming out of the Rock: Jesus Christ, which if a man drinks (believes the gospel) he lives for ever. The water in the wilderness was the figure, the Word of God is the true.
The widow woman being sustained with just a little flour and oil, and the barrel wasted not for many days was a shadow of The Lord feeding his people with the true bread of the gospel of Jesus Christ that wastes not.
Peter walking on water. The apostles working miracles. The apostles being let out of prison by angels. All carnally performed, and all shadows of past and future spiritual things that the saved will do.
The earthquake that opened the prison doors for Paul and Silas, was a shadow of the Lord breaking asunder the bars of iron in the prison house of death to lead forth His captive saints free.
Even Jesus turning water into wine, walking on water, feeding thousands, healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, and raising the dead. All these are figures of the true.
I would possibly go as far as to say that:
Jesus dying and being buried in the earth was a figure of His descent into death and hell.
Jesus himself rising from the dead was a figure of His having risen out of that prison house called death.
All these works, done to be seen of men, were figures.
All carnal works ARE figures.
Now, though Jesus did the figures of the true, Jesus’ carnal works were not JUST figures. Maybe to us they were figures, as in order for man to see them, they had to be done in a carnal figure… But they were in FACT also done in TRUTH. Why? Because they were done “in the Spirit”. They were done IN CHRIST. Jesus IS THE TRUE vine. His body IS THE TRUE temple of God. He is the Word of God (The Spirit) made flesh. His body is a true, spiritual, glorified body; that same body that was seen by John in Revelation and which we will see in eternity. Jesus IS THE TRUE.
I cannot say all Jesus’ carnal works were ONLY figures – but I think I can say that all carnal works ARE figures. However, I may be able to say that Jesus’ works were both true AND figures of the true. Because all his works are done in truth.
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
If He does it in figure, He also does it in truth. And He is truth.
But for unsaved, carnal mankind, dwelling outside of Jesus Christ and outside of the Spirit, all his works are ONLY figures.
Carnal things, what our eyes behold, are all just shadows. But The Lord’s works, of which we have only seen the shadow, the figure, the pattern, are and will be done IN TRUTH: in the Spirit.
Psalms 111:7-8 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. 8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
You might do a really good thing in the flesh, in a shadow… but it’s still only a shadow. It’s still not the true.
True works are not fleshly, carnal things. True things are eternal things. True works, last for ever!
Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
God’s works are for ever. But wait.. everything God has worked in this world has not been for ever, right? Creation is not still “very good”. Man is no longer living, he’s dying. The garden of Eden is not still here. The flood of Noah is not here. The river of Egypt is not still blood. The water is not still flowing out of the rock in the wilderness. The manna stopped raining down from heaven. Aaron’s rod, where is it? Lazarus, who Jesus raised from the dead is not still here alive. Those 5000 that Jesus fed in the wilderness, they hungered again and they died. Israel is not forever saved from oppression. The land of Israel is not still flowing with milk and honey. The Earth itself is not going to abide for ever. How are any of these works “for ever”? They aren’t. These are the shadows. All works done in the world, to be seen of men, are shadows of the true.
But what God doeth, it SHALL BE for ever. What He works will be for ever. But sometimes, He works the figure of the true (carnal things), to show man the figure of His true works which He has done, and will do, for ever.
The true works of the Lord are spiritual, and cannot be seen with man’s natural eyes. True things are done in the Spirit, in the true vine. But.. whatsoever God doeth, shall be done in truth, and shall endure for ever.
What man does, is a figure, a shadow, a FAKE. A pattern of good, but not true good.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
We know (at least we think we know) what good works look like (because they’ve been manifested in shadows – e.g., salvation from death, delivering the prisoner, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, raising the dead, giving to the poor, keeping the sabbath, sacrificing to the Lord, etc.). So we can fashion ourselves, pattern ourselves according to them. We can transform ourselves. And no marvel, Satan himself can transform according to them, and his ministers can do the patterns of righteousness. And men, as his children can also appear righteous (unto men). Because we know the pattern, the figure of righteousness.
Satan’s “ministers of righteousness” look good in shadows, and expect that that makes them good in truth. They look to give life.. but inwardly, they are corrupt trees – they produce corrupt fruit, they produce unsaved people who die, they bring forth fruit UNTO DEATH.
Think about that: “fruit unto death”. Death (the place) opens its mouth and eats their fruit…?
Will the wicked be rewarded for doing the according to the pattern, and not the very true? No.
A man (at least today – after the time of reformation) is rewarded good for doing true good in the light, not for doing a figure, a shadow of good, in darkness.
By Pastor • Christian Doctrine • 0