Two Thieves on the Cross with Jesus
It is not how we start, but how we finish
For over 35 years now I have known OF Jesus, being a regular church-goer and contributing in my small way towards His witness. Since my refreshing in the recent past, I have learned to live FROM Jesus by my indwelt savior imputing HIS faith directly TO me.
Galatians 2:20 KJV I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
I have learned that from the day of my refreshing, I became a new creation in Christ. I take up His cross daily and follow. This has created an avalanche of downloads as the Holy Spirit has accelerated my wisdom, knowledge, and discernment of spiritual love and truth.
I have a clear understanding of my role within the body of Christ, His bride. I am to strengthen and encourage the bride with love and truth (2 John). In the strength of love and truth, the bride will be salt and light.
Who will need evangelistic programs when the bride is full of the indwelt Jesus?
Without love and truth, we are a clanging symbol subject to the winds of the plains, changing in direction at the whim of the wind. I am a foundation builder, digging trenches in believers and filling them with the concrete of the indwelt Jesus.
In that context, I will present over future essays the biblical narrative of the redemption of the righteous, culminating in the pre-tribulation taking up of the righteous believers. This series is an encouragement for church-goers, or those who believe but do not attend church, to get serious about being an Ambassador for Christ, living FROM the Ambassadorial authority provided by the indwelling Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 ESV Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (21) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As I have outlined in my recent six-part series on why the rapture is near, time is running out. Jesus is knocking at the door waiting for you to invite Him in for dinner, but you must open the door from the inside. In this Laodicean period of The Church Age, we have the benefit of hindsight to see clearly the spiritual truth of the seven letters. Let us all living saints become Philadelphians, full of brotherly love and encouragement for one another.
YAH is not concerned about how we started our journey of faith, nor how we are feeling about our journey thus far, nor where we are today; but only how we finish our pilgrimage. The reward is for those that finish the pilgrimage and glorify Him by crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3).
Luke 23:39-43 ESV One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (40) But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? (41) And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (42) And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (43) And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The Binary Outcome
The passage above is a perfect illustration of the binary nature of our spiritual fate. There is no middle ground here, you are in or you are out.
Let that sink in for a moment. Selah!
When YAH does call time, and He will, where will you be? Will you be the lover of self as exemplified by the first thief, or the humble lover of truth of the second?
YAH already knows how your story ends, and if you know OF Him, He will maintain His prompting of you to live FROM Him. Will you fight Him to your dying day, or will you embrace the truth of the Gospel of Christ?
It is a Matter of the Heart
No human effort on your part can earn you a place in YAH’s Kingdom, it is by grace alone through faith.
Ephesians 2:8 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Faith is an action word and kinetic by nature. Exercise faith, and it grows stronger. You have faith in what you cannot see, the spiritual realm of YAH, and pursue it with all your heart.
Hebrews 11:3 ESV By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Hebrews 11:5-6 ESV By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (6) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
We will revisit the story of Enoch and Elija in future essays, as these stories show us the reward of spiritual taking up to be with Christ for those righteous souls.
Psalms 49:3 ESV My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
Psalms 51:6 ESV Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Psalms 51:10 ESV Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalms 119:2 ESV Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
Psalms 119:112 ESV I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.
Psalms 138:1 ESV Of David. I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;
Proverbs 3:5 ESV Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
There are literally hundreds more Psalms and Proverbs that show our spiritual condition is a matter of the heart. I implore you to incline your heart toward YAH, He will in turn incline His heart toward you.
Bless you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Your indwelt spiritual slave to Jesus (Gal 2:20)