GOODNEWSLETTER
Number 434 September 26, 2012
IT'S THE SAME PLAN. IT NEVER CHANGED
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever" (NASB), Hebrews 13:8.
The Plan of God goes from Shadows and types to Spirituality; which, could only be bought to fallen man by God's own Son, Jesus Christ. The LAW, with all it's legalities of doing certainthings through fleshly efforts, has been replaced by GRACE. GRACE is God's favor apart from man – which comes through the man - Christ Jesus. And, the Book of Ephesians explains how God's grace works within the New Covenant. "In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His (God) GRACE," Eph. 1:7.
Then, Paul tells us the we were saved by GRACE. "For by grace you have been saved through faith;..." Ephesians 2:8. To make it crystal clear, Paul says in Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under LAW but under grace." The church may now serve within the capacity of Jesus and His words, alone; not by any portion of the Law of God.GRACE, we must all understand, was presented to man only through the man, Christ Jesus. And, without question, all men must see that the entire Bible point to Jesus. His work; while, in the world and His coming again, as the same plan God had in Genesis, the book of beginnings. Clearly, before the LAYING DOWN OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD, God's plan is seen as completed. What He intended then was done. Cant' we see Jesus looking at the plan and saying, "Not my will but thine be done."All that needed to be done was allow the SHADOWS and TYPES picture what Jesus would do when His came to earth over 2000 years ago. Thus, in the Old Covenant, we understand that God required blood to be shed before man could be forgiven (See Eph. 1:7 above). We read of a lamb that freed the Jews from bondage. The Lamb, of course, was a picture of Jesus. It was a picture that all of God's people must look to for salvation. The excited John said, "Behold, the LAMB of God that takes away the sin of the world," John 1:29.In the coming of Jesus, all Old Covenant types were fulfilled; as well as, and the future. Today, by listening to the words of Jesus, we hear: "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed," John 8:36. But, the Lord tells us that the plan of His Father is understood when we know His word, only. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free," John 8:32.Looking closely at the plan, we see that God laid it out for man to serve. First, types were seen; which, Israel served through, then Jesus, the Head of all men, taught us God's plan that we may serve through understanding God's plan. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, we are free to walk out of the world and serve God. That's what the Jews pictured when they passed through the Red Sea; a picture of baptism that sets us under God's control. We have freedom then to serve while we live in the world. When Jesus returns, He shall raise us up and, at the same time, He takes charge of the world. That's the plan, the same ONE from the beginning till He comes and we are all raised to be Spiritual in nature. Faith no longer but then, we shall see Him face to face.