The Daily Word of Righteousness

Three Platforms of Grace, #7

Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: (Deuteronomy 16:16)

Christ has given us the ordinance of water baptism. By being baptized in water we proclaim and demonstrate to Heaven and earth that we no longer are part of Satan's kingdom but have died to the world and have risen with Christ into the eternal Kingdom of God.

Christ has shed on us the Holy Spirit, giving us the power to bear witness and to overcome the world, Satan, and our lusts and self-seeking. In addition, the ascended Christ has entrusted ministries and gifts to His Body so it may be brought to the fullness of unity and maturity.

Jesus has raised us from the dead spiritually so we may walk in newness of life. Now we are spiritually alive before God and accepted of Him. All these redemptive works have been for the purpose of preparing a place for us in the Father's house, which is Christ—Head and Body.

The Lord told Peter and the others that they were to abide in Him. As they stood there talking it was impossible for one man to dwell in another. The Lord Jesus had to go to the cross, and then to the Father, and then be greatly glorified, before it became possible for His followers to abide in Him.

The way has been prepared gloriously for each of us. What is left to do?

It remains for Christ, the King of Glory, to come to us through the Spirit (John 14:3,23) and to personally remove from us all that remains of Satan, the former occupant of our personality. The Lord comes and works to insure that our entrance into Himself is perfect and that we are completely prepared for the untroubled occupancy of our personality by the Father and Himself. The work of reconciliation, of eternal judgment, of uncompromising warfare against unclean spirits, takes place in each of us who has been washed in the blood and filled with the Spirit of God.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)

The context of John 14:3 is not the coming in which every eye will see Him, but the coming to His disciples in the spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:42).

Notice the "coming" of the Lord set forth in the following passage, which is in context with John 14:3:

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode [same Greek word translated "mansions" in verse 2] with him. (John 14:22,23)

To be continued.