The Daily Word of Righteousness

Three Works of Grace, #6

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 with him. (John 14:23)

Now we come to the third work of grace, to the climax, the omega of redemption. The Passover blood gives us the authority, and the Spirit of Pentecost gives us the wisdom and power, to participate in the third work of grace.

The third work of grace is the spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles. The spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles is the goal of the Christian salvation.

The first work of grace forgives our sins and brings us into the Kingdom of God.

The second work of grace gives us the wisdom and power, through the Spirit of God, to live a holy life and also to bear witness of the atoning death and triumphant resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

The third work of grace is the coming of the Father and the Son to take up Their eternal abode in us.

Unlike the first two works of grace, the historical fulfillment of the third work, in some of its aspects, will follow the personal fulfillment.

The personal fulfillment of the third work of grace is, as we have said, the coming of the Father and the Son to take up Their eternal abode in us.

The ultimate historical fulfillment of the third work is the coming down from the new heaven of the new Jerusalem, the glorified Church of Christ, to abide forever among the saved nations that are inhabiting the new earth.

The first two works of grace took place historically apart from any action on the part of the saints. They were sovereign gifts of God Almighty. However, according to our understanding, the historical fulfillment of some parts of the third work will not be a sovereign work but will proceed from what is being accomplished in the believers as they work with the Holy Spirit in the transformation of their personality.

For this reason, the historical fulfillment of the third platform of redemption must of necessity take place along with and as a result of, and not before, the personal fulfillment.

As we understand what the Lord God is doing, the personal fulfillment of the third work of grace has begun now, will continue throughout the thousand-year Kingdom Age, and will attain its climax in the descent of the Tabernacle of God to the earth, as described in the last two chapters of the Book of Revelation.

With respect to the first work of grace, we can say, "I have been saved," meaning that our sins have been forgiven and God has touched us with Divine Life.

With respect to the second work of grace, we can say, "I have the Holy Spirit," usually meaning I have spoken in tongues and now can worship God in the Spirit.

To be continued.