School of KINGDOM Living Part 14

WALKING IN LOVE

The Gospel of Jesus Christ reveals WHO WE ARE. When we study the Scriptures, we discover that WE ARE the LIFE of CHRIST, the LIGHT of GOD, the manifestation of His absolute GOODNESS. We are made IN HIS IMAGE. His Word teaches us TRUTH, Jesus, and He reveals that we are IN HIM, as LOVE. As He is, so are we in this world.

"but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7

The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us that those IN CHRIST are the Father’s inheritance. WE ARE HIS. We are the lost God's Sons and Daughters, REDEEMED, through His shed blood and death on the cross. Jesus, our KINSMEN, HAS REDEEMED US.

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26

We are the benefactors of the FINISHED WORK of CHRIST, and so is the Father. Yes, through the Cross, Jesus restored the LOST SONS and DAUGHTERS of God TO GOD! We are the REASON for THEIR sacrifice. Jesus Redeemed us, set us FREE, PAID OUR FULL DEBT, and fully RESTORED US to the FATHER; NOW THAT'S AMAZING LOVE.

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." Ephesians 1:7

BELIEVERS, the followers of CHRIST, HAVE BEEN MADE IN HIS IMAGE, Holy, blameless, and FREE; totally transformed by the BLOOD of CHRIST.

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love." Ephesians 1:4

God’s original plan for man (Adam) was to make man in God’s image and likeness. This likeness allowed man to communion with the Father in intimacy and to walk with Him and IN HIM, which is the Father's PLAN of LOVE. It's His original and only plan for man, and it was formed and decided upon BEFORE the foundation of the worlds were made.

"Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:26-28

LOVE is THE Father’s nature, character, and heart; we are made in HIS likeness. Therefore, WE ARE LOVE. 

"The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." 1 John 4:8

"that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless." Ephesians 5:27 

Our purpose IN THIS LIFE is to DENY SELF, DIE to SELF, and WALK IN LIGHT, the RESURRECTION, the LOVE of GOD. Abba, our Father, loved us COMPLETELY before we were saved, and HIS LOVE DOES NOT CHANGE NOR FAIL. 

"And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it." Mark 8:34-35

He loved us BEFORE we were saved in all of our ugliness! God IS NOT MAD at us, NOT ONE BIT! ABBA loves us and WANTS TO TRANSFORM US into HIS likeness and into HIS IMAGE, which is LOVE - HIS ORIGINAL AND ONLY PLAN.

"For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:14-17

The Bible declares we are the REDEEMED Sons of God, which means that we were RECOVERED and RESTORED by the blood of Jesus, restored to the FATHER. Jesus did this to JUSTIFY US to the DELIGHT and great pleasure of the Father. 

"these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." Romans 8:30

As a consequence, FOLLOWERS of CHRIST now live in and from the Father. That’s HUGE!

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

We ALL have REDEMPTION by GRACE through FAITH, as a FREE Gift of God working through LOVE. But, we don’t ALL receive this truth. All of us have two choices. RECEIVE Jesus as the CHRIST, or REJECT Him. We either RECEIVE SALVATION by Grace, receiving it as THE TRUTH, or we don’t. It’s a CHOICE to FOLLOW CHRIST and a CHOICE to REJECT Him. 

We are called and empowered to enter the FINISHED work of Jesus, to enter HIS REST as Ambassadors of Heaven, as fellow Heirs of Jesus, receiving ALL THE PROMISES for all time.

"Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. John 19:30

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not about our WORKS; it's about God’s INCREDIBLE LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN, His FAITHFILLED ones. Our only part IN GOD’S PLAN is to BELIEVE and RECEIVE Jesus, TRUTH by FAITH working through LOVE.

“For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love." Galatians 5:5-6

The KINGDOM of GOD is not about following METHODS, RULES, PRINCIPLES, KEYS, or any other foolishness or malarkey. The KINGDOM of God is not a man-made system whatsoever, and there are no GENIES. The KINGDOM of GOD is about BELIEVING THE WORD OF GOD over EVERYTHING ELSE.

"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18

FOLLOWERS of CHRIST follow HIM by Faith through Grace. And, as we follow Him, He promises to TRANSFORM US into His image. Holy Spirit is always doing the work IN US, REVEALING JESUS to us for THE FATHER’S GOOD PLEASURE.

"For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him" Colossians 1:19

Because of the Father’s riches in Mercy, we have been given NEW LIFE to live the FORGIVEN LIFE, which is FULL of JOY that exceeds human comprehension!

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together in Christ(by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-7

Recall Adam is DEAD. BELIEVERS are the NEW MAN, the NEW CREATION. FOLLOWERS IN CHRIST are FREE FROM ALL SIN by Grace through Faith working through LOVE. 

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 

WE ARE JUSTIFIED. It’s as if WE NEVER SINNED. 

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

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