God’s Timing of Our “One Event”

Dear Brother,

I just had to write to say thanks for a measure of resurrection TODAY for me, from you.

I actually had gone to a letter by Steve Crook about Easter, looking for factual info regarding this
“idol worshipping holiday”. After being satisfied with that, I happened upon your 2005 article about the Fullness of Christ. If I ever needed to read something, it was this article. Amazing! Suddenly, the lights have come on. You know it has been a couple years since I was exposed to your teachings, and apparently the time wasn’t right (like being stuck in traffic) for my eyes to be opened.

I was brought up a dispensationalist (father was a Nazarene pastor) and in the late 70’s; became an adherent of sonship/kingdom theology (which is essentially “presentist”) after coming to despise the dispensational “theories” and then turned to “preterism”. That was mainly due to the “shortly” statements in the book of Revelation. None satisfied !

Meantime, I could not see the “IS, WAS AND WILL BE” statements. I needed to, for sure, and especially since I was in total agreement with your other doctrinal issues such as reconciliation and sovereignty (which, by the way, have recently gotten me kicked out of a small home group and of course, actually was God’s doing).

Then today, I suddenly see the truth in all its Glory. I absolutely believe that, as you said, seeing “IS, WAS AND WILL BE” is the key to all spiritual things in Christ. I can breathe again!

And then reading your paragraph about your father and “timing” was wonderful, for I have even recently, said to myself that I have wasted all my life looking for the truth. But, God knows!

Thank you, sir!

J____

Hi J____,

I am so happy to hear that you have been given to understand how God works in this age, and that you now see He is, was and will be working in the very same way until the ages have run their course and have accomplished their purpose of placing God within all of His creation, via the channel of His church:

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Just as Christ fills His Father, we fill Christ, and God has ordained that He and His body will be “the fulness of Him that fills all in all”.

Being kicked out of a home church is the same as being kicked out of a church building if the doctrine is not the doctrine of Jesus Christ. I do pray you are hearing the voice of the True Shepherd in our studies, and that you will appreciate that those who know Christ want to know and nourish the rest of His body:

Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

We all have something to contribute to the nourishment of the body of Christ, and I pray you will be given to be an contributing part of His symbiotic body. Christ is not an organization, but He is a person who is a living spiritual ‘organism’.

Your story in this e-mail is the very same story of all who finally come to know who Christ is. The details always differ, but it is always the same “one event” for all men. It is the experience of being judged in this age, and through that judgment coming to know God and Jesus Christ whom God has sent:

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Your brother who is merely one cell in that body which is being judged in this age,

Mike