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No Man Is An Island

“All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated… As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness…. No man is an island, entire of itself… any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

This is a quotation from John Donne (1572-1631). It appears in Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Meditation XVII:

I found this explanation on a website phrase. org, or something to that affect. I wanted to know where this particular phrase originated, and I was not very shocked when I learned it was first coined by a Christian. The very thought process behind today’s topic is held captive in the words that John Donne shares in this short paragraph. I had never heard of this man, yet this topic has been on my mind for some time.

While the phrase, “No man is an Island” isn’t a biblical phrase it is more importantly a biblical concept from cover to cover. As I mentioned, this thought has been on my mind lately and I wanted to share with you all what has come about from my studies on this line of thought. I hope I can be a helper of your joy as I share what the Lord has given me to share with you all.

 

Walking Dead Men

I ponder the concept of being an Island or isle.  I also ponder the biblical thought of an Island and how it is very much un- godly in its nature, as applied to how men themselves often become somewhat of an Island spiritually and because of our sinful nature. The very thought that we are somehow disconnected from our brothers is at best possibly sinful and at worst a sin that we cause our brothers and sisters to stumble at. Why I say it is ungodly in its nature is because when the Word describes us in our walk we are NEVER disconnected with the rest of creation, we are simply “translated into a better language” as John Donne phrases it. We may perceive that we are disconnected from others, but it is our perception that is lacking. If you have listened to an earlier study on perception then it was revealed in that study that spiritual perception, among other things, is knowing what God the father knows. What He has allowed us to know about His mind was started from beginning in Genesis.

We first start out as the sea in type and shadow, yes, but we are then transformed into something different – the earth. Being “the earth” we are still a part of those that are not yet “the earth” while also being surrounded by, bordered upon, and touching the sea that we just arose from. We are still in contact with one another. There then, Lord willing, comes another “departure” or “translation” from what we are when we are the earth to what we have now become a part of, the Heavens. Riding the curtails of the previous sentence, you might be thinking, “how are the heavens in contact with the earth and sea?” Friends I am here to tell you how and it is no secret, we are connected by the wind, air, or biblically and spiritually known as the spirit of God.

It is amazing how the Word of God is used so vividly to explain to us in a physical and spiritual way how we are all connected, yet without God’s holy spirit revealing it to any of us, we quickly are keenly aware of how puffed up we are. After all, we are “above the earth and sea” aren’t we? God forbid. We are only the more connected to everything because as we are in the heavenly state of mind we should be more concretely aware that our current “state of mind” should reflect what we are – we are full of the wind, we are the clouds born of water, we are that which when met with another force simply bends around that force as if we are not even there. Run your hand through the air now and feel just how much give the air has…. almost as if it isn’t there. Amazingly, the earth is the hardest and sternest of all in its ability to be molded into something else. Truly, we are more able to be molded as the sea of humanity than we are as the church – the earth.

Gen 1:6  And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

Gen 1:7  And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

Gen 1:8  And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Gen 1:9  And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

Gen 1:10  And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

 

In Gen 1:6, we see just how true it is that at the arrival of being called “the heavens” we are back to the state of being “water” but we had to go through the earth first. We, in type, can see us being “born of water and of spirit”. Now being in “heavenly places seated with Jesus Christ” takes on a whole new meaning because we have just gone full circle with how the Lord has presented us as being so equal to our brothers and sisters of the sea of humanity.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

 

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 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

 

 

Cometh With Clouds

Isn’t it amazing, and I am sure you all have your stories to tell about this, just how denominational our thinking becomes, just how much “holier” we are to ourselves, when we are participating in the way the earth approaches the Lord? Worse yet, we tend to become Islands before we are in type and shadow the Heavens.

After all, it was John being given the revelation of Jesus Christ ‘in” the isle called Patmos. We are told:

Rev 1:7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

 

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

 

Rev 1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 

There are several key points here that are cryptic in their usage and language, but massively weighted in how we are brought, rather – dragged to Christ.

Firstly, we are told that Christ comes with clouds. We are then told that “every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail”. “Every spiritual eye shall see him, AND THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM, and all the kindreds of the earth……”, is saying we shall see Christ and also ourselves who pierced him, but notice it is the EARTH and it’s kindred that will wail. How much wailing do you think there will be when the earth says, “Lord, Lord” and Christ says, “I never knew you”? This applies to us inwardly first and foremost and it is NOT only out there somewhere for someone else.

Recall that John is IN the isle called Patmos. An isle is still earth. We MUST be earthly and in the earth before we can ever start our next spiritual step into the heavens seated together with Christ; thus, we are being told a lot with John being in an Isle.

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Interestingly, Patmos is one of the northernmost islands in the chain of islands called the Dodecanese complex. As we all know, judgment comes from the north. I think it is saying something that when John was given the revelation of Jesus Christ his location was one of judgment and being part of the earth, yet separated from the main mass, the bulk of the earth. Even though we are out from the mass of the earth, we are still in the earth in our understanding. The one thing connecting us all together at all times of our walk is the Word of God or in this type I am being used to illustrate, the heavens, air or wind.

In Rev 1:7 we see that Christ comes with clouds, then in verse 8 we see the beginning of Christ’s revelation to and IN us which is: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” John then tells us where he was, in effect telling us in what condition he was in when Christ revealed himself to John. Yes, John was exiled to the isle for the testimony of Jesus Christ, but there is something that is monumental that must take place while you are there.

You must have Christ revealed to you by and with the clouds that Christ comes with. Christ simply does not come as only the head but as the head and body, THE CHRIST. Christ comes with His body, and a few chapters later we see that played out:

 

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

 

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

 

Indeed it is Christ and the Holy Spirit that is providing the revelation of Jesus Christ, but equally true is that “thy brethren the prophets” are a PART OF the revelation of Jesus Christ. There is no separation between the head and the body. In other words, the body of Christ, the church, the earth is not separated into isles that are separate from their main mass, their body. It’s just another way to say that Christ is not divided. What John’s “brethren the prophets” have in common is their head and they are TOGETHER having one mind. So, if you are an island out there alone, rest assured that you are still in contact with the spirit of God because the spirit of God touches everything, but you are not fully worshipping God properly just “being in an isle”. We must all be part of the MAIN MASS of the body. This is the type and shadow of the earth mass, but this is part of the MASS of the true CHURCH… the BODY of CHRIST. You can only be a partaker of the body if you have the same HEAD with the SAME MIND in the ENTIRE BODY.

To try to clarify this idea, think about the concept of an Island. It is still made up of the same contents that the mass of the earth is made up of, but the earth in a sense is separated from an Island from the sea. Yet, the constant variable that is connecting all three is the Spirit of God or in type the air, wind, etc.

 

New Versus Old

There is another way to look at how we are indeed not alone though we feel most of the time that we are. In fact, we are always with another – we are always with the “other man.” There is a constant thread running throughout the scripture and that is the new and the old man, old brother slaying younger brother, Abraham’s promised seed versus the seed of the bondwoman, two grinding at the mill, the flesh warring against the Spirit, one sheep and ninety- nine, two that are in the field and the list goes on and on. There will always be our old and new man warring against one another in the kingdom of God while we are yet in this temporary tabernacle called flesh.

With this constant war going on we can be comforted that the strength we have in spirit is not our own but is that of our King, He that sits on His throne NOT needing His rod to be lifted by other men in battle as Moses did, but it is He that lifts us up – His rod, to do His bidding and WILL. We indeed are not alone in this battle that wages on, and as His body we need to recognize that it is all of us together, we as brothers and sisters, who are being lifted together to do His Will. Here are a few scriptures to establish what I have just said:

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

 

Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

 

Mat 24:40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

 

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

 

Gal 4:29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

 

Just as Christ had not yet ascended to the Father directly after being resurrected, neither have we fully realized the kingdom within because it is all in earnest. This war will always rage because as we are transformed line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, we come to see the kingdom realized a little more as being won by Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father IN US. That is why it is Christ and Christ alone who has ascended. We are still in a down payment “state of mind” at any given time.

Isa 28:9  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

Isa 28:10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

 

Joh 20:15  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Joh 20:16  Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Joh 20:17  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

 

As John was while being on the isle of Patmos, so are we so blind that we don’t see Christ standing right in front of us. It is not until Christ calls our true name that we can truly call Him Rabbi. It is in and by God’s strong delusion that until the time appointed He has deceived us Himself. In Joh 20:15 we see that we are in a state of weeping, knowing to a certain extent what has been done, that Christ first shows himself to us but we are too consumed with our anguish and hurt to notice who it is that we are talking to. How could we, when it is in this state that Christ himself still calls us by something other than our personal name? He first calls us “ Woman.” A name of woman is indirect and general, but when a woman takes on the name of her husband, she is called by a specific name and in type and shadow we see that here as, “ Mary.”

It isn’t until we answer Christ with OUR UNDERSTANDING that He stops us with an earth shattering and volcanic eruption by simply calling our names – Steven, or in Mary’s case “Mary” or in your case your name. The point is Christ speaks directly and non- cryptically to you personally and spiritually and He speaks to us as we are to Him – a woman first, then as His bride to be who will take on His name. It isn’t until later that He speaks to us as the new man within. It is through and out of the woman that He brings forth the man. Just as this process has been started since the foundation of the world, so it continues today.

Gen 2:22  And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Gen 2:23  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

 

First was joined together the waters (Adam – man) then because of that joining the dry land appears (Eve – woman, the mother of all living). But remember that the waters were divided one from the other first! The dividing line is the heavens!

Gen 1:6  And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

Gen 1:7  And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

Gen 1:8  And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Just as there is one type of flesh for men and one type of flesh for beast, there is one type of water above and one type of water below the heavens or the firmament. One is fleshly in type and the other is spiritual.  One is born of “our father the devil” and one is “born of WATER AND SPIRIT”. One is earthy and one is heavenly.

1Co 15:39  All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

 

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

 

Remember, clouds ARE groups of water floating in the air!

 

It is an Isle that first serves to separate us from the bulk of our fleshly mind while still being IN it just as John was “IN the isle of Patmos”,  but it is also in this place of judgment that we come to be called on by Christ. It is also comparable to why the “lake of fire” is called a “lake” versus the giant sea of humanity, and then seeing how first we go through this same narrowing process as the earth. We are among the bulk of the earth’s land mass in having that same mind then we are narrowed down into Islands/ Isles until we are finally given the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

… Be Likeminded, Having The Same Love …

Php 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

The core of this talk is to bring us all to a clearer understanding that it takes ONE HEAD to give His body His mind. By giving us that mind, we are all joined together into one cohesive church that not only need one another, but also share the same pains and trials, happy tidings and joy. It is very easy to feel like we are all alone in this walk aside from knowing that Christ is there with us, but what I hope is coming out in this study is that in fact it isn’t Christ the head, but it is THE CHRIST that is important. Christ the head is not separate from His body.  The Christ is has the same mind, but what is that mind? Here are a few scriptures that make it very clear if we have ears to hear and eyes to see:

 

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

 

Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

 

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

 

Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 

2Jn 1:6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

 

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

 

Having the mind of Christ is having the same mind as the rest of the body. To recap what was contained in these verses, here is what was stated:

 

“He that doeth the will of my Father, my brother, sister and mother shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. They have and keep my commandments which love me and this is how we know that we love the children of God.”

 

To once again quote John Donne, “No man is an Island, entire of itself” because each and every man, woman and child of mankind is being joined together into ONE BODY through the process set forth from the foundation of the world. Each is appointed their time, and it is a HUGE calling to be called, chosen and faithful NOW to be partakers with THE CHRIST in bringing this about in those elect who are being chosen and remain faithful to fulfill this great calling in the IS.

We are being called out of the vast majority of humanity to keep the commandments of God, to know God and Jesus Christ who God has sent as THE CHRIST. We are commanded to love God and one another and nowhere in that calling are we alone or without a person that needs the light of the Christ to shine in their lives.