Note: J. Preston Eby, in order to continue to devote his full energy to writing no longer works in the office and does not receive this email. He does, however, respond to any urgent correspondence via snailmail.

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KINGDOM BIBLE STUDIES

“Teaching the things concerning the kingdom of God...”

THE KINGDOM FAMILY OF GOD

Part 2

Originally published around 1970-71

HOW WE ENTER THE GOD – FAMILY – KINGDOM

The New Birth

Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John chapter three, that in order to ENTER the kingdom of God – or the GOD KINGDOM – human beings have to be BORN AGAIN. He very patiently explained to him that it was not a physical re-birth that He was talking about, but a newborn SPIRIT being.

John refers to this birth in John 1:12 when he says, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” The word “sons” in this verse is from the Greek word “taknon” which means “one born” or “a child.” That a birth as a child of God is what John is speaking of is made clear as he continues in verse 13: “Which were BORN, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, BUT OF GOD.” According to these verses as many as receive Christ, the Incarnate Word (Yahweh) of God, are BORN OF GOD. Some would tell us that the New Birth does not take place when a person accepts Christ as Saviour – that we are only begotten or conceived in the womb at that point and the BIRTH is yet future, being a birth into full Sonship and the coming Kingdom of God. But if young Christians have not been BORN, then why does the Holy Spirit speak to them saying, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto BABES IN CHRIST. I have fed you with MILK, and not with meat…” I Corinthians 3:1-2. Again, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of MILK, and not of strong meat. For everyone that USETH MILK is unskillful in the word of righteousness: FOR HE IS A BABE.” Hebrews 5:12-13. “As NEWBORN BABES, desire the sincere MILK of the word, that ye may GROW thereby.” I Peter 2:2. John tells us, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth IS BORN OF GOD, and knoweth God. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ IS BORN OF GOD: and every one that loveth His that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world…” I John 4:7, 5:1,4.

Believers in Christ are called the children of God and the sons of God all through the New Testament. We could multiply scripture on top of scripture concerning this. But nowhere does God call us the EMBRYO of God or the FETUS of God! Embryos and Fetuses do NOT DRINK MILK, neither do they love or do the will of God! Listen to this statement from the apostle John translated by J. B. Phillips in his New Testament in Modern English: “Consider the incredible love that the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called “children of God” – and that is not just what we are called, but what we are. Our heredity on the Godward side IS NO MERE FIGURE OF SPEECH – which explains why the world will no more recognize us than it recognized Christ.” I John 3:1. In the King James version, this verse says that we are called “sons” of God. But in the context of the verse this is a mistranslation. It should be translated “children” as it is by J. B. Phillips and all modern translations since the word is translated from the Greek word “taknon” which means “one born” or “a child.”

One is NOT born an adult. Only babies are BORN. As many as receive Him, believing on His name, are given power to… be born… of the will of God… thus becoming “babes” or “children” OF GOD. What actually takes place in the New Birth is the birth of a new creature – a spiritual being – an eternal, immortal SPIRIT BEING – of which God is the FATHER. This is what the apostle is speaking of in Hebrews as He teaches about the discipline that God applies to His Sons and he says, “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the FATHER OF SPIRITS, and live?” God is the Father of SPIRITS. This is not speaking of angels or demons but the whole subject of this chapter is SONS. God is not a father to angels because they are created, not begotten. “For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten? And again, I will be to him a Father…” Hebrews 1:5. God is the Father of OUR SPIRITS, THE FATHER OF HIS SONS! Now we can understand what Jesus was telling Nicodemus when He said, “That which is born of the flesh IS FLESH; and that which is BORN of the SPIRIT IS SPIRIT.” The Spirit is the part of man which first suffered TOTAL DEATH in Eden. Man, through the fall, has experienced total death – spirit, soul, and body. But the spirit was the first to suffer total death. The soul and the body followed suit through the death process. In Eden MAN’S SPIRIT DIED. Since God is Spirit, it is there that the great separation came between God and man, for man, being reduced to a carnal, fleshly, mortal, physical being could not have fellowship and communion with God who is Spirit. Not only was man’s fellowship broken by the death of his spirit, but indeed his RELATIONSHIP (kinship) to God annulled. He was no longer after God’s “KIND.” SIN had brought DEATH! And the death of man’s spirit reduced him to shame and corruption. But when man is BORN AGAIN from above his SPIRIT is restored, raised from the dead, so that he becomes again a SPIRIT-UAL BEING. God (ELOHIM) begets our spirits and then we are BORN – the offspring of ELOHIM! The offspring of GOD!

“And you He made alive, when you were dead, slain, by your trespasses and sins. In which at one time you walked habitually. You were following the course and fashion of this world – were under the sway of the tendency of this present age – following the prince of power of the air, the demon spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience… But God! So rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, Even when we were dead, slain, by our own shortcomings and trespasses, He made us ALIVE TOGETHER in fellowship and in UNION WITH CHRIST. He gave us THE VERY LIFE OF CHRIST HIMSELF, the same new life with which He quickened Him. And He RAISED US UP TOGETHER WITH HIM and made us sit down together – giving us joint seating with Him – in the heavenly sphere by virtue of OUR BEING IN CHRIST JESUS!” Ephesians 2:1-6, Amplified Bible.

ETERNAL LIFE

“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our lord.” Romans 6:23. Even as man lost life, spirit, soul and body, because of sin, so through the redemption of Christ man is restored to life, spirit, soul and body. But even as death began in the spirit and was last brought to its conclusion in the soul and then the body, so the eternal life God has now given unto us in Christ begins in the spirit – by quickening it and raising it up from the dead into a new SPIRIT BEING – and shall last and ultimately be evidenced in the body. We shall deal with the redemption of the body later, but here let us set forth some scriptures which show that when God begets us and our new man – our new SPIRIT BEING is BORN – that new being is an eternal, intelligent, GOD-LIFE being which will live forever even if the body dies – even if the body were never changed! In other words, eternal life does not begin for Sons of God at the resurrection, but we are NOW Sons (off-spring) of God (I John 3:1-2) and since God is the Father of our Spirits we are eternal Sons of God! Thank God, our body shall be redeemed and we shall see the great PURPOSE in this presently – but – regardless of the present condition of our earthly tabernacle we are already BORN as SPIRIT BEINGS (though babes) into the Family of God!

“And this is the record, that God HATH GIVEN unto us ETERNAL LIFE, and this life is in His Son. He that HATH THE SON HATH LIFE; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” I John 5:11-12. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall not come into condemnation; but IS PASSED from death unto life.” John 5:24. “We know that we HAVE PASSED from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” I John 3:14. “Jesus saith unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth on Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: AND WHOSOEVER LIVETH and believeth on Me SHALL NEVER DIE.” John 11:25-26.

FULL SONSHIP

So many Christians today are satisfied with merely an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour. Their eyes are blinded to eternal values, any efforts to lead them on to higher ground are rebuffed and resisted by a human reasoning which asks why one should waste time on “deep things” when they are already saved and perhaps filled with the Holy Spirit. But salvation, while it is the most astounding miracle of the ages, yet is the birth of a mere SPIRITUAL INFANT. There are many further steps which must follow this birth if one is to come into all the glories and the full heritage which is prepared for those who “follow on to know the Lord.” And not one of us have come all the way up to our full privileges in Christ. There is great glory and heavenly wealth awaiting those who become fully equipped unto God’s ultimate purpose. Salvation in nothing more than the beginning of a never-ending heavenly God-kind life. Then the recipient may become a heavenly billionaire, or remain a heavenly pauper. He may become a full grown SON in the GOD-FAMILY, or he may remain a baby spirit simply delighting in the fact of an immature and childish eternal existence. Salvation is a free gift through unmerited mercy and favor: a new divine life begun by means of the new birth. But heavenly attainments of spiritual wealth and glory and usefulness are given to those who have salvation, and then go on to GROW UP into “measure of the stature of the FULLNESS OF CHRIST.” Ephesians 4:11-16. Salvation is a GIFT – but the HIGH CALLING OF GOD in Christ Jesus is a PRIZE. Philippians 3:7-16.

There are two Greek words which in the Greek New Testament clearly distinguish between “children” of God and full grown, mature SONS of God. These words are:

1. Teknon. This word means “one born” or “a child.” An example of this word is found in I John 3:2 where in the King James version the reading is: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” The word sons gives the wrong understanding. We are not NOW the Sons; we are the babes, or the children, or the adolescents of God. It should read, “Beloved, now are we the children of God,” and is so translated by all modern translations. So John continues and says, “It does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him.” And there is where FULL SONSHIP begins. So let us understand this as we should, for it is very unfortunate for little children to imagine that they have reached full Sonship.

2. Huios. The Greek word Huios means a Son, that is a mature Son. An example of this word is found in Hebrews 1:2, 5 where Paul says that God has spoken to us by HIS SON whom He hath appointed heir of all things. This word Huios is always used throughout the four Gospels and the entire New Testament in every reference to Jesus as the SON OF GOD. The word “teknon” is never used even once in reference to Jesus’ Sonship.

EXAMPLE: To understand the difference in meaning between “children” and “Sons” as it is revealed in the Greek scriptures, let us use this example. If you are driving down the street and pass a store building with a sign out front that reads: BROWN AND SON HARDWARE, what does this suggest to you? Naturally it suggests to you that Mr. Brown has a son – BUT IT ALSO SUGGESTS that this son is GROWN – that he has reached an age of maturity and responsibility where he can now be taken into his father’s business AS A PARTNER – as a mature BUSINESS MAN! You would not expect to enter the store and asking for the son, be presented to a 10 year old boy or an infant in a cradle. Neither do we see signs which read: BROWN AND CHILD! This then, is exactly the difference between “teknon” and “Huios.” This is the difference between the “children” of God and the SONS OF GOD! A child is born – but a Son is developed. Since we have been born again we have God’s NATURE, the divine nature. But we must grow up INTO GOD’S CHARACTER AND ABILITY! This is what it really means to be a part of the GOD – FAMILY!

THE ADOPTION

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself…” “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that WE might receive THE ADOPTION OF SONS.”

To understand this Biblical reference to the “adoption” of Sons, we must first have some background to show how oriental customs in this regard differ from our Western concepts. The Bible was written in the East, and the Eastern customs in regard to adoption are therefore the Bible meaning. Here in the West, adoption is the taking of a child from one family and making it a member of another. However, in Israel and the Near East ADOPTION has always be a public ceremony in which a young man who had proved his responsibility and faithfulness was proclaimed as a SON. The ceremony is called ADOPTION. The Greek word for adoption is “huiothesia” and means “placing as a son.” In Eastern nations neither a baby nor an adolescent boy is called a “son.” This word is applied only to those young men who have reached adulthood.

At the adoption ceremony, with friends, neighbors, and relatives present, the father publicly proclaimed his hitherto adolescent boy as his son. This proclamation gave the son certain privileges not enjoyed by him before this time. These PRIVILEGES are VERY IMPORTANT and will teach us much if we think upon them. First, the son at the adoption ceremony was given the right to use his father’s name. He could buy or sell or do business in his father’s name. In other words, he received the POWER OF ATTORNEY. Secondly, at this time the son was given his inheritance, the wealth that the father would entrust to him. Thirdly, but of tremendous importance for our consideration – the SON was given EQUALITY WITH THE FATHER! But NONE OF THIS was his by right of birth, but only as an attainment received following years of growth, development, discipline, schooling, experience, etc.

Experientially, we are NOT SONS of God now – we are the children of God moving on toward the full stature of Christ to receive our ADOPTION as SONS!

THE ADOPTION OF JESUS

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…” Isaiah 9:6. Consider these two statements:

1. A CHILD is BORN

2. A SON is GIVEN

Jesus fulfilled the first when he came into the world as a babe. “And they found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.” The child was born in Bethlehem. But it was not for another 30 years that the SON was given at JORDAN. When Jesus was 12 years of age, the revelation of Who He was came to him, but even then, “He went down with them (Josheph and Mary), and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in WISDOM and (spiritual) STATURE, and in favour with GOD and man.” Luke 2:51-52. After coming through 30 years of spiritual development, dealings of God, and the learning of total obedience and submission to the Father, it was then in a public ceremony at Jordan that God declared His Son’s Sonship: “And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven saying, This is My beloved SON, in Whom I am WELL PLEASED.” Matthew 3:16-17.

THE TIME OF OUR ADOPTION

There are some poor deluded souls who imagine that they themselves have ALREADY experienced the ADOPTION of Sons and are now in their full Sonship. There are others who anticipate coming into FULL SONSHIP while in their present mortal bodies are simply arriving at spiritual perfection. Being perfected in the image of God spiritually does indeed play a vital role in our coming on into full Sonship to the Father, and nothing short of this is acceptable to God in Sonship. However, it is the plain teaching of scripture that no one will ever experience the absolute FULLNESS of Sonship to God apart from the REDEMPTION OF THE BODY. The plain teaching of the scripture is, that for us humans, who are being born and brought fully into the GOD-FAMILY – our ADOPTION as SONS IS THE REDEMPTION of our bodies. This is set forth in Romans 8:18-19 and 23 in these words: “… For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us, and conferred on us! For even the whole creation waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God’s Sons to be made known – waits for the revealing, the DISCLOSING OF THEIR SONSHIP. And not only the creation, but we ourselves too, who have and enjoy the firstfruits of the Spirit – a foretaste of the blissful things to come – groan inwardly as we wait for the REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES from sensuality and the grave, WHICH WILL REVEAL OUR ADOPTION – our manifestation as God’s Sons.” Amplified Bible.

To further emphasize this great truth let us read the same scripture from the Wuest translation and also the Phillips translation. “For I have come to a reasoned conclusion that the sufferings of the present season are of no weight in comparison to the glory which is about to be revealed upon us. For the concentrated and undivided expectation of the creation is assiduously and patiently awaiting the revelation of the Sons of God; For we know that the whole creation groans and travails together up to this moment, and not only, but we ourselves also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we ourselves also are groaning within ourselves, assiduously and patiently waiting the FULL REALIZATION OF OUR ADULT SONSHIP at the time of the REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY.” Wuest.

“In my opinion whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing compared with the magnificent future God has planned for us. The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the Sons of God coming into their own. It is plain to anyone with eyes to see that at the present time all created life groans in a sort of universal travail. And it is plain too, that we who have a foretaste of the Spirit are in a state of painful tension, while we wait for that REDEMPTION of our bodies WHICH WILL MEAN THAT WE AT LAST HAVE REALIZED OUR FULL SONSHIP IN HIM.” Phillips.

Speaking of the redemption of our bodies in I Corinthians 15:51-52, Paul asserts that “we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” But this change of our bodies “in the twinkling of an eye” is only the FINAL change, the LAST STEP in a long PROGRESSIVE CHANGE that began in us at our new birth. And so we read in II Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another…” K. J. V. & Amplified Bible. Beginning with our new birth we begin to be changed, and the process must go on and on for those who indeed have felt the apprehension unto Sonship – fullness of stature in Him. In order to be a SON our natures, motives, attitudes, spirits, desires, thoughts, actions, etc. etc. must be transformed INTO HIS IMAGE. Many Christians are living in carnality, immaturity, and pettiness, expecting that when Jesus comes and they get their glorified bodies they will suddenly qualify for their full inheritance in God and rule and reign in Him. This is not so. WE MUST BE CHANGED INTO HIS IMAGE – and this change ONLY COMES by the inworking of the Holy Spirit as we yield to Him day by day, continuously. We are changed from the image of the earthly into the image of the heavenly from one glory to another as God deals with us bringing us step by step, battle by battle, victory by victory from one realm in Him to another. And the finally – the last CROWNING CHANGE WHICH DECLARES THE ARRIVAL AT THE FULLNESS OF OUR SONSHIP IN CHRIST – the “twinkling of an eye change” – the REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES!

THE “SPIRIT” OF SONSHIP ADOPTION

“For the SPIRIT which you have now received is not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the SPIRIT OF ADOPTION – the Spirit producing Sonship – in the bliss of which we cry, Abba, Father!” Romans 8:15, Amplified Bible.

“Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, in God; who hath also sealed us, and given the EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT in our hearts.” II Corinthians 1:21-23. The word “earnest” in this verse is translated from a Greek word which means simply “a down payment” or a “pledge” or “token payment” which is paid to guarantee that the balance will be paid. The Amplified Bible renders this verse thus: “He has also appropriated and acknowledged us AS HIS, putting His SEAL upon us and giving us His Holy Spirit in our hearts as the SECURITY DEPOSIT and GUARANTEE of the FULLFILLMENT of His promise.” Wuest’s translations says that the Holy Spirit is the “TOKEN PAYMENT GUARANTEEING THE PAYMENT IN FULL of our salvation!” Then in Ephesians 1:14 we read, “THAT SPIRIT is the GUARANTEE OF OUR INHERITANCE – the first fruit, the pledge and foretaste, the DOWNPAYMENT on our heritage – in anticipation if IT’S FULL REDEMPTION and our acquiring complete possession of it, to the praise of His glory.” Amplified Bible.

The Holy Spirit which God has given His Spirit-filled Body is the first installment of all that God has planned for us as He brings us INTO HIMSELF. We have not received our adoption yet, but we have received the SPIRIT of that adoption, and thus, the Holy Spirit is not merely a “blessing” or a “power” to help us “hold on” till we get to heaven – but this Holy Spirit is the very SPIRIT of OUR ADOPTION – designed to produce an inworking of the nature, mind and life of God our FATHER in us – changing us – developing us – maturing us – from one glory to another until ultimately He brings forth IN US the fullness of our Sonship. Paul declares in Romans 8:11, “BUT IF THE SPIRIT of Him who raised up Jesus from the dead DWELL IN YOU, He that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies BY HIS SPIRIT THAT DWELLETH IN YOU!” Wuest translates this: “He will also make alive your mortal bodies THROUGH THE AGENCY of the Spirit WHO IS RESIDENT IN YOU.” This is the final, crowning operation of the Spirit of adoption bringing forth the fullness of our adoption through the redemption of our bodies.

OUR DESTINY IN THE GOD – FAMILY – KINGDOM

In Hebrews chapters 1 and 2 we find that Angels are on a plane far lower than God, but they are on a plane higher than fallen, degenerate man. But when a human, born from above, moves on into his place IN GOD – IN THE GOD FAMILY – then he naturally is HIGHER THAN ANGELS. So let us now consider man’s ultimate heritage in Sonship!

Speaking of the relative difference between men and angels we read: “For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the WORLD TO COME, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testifieth (Ps. 8:4-6), saying, ‘what is man, that Thou art mindful of him?’…” Hebrews 2:5-6. UNDERSTAND THIS! Satan and his demons still sway, invisibly, this PRESENT EVIL WORLD. But – Jesus Christ conquered Satan, and qualified for WORLD RULE. He is coming again to earth – soon, now, as KING of Kings to ESTABLISH on earth GOD’S GOVERNMENT!

But what of MAN? Those who become children of God by new birth – who then mature and grow up into Christ – who overcome all things and are changed into HIS SAME IMAGE, shall RULE THE WORLD TO COME with Christ. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame (first) and am set down with My Father in His throne… And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father.” Revelation 3:21, 2:26-27.

Yes, this is TRUE – but ultimately even MORE that this!

But today, unregenerate, carnal man is shooting rockets to the moon, and boasts that he is going to use the moon as a launching pad to soar to the planets and universes beyond. But man is simply getting in too big a hurry! He is striving to “take over” what he has not fitted himself to manage – and before it has been made lawfully his! For what carnal man does not know is that – IF, through Christ, he first qualifies for the trust – it has been God’s intention all along to place not only the moon and Mars, but THE WHOLE VAST, LIMITLESS UNIVERSE under his jurisdiction!

Notice, now, this passage in Hebrews two: “Thou madest him (man) a little lower than the angels; Thou crownest him with GLORY and HONOR, and didst set him over all the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put ALL THINGS in subjection under his feet. For in that He put ALL in subjection under him, He left NOTHING that is NOT put under him!” Hebrews 2:7-8. You won’t quite grasp that at first. It’s too overwhelming! To be crowned means to be given kingly RULE. To be crowned with GLORY and HONOR is to be given such rule as Christ Jesus has, NOW – and that is described in chapter one of Hebrews as being the Administrating, Ruling Executive over the ENTIRE UNIVERSE! Christ is now ruling over “ALL THINGS”! The Moffatt translation renders this, properly, from the Greek as THE UNIVERSE – that is, all that God has created!

Christ rules it all now! The FATHER of the God Kingdom has placed the resurrected, ever living Christ as Chief Executive (King of Kings) over the GOVERNMENT OF GOD over the entire, vast, limitless UNIVERSE. And born-again human Sons of God are HEIRS OF GOD – JOINT HEIRS with Christ to inherit with Him, in due time, all that HE has now inherited!

But continue the passage in Hebrews two: “… But now we see not yet all things put under him.” (vs. 8). Oh, then the rulership over the universe is NOT YET under man. But what do we already, now see? Continue the passage: “But we see JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR…” (vs. 9). And verse 10 shows that Jesus is the Captain, the LEADER, the One who goes before leading the way – bringing many Sons to the very same GLORY that God the Father has crowned Him with! And men, if they will come to God and surrender unconditionally to God and God’s government (rule), accepting in simple faith the Saviour – and the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ – and if he then GROWS spiritually, submitting to the dealings and purposes of God in his life – overcoming – he shall soon – at the revealing (unveiling) of all God’s Sons – stand with Christ IN HIS VERY OWN GLORY AND HONOR!

And then – at the adoption – if the very CHARACTER of God has been developed within him, his vile material body will be changed into one “like unto HIS glorious body!” Philippians 3:21. But your vile CHARACTER will not then be instantaneously changed – THAT change must take place NOW, in this day!

So THAT is the supreme heritage of MAN – if he is willing! Man, and man only, of all the life forms God has created, can be BORN into the GOD FAMILY (ELOHIM) – the KINGDOM (ruling family) OF GOD! This family relationship is a GOD-PLANE relationship, not an angel-plane, animal-plane, or human-plane relationship. Notice! Of angels, God says: “For unto which of the angels said He at any time, ‘Thou art MY SON, this day have I begotten thee?’ And again, ‘I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to Me a Son’?” Hebrews 1:5. What a matchless, supreme, awe-inspiring, breath-taking potential! Angels, higher than degenerate, carnal, man, are the ministering servants of God in the administration of His universe-ruling government. But begotten Sons are actually heirs of God. “Are they (the angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them (not to them) who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:14. Angels are actually servants both to God and His Sons! “And because ye are SONS, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father.’ Wherefore thou art NO MORE A SERVANT (as are angels), but a SON; and if a Son, then an HEIR of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:6-7.

A young son of a wealthy man, while still a child, may be under the care of an adult servant. The servant is older, farther advanced in knowledge, on a higher plane physically and mentally – but far lower potentially. For when the Son is mature, he will inherit his fathers wealth and power. Therefore, the servant temporarily older and further matured is a servant ministering to the young HEIR. But when the Heir comes into his manhood he will then COMMAND the servant. Such are the angels! Rulership over the universe does not mean merely the physical side of the universe, but ALL THINGS that make up the universe – every being, every order, every spirit, indeed EVERY LIVING AND EVERY INANIMATE THING THAT HAS BEEN CREATED. And so we read in Ephesians 1:20-21, “He seated Him (Christ) at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above ALL RULE and AUTHORITY and POWER and DOMINION, and every NAME that is named – above every title that can be conferred – not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and in the world which are to come… And He raised US UP TOGETHER WITH HIM and made us sit down together – GIVING US JOINT SEATING WITH HIM – in the heavenly sphere…”

This time is but a proving ground for these who through grace will reign with their Lord over the endless vastnesses of infinity. They have proven faithful over few things. Now they shall soon be made rulers over many… over ALL HIS POSSESSIONS (Matthew 24:45-47). He has given us His glory because we are brethren, bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh. We are of common parentage, brothers by the new birth: becoming like Him in name, nature and being. We are all “out of one” for which reason He is not ashamed to call us brethren. (Heb. 2:11) He has raised us up to sit with Him in the higher than heavenlies, hence we belong on His throne. And the place which He has been preparing for each one is not only a world to come, and a kingdom of life and light, but a position, a place of eminence at His side, ruling with Him over all the eternal endlessness of His unbounded heavens!

CONCLUSION

We are IN CHRIST (Yahweh, Lord of the Old Testament) because we have been BORN OF GOD. GOD is our Father. He is actively and presently in the process of begetting and bringing forth SONS to be eternally in His image – spiritually perfect as He is perfect – ever living as He is ever living – ruling as He rules – GOD AS HE IS GOD. The PURPOSE of Sonship is that IN US, God is REALLY, ACTUALLY, LITTERALLY, re-creating His OWN KIND – reproducing HIMSELF after His Own Kind – for we are actually begotten as the very SONS OF GOD! To be a part of ELOHIM – in Christ – by the infinite grace and love of our Father – is the destiny of all Sons of God. There can be no other meaning to Sonship than that God our Father has called us into THE KINGDOM FAMILY OF GOD! AMEN.

J. PRESTON EBY

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