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KINGDOM BIBLE STUDIES

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

THAT BLESSED HOPE

Originally published in June 1973

Introduction

“This one thing I do… I press toward the mark for the prize of the High calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14.

Someone has said, “The man who aims at nothing usually hits what he aims at – He can’t miss!”

In your Christian life do you have an aim? Paul did. He said he had set his goal before him. To obtain this goal he was willing to count all things but loss and expend all his spiritual energies in concentrating on just one thing – that he might hit the mark and win the prize – the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus!

This was Paul’s goal. What should our goal be? Heaven? Ah, no! We do not gain heaven by running or by aiming. That is by grace. There are many blessings and privileges that God has given His children by grace, simply by virtue of right as members of His family. This fact is illustrated in the example of our family on the earthly plain. My little sons have a house to live in merely by virtue of their being my sons. They are not required to work or run in order to share this privilege – it is theirs by right as members of our family. In like manner they daily partake of the food from our table, share a room and a bed to sleep in, a car to ride in, and many other such blessings purely by virtue of their sonship. However, there are things which they will be called upon to attain to, which are not theirs inherently, because of their standing as sons. Opportunities may present themselves of achieving attainments and recognition in the fields of sports, music, business, politics or education. For instance, the office of President of the United States is a powerful and important position. No son of mine could ever come into that mighty office simply by virtue of being my son – or even the son of the President of our country. There are requirements, necessary preparations, awesome demands and rigid qualifications to be met by the man who would aspire to that lofty position. Even so it is in the economy of the Kingdom of God! Our being the children of God by new birth secures for us many blessings and privileges which are our right by the very fact of our Sonship to the Father. Some of these privileges and blessings are forgiveness of confessed sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, answers to our prayers, the supplying of our daily needs, divine healing and health, heaven when we die. BUT – there are also realms of attainment and heights of glory and majesty in God which are not INHERENTLY OURS as children of God. To these, the Spirit of God beckons those who have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches – but – these places in God have such a high price attached to them that he who would aspire is called upon to make ultimate sacrifices, suffer ultimate losses, experience the ultimate disciplines and dealings of God, walk in the ultimate leadership of the Spirit and receive the ultimate perfection of his faith. Certainly this is what Paul had in mind when he wrote to the Philippians: “But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as (one combined) loss of Christ’s sake. Yes, furthermore I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege – the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth and supreme advantage – of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ, the Anointed One, and that I may actually be found and known as IN HIM… For my determined purpose is that I may know Him… more strongly and clearly. And that I may in some way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into HIS LIKENESS to His death, in the hope that if possible I may attain to the… resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead even while in the body. Not that I have now attained… or am already made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me and made me His own. I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own yet; but one thing I do – it is my one aspiration: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the supreme… prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.” Phil. 3:7-14, Amplified Bible.

And in this hour also, the Spirit is bringing forth a yearning in the hearts of many of God’s Sons for a greater walk in God and for the experiencing of a greater reality and fullness in the Father. Certainly, this is a BLESSED HOPE in the hearts of those among whom God is dealing so specifically and significantly in these days.

WHAT IS THE “BLESSED HOPE”?

The people of God everywhere for long centuries have spoken of the spiritual phrase THE BLESSED HOPE, but how few have received real scriptural understanding of this wonderful truth, having confused the GOAL of our walk in Sonship to the Father with such inherent blessings of grace as heaven or the return of our Lord to the earth.

Let us now turn to the scripture reference concerning this in Titus 2:13… “Looking for that BLESSED HOPE and THE GLORIOUS APPEARING of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.” Reading this verse carefully, we find it sets forth TWO distinct and different thoughts, or subjects, which are connected by the conjunction AND. Notice:

“Looking for that Blessed Hope…

and

… the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ.”

And yet, have we not read it as though it said, “Looking for that blessed hope WHICH IS the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ?” With the correct thought of this verse in mind, it is interesting to note that Paul sets for the first THAT BLESSED HOPE, and the secondly THE APPEARING OF JESUS CHRIST. The implication is that the latter cannot come to pass without the former being first fulfilled!

And so we read in I John 3:2-3, “Beloved, now are we the sons (Gr. teknon, children) of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath THIS HOPE (of being like Him when He appears) purifieth himself even as He is pure.” The latter part of this verse shows that there will be a company of overcomers who will have been purified to such an extent that they have come forth in His likeness, and therefore have taken on the qualification that will make them in the likeness of the “Pattern Son.” The intent of the verse is to show that at the time of HIS APPEARING they shall be in the state of being like Him – not after a “rapture.” It is a work that must be done previous to His appearing, as a preparation for His appearing. To this all the testimony of the scripture agrees. This then, is that BLESSED HOPE! The HOPE of being like Him when He appears. “Every man that hath THIS HOPE in Him, purifieth himself even as He is pure!”

Let us take a closer look at this! In these verses there are four (4) major points set forth. 1. Beloved, even now we are the little children of God; begotten, born and brought forth into His family! 2. What we are yet (in the future, in maturity) going to be has not yet been fully revealed, experienced or manifested. 3. But – this we do know! That when He shall appear we shall (already) be in the state of being like him, having been conformed to His image and likeness. (See II Cor. 3:18). 4. And because we shall have been through the dealings of God, brought into and conformed into His very image and likeness – thus sharing His divine nature and character – we shall be qualified to really see Him as He is!

Surely the intent of I John 3:2-3 can be no LESS than this! And that God will bring a vast company of His Sons unto FULL MATURITY in Him in this end-time is conclusive from both the testimony of the scriptures and the witness of the Holy Spirit unto the church in this last hour. God has now brought us to the great and significant climax of an age, in which He shall usher His body into His great end-time dealings and purposes, thus preparing for that ultimate expression and unveiling of His glory in His Sons, His own triumphal return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and the expansion of His glorious Kingdom from pole to pole. In Rev. 19:7 it is declared, “Let us rejoice – and shout for joy – exulting and triumphant! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb at last has come and His bride has prepared herself.” Amplified Bible. The King James version says: “His wife hath made herself ready.” Is not this picture of the bride who has “prepared herself” related to the other picture of him that hath this hope in him who “purifieth himself, even as He is pure?” Rev 19:8 goes on to say, “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.” It is interesting to note that his “making ready” of the bride, with her being clothed with her ultimate purity and righteousness, is immediately followed in the subsequent verses of this 19^th chapter and the opening verses of chapter 20 with the return of Christ to the earth and the resurrection of the dead in Christ. Here again we behold the ORDER of God’s plan and purpose! The ORDER is that we are to look first for that BLESSED HOPE (of being conformed to His image) to be fulfilled in an end-time company of God’s saints – and THEN (following that) THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF JESUS CHRIST!

How graciously God is setting before His Spirit-led people in this hour the glorious and eternal reality of God’s purpose for those who are called and chosen to follow the Lamb in this important last hour (of this age) into ALL his glorious fullness! Through the great end-time moving of the Holy Spirit which God’s people have been experiencing the past number of years, God has again, after 2000 years of spiritual bondage, been restoring to His Spirit-led end-time people, the Spirit-anointed ministries of the apostles and prophets, as well as true ministries of evangelists, pastors and teachers. It is no accident that God has poured out His Spirit in THIS hour! Neither is it by accident that groups of God’s people across the earth have begun to emerge from the Babylonian bondage of man-made church systems, traditions and doctrines, to be led into a new and glorious walk in the SPIRIT. It is no accident that the Spirit-led ministries of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers have begun to take the place of unscriptural, man-instituted offices of leadership in carnal and worldly organizations mistakenly and erroneously called “churches.” God never set in His church a “chairman of the board”, a “board member”, or a “minister of education.” But the ministries which God by His Spirit sets in His Spirit-led body are for a purpose and will continue to spring forth in ever increasing reality until a set time. This purpose for these ministries and the set time for their termination is clearly revealed in Eph. 4:11-13: “And He gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some pastors and teachers; for (purpose) the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till (set time of termination) we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST.”

INSTANTANEOUS PERFECTION?

Many Christians mistakenly hold to the idea that they can just float along as carnal or half-carnal Christians, and that when Jesus comes they will suddenly and INSTANTANEOUSLY be ENTIRELY CHANGED and lifted out of their carnality, failure, unbelief, fears and weaknesses. They know that they are now far from being what God wants them to be, but somehow, the resurrection is supposed to instantaneously take care of all that, and suddenly they will be like Christ; filled with all his power and glory, super giants, ruling and reigning with Christ forever – simply by His grace. But the simple fact is, that God has not given His ministries, His gifts, His Spirit, and His word for this purpose. Repentance, submission to the dealings and Spirit of God, and the inworking of His word all are vital factors in the changing of our characters. Just becoming glorified spirit beings in the resurrection does not guarantee the inward transformation of our natures and spirits. We must remember that Satan is a spirit, but my! What a nasty spirit his is!

Speaking of the redemption of our bodies in I Cor. 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 Cor. 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. & Amp. 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 the stature in Him. In order to be a SON our natures, motives, attitudes, spirits, desires, thoughts, actions, etc. must be transformed 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 to another in Him. And then finally – the last CROWING CHANGE – the “twinkling of an eye change” the REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES!

It is scriptural to maintain that not all members in the body of Christ are equal – that is, not all have the same function nor are all called upon by the Lord to attain to the same degree of office or authority. It stands to reason that the ministry of the apostle is a ministry of far greater magnitude, much greater responsibility, and far more authority than is realized by the member of the body who moves in the gift of helps. Not that one member of the body is more precious in the eyes of the Lord than another, but certainly the offices are not equal, nor are the qualifications demanded of these respective members equal, nor yet the degree of their accomplishment in the Kingdom of God – Jesus said, “Unto whom much is given much shall be required; and unto whom little is given, little shall be required.” The apostle James affirms this truth in James 3:1 in these words, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we teachers will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity than other people. Thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation.” Amplified Bible.

THE HIGH CALLING – THAT BLESSED HOPE!

Since it is clear that there is no equality of attainment in the ministry of the individual members of the body of Christ during this time of the operation of the Holy Spirit among God’s people, it is also scriptural to maintain that all members of the body of Christ will not automatically attain to the same place in the Kingdom of God. A mistaken idea that many have held in the past has been that all saints will share the throne of God’s government during the Kingdom age and will thus “rule and reign” with Christ. That this is not the case is scripturally set forth out the word of God. Jesus spoke on several occasions of the “least” and the “greatest” in the Kingdom. In Matt. 5:19 He said, “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men, so he shall be called the least in the king of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called GREAT in the kingdom of heaven.” Again, the Lord Jesus in His messages to the seven churches, has a word for admonition for those believers who though saved by grace, walk far beneath their privileges and astray from the highest purpose of God. Jesus says, “To Him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame (all things) and am set down with my Father in His throne.” Rev. 3:21.

By way of example, here is a dear, precious saint who in her simple way loves the Lord, but is plagued by many and varied weaknesses, faults, failures and struggles. She, though saved by grace, lacks understanding, is a very undependable individual, never attempts anything of any consequence for God, and cannot be entrusted with even some of the most menial tasks of the church. Would you nominate such a person for the Governorship of your state, or, would you give them any possibility of becoming President of the United States? As you contemplate your answer, let us ask also if this precious little saint is REALLY material to share Christ’s throne and rule the nations with a rod of iron? We read in Matt. 20:21-23: “And He said unto her, what wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, IN THY KINGDOM. But Jesus answered and said, “Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand (sharing His throne), and on my left is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.” The place of kingdom (ruling) authority is reserved for those for whom it is prepared. But the scripture also notes that it reserved for those who are prepared for it!

Jesus says again in Rev. 2:26-27, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him shall 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.”

So let us see that the purpose of the dealings of God with His Sons in this climatic hour of history, is that He might present every one of them PERFECT in Christ Jesus; mature, disciplined, conformed to His very image; ultimate overcomers, having counted all other things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ – that they might hit the mark and win the prize – the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus! Paul envisioned this High Calling when writing to the Colossians: “Him we preach and proclaim, warning and admonishing every one and instructing every one in all wisdom, in comprehensive insight into the WAYS and PURPOSES of God, that we may present every person mature – full grown, fully initiated, complete and perfect in Christ…” Amp. Bible. This High Calling means to be like Him. And only those who become like Him shall share all His marvelous glory and majesty and dominion!

He that hath this blessed hope will purify himself, will make himself ready, will count all other things but dung that he might “Buy of Him gold tried in the fire, that he might be rich; and white raiment, that he might be clothed; and will anoint his eyes with eyesalve, that he may see.” Rev. 3:18. As events hurl us rapidly toward the end of this age and the dawning of the Kingdom, our hearts are enraptured with the expectancy of the vital dealings of God which shall come to His people; of the ultimate reality of God’s Sons coming into their own; LIKE HIM; and of the glory that shall follow!

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God.” Romans 8:18-19.

THE TWO-FOLD HOPE

Before we close we should mention that the Blessed Hope is a two-fold hope. First, our hope is to be like Him, thus sharing all He is and has, all His nature, glory and dominion. But the HOPE OF THE WHOLE CREATION is the same! The hope of all the creation is that a company of Sons will come to this glorious place in God. Yes indeed, all creation has a HOPE. Their hope is not simply that Jesus will appear, but that there shall be a full manifestation of ALL GOD’S SONS. Why? The answer is clear in Romans 8:19-23: “All creation is yearning, longing to see the manifestation of the Sons of God. For the creation was made subject to futility, not of its own choice, but by the will of Him who so subjected it; yet with the HOPE that at last the Creation itself would be set free from the thraldom of decay to enjoy the liberty that comes with the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole Creation is moaning in the pangs of childbirth until this hour. And more than that, we ourselves, though we possess the Spirit as a foretaste of bliss, yet we ourselves inwardly moan as we wait for full Sonship in the redemption of our bodies.” Weymouth.

A close perusal of these verses reveals the following facts:

1. ALL CREATION is yearning to see the manifestation of the Sons of God.

2. All creation was made subject to futility – not of its own choice – but by the will of Him who subjected it.

3. But He who subjected the creation to futility did so WITH THE HOPE that it also (not ONLY the Sons of God) would be set free from decay (mortality) to enjoy liberty as GOD’S CHILDREN.

4. The Creation is yearning for the manifestation (unveiling) of God’s Sons because it is to be delivered from the bondage of corruption – meaning – it cannot be delivered from corruption until THEY (God’s Sons) ARE MANIFESTED! This means – that the Sons of God shall be raised up for that very purpose – to deliver all Creation from futility and bring it into the Kingdom of God AS GOD’S CHILDREN! No other possible meaning can be understood, twisted or extracted from these pointed verses. What a glorious ministry awaits (in the next age) those who will pay the price to sit with Him as overcomers!

Every man that hath THIS (blessed) HOPE in him, purifieth himself even as HE IS PURE! “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for THAT BLESSED HOPE and THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF THE GREAT GOD AND OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.” Amen!

J. PRESTON EBY

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