Jesus Has Left the Building
Writer Author Elizabeth Parker
Christian Article
:
Holy Spirit
- Fiction No
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” John 16:7
The outward humanity is to disappear, that the inward union may be complete. Jesus has left the building and Holy Spirit has arrived!
God does not change we all know that, "For I the LORD do not change" (Malachi 3:6). However, at different times in history, the relationship between God and Man has changed.
The bible outlines a series of such changes which are generally defined by the various covenants God has established with man throughout history. The time periods which are created by dividing history into segments characterized by a particular covenant relationship, are called "dispensations".
The dispensations are briefly described as follows..
First, Pre-Mosaic age (before Moses);
Second, Mosaic age (during the time of Moses);
Third, Holy Spirit age (after Jesus' departure).
In each of the two former ages it may be right to say that the Spirit of God dealt with man to a degree, but the Third age is the special dispensation of Holy Spirit.
That is the age we’re living in now, the dispensation of Holy Spirit in which God has communicated Himself by the highest revelation, and in the most intimate communion, of which man is capable; no longer through creation, no more as an authoritative voice from without, but as a Spirit mingling with a spirit. We see the start of this transition (the grand turning point) at the beginning of chapter 16 in the gospel of John.
Jesus has done His part “I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began.” (John 17:4, 5).
He now sits at the right hand of the Father and there He’ll remain until His time comes again at the end of the age. Now, the "going" of that One to the Father is shown to be imminent. It is also shown to be essential in order that all in Him through faith should move on to that new Third dimension.
There seems to have been a distribution of the work of redemption among the three persons of the Godhead. The Father reserving to Himself the right of supreme authority, became the originator of the gospel plan, in which the Son and the Holy Spirit had their part.
It almost seems as though the Father said... "I can't do a thing with that bunch, Jesus, go down there and set them straight"...So Jesus comes, and they murder Him.
So Jesus goes back to the Father and says, "They won't mind me either Father"
So Father says, "Alright then, I'll just have to go down there and live inside of them, it seems like that's the only thing that's gonna’ work."
But I digress, back to the matter at hand….
It was the special work of the Son to be a visible teacher of God to man. Man having separated himself from God and fallen from His grace, it was impossible that the death of the creature or Laws could atone for his great crime and again lift man from his fallen state in sin to the place of God's purity; and God being a Spirit could not die; hence, we see the great wisdom of God in clothing Himself in flesh in the person of His Son Jesus, and becoming not only a visible teacher of the principles of redemption, but also a substitute sacrifice.
To the Holy Spirit He committed the executive work of the kingdom of God. Thus God the Father originated a scheme, the great plan to redeem the souls of men.
Jesus Christ the Son came to earth and made known the doctrines of the gospel, lived a perfect, faultless life, endured trials, afflictions, persecutions and even death, proving it possible for man to live to please and glorify his Creator.
Jesus being, as He was, God manifest in the flesh, man would naturally think that He by the power and omnipotence of God could succeed better than man in living a life of purity and holiness.
"Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. “For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted." Hebrews 2:17, 18.
Christ thus humbling Himself to the nature of man, proved it possible for man to conquer sin, and left every man without excuse. Exposing Himself as He did to all the woes and temptations of a natural man. He became indeed an example, and last of all He gave His own life’s blood to seal the plan which He came to reveal.
To Holy Spirit was assigned the power, or the putting in force of the plan which the Father schemed and the Son revealed and died to seal.
Never in any other age was man so closely connected with God. In this age is assigned to Holy Spirit the work of calling and saving the lost. No man comes to the Father unless He is called by the Spirit.
When we speak of the Pre-mosaic age we refer to the period of time from creation to Moses; when we speak of the Mosaic age we refer to the period of time from Moses to Christ; and when we speak of the gospel or Holy Spirit age we refer to the period from Christ to the end of time.
When we speak of the dispensation of the Father we refer to the time from creation to Christ, including not only the Mosaic age, but also the Pre-mosaic age; when we speak of the dispensation of the Son we refer to the time from the beginning of the ministry of Christ to the day of Pentecost; and when we speak of the dispensation of the Holy Spirit we have reference to the period of time from the day of Pentecost to the judgment.
You may understand from the aforementioned that there may be two different divisions made of the world's history, each made up of three periods; the former growing out of the attitude of God the Father toward men in all ages, and the latter originating from the special dealings of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost with the souls of men at different times.
We may account for the first division given thus: First, God dealt directly with man; second, He dealt with him through Moses, a mediator; third, He deals with him through the combined efforts of the Word and Spirit, Jesus Christ being the mediator.
We may account for the second division as follows: First, God dealt personally with man; second, Christ dealt in person with man; and, third, the Holy Spirit operates directly upon the souls of men equally with the Word of God or the gospel, which "is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Romans 1:16.
The dispensation of Holy Spirit, the most grand and glorious of all dispensations, in the light of which all other dispensations fade, was introduced on that glorious day of Pentecost, and will only end when the angel shall stand with one foot upon the land and the other upon the sea and swear by Him that liveth forever and ever, that time shall be no more.
Then shall the Son of God step from His mediatorial throne of mercy, where He now sits and pleads for the souls of lost humanity, and be seated upon the throne of judgment.
Then shall the Spirit cease His wooings; then shall the mountains of God's wrath descend in fury on the ungodly and the pent up fires of eternal justice be poured upon the wicked; and then shall the kingdom of this world become the kingdom of the Lord.
Hallelujah! Can somebody say amen? Even so Lord Jesus Come!
In His love,
Elizabeth
Editor's Comment:
About the Writer Author
State:
Texas
Country:
USA
Email:
ef_parker@yahoo.com
Website:
www.rockinchairgospel2.blogspot.com
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