The Word of Truth for Today 28
/By Joseph L. Watkins
God Almighty came into the world in the form of man, the man Christ Jesus, that He might die the death of all men, in order that man might be reclaimed to Himself. Even more important, with a view to
HIM Being Made Known.
As always, this is the supreme goal of the creation of all men.
The first man, Adam, was fashioned in the likeness of the True Image, that He had initially assumed unto Himself. Even that One we know as "Elohim/Christ Jesus."
The One we also see as the very One that "formed" man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils "Neshamah-Life." Even the same One that Adam and his wife "hid" themselves from as He was walking in the garden; even that same One that also appeared unto Abram when he was ninety and nine years old, and God, Elohim/Christ Jesus, the One Creator, talked with Him and again the Lord appeared unto him, this time having two men, or angels, with Him (Gen. 18:1-22).
And again we see this same "Image" in the form of the man Melchizedek, the Priest of the Most High God (Gen. 14:18-22; also Heb. 7:1-28), the king of Salem, Jeru-Salem, King of Peace. The One without father, without mother, without descent (genealogy), having neither beginning of days, nor end of life.
Yes, from God's perspective, the One True Image of the One Invisible Deity is truly eternal, even as no one else can be "without beginning of days, nor end of life." Yet we would have you consider the one major limitation that this places before the otherwise limitless Creator. The assuming of outward form excludes this Image from being everywhere present. He could, and He did, go to the garden to make His man, and He could go to talk with Abram, and He could take with Him the two angels, and He could also be the ageless Priest of Salem. But He could not be in all three places at one and the same time. He could only do that as He is in spirit form.
So in and with man as the image of the True Image, the major problem could become but a minor inconvenience, for as man having been recreated into the image of the True Image, he could also only be in one place at a time. Yet, there could be many, many such men, or many, many images. Even living images of the One True Living Image of the One True God Almighty.
A living image, or personal clone-like being so divinely fashioned and schooled that they can and do picture and express perfectly the One Invisible, unknowable Creator of all that is. Yes,
"that HE might be known."
Always, and in all ways, this must be seen and must be understood, and must be fully appreciated. Amen and Amen.
And yet, in truth and in fact, the knowing of Him is but another step forward in His great master plan. We use the term supreme or ultimate goal advisedly, and only because that is where the out-called body comes into view; for it is in This Body of Living Images of the One True Living Image that He is to make Himself known, even "unto principalitiesand powers...in heavenly places." Amen.
Let me now try to present a picture that we trust may help some folks to better see and understand what I am trying to say. In building a house, many goals may come into view. The planning of the house is a goal in itself. A good foundation is always a goal, then a true safe superstructure is a major goal. And each step can be a goal or purpose in its own right. But in the view of the owner the goal is "move-in day" - the occupying of the house and the making of a home. That, too, may call for some consideration. I have built and moved into a number of houses, but my goal was to sell that house one day, hopefully soon. Then we might go beyond to my real purpose, providing a living for my family; and again as I have said, our purpose in having children is it's the only way we can have our grandchildren.
So we see that our real goals may call for some rethinking from time to time. But the Creator's Purpose is age-abiding. And yet, in knowing what we understand to be the Ultimate Purpose of the Ages, in Christ Jesus, IS that the One God of all creation might be known, we must ask "why?" Yes, why does He have such a strong desire to be known? We find that we have moved up to a much higher plane of thinking; forto learn of Him and to know Him, is the only way that the created can becomemore like Him. Nothing created can ever be deity. There is, and can only be, one deity, even Elohim/Christ Jesus, our Lord. He is One Lord. (Ph'p. 2:11, Deut. 6:4).
That One has assured the faithing ones of Israel "...but we know that when He shall appear (in parousia) we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is"
(1 John 3:2).
And the Spirit also moved David, the king over the people Israel, to write for our leaming - "...I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness" (Ps. 17:15).
jlw
