In the Gospel of the Apostle John we find the Lord Jesus repeatedly making reference to the word “IN.”  Few words, when used in the spiritual sense, have more meaning than that tiny Word.  I say to all who seek to spend eternity with the Lord, unless we align our lives spiritually with the Word of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, we are in deep spiritual trouble and will remain therein until we right our spiritual ship and go with the divine wind–The Holy Spirit.  This Truth deeply involves the “in” situation.  The word “in” involves the Holy Spirit, which, as noted in Romans 8:14, is deeply involved in the Christian experience: “They who are led by the Spirit of God, they (and only they) are the sons of God.”  In order to be led by the Spirit we must be ‘”in” both Christ and God and They must be “in” us.  How is this possible?  The following posting(s) will answer that question as we study chapters 14 and 15 of John’s Gospel.

In 14:1-4 Jesus makes a statement that the disciples had trouble understanding.  The same holds true today.  Here the Lord is telling the disciples , then and now, that He is returning to the Father to receive His inheritance, which would also be their inheritance, and that He would return to earth where He and they (the co-heirs) would share their promised inheritance as a gift from God–the earth.  Bible readers will not understand that information unless they have studied the Scriptures in the manner prescribed by the Lord in Isaiah 28:9-13.  Read those instructions.  In 14:4 Jesus tells His disciples (followers), who are soon to become apostles (sent ones), that they already knew where He was going to end up eventually (His and their inheritance), and that they knew the way that would lead them there.  Thomas informed Him that the disciples had no clue as to what He was talking about.

Beginning with verse six Jesus laid it out for them and us.  One will notice His emphasis on the following terms: “in,” “Words,” “works” and “commandments” and how they all conjoined to form His message.  One will also notice throughout the Holy Scriptures that the language used is often confusing to the modern mind.  Bear in mind that the Biblical writers and speakers were speaking and writing to people who knew what they were talking and writing about, having been acquainted with the Law and the writings of the prophets for generations.  Therefore, it is important for us to follow Paul’s instructions to Timothy the evangelist: “Study in order to show yourself approved of God” (2 Tim. 2:15).  What are New Testament Christians supposed to study?  Paul answers: “ALL SCRIPTURE is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:14-16).  However, the only Scriptures available during the time of the original apostles were the Law (first five books of the Bible) and the writings of the prophets.  In other words, THE OLD TESTAMENT.  The New Testament did not come into being until all but one of the apostles had been martyred.  The lone survivor, John, preserved the writings of the apostles and formed them into the New Testament.  Together, the Old and New Testament became the Holy Bible.  I have been chastised for continually referring to the Old Testament which was supposedly “nailed to the cross.”  Concerning the authors of the Old Testament, the Apostle Peter wrote, saying: “Holy men of old spoke (and wrote) as they were moved upon (inspired) by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 2:21).  Paul noted that God’s dealings with the Israelites (the Old Testament) were recorded and preserved to instruct those who would be serving God at the “END OF THE WORLD”–1 Corinthians 10:11.  How would this be possible if the Old Testament (called “the Law” and “the commandments”) had been “done away with?”  Now back to John 14:5.

Thomas has told Jesus that the disciples did not know where He (Jesus) would be in the future and therefore did not know the way there.  Jesus answers him in verses 6 through 24 which we will now begin to examine.  He says in verse 6: “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.”  In other words, to know the “WAY” to where Jesus would eventually reside (the Kingdom of God on earth), one must believe and obey the “Truth” (God’s Word–Jn. 17:17) which would lead them to the (eternal) “LIFE.”  In the remainder of this series it will become abundantly clear to true believers that the Institutional Church summarily rejects the “WAY,” which Jesus calls the “TRUTH.”  In doing so she rejects the “LIFE” that awaits those who obey that “TRUTH” by walking the correct “WAY”–the way of the Word (Jesus–Jn. 1:1-4,14).

In verses 7 through 9 Jesus equates Himself and His Father, meaning that they are ONE in spirit, thought, words, acts, etc. (Jn. 10:30).  Note that the Holy Spirit is not included in that divine oneness for this would create a three=one “trinity” which the Scriptures do not support.  Read The Trinity.  Key word–Trinity.

Beginning in verse 10 Jesus delves deep into the “way” man, including Himself, must live in order to arrive at and reside in the Kingdom of God.  Read The Kingdom of God.  Key word–Kingdom.

In the following posting we will delve deeply into what is meant by being “in” the Father and “in” the son, and how They are “in” the believer.  As will be shown, the Holy Spirit–the power of both God and Christ–plays a significant role relative to the “in” situation.  I suggest that you read John 14:10 through 15:10 in preparation for the following posting(s).

A word of comfort relative to what is happening to America–the nation that was created to be God’s light to the world.  As I predicted two years ago, God is exposing the liberal politicians, teachers, legalists, newspersons, military leaders and other “wokeites” by revealing what they are in reality.  You will not hear the truth about what is going on in political circles through the main stream t.v. media and the equally communistic print media and internet platforms.  For truth about what God is doing watch Fox News and Twitter, which has changed hands and is now beginning to allow the truth to surface on that platform.  I am not saying that those on those news outlets are true Christians.  They are not.  They are church-defined Christians but not God (Bible)-defined Christians.  The purpose of this website is to expose the difference between the two.  Fox News does proclaim the social, political, economic, etc. truth as it happens.  Though things look more dire every day, remember this: GOD IS IN CHARGE.  NOTING HAPPENS UNLESS HE MAKES IT HAPPEN OR ALLOWS IT TO HAPPEN.  PRAIST HIM, BELIEVE HIM AND OBEY HIM AND ALLOW HIM TO RULE YOUR LIFE.  THEN WHAT HAPPENS AROUND YOU WILL NOT MATTER.  L.J.