How is it possible for Christ and God to be “IN” the true saint?  How is it possible for the saint to be “IN” both Christ and God?  To answer those questions we will return to the Gospel of the Apostle John chapter 14 beginning with verse six where we find Jesus making one of the most all- inclusive statements found in the Holy Scriptures.  He is answering a question from Thomas, one of His disciples who has asked Him to explain the WAY to where He (Jesus) will spend eternity so that believers can join Him there (read vss 2,3).  Jesus answered: “I AM the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE.”  Notice the word “THE” in front of “way,” “Truth” and “life.)  There is only one way, one truth and one life (Eph. 4:4-6).  Here the Apostle Paul tells us that the only way into the Kingdom of God is to duplicate His earthly life–His “walk.”  Christ’s life consisted of obeying the will of the Father which is found written in His (the Father’s) Truth (His Word–Jn. 17:17) which, if believed and obeyed, will result in eternal Life.  As Jesus said in John 14:6: “NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT BY (EMULATING–COPYING) ME (HIS LIFE/WALK).”

Satan has been ultimately successful in preventing salvation seekers from understanding, believing and obeying what God said through Jesus concerning the WAY to salvation, rebirth and eternal life in the paradise Jesus will establish on earth in the area He promised Abraham that his obedient descendants will inherit upon His (Christ’s) Second Advent.  This area, which will ultimately contain New Jerusalem, the eternal city which will accompany God the Father in His descent into His Kingdom whose walls will be 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide and 1500 miles high.  His Very Elect will live inside this enclosure with Him and His Son and will rule those outside of it and throughout the world.  They will also rule angels.  After the first 1000 years following Christ’s return, Christ and the Very Elect will rule the universe–their ultimate inheritance.  Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe and The Three Resurrections.  Key words–Caretakers and Three respectively.

How does one become one of God’s Very Elect who will rise in the first resurrection, meet Him in the clouds, follow Him and His angels down to the Mt. of Olives and enter Jerusalem where He will establish the Kingdom of God?  In other words: WHAT IS THE WAY TO ALWAYS BE WHERE HE IS? which was Thomas’ question.  Let Him tell us.

In Ephesus 2:10 He answers the question through the Apostle Paul.  Here He makes plain His singular command which must be met in order to qualify for eternal life.  He explains by telling us the exact reason man was created.  Here we find written a description of Adam after his creation, which is exactly the description of each human being ever born following their physical birth.  Notice in Genesis 1:26 that God said that They (God and the Word) would make “MAN,” not “a” man.  Then He refers to MAN as “THEM” (Gen. 1:26).  They (man/mankind) remain in a sinless spiritual condition until Satan convinces them to sin.  Recall that “righteous Abel did not answer his call (Mat. 23:35).  Read Sin is a Choice.  Key word–Choice.  In His letter to the church at Ephesus the Apostle Paul, summarizes the sole purpose for mankind’s creation.  Since Adam’s fall and his descendants’ deliberate choosing to follow in his footsteps, Jesus has called those with eyes to see and ears to hear to follow in His spiritual footsteps.  Those who answer His call  “put off” (discard) the “old man” of sin and “put on” (embrace) the “new man” of holiness (Col. 3:9) who is described in Ephesus 2:10: “We (the new man) are His (Christ’s) workmanship (the end result of His working in us), (we are) created in Christ Jesus for (the purpose of doing) good WORKS which God created and ordained (commanded) us to do.”  Question: what are those works?

In John 14:10,11,13,17 and 23 Jesus uses the word “IN” relative to man’s relationship with Him and His Father and Their command that man do good “WORKS.”  Here and throughout the Holy Scriptures we find the writers telling us that in order to be one WITH Father and Son, we must be IN Them and They must be IN us.  How? is the ultimate question.  The answer is found in the following verses.

Verse 10: Jesus says that He is IN the Father and the Father is IN Him.  The WORDS He (Jesus) spoke were not His words.  Notice what He says: “… the Father Who dwells IN Me, He does the WORKS.”  JESUS EQUATES HIS “WORDS” WITH HIS “WORKS.”  THE “WORKS” GOD REQUIRES FOR SALVATION IS TO OBEY HIS “WORDS” WHICH, AS THE FOLLOWING WILL PROVE, ARE HIS “COMMANDMENTS”–HIS LAW–THE SAME LAW THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY “NAILED TO THE CROSS.” 

Verse 15: Here Jesus explains what it means to be “IN” Him and the Father.  In so doing He rebukes the “no works, no Law, only grace” belief found within Institutional Christendom.  He says: “IF you (disciples) LOVE ME, (you must) keep My COMMANDMENTS.”  This includes commandment #4.  The Apostle James reminds us that to break one commandment, for example #4, is to break ALL of them.  This makes one guilty of INIQUITY–Lawlessness.  In verse 21 the Lord drives the lesson home again, saying: “He who has My COMMANDMENTS and keeps (obeys) them (all), he it is who LOVES ME.  (Only) he who LOVES ME will be LOVED BY MY FATHER and will be LOVED BY ME ….”  Notice that in order to be loved by Jesus and God one must prove their love by OBEYING THEIR COMMANDMENTS (Law/Truth/Gospel/Light).  In verse 23 Jesus drives another nail in the coffin of the no works, no Law–only grace theology.  “IF a man LOVE Me he will KEEP MY WORDS and (as a result of his Word/Law keeping) My Father will LOVE HIM and We will COME TO HIM and MAKE OUR ABODE WITH (IN) HIM.”

Notice that the Godhead equates Their WORDS with Their COMMANDMENTS (LAW).    The word “keep” is a military term meaning to guard, surround, defend.  Not one jot or tittle (like a comma or period) of the Law (Genesis to Revelation) can be changed or removed from the Law as long as heaven and earth remain.  As of 2/11/23, 5:12 a.m. they are still here and, if God can be believed, will remain here until 1000 years after the return of Christ when God will create a new heaven and a new earth.  Until then, THEIR WORD/LAW/COMMANDMENTS WILL REMAIN IN FORCE.  Those who love Father and Son rejoice in keeping their Law.  Those who do not love Them will keep it nailed to the cross.  L.J.