The Daily Word of Righteousness

Three Platforms of Grace, #6

Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: (Deuteronomy 16:16)

It is not possible for the children of Adam to become the dwelling place of the Father. Corruption cannot inherit incorruption. Therefore the Lord Jesus had to return to the Father so that through the distribution of His Divine Nature we can become new creations, life-giving spirits (I Corinthians 15:45).

The Lord Jesus and the Father can dwell in the life-giving spirits for they have been fashioned from the incorruptible Life of God. The Lord Jesus prepared a place for us in Himself, and is preparing a place for God and Himself in us by removing our sin and slaying our self-seeking nature. Jesus is the only true house of the Father, and the rooms in the Father's house are rooms in Christ.

A place in Christ is being prepared for us.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

A place in us is being prepared for Christ.

Now he that hath wrought [prepared] us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest [pledge] of the Spirit. (II Corinthians 5:5)

"He that hath prepared us."

Notice that the "house from heaven" is not a mansion in Heaven to which we go but a house from Heaven, formed by the resurrection life that lifts us from our afflictions and that will envelop us in the day of resurrection.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (II Corinthians 5:4)

What has Christ done to prepare a place for us in Himself, and Himself in us, so we may become glorified rooms in the eternal house of God?

The Lord Jesus has given us the gift of repentance, enabling us to turn away from the enticements of the world and to seek the Presence and blessing of God.

He has shed His blood on the cross. His blood has been sprinkled upon and before the Mercy Seat in Heaven, and also upon each person who receives Christ by faith. We now can come boldly before the throne of grace in order to gain God's help in our hour of need. Also, we have been and yet are being cleansed from sin as the Spirit of God and the blood of Christ work together to accomplish our sanctification (make us holy).

The Lord Jesus has given us His body to eat and His blood to drink. As we share His sufferings and are changed into His death we learn to live by Him as He lives by the Father. His body and His blood are our eternal life. If we live by the body and blood of Christ He will raise us up to Himself at His appearing.

To be continued.