Keeping the Words of Jesus

Just a few words today on a very powerful point of truth that is vastly misunderstood throughout the body of Christ. "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (Jn. 14:23). So how is it that Jesus AND his Father can "make [their] abode with" someone? For the straight answer we need only look at two other statements made by Jesus: "I and my Father are ONE" (Jn. 10:30). And, "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, EVEN AS we are one" (Jn. 17:22). Now these are the only two places where Jesus mentioned he and his Father being ONE, and you may note that there was nothing said about the holy Ghost in either of these statements. And in both of these statements, Jesus explained what he meant about the 'oneness' between he and the Father: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art IN me, and I IN thee, that they also may be one IN us... I IN them, and thou IN me, that they may be made perfect in one" (Jn. 17:21,23). And again, "But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is IN me, and I IN him" (Jn. 10:38). So the oneness between Jesus and the Father is by means of them being IN one another, and the same is true for believers, who are IN Christ, and he IN them. The reason that Jesus didn't mention the holy Ghost when he said that he and the Father are one is because the holy Ghost is the MEANS by which they are IN one another. And that is the way it is for us as well: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized INTO one body [of Christ]" (I Cor. 12:13). The baptism of the Spirit puts us IN Christ, and we literally "put on Christ" thereby as well (Gal. 3:27).

The Spirit of God is the "Spirit of life," and that life is the divine, eternal life that first dwelt in the Father, and that he gave also to be in the Son (Jn. 5:26). And this is the "life" that Jesus came to give to us "more abundantly" (Jn. 10:10). The Father and the Son share the same life substance, which is the Spirit; and therefore they are continually connected to and IN one another. And if we are baptized with the Spirit and continue to be led thereby, we also will be continually connected to and IN the Father and the Son, who are in one another (Rom. 8:14). That is how they can both "make [their] abode" with someone who believes on Jesus. The Father is a 'person' with body, soul, and spirit like us; and the Son also is a person with body, soul, and spirit like us. The Spirit that they both share is NOT a person, but rather it is the "life" of both persons; even as our spirit is not a person, but rather it is the life that dwells within us (Jas. 2:26). Neither Jesus OR his Father are IN ANYONE bodily. Jesus is in heaven at the right hand of God, who also is in heaven. But because of his sacrifice Jesus has been given authority by the Father to release the very eternal life substance of himself and the Father to those who now believe on him fully (Jn. 7:38,39; Acts 2:33). That life is the "living waters" that Jesus said would both flow from and "spring up" in those who truly believe on him (Jn. 4:14). And so the true family of God, beginning with the Father and the Son, potentially can be the most intimate and united family in existence, IF we continue to follow after the Spirit, and not after the flesh (Rom. 8:1,2). I don't know about you friend, but I truly cherish being a part of that glorious family. Amen.