Ephesians (Program #73) – Faith But Not Doctrine

The book of Ephesians which stresses the Church places tremendous importance on the matter of Oneness. The oneness of the Spirit and the oneness of the faith are both highlighted in this book. But notably it does not speak about the oneness of teaching or of doctrine, in fact both teaching and doctrine are the subject of Paul’s warning in Chapter 4:13-14, “Until we all arrive at the oneness of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, …That we may be no longer little children tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching in the sleight of men, in craftiness with a view to a system of error.”  Obviously the oneness of the faith is something other than that of doctrine or teaching.

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1 & 2 Kings (Program #7) – The Divisions of the Kingdom of Israel

The Lord has committed much into the hands of His people.  For example, in the Old Testament, Israel bore the responsibility of maintaining Jehovah’s testimony on the earth.  One of the key factors that the Lord was very eager to maintain among His people was their oneness because their oneness reflects His oneness.  “The Lord is one”, the Old Testament people would declare and it is true.  So following the reign of Solomon, when the nation of Israel was split into two sections; a northern kingdom under the rule of Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant and a southern kingdom, under Rehoboam, Solomon’s son.  This was a grave matter to Jehovah.  So it should be also to us today.  As we consider and study the history of God’s move among His people, the testimony of the oneness of God’s people continues to be a vital matter to Him and it’s a matter that is far too often taken for granted by His people.

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Ephesians (Program #63) – Seven Aspects of the Church

Through out history if you look carefully, you will see that God’s enemy has focused his attack on the Church. He has work relentless to divide the Church and damage it with religion, organization and teachings that turn it away from the oneness Christ died on the cross to accomplish.

Surely if the Church is Satan’s focus, it must indicate that the Church is what he fears the most. This is not only reveal by looking at history, it is the central revelation of God’s word. “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against her”.  The Lord Jesus Himself proclaimed in Matthew 16 and one of the great prophecies in scripture. But to see how He will do this building work, we need the book of Ephesians.  Today we will consider 7 crucial aspects of the Church.

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Ephesians (Program #39) – Arriving at Three Things

Oneness is a critical matter in the book of Ephesians. This book which has the Church as the Body of Christ as its’ subject stressed oneness in a number of places. In Chapter 4 we’re told in verse 3, to be diligently to keep the oneness of the Spirit then in verse 13, we have a marvelous expression concerning oneness. “Until we all arrive at the oneness of the faith and of  the full knowledge of the Son of God, at a full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Yes, our oneness surely is the oneness of the Spirit but we must not overlook the destination of our oneness, a three fold destination.

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Ephesians (Program #36) – The Base of Our Oneness

In Chapter 4 of Ephesians there is a strong word by the apostle Paul regarding the oneness of the Body of Christ and how we as Christians need to keep this oneness diligently.  Verse 3 “Being diligent to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace:”

But Paul does not then leave it to our imagination as to what this oneness actually means or how we are to keep it. Because he go on to say 3:4-6 “One Body and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism;  One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.“

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Galatians (Program #6) – Paul’s Faithfulness and Peter’s Unfaithfulness to the Truth of the Gospel

The New Testament book of Galatians reveals much about the Gospel of Grace and the freedom that believers have in Christ. But if we read it carefully, we will also see a marvelous pattern for all believers; the living and manner of the Apostle Paul. This epistle shows us one who was bold and faithful to the truth, yet humble and careful before the Lord to preserve the oneness of the Body of Christ without ever falling into politics. Stay with us for this enlightening life study of the Bible.

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John (Program #44) – Life’s Prayer (3)

We are one divine human incorporation in the Triune God. Surely, our Oneness is not just a “getting together” or a kind of “joining something”. It is the Oneness of the Triune God.

In John 17, you have a list: 4 verses, mentioning something of the Oneness. Verse 11 says, the Oneness is in the name of the Father. The reality of the Father’s name is the Father’s divine life. So, the first factor of the genuine Oneness is the name of the Father with the Father’s divine life. Then verse 21, this is deep verse, so profound! “That they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” The point here is this. The Oneness is in the Triune God. When we are all in the Triune God, then in the Triune God, we have the Oneness. But, here we have to pay attention to this fact. How could we be in the Triune God? Through His death and resurrection…

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John (Program #43) – Life’s Prayer (2)

We have an entity in New York called the United Nations. But, I think we all realize that the United Nations is actually the divided nations, that there is no real oneness outside the Triune God.

This passage (the Lord’s prayer in John 17) is maybe the most important portion of the Holy Word because this is the Lord’s final recorded prayer before He goes to the cross to die. And, what we see in this prayer is the aspiration of the Lord’s heart’s desire actually becomes His specific prayer to the Father. So, in this prayer, what we see is the very heart’s desire of the Triune God. And, in verse 1 of this prayer, the Lord opens by saying, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You.” So, this is a prayer for the Father to glorify the Son that the Son may glorify the Father. And, what this means is for the Father and the Son to have a full expression through His many believers. And, this expression of Himself is His glorification.

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John (Program #42) – Life’s Prayer (1)

When the Spirit as the essence of the Word makes that written Word living, immediately we receive the dispensing of the Father’s life. And, in that life we can be one with all the believers in Christ Jesus.

Upon a first reading or a rather superficial reading of John 17, we may have the impression that the central point is the oneness of the believers. Although this point is crucial, it is neither the central point of the chapter, nor the subject of the Lord’s prayer in this chapter. The subject is clearly indicated in verse 1, where the Lord Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, … glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify you.” This sets the tone and reveals the subject of the Lord’s prayer. He is praying for His glorification so that in His glorification the Father would be glorified.

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Song of Songs (Program #6) – Living in Ascension by Discerning the Spirit from the Soul

The theme of the book in the Bible with the title “Song of Songs” is satisfaction of satisfactions. This book portrays the four stages in the experience of the lover of Christ and can be summarized by the following four sections:
1) A lover of Christ should be one who is attracted by His love and drawn by Him in His sweetness to pursue after Him for full satisfaction.
2) A lover of Christ should be one who is called by Him to be delivered from the self through his oneness with the cross of Christ.
3) A lover of Christ should be one who is called by Him to live in ascension as the new creation of God in the resurrection of Christ.
4) A lover of Christ should be one who is called by Him more strongly to live within the veil through His cross after the lover’s experience of His resurrection.

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