Dearly Beloved,
It may interest you to note that we all inherited a cancerous sinful nature through the decision of the first Adam not to become SOMEBODY before God. Adam missed out in degrees of glorification that our Lord Jesus later came into by “foolishly” hearkening to all of God’s commandment to him, which could be summarized thus, “become the best of NOBODY before the world!”
In the same vein, it may puzzle you to know that despite the example left of us by the last Adam - the Lord Jesus, and by other few faithful saints, many believers, including my very self, secretly disagree with God’s prescription on “how to become SOMEBODY in His sight”. Verily verily I can witness here, that is easier to pay a lip service to this truth. Those who qualify to defend this truth are those who received abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness, while engaging and completing the course of falling to the ground and shedding what they inherited in the first Adam, like a grain of seed does. They experienced God’s resurrection power in their souls (Phil 3:10), God’s throne found an expression and habitation in their midst (Heb. 2:12, 2Cor. 6:16), and they are in much better position to witness to this truth.
It is no news that heaven has been heightening the intensity of the true light among communities of truth seekers. Heaven started the early church with the Apostles doctrine (Acts 2:42, Heb. 6:1-2), and afterwards, through the commission given to Apostle Paul to establish the church on the faith of the New Testament (Acts 26:16-18, Rom. 16:25), the first corporate vacancy for Christ-Like-Humility was declared open by heaven. It is however a disturbing news that centuries after the Spirit of Truth relocated to the earth (Jn. 14:16, 26), few saints have indicated their interest for this vacancy, as evidenced by the scarcity of such values amongst believers.
The two trees in the garden where knowledge-based, representing the statures of corruptible and incorruptible knowledge on earth till date, so our quest for knowledge should be approached with fear. Our Lord Jesus had to counsel his audience and posterity that even as truth would be visiting the earth, we should “take heed HOW we hear and WHAT we heard” (Lk. 8:18, Mark 4:24). He knew we need great mercies to rightly appraise and approach the knowledge that the software of our souls was deficient of, – THE KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE THAT LEADS TO LIFE.
1. This order of knowledge remains the sole guarantee that our souls would be healed from the limitation/curse of the first creation (Rev. 22:3), long before the dominion of the new creation overcomers is corporately unveiled in the-world-to-come (Rev. 21:2-3)
2. This knowledge is what would install in us, New Things of God (Rev. 21:5, 7), which in turn would make us NOBODY BEFORE THIS OLD CREATION, but gradually and ultimately make us SOMEBODY BEFORE THE NEW CREATION.
3. Engaging this lively knowledge is a non-negotiable process that continues to demand that we “deal with our shame” (Rev. 16:15) by embracing the reproach that comes with God’s riches (Heb. 11:26, Rom. 1:16a), and trade our grassy glories (1Pet. 1:24). ANYTHING LESS IS COSTLIER!
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked (i.e. Without the Glory of the Christ – 1Cor. 2:7c, 2Cor. 5:2), and they see his shame…” (Rev. 16:15)
One proof that we are interacting with divine life that is present in streams of God’s knowledge is the fact that, we would be clothed with no other humility than that of the Lord Jesus – (Phil. 2:8, Col. 3:12), which in turn would gradually earn us the honor of being crowned with God’s Glorious Grace (1Pet 5:5), - while here on earth! Such Christ-Like, Child-Like humility is the legal ground that God needs to exalt us with the exaltation that comes with His Righteousness (Prov. 13:34, Phil 2:9).
What the devil dreads the most is that we lose our reputation (Phil. 2:7, 3:8), which remains useless to God but useful to them, and that we attain God’s LIKENESS, which he once lusted after (Isa. 14:14), because that is the key that would end his rain by bringing about the corporate fulfillment of Rev. 12:5-11), and this should be our greatest ambition.
We must sincerely and selflessly answer an anointed question, “what is the purpose of the periodic inspired knowledge of God that has been coming our way”? Is it actually gradually making me SOMEBODY before God and simultaneously NOBODY before the world?
Blessings!
Tayo Fasan