,The Sparrow’s tale is recorded in Matthew 10:29-31 and Luke 12:6-7.
“29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father: 30 but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”[1] “6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pence? and not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”[2] The Sparrow’s tale from the above passages has special meaning and significance for me personally in 1991, as it was through these passages that the Holy Spirit communicated and touch me, comforting me, bringing peace and wholeness into my life and for me to share with all who loved Christopher, my sister’s son, after he had passed on, while less than a year old. When asked by the Spirit what was the worth of the last sparrow to be included among the five in Luke 12:6, sold for two pennies, when two were being sold for one penny in Matthew 10:29, I realised that though sparrows were usually sold for food[3] and/or in pairs for sacrificial[4] purposes, the last sparrow of the five in Luke, can actually be said to be of no value and was being given free in consideration of the value that the first four would have had, if they were only sold in pairs. The Hebrew word צִפּוֹר tsip-pore', is generally accepted as a word that can be applied to any little hopping bird or fowl or sparrow.[5] I was then drawn to the words “without your Father”[6]. Any additional words[7] like “consent, knowing, permission or will” is not in the Greek texts. What “without your Father” means is that Father is with the sparrow, not apart from the sparrow, even as it falls[8] onto the ground (and dies(implied)). Even in the death of the sparrow, Father is there in death with the sparrow, for where can ‘there’ be where Father God is not? An understanding formed in my mind, that as God has given the sparrow life and brought it into being from nonbeing, what Jesus is saying is that even as the sparrow falls or dies, God is with that sparrow, never apart from the sparrow even as it falls and dies. In Luke’s version, Jesus is recorded as having said, “not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God”. I believe that what Jesus was trying to convey to his hearers is that all creatures, represented by the sparrows, even insignificant ones to us, are remembered and have an inextricable link in relationship and value to God. In both narratives, Jesus continued by saying, “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered[9]. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” The Greek words “ἠριθμημέναι” in Matthew 10:30 and “ἠριθμημέναι” in Luke 12:7, translated as numbered or counted in both instances, combined, paints a picture that all the hair on our head during our lives or at any point in time throughout our lives are already, always or continuingly accounted for and within the knowledge of God. After saying this, Jesus is then recorded as saying: “you[10] are of more value than many sparrows.” What Jesus was emphasising was the unique, special and chosen relationship that God had willed for humankind even before the foundation of the cosmos. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians wrote: “Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, 4 just as [in His love] He chose[11] us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before[12] the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— 6 to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ].[13] In 1Peter 1:18-21, it is recorded “18 You know that you were redeemed from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors—not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with precious blood like that of a lamb without defect or spot, the blood of Messiah. 20 He was chosen before[14] the foundation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through Him you are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your trust and hope are in God.” These passages provide glimpses into the writers understanding concerning a “Lamb that was slain before[15] the foundation of the world”, the blueprint before and for creation, foreordained in the Eternal Counsel of Triune Father, Son and Spirit Union and Communion. This special and unique relationship that humanity as a whole and human beings as individuals, in the fullness of time, was actualised in the person of the Son of God becoming a human being, in our realm of contingent existence and living. In, through, with and as Christ Jesus the man, more than just having Father with us, we can now become partakers of the divine nature[16] and glory[17]. This is unique and chosen to and for us, being human, made in the image of God, willed and desired by Triune Counsel before creation, and actualised in our space, time and history, in the Eternal Son, Who became flesh, a human being – born out of woman[18], born under the Law( born a Jew)[19], living, dying[20], buried[21], resurrected[22] by the power of God, ascending into heaven[23], at the right hand of the Father seated[24] as King of Kings and Lord of Lords[25].[26] This is why each and every one of us is worth more, have so much more value than many sparrows. This is why I believe that Paul could write: “38 For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”[27] For the purposes of this post, I would like to address what I think “neither death” “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” means vis a vis each of us being worth more than many sparrows. What happens when one dies? In Jesus’ case, he committed his spirit to the Father[28] before crying “It is finished”, and bowing his head gave up his spirit.[29] Paul wrote of him having “also descended into the lower parts of the earth”[30]. In 1 Peter 3:18-20 it is recorded of Jesus as “being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.”[31] So it would seem that after death in the flesh, one’s spirit continues to be alive. Paul likens this death as a sleep in Christ. In sleep in Christ we will be awakened. In death in Christ we will be resurrected. The point that I wish to make is that Christ is always with us in our living, sleeping, and death.[32]. The death mentioned in 1 Peter 3:18, seems to suggest a cessation or nonbeing of body, soul and spirit, before being “made alive[33] in the spirit”. There is definitely the cessation and nonbeing of life in “death in the flesh”. The verb “made alive”, in application to his spirit suggest that there seems to also be a cessation and nonbeing of life “in his human spirit”. I submit that with the cessation and nonbeing of life in body(matter) and spirit (that which is your life), there would also be a cessation and nonbeing of his human soul. For only when God blew[34] the breath of life upon the form of man fashioned out of dust from the ground, then did man became a contingent living soul(personality) comprising of a contingent dynamic body(form and emptiness – dynamic essence and character of contingent reality - essential for growth and expansion), contingent dynamic spirit(a distinct, particular and dynamic breath of life) and contingent dynamic soul(a dynamic personality that is unique, particular and enabled to express in likeness, characteristics of the Divine as that of a contingent image. With the cessation and nonbeing of spirit, which is what is the particular and distinct breath of life in a human being, and cessation and nonbeing of life in the body, there necessarily must also be the cessation and nonbeing of soul(personality - that which makes an individual human being unique and distinctive one from another. There is then this idea and possibility of total cessation and nonbeing of body, soul and spirit at the moment of death of the physical body. Then and only after that does the human spirit become alive again with a human soul. And because Jesus was made like us in all ways, I believe that he too would have gone through this moment of total cessation and nonbeing as all humans have gone before and will continue to do so, before being resurrected as a full and complete human being in body, soul and spirit. I believe that even in this moment of death, total cessation and nonbeing of body, soul and spirit, we continue to be joined to him and he with us, even as he has gone through this in his dying. This is what Christ in us, the hope of glory,[35] and we being in Christ[36] means, that Christ makes possible to be with and in us in that moment of cessation and nonbeing of human existence - our death.[37] There is no moment, including this death moment of cessation and nonbeing of our human existence where the Personhood of Christ, in whom the fullness if Deity dwells bodily, and in whom then fullness of Deity resides, is not with us. Even as when he died[38], and all humans died with him, as we die he is also in our death with us.[39] Hence like Paul wrote, we are now able to shout :“Death is swallowed up in victory[40]. “I will redeem them from the power of the grave: I will deliver them from death: O death, I will be thy death: O grave, I will be thy destruction.”[41] In also believe that in the passages of 1Peter 3:18-20, Ephesians 4:9, the parable told by Jesus concerning Lazarus and the rich man,[42] but more particularly, Jesus’ comments of God declaration that “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”,[43] as being the God of the living and not of the dead, suggest that the spirit of man with a soul is made alive and continues to have a new form of contingent existence but identifiable, on or in a contingent dimension or plane, after our death. A marked difference of existence between the two planes or dimensions seems to be the absence of a dynamic physical body similar to that of a person in the plane or dimension of existence after that person’s death. As such this identifiable spirit and soul after a human dies, would not and cannot be considered to still be fully human, for it has no identifiable physical body that humans have while they are alive. A full and complete human must possess a body, soul and spirit in the moment. Hence, like Paul, I concur that the resurrection of Jesus, as a man(full human being) is one of the foundational pillars of the Christian faith or our faith would be futile and we should be pitied above all other humans. Paul wrote: “12 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.”[44] Though there are other scriptural references of people being raised from the dead with their contingent body, soul and spirit still identifiable, in the case of Jesus, it is totally unique and not the same. For, He is the only One, who after his resurrection, as a complete human being of body, soul and Spirit, ascended to heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father God. I believe this is unique and possible because in the one person of Christ Jesus, “the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man”[45]. The Creed of Chalcedon(451 AD) also attests to this understanding, with elaboration: “This one and the same Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son [of God] must be confessed to be in two natures, unconfusedly, immutably, indivisibly, inseparably [united], and that without the distinction of natures being taken away by such union, but rather the peculiar property of each nature being preserved and being united in one Person and subsistence, not separated or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son and only-begotten, God the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ.”[46] As such, He is qualified to be the One Mediator between God and men and as a man, enable us, through, with and in him, through with and in the Spirit, to enjoy and become partakers of the divine nature. This is a treasure and relationship with and in God, which in the narratives of the sparrows, the sparrows never had. We are truly worth much much more than many sparrows, for to Jesus and Triune God, an individual human soul is worth much more than the cosmos, Jesus himself has been recorded to say: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”[47] But exceedingly more than that, in the words of Jesus as recorded in John 17, to those who will believe into[48] him, these ones will also grow in and into their partaking of the glory that Father has given to the Son and through the union and communion with Father and Son and one another, through and in the Spirit, the experiential awakening and knowing that Father loves them as much as Father loves Son[49]. We see then that it is not about having an intrinsic value as a contingent human being per se, but rather because of Who Christ Jesus is, in relation to us ,and who we are, in relation to Him, chosen with, for and in Him, for Him to be in us and for us to be in Him, even before the foundation of cosmos, before creation, that determines why we are worth more than many sparrows. May we ever be mindful of this and lovingly respond accordingly. [1] Matthew 10:29-31 ASV [2] Luke 12:6-7 ASV [3] With the exception of the raven tribe, there is no prohibition in the Levitical law against any passerine birds being used for food; while the wanton destruction or extirpation of any species was guarded against by the humane provision in De 22:6. Small birds were therefore probably as ordinary an article of consumption among the Israelites as they still are in the markets both of the Continent and of the East. The inquiry of our Lord, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?" (Lu 12:6), "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? (Mt 10:29), points to their ordinary exposure for sale in his time. At the present day the markets of Jerusalem and Jaffa are attended by many "fowlers" who offer for sale long strings of little birds of various species, chiefly sparrows, wagtails, and larks. These are also frequently sold ready plucked, trussed in rows of about a dozen on slender wooden skewers, and are cooked and eaten like kabobs. See Hackett, Illus. of Script. p. 86. Biblicacyclopedia.com/S/sparrow.html [4] Leviticus 14:4-7, 49-53 [5]The ancient writers do not appear to share the modern preoccupation with identifying precise species (and sub-species!). Both the Hebrew צִפּוֹר (tsippor) and the Greek στρουθίον (strouthion) are generic terms that can refer to any small songbird. https://bibleresearchtoday.com/2019/06/16/sparrow-day-16-of-30-days-biblically-wild/ Strong’s H6833 צִפּוֹר tsippôwr, tsip-pore'; or צִפֹּר tsippôr; from H6852; a little bird (as hopping):—bird, fowl, sparrow [6] Greek “ἄνευ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν” – literally “without your Father” Some translate as “apart from your Father” eg NASB, ESV [7] Both the Greek and the Aramaic clearly say that one sparrow will not fall without your Father. It does not say, without your Father’s notice. If any translation adds the word notice they are merely paraphrasing the passage. Actually, the passage does not even say if a sparrow dies, it just says fall. The word in Greek for fall is peseitai which is a word meaning to fall down or fall prostrate, it is does not mean to die. The passage in Luke 12:6 says that not one of them is forgotten by God. That does not suggest that the sparrow dies. ARAMAIC WORD STUDY – A SPARROW’S FALL – TSAPARA NEPHALA – צפרא נפלא Chaim Bentorah Aramaic language, Semitic language of the Northern Central, or Northwestern, group that was originally spoken by the ancient Middle Eastern people known as Aramaeans. It was most closely related to Hebrew, Syriac, and Phoenician and was written in a script derived from the Phoenician alphabet. …Aramaic had replaced Hebrew as the language of the Jews as early as the 6th century BCE. Certain portions of the Bible—i.e., the books of Daniel and Ezra—are written in Aramaic, as are the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds. Among the Jews, Aramaic was used by the common people, while Hebrew remained the language of religion and government and of the upper class. Jesus and the Apostles are believed to have spoken Aramaic, and Aramaic-language translations (Targums) of the Old Testament circulated. Aramaic continued in wide use until about 650 CE, when it was supplanted by Arabic. Britannica ARAMAIC LANGUAGE [8] The word used for fall in the Aramaic is nephal which comes from a Semitic root word used by the Akkadians, a warlike people, to describe a soldier that is killed in battle because he has become so terrified that he fails to use his skills and proper common sense. We all know how fearful people tend to do foolish things. That is the idea behind the Semitic root NF which is rendered in English as fall. ARAMAIC WORD STUDY – A SPARROW’S FALL – TSAPARA NEPHALA – צפרא נפלא Chaim Bentorah See Strong’s H5307 [9] In Matthew 10:30 ἠριθμημέναι (inflected) Verb - Perfect Passive Participle - Nominative Plural Feminine from Strong’s G705 ἀριθμέω arithmeō In Luke 12:7 ἠριθμημέναι (inflected)Verb - Perfect Passive Indicative - 3rd Person Plural from Strong’s G705 ἀριθμέω arithmeō [10] Greek Strong’s 5310 ὑμεῖς ὑμεῖς hymeis Personal / Possessive Pronoun - 2nd Person Nominative Plural - meaning each and every one of you [11] “chosen” Greek word ἐξελέξατο from ἐκλέγομαι eklegomai Strong’s G1586 – to pick out, choose [12] Ephesians 1:4 “before” Greek ἀπό apó, apo'; a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):—(X here-)after, ago, at, because of…from, signifying now separation, now origin. [13] Ephesians 1:3-6 AMP [14] 1 Peter 1:20 “before” Greek πρὸ πρό pro Strong’s G 5253 – before, infromt of ,prior [15] Revelation 13:8 word “before” Greek ἀπό apó, apo'; a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):—(X here-)after, ago, at, because of…from, signifying now separation, now origin. Strong’s G575 Same as Ephesians 1:4referenced in 1 Peter 1:20 [16] 2 Peter 1:4 [17] John 17:22 [18] Galatians 4:4, [19] Galatians 4:4 meaning – born a Jew [20] Matthew 27:50, Luke 23:46, Mark 15:37,38, John 19:29 [21] John 19:42, Matthew 27:59-60, Luke 23:53-54, Mark 15:46 [22] Matthew 28:5-6, Acts 2:24 [23] Luke 24:51, Ephesians 4:6-8, John 20:17 [24] Mark 16:19, Hebrews 1:1-3, 12:12, Colossians 3:1, 1Peter 3:22 [25] 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelations 17:14, 19:16 Philippians 2:9-11 [26] Refer to Nicene Creed of 325 AD, - the only creed affirmed by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and most Protestant churches. Churches throughout the centuries have recited it as a confession of faith during baptism and the Eucharist. https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/where-did-the-nicene-creed-come-from.html Original version from 325 A.D. translated into English: “We believe in one God, the father almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, Light of light, Very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate and was made man; He suffered, and the third day he rose again, ascended into heaven, He shall come to judge both the quick and the dead; And in the Holy Spirit.” [27] Romans 8:38-39 RSV [28] Luke 23:46 [29] John 19:30 [30] Ephesians 4:9 RSV [31] RSV [32] Also in our resurrection and life thereafter [33] Strong’s G2227 ζῳοποιηθεὶς from ζῳοποιέω – zōopoieō Verb - Aorist Passive Participle - Nominative Singular Masculine - make alive, give life, quicken. [34] Strong’s H5301 וַיִּפַּח from נָפַח - nāp̄aḥ - a primitive root; to puff, in various applications (literally, to inflate, blow hard, scatter, kindle, expire; figuratively, to disesteem):—blow, breath,.. Most Englislh Translations translate it as “breathed”. [35] Colossians 1:27 [36] 2 Corinthians 5:17 [37] Romans 8:38:39 [38] 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 [39] Romans 8:38-39 [40] 1 Corinthians 15:54, See Isaiah 25:8 –“ 8 He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.”RSV [41] Hosea 13:14 – Masoretic Text “ מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל אֶפְדֵּם מִמָּוֶת אֶגְאָלֵם אֱהִי דְבָרֶיךָ מָוֶת אֱהִי קָֽטָבְךָ שְׁאוֹל נֹחַם יִסָּתֵר מֵעֵינָֽי׃ – “I will redeem them from the power of the grave: I will deliver them from death: O death, I will be thy death: O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance is hid from mine eyes.”GNV [42] Luke 116:19-31 [43] Matthew 22:32 [44] 1 Corinthians 12-23 RSV [45] Salvation Army Doctrine 4 [46] earlychurchtext.com Chalcedonian Definition of Faith [47] Mark 8:36 NKJV refer also to Matthew 16:26, Luke 9:25 [48] Greek εἰς eis, ice; a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); Strong’s G1512 John 17:20 - willing to enter into a loving relationship with Jesus [49] John 17:22-24
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Triune God is not only Being and Becoming, but also Non Being and Non Becoming ‘Unchanging’ eternally.
We can catch a glimpse of this revelation in the following verses of the Scriptures in the Old and New Testaments: The text of Exodus 3:14: “וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה - God said to Moses, "Ehyeh asher ehyeh (I will be what I will be),"[1] The Amplified Bible Classic Edition translates the essence of the Hebrew as “And God said to Moses, I Am Who I Am and What I Am, and I Will Be What I Will Be.” What is relevant to note here is that the Hebrew word אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה - Ehyeh’, is a verb ‘to be’ in the 1st person future tense, that is, “I will be”.[2] As such, I perceive, within this proclamation of Triune God, a revelation of the Being (the ‘I’) and Becoming (the ‘will be) and the Becoming Being (I will be) Nature and Being of Triune Divinity. The revelation given by the Almighty to John the Apostle[3] was “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”[4] John the Apostle later used the phrase “who is and who was and who is to come”, as reference to the Almighty.[5]. John also heard in the revelation vision, the proclamation of the four beasts to the Divine One who sits on the throne, the Lord God Almighty, as: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is and is to come.”[6] There are therefore two assertions recorded in Revelation of Lord God Almighty as “Who is, Who was and Who is to come” and one as ‘Who was, Who is and Who is to come.” These assertions are consistent with the revelation given to Moses in Exodus 3:14 for the Being Becoming and Becoming Being of Triune Divine can also be expressed as the Who is, Who was and Who is to come of Triune God. For the Being Becoming, Who is, before the Being Becoming, was, and is to be the Being Becoming, after. Who is, is not Who was, and also not Who is to come. For Who was, Who is has not become yet and for Who is, Who is to come has yet to become. As such, before Who was became Who is, Who is has not become, has no being, was non being. Only in the Becoming does Who is have Being. When Who is to come becomes Who is, Who is becomes Who was. Therefore Who was, is the non Being of Who is, even as Who is, is the non Being of Who is to come. As such, for me, being becoming-non being-becoming being though distinct are inherently, intrinsically and inseparably one, even as, was, is and will be, though distinct, are also inseparably one, in being becoming -non being-becoming being. Yet in all these, Triune Divinity, the I AM WHAT I AM, I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE, is the eternally unchanging is, was and is to come Triune God As such, what I perceive the Unchanging or Non Becoming Nature and Being of Triune God to be inseparable, intrinsically and inherently One, with and in Being Becoming-Non Being-Becoming Being of the Who and What of Triune Divinity. For me, it is then proper to confess Triune God as not only Being and Becoming, but also Non Being and Non Becoming(Unchanging) eternally. In the Oneness of God, the Triune present I Am, was the past I AM and will ever be the future I Am in Being Becoming-Becoming Being-Non Being-Non Becoming eternally. But more than that, in the Word(ὁ λόγος) flesh(σὰρξ) became(ἐγένετο), the Eternal Son becoming a created human being. Now there is a created human, being becoming, becoming being, non being and non becoming, within and partaking of Triune Divinity, in the whole of Divine Being Becoming-Non Being-Becoming Being-Non Becoming, as divinely and humanly possible, eternally. Such is the glory[7], pleasure and will[8] of Triune God, for Triune Divinity and all creation[9], in and though the Incarnate Son, the human, the man Christ Jesus. For in him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily[10]. [1] Chabad.org The Complete Jewish Bible. [2] See pealim.com : Conjugation of לִהְיוֹת; Verb – PA'AL; Root: ה - י – ה; Meaning - to be; 1st person future tense [3] Revelations 1:8 [4] NKJV Revelations 1:8 [5] Revelations 1:4 [6] Revelation 4:8 NKJV [7] John 17:22 NKJV“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made” perfect in one”(more accurately in context: made complete in oneness) NIV Translates it as: “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me [8] Ephesians1:4-6 “ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” NKJV Ephesians 1:9-12 “9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.” NKJV See also Revelation 4:11 [9] Ephesians 1:9-10 “9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” NKJV [10] “For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily” World English Bible (WEB) |
WILFRED YEO
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