A Gift to the World Series – The Only Begotten
As we continue to contemplate the ultimate gift - Jesus Christ I want us to look at His true purpose. I will do so by paralleling two scriptures so that we can see the heart and mind of God.
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
These two scriptures are teaching the same thing but they say it in different ways. For a long time we simply saw John 3:16 as a scripture that spoke to God's sending of Jesus as a gift to the world and that if we trust in Him we would be saved. However, the scripture is speaking to much more than that.
Yes, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross paved the way for us to receive salvation, however, belief does not stop when you receive the Holy Spirit. In order for one to be saved, they must continue to believe on the Spirit of Christ within them. We must all believe or trust God to keep us holy every day. When we believe on Him, His holy life will be lived through.
Therefore, God did not give Jesus to us to die on the cross only. He also gave us Jesus in the form of the Holy Ghost. God has sent His only begotten Son into our flesh and our souls are hidden in Him. Because of this work of salvation, Jesus is given a fleshy body once more. Every time someone receives the Holy Spirit, that person becomes a member of the Body of Christ.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, *but Christ liveth in me*: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. - Gal 2:20
If we allow Christ to live through the physical vessel of flesh that has become His temple, we will be saved by His life in the end. We must demonstrate the evidence of our belief in/on Jesus by obeying His commands. This is the mystery of Christ unveiled. It is that Jesus is in us living on earth again, through our vessels, and His life is saving us!