Please remember to express your wish to remain on my mailing list if you have not contacted me over the past 12 to 18 months. Thank you.
"ON EAGLES’ WINGS MINISTRIES"
“HIS MINISTERS A FLAMING FIRE.” PART 2. APRIL 2016
“And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Hebrews 1:7.
In part one of this study, we concluded that if the making of angels as spirit is real, so the making of his ministers as flaming fire, should also be considered to be just as real. We also gave instances in which the human body shone with the light of the Holy Spirit in visible and tangible expression. Along the way, we are seeing how such a major and important aspect of our salvation got lost soon after the early church was established. More than that: when the clouds of the dark ages were lifted and Christendom began to bask in the torrent of recovered truths, the truth of body felt salvation remained submerged and shrouded under the guise of religious dogmas. As it is today, the clergy determines what to reveal and what to hide.
Salvation, as outlined in scripture is for the “whole man” and I often say from the pulpit in numerous sermons, that if the is any part of me that Jesus Christ did not redeem; he needs to come back and die once more. But we know that he is able to save “to the uttermost” them that come to God by him. Hebrews 7: 25. In this second chapter, let us begin at the very start of our salvation experience, and before long we shall see how a vital truth in our teaching has been overlooked or simply ignored.
I have said this before, but since there are new friends just joining this family, it is worthwhile for me to repeat it. While seeking the Lord back in London, England during 1966-67-68, the Lord spoke to my heart saying: “When you read the bible, read slowly and watch every word; for words have meanings.”
There are multiplicity of doctrines and religious organizations that resulted from the usage and interpretation of words. Look closely at this first example!
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27. This verse alone points to our theme “body felt salvation.” The term ‘put on Christ” points to an outward experience: for being filled with the Holy Ghost on the inside, has no relevance or connection to putting on Christ. Putting on your shirt, your dress, or your overcoat means that you decorate or dress to protect your body—and it does not address the needs of your inner man. To put on Christ in simple terms, means to wear him like a garment. But as I said in the previous chapter Christians everywhere are taught to yield to their emotions, and not to seek after a physical experience. But now we read that when we got baptized into Christ, we actually put him on to wear as a garment.
This truth as expressed in scripture entirely alludes to salvation of the body. But an ancient prophet foresaw this mighty work of the Holy Spirit and wrote the following: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10.
As you can see, every item that is highlighted above alludes to the body, and not one refers to the infilling of the Holy Spirit—that would be centered upon an internal experience that triggers our spirit or emotions. So all of what we just quoted fits in perfectly with the concept of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ: meaning that we wear him like a garment. However, that concept has not been taught or heard in many places and among many people.
Not one of the items highlighted above and the quote from Galatians 3:27 alludes to an internal experience. Indeed, Christ IN US is the hope of glory. Indeed, greater is he that is IN US, than he that is in the world. But Paul called to us, loud and clear, with a message that is designed for our bodies seeing that the salvation of our soul is already secured and complete. Notice carefully how Paul structured and directed his exhortation.
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light…But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Romans 13:11-14. This passage of scripture holds many dynamic truths that we will do well to observe and assimilate.
Notice that Paul’s letter was addressed to people who were already saved and were believers in Christ. He spoke of a salvation that was much nearer now, than when they first believed. So he could not have been speaking of the basic act of conversion—they were already believers: but they were being put on notice to be ready for a different aspect of their salvation. What were they supposed to do? They were to put on the armor of light! This armor of light can be combined with the garments of salvation, and the robe of righteousness. Finally, the saints were admonished and encouraged to “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
But that was not a new concept to those saints, because Paul had written in his letter to the Galatians that as many as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. Once again, we repeat that this truth alludes to what I call “Body Felt Salvation.” In fact it is because of this reality that the very shadow of Peter could have healed the sick on the pavement as he passed by. There was no need for him to lay hands and release the healing virtue from within. He wore Christ like a garment and that was enough to heal the sick as he went by. Let us turn to the biblical account of what happened.
“And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both men and women. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” Acts 5:14,15. We said a while back that real heat is not amber or red but white. Let us see how that concept fits in with one of the messages Jesus mentioned to John in the Revelation.
In his letter to the church of the Laodiceans, Jesus said: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:15, 17,18.
It is just about correct to say that today we do have a rich church, that has increased with goods and are in need of nothing. Some years ago while living in southern California, a pastor from out of town came to speak at the church I attended. He explained that they just concluded their pastor’s appreciation series of meetings. He said that this year they managed to raise only $45, 000.00 but next year they will be shooting for $50,000.00. Recently a church in Oklahoma was robbed of the day’s offerings that amounted to over $100,000 that was actually covered by insurance so there was no actual loss to the congregation.
Members of the clergy today have a number of expensive automobiles and airplanes, and more robes than they can wear. So the bottom line is that indeed the church is rich and is saying that it is not in need of anything. But spiritually Jesus said that the church of Laodicea was poor, wretched, poor, naked and blind. The call to buy of Christ white raiment brings us back to what we have been talking about. The white raiment with which we should be clothed is Jesus Christ himself, as Paul exhorted: “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Wear him like a garment! The Lord describes it as white raiment! White depicts holiness, purity, but more than that, it symbolizes the fire (light) of God.
Let us revisit Moses and observe what happened to him high upon mount Sinai in the presence of God. “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not (knew not) that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.” Exodus 34:29, 30. The first point to consider in this scenario is that the human body is capable of possessing and reflecting the glory of God in a visible form. The second point is to understand that this was not a dynamic that was controlled by Moses. He could not use it in a personal side-show to draw people to himself!
In fact, at first, he did not know that the skin of his face was shining. The entire event was orchestrated and controlled by the Lord God himself. We are now obliged to fast-forward to New Testament times, just before Jesus showed up on the Palestine landscape. A unique character named John the Baptist came preaching and baptizing multitudes of people only as a forerunner to someone greater than himself. “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Matthew 3:1,2, 11.
It would not be stretch for us to conclude that the giving of the Holy Spirit is for the inside, while the baptism of fire is for the outer man (the human body.) We mentioned this before, but for good measure and added emphasis we will repeat ourselves. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 40:5. Therefore, when Bro. Kennedy comes to town preaching and teaching a visible salvation, (or body felt salvation) you can rest assured that he is within the realm of biblical truths.
If we are to count all flesh in the upper room, it is supposed to be about one hundred and twenty. The Spirit of God as a rushing mighty wind blew in and filled the room where they were sitting. This was followed by cloven tongues as of fire that appeared unto them, and it sat upon each of them. As we explained in another place, each person saw the tongues of fire sitting upon the other person: and as Isaiah prophesied, “all flesh saw it together.” We sang a popular song in church back home that goes like this: “I feel like fire shut up within my bones: I feel like fire shut up within my bones. Singing glory, hallelujah, I feel like fire shut up within my bones.” But many times in later years, speaking from the pulpit I usually say: “Fire in your bones cannot burn anyone but you.” Your inner experience is for you to profit by: It is only when we possess the fire without, and UPON, will others be affected.
Another prophet wrote sometime about B.C.397 saying: “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and the fuller’s soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:1-3. Following through on the idea of being refined by fire, we learn the following from Peter. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you (not to destroy you, but only to try you and bring you into maturity) as though some strange thing happened unto you.
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” 1st Peter 4: 12, 13. In these days of “Prosperity Ministries” little or nothing is being said about being purified by fire. Christian sufferings seem to hit the wrong cord, so we are being fed heavy diets of how to become wealthy and live on top of the world. So as a matter of fact, preaching and teaching how to get wealth is only half-truth: and half-truths can do as much damage as plain lies. Paul admonished the saints in Derbe, Lystra, Icomium, and Antioch that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14: 20-22. John saw a vast multitude that no man could number arrayed in white robes, and when asked who they were, the angel answered: “These are they which came out of great tribulation (not THE Great Tribulation—just great tribulation in general) and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9, 13, 14.
We learn from Hebrews 12: 29. “For our God is a consuming fire.” In this case, we need to understand how the process works. Fire can only burn where there is fuel, and where there is no fuel, the fire goes out. While Adam and Eve were walking in total obedience to God, they were not afraid of the fire. In fact, they welcomed the Fire of God as he came into the Garden in the cool of the day. Paul offers three examples of salvation as it affects the mortal body. “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” 2nd Corinthians 4: 10, 11.
The main thrust and even the daily mantra being echoed by the church, is for us to “save our souls, for the body isn’t going anywhere.” Again, we borrow additions to the concept of “salvation of the body” or “body felt salvation” from Paul as he exhorted the saints in one of his many letters. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; (totally—completely) and I pray God your whole spirit and soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2nd Thessalonians 5: 2. Once again, we see that our salvation is not meant for only a part of our being. We should understand that when Jesus said “IT IS FINISHED” our redemption (every part of us) was complete.
To get a more comprehensive study of this, read my letter on “The earnest of our inheritance.” (This can be found on my web page at: www.godfire.net/kennedy/ . Simply scroll down and check the subjects. We who were given the earnest of the Spirit are waiting for the redemption (or apol’oo’trosis or metamorphosis) of our body: meaning the loosing away of all restrictions. That means the redemption of the purchased possession for which transaction we were given the Holy Spirit of promise. What promise? That at the appointed time he would return to complete the transaction in the redemption of the purchased possession. Ephesians 1: 11-14. Here is a word of thanks to each of you who responded to my request as I update my mailing list. Be blessed!
In His Service—Royce
Please remember to express your wish to remain on my mailing list if you have not contacted me over the past 12 to 18 months. Thank you.