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“DOWN AT THE POTTER’S HOUSE” part 3. APRIL 2018.

          Let us begin this chapter with the forecast and fore-knowledge of the Apostle Paul, concerning all members of the body of Christ. But not only so; he previewed events that will surpass human history as we have known it. We are going to examine from where we are, where we will eventually be, and the grand purpose that got us to this place. To begin with, I am going to quote from J.B. Phillips translation of Romans 8: 19-23. This translation offers a basic rendering of words, which in English will simplify the message being conveyed. Phillips begins by saying: 

          “The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own. (this is the moment of our glorification as we discussed in an earlier chapter) The world of creation cannot as yet see reality, not because it chooses to be blind, but because in God’s purpose it has been so limited, yet it has been given hope. And the hope is that in the end the whole of created life will be rescued from the tyranny of change and decay, and have its share in the magnificent Liberty which can only belong to the children of God. It is plain to anyone with eyes to see that at the present time all created life groans in a sort of universal travail. And it is plain, too, that we who have the foretaste of the Spirit are in a state of painful tension, while we wait for the redemption of our bodies (that is being glorified—as the final act of our redemption at which point we are blessed with a glorified body) which will mean that at last we have realized our full sonship in him.”  

This account opens our eyes and our understanding of the events that began when, in the Garden, God cursed the earth, the serpent, and cast out both the man and the woman. It is at this point that the whole creation was made subject to vanity, futility and decay. Not of its own will, but by reason of HIM who subjected the same in hope. When Paul wrote that the whole creation groans and travail in pain together until now, he was not speaking on supposed ideologies that were void of substance, and not grounded in reality. The apostle was so attuned to the rhythm of life with which he became one, that he heard the groans of creation. But let us not forget the amazing event that mirrored the morning skies that will usher in a brand new day: and what will make this day different from all other days, is how it impacts every one of us (all life forms everywhere.) When this hope finally comes to fruition, not only will the saints of Jesus Christ rejoice in their newfound liberty: but all created life (universal life) will suddenly embrace this brand new day.

Like the flowers, trees and shrubs erupt in life as the sweet breezes of spring echoes the unfolding of a new day; and even as the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy at the new creation (Job 38: 7) so we shall bask in the realities of our new bodies to go along with the new day. Paul emphasized the reality for which we live as if on tip toes, being overcome in the air of immense expectancy. What is guaranteed to happen at that glorious moment? Although we were blessed with first-fruit of the Spirit, (when we first accepted Christ as Savior) and although we have been groaning with creation, Paul indicated that we are waiting for the adoption, to wit (to appropriate—to physically experience) the redemption of our body. Romans 8:23. This event will take us on our journey in a glorified state of being. In the mean time we seem to spend much time at the potter’s house.  

As if to put a little icing on the cake, the Psalmist wrote: “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Psalm 17: 15. We have explained this many times before; but in case this is your first time reading these writings, allow me to go over it again. Paul speaks of the “redemption of our body.” But we need to understand what the word redemption in this text means. In Hebrews 9:12, we are told of “eternal redemption.” In that setting, the word redemption means atonement, or lutrosis. But in Romans 8:23 redemption means apolutrosis, which in turn means metamorphosis—like a caterpillar being changed into a butterfly. We seldom hear sermons being preached on the subject of salvation for the body (the whole man.)  

The event that Paul outlined for us, highlights the time when in our “redeemed body” we shall be loosed from all restrictions. Jesus alluded to a truth that is seldom mentioned from our pulpits or midweek bible studies. The thought is so simple that the church-world and its multiple ranks of clergymen (and women) mention it mainly as a part of the Sunday morning scripture reading. But seemingly, not one, or not many have taken the time to really understand the truth that Jesus shared in the simplest of terms. He spoke saying: The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and wither it goeth : so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8.  

The simple way to understand the realities expressed in the words of Christ is to read it backwards. “Everyone that is born of the Spirit, moves like the wind.” Take a moment and ponder this thought, over and over, because like I said before, this concept has not been preached this way: and even those who profess publicly that they are born again do not equate their confession of faith with the words of Christ. Here is more that Christ said, that is relevant to the subject being studied. “That which is born of flesh is FLESH; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (or becomes spirit.)

The popular train of thought, and that which is universally accepted, is like saying that one day darkness will become light. But in all practicality, and logic as we know it to be, the two will never become one. They are two separate realities that dominate their separate worlds. Our Lord presented a profound concept based upon the preponderance that flesh will always be flesh; and it is never intended by the Divine Order that our mortal flesh will somehow, one day become spirit. Flesh as we know it, is “mortal flesh” but when we are glorified with a new body it will be human-like but the human factor will have been removed and banished forever. Let us revisit Paul, in one of his pastoral letters. “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” 1^st Corinthians 15:50. This does suggest that our glorification will happen in a pre-determined time frame, and those who have passed on before us, have no consequence (for or against) the unfolding of our glorification. In fact Job made his own prediction that can serve us well. “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” Job 19:26. 

So, little by little, as we put the pieces together, we slowly see the big picture. Here is more defining statements to underscore and under gird the thought that is under consideration. It was not enough for Paul to say that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. He added more to the concept so as to afford us a clearer picture and a better understanding to enrich our knowledge of Christ our Lord. “For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. We are now given the ultimate truth, outlining the procedure that shall take place. Here is what will transpire in the fulness of time. “For this corruptible must PUT ON (meaning while you are still alive) incorruption, and this mortal MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY. 1^st Corinthians 15:52, 53. The result of this transforming process that will produce people living in glorified bodies, does not mean that the world will be full of disembodied spirits floating about like invisible butterflies. We will possess human-like bodies: (like Job saying in his flesh, he will see God.) except in this case as we said before, the human factor will have been taken away, and we are left with what looks like human bodies but are in fact incorruptible and immortal bodies.

 It is this wonderful dynamic that inspired Paul to write: “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal (mortal human beings) shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” verse 54. As we step over or stand at the line of demarcation that separates the natural and the divine, a brand-new dimension of spiritual realities will envelop not only our souls, but also our body. Paul was so convinced of this event that the people of God will experience, that he wrote a letter that emphasized that truth. He wrote his letter with the assumption that Christ would return in his day. His letter states his desire for the saints in Christ.

“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.” 1^st Thessalonians 5: 23. At the appointed time contained in God’s predestinated will and encapsulated in his blue-print before time began, our human, mortal, fleshly restrictions will suddenly pass away as we experience our metamorphosis. Indeed, we shall all be changed in a moment of time. Standing in our place today; as we remind ourselves of the many loved ones who crossed over before us, we carefully take into account that not much has ever been preached or studied concerning the promise that those whom he did predestinate, he also called, and also did justify, with the promise (in the same verse of scripture) that they shall also be GLORIFIED: It is possible that we sometime wonder where those loved-ones  fit into the big picture, or what we could call “the end game.” 

The apostle wrote a comforting letter to saints, who, possibly wondered the fate or well-being of their loved ones who died. Here is the exhortation that he sent to the churches. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so (in like manner—by the same token) them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” 1^st Thessalonians 4: 13, 14. Putting physical death aside and looking steadfastly on God’s ultimate intentions for his creation, we see that our loved ones who crossed over before us, will return in the glory of the unveiling Christ as his escorts. It is clear to see and understand that physical death does not impact, frustrate, or change the process in the fulfilling of what God had written in his master plan of our salvation—including the final stage: “Whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Romans 8: 30.   

          All of these promises uttered and determined by God himself, come with a full and complete guarantee. Paul made sure to log his testimony for our benefit in saying: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6. The apostle John chimed in as another witness to the unfolding glory of Christ as it relates to us individually and collectively. He assured us with these words that stand firm upon the promises of a faithful God who cannot deny himself: of whom it is said: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” Isaiah 46: 10. John wrote: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God (thank you Jesus!!) and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1^st John 3: 2. We do not need to see him as a babe in a manger or as the prophet describes him: “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him: he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; etc. Isaiah 53: 2, 7.

 Today, from our vantage point, we see him is as our high priest seated on the right hand of the majesty on high. But not only so: he promised to return and dwell within us, both he and his Father and Paul referred to him as “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” As a prelude to our great manifestation (even for those who have passed on and others who will cross over while we speak) we have already been transformed into the actual body of Christ and we live like him. We read: “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” Ephesians 5:30. I often debunk the saying that we are the mystical body of Christ. This is a saying that is frequently heard among members of the clergy and saints of God in general. This concept is not mystical in the true sense of the word. In his encounter with the resurrected—glorified Christ on the Damascus road, Saul asked “who art thou Lord that I persecute? The Lord replied, I am Jesus who ye persecute.” Saul was persecuting Christians, but Jesus said they are HIM.

           Make note of this concept! “For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

1^st Corinthians 12: 12. While many are on the edge of their seats anxiously awaiting the man Jesus to emerge from behind a blazing sun, others already know that Christ fills the earth in his people. What we see on our visit to the potter’s house, is a continual molding and shaping of vessels. The process is complete with the burning by fire. He even equates his ministers as flaming fire. “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Hebrews 1:7.

           Look at this profound announcement by Paul! “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire (no person shall avoid or escape the fire) and the fire shall try (test) every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”1^st Corinthians 3: 13-15.

           When will the fire end for us? What will the finished product be like? Do we have an idea of what we shall be like after all our troubles, prayers and dedication to follow Jesus? To this glorious end we read: “For our conversation (or our citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile (human) body, that it may be fashioned (modeled after his glorious body) like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3: 20, 21.

Thus, we are given God’s blue-print that was birthed in Himself that began before time began; and will carry us to the point when time as we know it will no longer exist. All things will be gathered into one in Christ; of things which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. Ephesians 1: 9-10.

Royce O. Kennedy