The Heir of All Things

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV)

This is speaking of Jesus Christ who is not only the only Begotten Son of God but who is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, who is God, left his throne in heaven, came to earth, was born of the Holy Spirit to a human mother and lived in a human body as both fully God and fully man until his death at around the age of 33. But he didn’t stay dead. God the Father resurrected him from the dead.

Prior to Jesus Christ coming to the earth the Lord used prophets to speak his words to the people. But once Jesus came, because he is God, he spoke the very words of God to the people. Now this does not negate the gifts of the Spirit of God, and this does not negate the Holy Spirit and how he speaks to our hearts, for after Jesus left the earth, and he returned to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within the lives of his followers.

And the Spirit’s assignment is to speak the words of Jesus to us, to remind us of the things that he taught, to comfort, correct, rebuke, and exhort us, to convict of sin, to encourage us, to help us, and to strengthen and to empower us to do the work of the Lord and to live godly and holy lives, and to be the Lord’s servants and witnesses. He is to lead us and to guide us into all truth, and in the ways of the Lord, and to give us godly counsel.

Basically, when Jesus Christ walked the earth he spoke to the people the words of God, because he was/is God. But after he went back to heaven he sent his Holy Spirit to live within us, who is now his voice to us. He speaks God’s words to us because he is God and he is Christ’s representative to us, and he is basically Jesus/God in us. So Jesus is still speaking, not just through his written word, but through the Spirit who lives inside of us.

[Mk 13:11; Lu 2:26; Lu 4:18-19; Lu 10:21; Lu 12:11-12; Jn 14:26; Jn 15:26; Jn 16:13; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:17-18; Acts 11:12; Acts 13:2; Acts 20:23; Rom 8:9,14; 1 Co 2:14-16; 1 Co 6:19-20; 1 Co 12:1-31; Rom 12:1-8; Eph 4:1-32]

Now I am not suggesting here that Scripture is still being written and that we can add to the Scriptures. But just as Jesus, when he was on the earth, talked with the people about their personal lives and what they were specifically going through, the Spirit speaks to us about what we are going through and he gives us counsel, direction, discernment, knowledge, understanding, and direction so we know what to do and where to go.

Also, the gifts of the Spirit are called that because they are operated in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in our flesh. They are supernatural gifts, not natural talents and abilities. So, if someone is gifted in preaching or teaching the Scriptures, his/her preaching should be led of the Spirit of God and not of that person’s own mind. The messages they give should be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered and applicable to our lives today. But none of us are infallible, and that is why our words should be tested.

And the Holy Spirit speaking to us is still Jesus speaking to us. He is just now speaking through his Spirit who he gave to us to be Jesus within us. For this way Jesus can now speak to people all over the world because he is not limited by physical location like he was when he lived on the earth. For now, in the person of the Spirit, he is inside all of us who believe in him across the globe. And to believe in him means to die with him to sin and to walk in obedience to his commands. For not everyone who claims faith in Jesus has genuine faith in Jesus, in other words. 

For when Jesus made purification for sins, it was so that we would be crucified with him in death to sin, and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. For Jesus didn’t die on that cross just to forgive us our sins, so that we can go to heaven when we die. He died so that we would no longer walk in sin but so that we would now walk according to the Spirit in holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to our Lord. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to God, we do not have eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24] 

Near the Cross  

Hymn lyrics by Fanny J. Crosby, 1869

Music by William H. Doane, 1869 

Jesus, keep me near the cross; 

There a precious fountain, 

Free to all, a healing stream, 

Flows from Calvary's mountain. 

Near the cross, a trembling soul, 

Love and mercy found me; 

There the bright and morning star 

Sheds its beams around me. 

 

Near the cross! O Lamb of God, 

Bring its scenes before me; 

Help me walk from day to day 

With its shadow o'er me. 

Near the cross I'll watch and wait, 

Hoping, trusting ever, 

Till I reach the golden strand 

Just beyond the river. 

In the cross, in the cross, 

Be my glory ever, 

Till my raptured soul shall find 

Rest beyond the river.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5gong-PNmY

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