Doctrine of Truth : A condensed bible study By Pastor Abraham Mathew

Doctrine of Truth

"He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son" .... 2 John 1:9

     Partakers of Heavenly Calling

(A condensed bible study of Pas Abraham Mathew on 12^th Nov 2012)

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” – Heb 3:1.

Here we read that we are those who are partakers of heavenly calling. We are all holy brethren. Hence our aim and goal should be to get the same holiness of God. At one time we were unholy and living in all kinds of filth. But now we have to understand that we have to attain the same holiness of God as we look at the heavenly calling. We can understand this from the scriptures.

When we consider about the word “heavenly” we can see that is referred in many places in scriptures. Heb 12:22 – “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels”. Here we see a heavenly city which is the city of the living God and is Jerusalem. This city is a heavenly city. That means our minds should be set on heavenly things. Some people complain while saying about heavenly characters, “It is too much”. But dearly beloved it is not too much but you are called to be heavenly. You are called to live with Jesus who is our heavenly intercessor for our sake.

By the baptism of Holy Spirit we are all seated in Heavenly places. This heavenly city and our mind should be kept on heavenly calling. Let us look in some scriptures that may help us to keep this heavenly vision. There are some things which are earthly and we don’t want to set our mind upon those things. Luke 8:14 – “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” We see about certain things in this world which Jesus spoke about while he was telling the parable of the sower. These cares, riches and pleasures of this life, work against the people of God in this world. Again when we read Luke 21:34 – “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” We come to a place where our hearts can be overcharged. Here Jesus is mentioning about surfeiting, drunkenness and cares of this life. Surfeiting is over-eating. For those people who are waiting for the coming of the Lord, surfeiting will be a problem. Drunkenness is getting intoxicated by drinking and getting out of control, losing temperance. When we come to the cares of life, it is true that we have to take care of ourselves and our family. But let us not allow the cares to take control of our lives and hearts. The thoughts of heavenly city should be in us. These cares should be on Jesus. Cares of this life belong to Jesus and it should be completely given to him. Some say, “When I think about the cares of my life I get headache”. But our Lord wants us to meditate upon that heavenly city, that eternal city to have heavenly peace in our life. 1 Pet 5:7 – “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

If you are getting ready for this heavenly city you need to understand about that heavenly city through the Word of God. For the purpose we should come to the presence of God. For instance, if some have to advertise a product, they will not display it only once. They find out innovative ideas to showcase their products in different ways. All our daily used products are by-heart in us because of advertisements. Likewise when we want to know more about our heavenly calling and heavenly city we should be exposed more of this heavenly city and the Word of God where it is written about. After that we should use it to seek God and to get revelation from God and use them in our life. Just listening to the Word of God once is not sufficient. There are some agents of Satan. What do they do? After people hear the Word of God and if their face is lit and bright, they will go and engage them in certain problems and make them forget the Word of God. Some people are attacked by the cares of life and it eventually takes control of their life.

Dear child of God, are you preserving the presence of God and the Word of God? Even if you get it you should be careful in preserving the Word of God in your hearts. The Word of God which is sent has the power to transform us. Let us cast all our cares upon Lord Jesus and he will keep us in peace that passes all understanding. Psa 55:22 – “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” To expand it little bit after claiming many times… he shall sustain thee or he shall undertake you by undertaking your burdens. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. When He undertakes your burden, He does it in His perfect love because He is perfect in love. In His love He takes your burden carries it again in perfect wisdom as He is perfect in wisdom. It has to be calculated very well so that it suits you well and hence it requires a lot of wisdom. He will undertake it in perfect love and wisdom. He does it also in His infinite power. That is because when you get blessings devil tries to take it away from you. So He undertakes it with His infinite power. It may be the simplest thing. When God is undertaking your burdens He will never allow you to be moved.

But He may allow certain sufferings according to His will because only then He can prepare you for that heavenly city. Jesus says, in Matt 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” When we do the perfect will of God, he will undertake for us wonderfully and perfectly according to his will. The name of the Lord which you can claim is, “Lord your Righteousness”. Whenever you need anything, you should claim “Lord your Righteousness”. Jesus is the “Lord your Righteousness” or more precisely “Lord my Righteousness”. This Lord means all power in heaven and earth. He has all power to fulfill his words. Committing yourselves to the Lords, you will see peace that passes all understanding coming to you.

There are three aspects of communicating to God. They are prayer, supplication and thanks giving. Supplication denotes humbling yourselves. Prayer stands for claiming the promises of God and pleading to Lord filling in the power of Holy Spirit. After this believing that God has performed his works you have to thank God. Then God will give his peace that passes all understanding. If you don’t finish your prayer with thanks giving you will still be anxious and doubtful. These are very simple steps and if you learn to do this you can give your heart to God and can cast your burden on the Lord.  Let everything be given to God in prayer.

Luke 12:21 – “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Here Jesus speaks about those who are laying their treasures on this earth. So you have to be very careful to lay treasures not to oneself but only to God. You should be found righteous to God. You should lay your treasure in heaven so that you can be righteous in eternity. Let us not be those who lay treasure on earth but let us be righteous to God. Whatever we have let us use it for the glory of God. Cares will hinder our growth. Matt 6:19-21 – “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Our treasure should be Jesus. Where our treasure is there will your heart be also. Hence we should seek Jesus in our lives and continue to seek him more and more.

Matt 6:24 – “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” If Christ is in a place in us and we also have something else in our life we cannot love him completely. We will in fact love one and hate the other. Nothing or nobody should be shared with Jesus. Only Jesus should be our Master. In the above mentioned verse we read about mammon. This mammon speaks of deceitful riches, money or whatever you are putting your trust upon. What you trust becomes your mammon. We cannot serve God and mammon at the same time. Times will come in our life to choose either God or mammon. We will be offered great increase in salary but you will be prohibited to come to the gathering of saints. There are certain testimonies where people have denied major positions in career to come to meetings in churches. They did not want to gain anything but wanted to live for heavenly things. I personally know about one of those persons have come to the end of his life and God took him. While he was on this earth he did not have any regrets. And he is with Jesus now. If you have cares of this life, it is going to come upon you as snare lest you repent and come back.

We are not waiting for antichrist. He has his own bride. But you are going to see Jesus. Matt 6:31-33 – “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” These things which are mentioned above are those things which the people of this world seek after. But we understand him as our heavenly Father. Jesus says, “My heavenly Father will see to all your earthly things.” He has called you with a heavenly calling and hence he is asking us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This means first seek the king, then his kingdom and after that his righteousness which is the Word of God. King speaks of the anointing of Holy Spirit. After being filled in the Holy Spirit we should seek and meditate the Word of God. Then that king will see to all your needs. King has all power to give your requirements.  Seek first the king, then his kingdom, and after that his righteousness. Then all things shall be added unto you. This is a truth that you have to understand.

Cares, riches and pleasures will hinder us to go to the eternal kingdom. 1 Tim 5:6 – “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth”. This applies to the church as well. Church that live in pleasure is dead while she lives. You should not live with the pleasures of this life so you may get carried away with this life. There are so many things that take away our time these days. Computer games, social networking sites, other pleasure providing materials and so on draw us away. If you are living in the pleasures of life Word of God says that you are dead. Remember perverse days are ahead of us. We should use every hour, every minute and every second of the day as you go up to perfection in accordance to his will. There should not be any mistake.

Work of perfection is a daily work. Perhaps you do wrong all the day, and if you expect perfection to come to you all of a sudden, it will be utter foolishness. All day we should strive for perfection.  To do that work in your life Jesus had come. He is faithful to perform that work in your life. If you are careless it will be a snare to you. Hence it is told to work out your own salvation. Word of God says, in Heb 2:3, 4 – “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will”.  Hence great salvation is a perfect salvation. Being made perfect he was made the author of eternal salvation. Heb 5:9 – “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him”. We have to work out our salvation with fear of God and trembling. God will be then careful of us. God will see to that which is perfect in our life.

Any time Jesus will appear. If you seek with all your heart the king who is Jesus, his kingdom which is the anointing of the Holy Spirit and his righteousness which is the Word of God, this righteousness will increase your faith. Whenever Jesus comes he will be sure to make you perfect. Jesus may come any moment and that very moment is drawing near. Beloved, this is the confidence we have. Phil 1:6 – “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”. We should be confident that we will be raptured. It is not dependent on you but with God if you believe and trust that with God all things are possible.

Jesus told to that rich young man, if you sell all your belongings he will get perfection. His question was to get eternal life but the answer of Jesus was to get perfection. Math 19:16-26 – “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible”. Hearing this, what did Peter ask to Jesus? (v.25) – “…Who then can be saved?” Note these words eternal life (v.16), perfect (v.21) and saved (v.25). To sum it up Jesus’ conclusion was, “…With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible”- (v.26). With power of Word, with the power of the Holy Spirit, with the word of truth everything is possible.

Believe this scripture portion Phil 1:6 which we saw earlier. With this faith and confidence many saints have departed from this world. Yes! He will perform it if you work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Fear comes out of love. For instance a child loves his parents very much who brought him up teaching right and wrong. He will know what his parents like and dislike. He will not like to grieve the heart of his parents as he loves them more. This type of a fear is fear of God. We will fear to grieve our God whom we love. When we see Jesus on cross we will never want to grieve our God. With trembling and all carefulness we should workout our salvation or perfection.  Phil 2:12 – “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Let’s see how to work out our salvation. For the word salvation we see word ‘perfection’ is used by our Lord Jesus- Matt ch. 19 as we have seen earlier in this message. We also see we have to therefore keep ourselves in every way heavenly and be separated from all cares.

In Hebrew 3:1 we see the words “apostle” and “high priest” is used for Jesus. Here we see that Jesus is an apostle sent with a commission to preach. While Jesus stood up in the synagogue to read the scriptures he read the scripture portion that mentions Luke 4:18, 19 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Like Father God sent Jesus to preach, Jesus also sent his disciples to preach, to heal and he asked them to tarry in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit before the start of New Testament ministry. Even now to lead the church into perfection apostles are needed.  We see Jesus as our high priest. In Old Testament times, high priest went to the most holy place alone once in a year for the atonement of self and people’s sins. But Lord Jesus was made a high priest according to the order of Melchisedec. Melchisedec is the Holy Spirit. The most holy place is eternity and Holy presence of God where Jesus entered. As we understand from the law, only high priest can enter into the most holy place once in a year. And we see Lord Jesus is the only one who entered first to the very presence of God or into the eternity. Heb 9:24 – “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us”. If God is Almighty God, he perfected the work to become high priest to get to the most holy place. Heb 5:8-10 – “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” The purpose of priesthood is perfection. Jesus came to this world to be perfected, to become high priest, to become an Apostle.

God expects perfection in His creation. Here we see God after he created all things he said it is “good” but after he created man he said it is “very good”. Through Jesus he is re-creating man to be perfect. 2 Cor 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Also we see in Colo 3:10 – “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him”. This is the purpose of priesthood. In order to be made high priest he had to be perfect. He was perfect in all ways. But he had to be perfected as in the scriptures – to be perfected in the will of God. As you are anointed by the Holy Spirit, God is doing that work. You have to grow up to the measure of the stature of fullness of Christ. When you receive Holy Spirit you are a new creature. That is a perfect work. Through the water baptism also you have to go on unto perfection. As we read in Eph 4:13 – “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”. This is again perfection. As we see in Phil 3:20 – “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ”. If we carefully read the above verses, Paul writes, “I am still following to catch or to be made perfect. (v.14) – “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

We have perfection in love, faith, holiness. When we consider, as we get the baptism of the Holy Spirit and through that we can go forward in all these qualities. Rom 5:17 – “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ”.  It is a gift of righteousness. These three qualities of righteousness have a growth. It is growing to the full measure of the stature of Christ. Then we can grow to the 4^th quality. It is doing the will of God. Jesus told, “I come to do the will of God.” He came to perfect us and came down as man. Time is near. Very soon he is going to come. He will do his work. He wants us to do his will. Let’s say, “Lord I am totally surrendering to do thy will.” In our daily choices, choose to do the will of God. By doing the will of God let us grow perfect in faith, holiness and love! May God bless you all!