BY EDWARD O’HARA
We spoke of how the world converged in Christ’s coming. How that all mankind came to the very same place when faith in Jesus became known to the whole world as the only way to the Father. The only way to eternal life and immortality.
And how this leads to the conclusion that unbelief is the only sin that separates mankind from a relationship with God. The law being dealt with in Christ. And only the righteousness of faith remains.
As we can see in the chart after the convergence of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection making Jesus the mediator between God and man. The paths separate into either unbelief to remain under death’s power. Or belief in Jesus for deliverance from it.
This is where the Holy Spirit brings all men in order that they might be saved. To Gal.3:16,17 where Paul writes, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.”
Here we see that it is because of Jesus, “the seed”, that the promise given to Abraham remains separate and unaffected by the law that came 430 years later. Showing that eternal life and immortality were never conditioned upon how well Israel kept the law. And that it has always been and always will be conditioned solely upon whether a man believes in God/Jesus.
So the convergence we see in Jesus is one that has always been true for all mankind. But, was hidden from those whose eyes would refuse to see. And whose ears would refuse to hear. As Jesus said in Mar4:11,12 was the reason He spoke to the people in parables.
Because they believed that works is the evidence for righteousness. Instead of believing alone. Which Paul writes in Rom.8:7 is why the flesh is at enmity against the spirit. The flesh here being the belief that the works of the law makes them righteous. And the spirit being the belief that faith in Jesus alone without any works is what makes men righteous.
We see the reason for this where the next arrow points us to on the right side of the chart that has 1Cor.15:46, 1Cor.2:12-15, and John3:6, and 4:24. These all refer to our having created in us a spirit that makes us God’s children. And being born from above by the Spirit of God is what makes us righteous.
So when Paul speaks of those who live or walk in the flesh he is referring to those who believe righteousness comes from how well they keep the law. On works. And when he speaks of the spirit he is referring to those whose righteousness comes from their faith in Jesus.
And as the chart shows there are 2 ways to end up on the wrong side of the chart. By trusting in salvation and righteousness by works. Or by simply never coming to a saving faith in Jesus.
These are the same thing but are arrived at through a different process. One is more complicated than the other. Because one is simply never believing in Jesus. And the other is saying you believe in Jesus while actually believing in salvation by works.
Both are effectively unbelief. One does not believe in Jesus at all for salvation. And the other says they believe in Jesus’ perfect law keeping is what saves them. And even some believe it’s a combination of Jesus’ works and their own works that saves them by making them righteous and therefore acceptable to God.
I will touch on this point further in next week’s message. But, for now I want to ask you what side you are on today. Have you combined works with faith for your salvation and righteousness to go down the left side of the chart with the rest of the unbelievers? Or is your righteousness of faith the same as Jesus’ was when He lived as a man?
Do you trust in Jesus as He trusted the Father? This is the definition of righteousness for salvation. The righteousness of faith. Jesus showed us this righteousness when He said “Not my will but thy will be done” when speaking with the Father.
This is why Paul said in Rom.10:9,10 that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus. And believe in your heart that He has raised from the dead. you shall be saved. Because this is righteousness. The righteousness of faith. The same righteousness Jesus had that was the relationship He had with the Father.
If you will do this then you will be righteous for eternal life. If you will do this then God will make you His child by creating a spirit in you that joins you to Him forever. If you will do this then eternal life will be. Yours right now. And immortality at the resurrection.
If you will do this then the convergence for all mankind that is Jesus, whether you are from the fleshly line of Abraham or are of those whose faith joins you to it, will culminate for you in righteousness, eternal life, and immortality. If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!
This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v7fpr24-convergence-in-christ-has-a-way-of-also-leading-to-a-divergence-into-unbeli.html
