GIFT “OF” A SAVIOR

Obadiah 21 (NKJV)
21 Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion
To judge the mountains of Esau,
And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.

What a wonderful prophecy! Now we all know that there is but one savior the Lord Jesus Christ. But NOW the Christ is a many membered body throughout the world 1 Cor. 12:12. I should comment on the translation of the above quoted verse and explain how it is translated in the KJV new or old makes no difference. Sometimes the translators of the king James Version let some things out of the bag that the modern church leaders would have rather left under the rug, so to speak; as the word “saviors” here. There are many such word variations and this is one of them. Another I would like to make reference to is the use of the words “of” and “in”. I am not endorsing the KJV over others; I believe we should use many translations as well as the original language dictionaries.

Here is a quote from an article by Tony Warren, (I do not know him, I just found this on the web) Just to show I am not the only one that has seen this.

Galatians 2:16
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

“A man is not justified by his own faith or his own work (in keeping the law), but by the ‘faith of Christ.’ Being justified by our own faith would be Biblically heretical. The Holy canon is clear, accurate, and unambiguous in it’s declarations that we are justified by the faith of Christ. Just as clear is that it is not by ‘our faith in Christ,’ which would mean we are justified by our own action of believing. This would be an impossibility. We are justified by His work, not our own. If there was the slightest chance that it was by our faith in Christ that we were justified, that would be a merit system for man. This is not something through which true grace could work. In fact, it would be anti-christ, and anti-grace (Romans 11:6). For if at all by our works, it cannot be by grace.”
Tony Warren

I would like to add these verses also for consideration;

(Php 3:9 KJVR) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

(Rom 3:22 KJVR) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

(Gal 2:20 KJVR) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
(Gal 2:21 KJVR) I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Referring to the KJV. rendering of these verses I believe the KJV had it right in this instance using the faith “OF” Christ instead of the newer versions use of faith “IN” Christ. The point here is that there is a “big difference” in using “in” or “of”. IN would be a movement INTO something, whereas OF would be a movement OUT OF or FROM something; THE EXACT OPPOSITE! IN would be speaking of us initiating a movement towards Christ, whereas OF would be Christ initiating a movement towards us, BIG DIFFERENCE! Is salvation OF the Lord or of us? Huh?

Now I say “we must first be given the faith OF Christ before we can have faith IN Christ” UNTIL WE HAVE IT IN US WE CANNOT EXPRESS IT OUT OF US! You cannot bring a thing out of you that is not "already in you".

Here is what came to me as I was thinking on this: we the believers in Universal Reconciliation, as the ones having been given the revelation of the truth of the Complete Restoration in Christ and Salvation of ALL the WORLD; and of course the gift of “the faith OF Christ” to enable us to believe these things. How did we acquire this position and understanding revelation of Faith Of Christ? How did we get this gift and where did we get it? Bingo! Someone had to give it to us.

Rom 10:13-14 CEV. All who call out to the Lord will be saved. (14) How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?

Knowing that Christ is the giver of the gift of faith and following that with the fact that we now are the body of Christ on earth 1 Cor. 12:12

YES! We are blessed with the ability to give this gift of the faith OF Christ to others as Christ works through us telling others of the universal love and forgiveness of God for all mankind. When we speak to someone or write an article or book revealing the victorious plan of God through Christ; the Holy Spirit working through us illuminates their mind and heart to understand and believe the true gospel and so they are saved; or by this brought into the joyous experience of realizing their salvation and eternal security in Christ. And so the dormant seed of God is fertilized and watered and burst forth into life from the inside out. As a newborn baby opening their eyes upon coming from the mother’s womb to see its first glimpse of light. Not a religious rehabilitation from the outside only, while the inside is left unchanged. (Because they really did not believe with their heart what the religious leaders had told them. They were just getting their fire insurance and playing follow the leader, not thinking for themselves. Because when they did something deep in their heart told them there is something wrong with all this turn or burn, fly or fry, happy God – angry God, grace plus law stuff; it really doesn’t make sense.) I am not saying all are in this category; but many are not true believers with genuine faith, ask any pastor of any church they know this and will agree; that’s why they have alter calls at most every service! Many "cannot" have true faith because they haven’t heard the true "good news". (I am not saying they are not saved, because "they are". I'm saying many do not really "know" they are saved) The "Good News" is what the angel on that great inaugural announcement of the Saviors birth proclaimed;

“behold I bring you "good news" of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” Luk. 2:10-11

And never forget that The Lord Jesus Himself said;

Joh. 3:17 GW God sent his Son into THE WORLD, not to condemn THE WORLD, but to "save" THE WORLD

GOT IT YET??? just let that thought hang there a while and you will.

You can’t believe in something you have never heard or known about, its IMPOSSIBLE! I would allow that many because of their sincere desire to know God may have been given a partial revelation of the truth without fully understanding it but following their conscience in what they do know and God understands and honors that; this could occur with anyone in any religion or even a savage in the jungle Rom 2:13-15 Psa 19:1-4.

Here is where we come in; we have this treasure in earthen vessels! 2Cor. 4:7 We are to pour ourselves out that others might be refreshed by the living water flowing out of our inmost being. We are to give that first glimpse of light to eyes that have not seen and that first joyous sound of good news to ears that have not heard. As Jesus gave sight to the blind and healed the deaf when He was on earth, He is still doing that today THROUGH US! WHAT A GLORIOUS PRIVILEGE! And who is worthy of such a commission? None of us, no not one, it’s just that our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to share this work with His children as an earthly father finds joy in their children participating in a home project or family plan. So does our heavenly Father enjoy our participation in working out His plan of the ages Eph. 1:21, 2:7. Yes, God has a plan like any master builder he does not create without a plan; and His plan culminates in the salvation, restoration and re-creation of all in the universe.

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
(Eph 1:9-12 KJVR)

So it is not as though we should become complacent or condescending in our Knowledge of the truth, just because we know all will turn out well in the end. We should be all the more eager to get this good news out to as many as we can personally connect with locally and to all the world through whatever means and media we have; knowing it is God working in us to bring about the SALVATION OF THE WORLD! We ourselves would not have true faith IN Christ, had not someone shared with us the true good news and in so doing gave us the gift of the faith OF Christ. And so we are to pass this on to others as the Spirit of Christ in us communicates with others and touches their heart, opens their eyes, and ears to the truth; and so they are set free as they are given the gift of the faith OF or out of The Christ in us. So then they bring forth and manifest faith IN Christ.

It seems this could be one way we will see the coming (or presents -G3952 parousia Thayer Definition: 1. presence) of Christ, when Christ will be revealed to the world (G602 apokalupsis). I have included herein scripture references and the references to the Greek dictionary definitions in hopes that the reader will not take my word for these things but will search them out themselves. If hopefully you have the resources please use more than one translation and dictionary as they can greatly differ.

I believe it is time for the ushering in of the Kingdom age and we are the forerunners of this transition and great move of God IN His people. That’s how God does things, through human beings even as “he was in (the man) Christ (Jesus) reconciling the world to Himself” 2 Cor. 5:19 “and has committed to us the message of reconciliation”. The world desperately needs to know that God “is not imputing their trespasses to them” as far as our relationship with Him goes. On the contrary the world WILL impute your trespasses to you and justly so; just try driving a 100 mph or robbing a bank. But the justification for our sins toward God was paid for by Jesus Christ; and the world needs to know that so that they can enjoy a relationship with our Savior and our Heavenly Father. Oh I know eventually “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord, to the Glory of God the Father” Eph. 2:10-11 but oh how much better to do so now. I pray that the genuine love of God would so flow through us all that it will "shock" this desperate needy world into the honesty that it will take for the religious leaders to wake up out of the stupor of tradition they are locked into and have locked others into as well. That is; that God is going to condemn most of the world and send them off into an eternal hell that He created, without hope, forever and ever and ever and ever and ever doomed to fry in the flames; even though an Almighty God that loves them is aware of their suffering, but His hands are tied with the unbreakable rope of our almighty free will. THAT'S THE MOST RIDICULOUS REGURGITATION OF RELIGIOUS RHETORIC I HAVE EVER HEARD !!!

NO! these religious leaders should know full well that “God did not send His son into the WORLD to condemn the WORLD, but that the WORLD would be saved through Him” Jhn. 3:17. I BELIEVE God did not fail in this purpose nor does He ever fail; to think otherwise would be absurd if you REALLY BELIEVE He is GOD, ALL-SOVEREIGN, ALL-POWERFUL, ALL-KNOWING, ALL-PRESENT AND ALL-LOVING. I pray that through our witness of the true gospel in word and deed we will become a city set on a hill which cannot be hid or denied as a beautiful bride coming down the isle. Every eye is on her because her beauty is irresistibly drawing the attention of all; and so is the true bride of Christ as she makes herself ready for the wedding. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And the one hearing, let him say, Come! “And saviors shall come up on mount Zion “ and say come! And the one thirsting, let him come; and the one desiring, come, let the one without rituals or religion come, let him take of the water of life freely. Let ALL the world come and confess Jesus Christ as Lord to the Glory of God The Father. Revelation 22:17 Caldwell Paraphrase :-)
For God has said:

“GOD, Creator of the heavens—he is, remember, God. Maker of earth—he put it on its foundations, built it from scratch. He didn’t go to all that trouble to just leave it empty, nothing in it. He made it to be lived in. This GOD says: “I am GOD, the one and only. I don’t just talk to myself or mumble under my breath. I never told Jacob, ‘Seek me in emptiness, in dark nothingness.’ I am GOD. I work out in the open, saying what’s right, setting things right. So gather around, come on in, all you refugees and castoffs. They don’t seem to know much, do they—those who carry around their no-god blocks of wood, praying for help to a dead stick? So tell me what you think. Look at the evidence. Put your heads together. Make your case. Who told you, and a long time ago, what’s going on here? Who made sense of things for you? Wasn’t I the one? GOD? It had to be me. I’m the only God there is—The only God who does things right and knows how to help. So turn to me and be helped—saved!-- everyone, whoever and wherever you are. I am GOD, the only God there is, the one and only. I promise in my own name: Every word out of my mouth does what it says. I never take back what I say. Everyone is going to end up kneeling before me. Everyone is going to end up saying of me, ‘Yes! Salvation and strength are in GOD!’” All who have raged against him will be brought before him, disgraced by their unbelief”.
(Isa 45:18-24 MSG)

Peace to you,
Rev. Dennis D. Caldwell