davidbowerkingwood

There is a Critical Point of Division in the Human Race and it has Absolutely Nothing to do with the Appearance of our Bodies!

The human race is divided into two distinct groups; this division began in A. D. 33 and has dramatically increased in scope since then. Almost nothing is said or written about this division although its effects are profound and eternal!

There is no other distinction which even comes close to this one; nationality, gender, ethnicity, none of these can even come close to this great divide in the seriousness of its impact upon all people.

It is truly tragic so little attention is paid to this great divide by the media, nations, and ethnic groups. Inconsequential distinctions become the subject of discussions, sometimes heated, and even descend to physical violence including national wars.

Over the next few weeks, I intend to devote some attention to the subject of this great divide and explore how we got here and where do we go from this point forward.

Easter Sunday

On April 17, 2022, we will observe Easter Sunday, our recognition of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. The death and resurrection of the Lord was the turning point in God’s relationship to mankind; Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and eliminated sin as the barrier between God and man.

In recognition of the spiritual reality, the massive veil between the Most Holy Place and the Holy Place was torn in two from top to bottom in Herod’s Temple. There remained one additional step that was needed to fully implement the new dispensation; Jesus must return to heaven and send the Holy Spirit to mankind. In John 16:7-11 it is written:

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

A New Dispensation

It would be at this point, mankind’s relationship to God would be altered forever; in John 14:15-17 it is written:

¹⁵ “If you love Me, keep My commandments. ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

This change was implemented at Pentecost, May 25, AD 33 as described in Act 2:1-4 where it is written:

2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

A Radical New Development, Many Members but just One Body!

At this time, a totally new form of human came into existence, a human, born of a human father, but permanently indwelt by God! Collectively, this new humanity is called the church, the body of Christ and is joined as each individual receives Jesus Christ as Savior and is born again by the power of God, the Holy Spirit.

This point is clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 where it is written:

“¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Again in 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 where it is written:

“¹² For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴ For in fact the body is not one member but many.”

Fortunately, we are not required to understand this new reality of being many members of one body; just to accept it as our new reality by faith. I find it very interesting that our creator God, one God in three persons, has designed the body of Christ to be composed of many members, but only one body!

Next time, we will explore some details leading up to this rather amazing development.