The Travels Of Jesus

 

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone should be loving Me, he will be keeping My word, and My Father will be loving him, and we shall be coming to him and making our abode with Him.

Johns Account 14: 23, Concordant New Testament 

It's one of the most repeated phrases in all of Christianity.  Jesus will come again.  The popular held belief is that Christ Jesus will return to the earth and gather all believers unto Him, whereupon He will lead us all into our final destination in the Fathers heaven.  That's a good story if you can sell it, and the mainstream church theology has done a good job of doing jus that.  The promise which Jesus gave of His return has been hijacked by mainstream Christian theology to promote the teaching of our future home in heaven.  And so we wait with bated breath for the return of the Son to fulfill His promise.  But I ran into an issue with this thinking earlier this week.  While contemplating the proclaimed return of the Christ, I ran into something interesting.  Doing a simple Google search, I found that Jesus has ALREADY returned a total of 10-12 times, ten times as documented by His followers in the scriptures.  So, when the pastor proclaims that Jesus will return for His own once again, which return is He referring to?  We know from the scriptures that Jesus has said that He will be with us "Till the conclusion of the eon!" {Matthews Account 28:20}.  The author of Hebrews proclaims that Jesus will be seen a second time "By those awaiting Him, apart from sin, for salvation, through faith" {To the Hebrews 9:28}.  Is this the oft heralded "Second coming" of Jesus?  If so, then He has already come and the mainstream church has missed the boat.  Think about it, Jesus will (or has) come a second time to be seen by those who are waiting for Him for salvation through faith.  Are you saved?  How is it that you are sure of your salvation?  We are sure of our salvation through Christ Jesus through our faith in Him!  We are assured of our salvation knowing that Jesus gave Himself on the cross for us {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  That Jesus sure does get around.  

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 

Johns Account 14:20, Concordant New Testament 

One of the truths that looks on the surface to prove to us the living Christ are the words of the apostle Paul.  It is Paul who speaks of the indwelling Christ in him {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  The apostle John speaks to Jesus and the Father making their home in us {Johns Account 14:23}.  Is what Paul speaks of in Galatians proof of this?  I believe so.  I believe that the indwelling Christ in me is the fulfillment of the promise given by Jesus through His apostle Johns Account 14:20, 14:23}.  The truth is that we now live in union with Christ and the Father just as has been told to us through scripture.  Jesus HAS prepared a place for us in He and the Father.  So, what does this mean concerning the church theology that Jesus will come to receive those who believe?  Well, if we trust in the words of Jesus Himself, He has already come to do just that.  This opens the door to another question.  Is this heaven?  What is the scriptural destination of heaven?  Up in the sky?  Or, is heaven that reality of our being in Him?  Has Jesus come to receive us unto Himself?  I believe that this is the truth of our union in Him.  He has come to include us in that place He has prepared.  Amen! 

~Scott~