GLORY OF THE NEW CREATION

GLORY OF THE NEW CREATION

Sunday, October 22, 2017, the Year of Our Lord

Pastor Carolyn Sissom

Before there was any revelation of God in creation, God was, in his infinite Being and goodness, eternally blessed in the knowledge and enjoyment of his own Being in its existence in the three distinct persons of the Godhead.

By his own will and pleasure guided by infinite wisdom; and His almighty power, He created all things.  He spoke the word and all things came into existence.  He saw that they were “exceedingly (m@’aod) good” (Gen. 1:31).

In this state, all created things depended on God himself, on the grace of his perseverance and on his power.  

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  He created for himself two distinct, rational families dependent on him, under a moral law, obedience to which would bring glory to him.  The earth he created for man suited to human nature in every way to fulfill the purpose of his creation which was to fellowship with God and give glory to Him. (to the praise of the glory of his grace- Eph. 1: 6)

  Heaven he created for angels, which was suited for them, which was for their preservation and the purpose for which they were created which was also to glorify God.

To man, God gave power and dominion over all things on earth to use them to glorify God.  God received glory from the animal kingdom and even the inanimate creation.  The angels had similar dominion over the heavenly and spiritual bodies which God created for their happiness and good. 

Scripture does not support the idea that there are other intelligent creatures in the universe besides angels and men.  That idea disturbs the whole representation of the glory of God and the whole purpose of his wisdom and grace declared in Scripture.  “The existence of other intellectual creatures besides angels and men is the creation of the fanciful imaginations of sinful men who have lost all semblance of wisdom” John Owen.

This order of things was “exceedingly good”.  Both angels and men lived in dependence on God.  He was the head of both families.  Nothing was communicated to them except what they received directly from God himself. 

This union between the two families of God was disturbed and dissolved by sin.  Part of the heavenly family and the entire earthly family ceased to be dependent on God.  They fell out with each other and lived in enmity among themselves.  At the fall of Adam, God cursed the earth.  God did not curse the heavens which were subject to the angels, because only some of them rebelled against God.  The rest of the angels who did not rebel continued to live in their heavenly state. 

The angels that sinned, God utterly rejected for ever. Jude 1:6: the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains.

But the whole human race, God would not utterly cast off. He determined to save a number of us, according to the election of grace

Eph. 1:12: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

God did not restore them to their former state to two distinct families, each directly dependent upon him.  Instead, he set into being in Christ to gather them both into one, under a new head, by whom the angels would be kept from sinning and the elect chosen from the human race be delivered from the curse which sin had brought upon them.  In the meantime he leaves them to live in their different and distinct dwelling places.

Ephesians 3: 14-18:  I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might through His spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with the fullness of God.

Paul teaches in Ephesians 1:10:  In the dispensation of the fullness of the times, God will gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in earth---in Him.

Colossians 1:20 tells us that God has reconciled all things to Himself; by Him (Christ), whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of the cross.

The new head, in whom God purposed to gather up all things in heaven and earth into one family, and on whom all things were to depend and by whom they would be held together is Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate.

 Eph. 1:21-22: Far above all principality, power, might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

This glory was reserved for Christ Jesus.  There was no other creature good enough or fit enough for this glorious work.

Col. 1: 16-18: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him; And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  He is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

God now communicates with his new family only through the head, Jesus Christ.  In him this new family is held together; on him all its members depend; to him we owe our submission.  In our relation to him lie all peace, unity and agreement with His Body.   This is what Paul means by God reconciling or gathering all things together by Christ.

Mankind needed redemption and grace.  The good angels were confirmed in glory.  Christ took our nature into union with his own in order that he might redeem it so that once again we can live on earth to glorify God; but, he did not take upon himself the nature of angels.

Heb. 2:16: He did not take on the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

He unites us to himself by his Holy Spirit which exalts us to a dignity and honor making us fit to have fellowship with the angels in one family; and worship with the angels as one family before His throne in the Third Heaven.

Jesus Christ is the head of this new family including both angels and the redeemed together, Christ is exceedingly glorious—far above our understanding.  Christ alone could bear the weight of the glory to gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in earth---in Him.

No creature was fit to be made the head of God’s new creation.  When the Holy Spirit assigns this glory to Christ, he describes him as the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of His power. (Heb. 1:3).  From Christ all graces flow into this new family.  From this new family worship, praise and gratitude flow back to him.  Who can describe the divine beauty, order and harmony of all things in this new family under its head, Jesus Christ? The communication of life, grace, power, mercy and comfort to the church and all things being ruled for the glory of god all depend on Jesus Christ. 

If we meditate upon this glory of Christ, and the wisdom of God in the restoration of all things in Christ, how much more diligent we would be in fulfilling our destiny and purpose in Him.  Creation was beautifully ordered as they lived and moved in dependence on God.  Sin destroyed this order and harmony.  But all is restored, redeemed and made up as we live, and move and have our being in Christ.

Divine creation is made more beautiful than it was before.  All creation groans as it longs for this glorious restoration of all things.

The first creation was glorious.  But everything depended on God under a covenant of obedience.  The glory of  Christ is seen in the stability and security that is given to the whole new creation. 

In the first creation, everything was brought down by the sin of angels and men.  But now everything that belongs to this new creation, including ever believer in the world, as well as the angels in heaven, being gathered together under this one head, are all infallibly kept by the keeping power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Pet. 1:5: Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this new head, all is established, strengthened and settled, and that for eternity. (1 Peter 5:10

Christ is glorious because he is appointed as the only way by which all the treasures of the infinite wisdom of God towards his creatures are opened up and revealed.  In the first creation, infinite wisdom was the inseparable companion of infinite power.  How marvelous are your works, O Lord!  In wisdom you have made them all

By the restoration of all things in Christ, the manifold, unsearchable wisdom of God was made known to the angels themselves.

Eph. 3: 9-10: To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.  To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.  

In Christ are hid, and by him are gloriously displayed, all the treasures of wisdom.  In this he is glorious and will be forever.

When the glory of the New Creation of Heaven and earth join together to worship the LORD, new levels of glory are released to the Church as we go from glory to glory.  Tuesday I was teaching on the levels of God’s prosperity.  As we go from glory to glory, we also go into levels of prosperity. 

Our treasure will be in Heaven.  We just keep walking in the wisdom of the LORD, Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for wisdom’s proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.  She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. (Prov. 3: 13-15).

Wisdom and revelation knowledge are the keys to the miracle realm.  Jesus moved in miracle power through wisdom:  Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by his hands. (Mk. 6:2)

Rev. 5:10-14: You have made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth. I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.  The four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that lives for ever and ever.

Carolyn Sissom, Pastor

Eastgate Ministries Church

www.eastgateministries.com