It is obvious we all have done wrong in life, save only one; Messiah Yeshua. “Do you believe in God?” – is not the question that should be asked. Rather, it should be asked, “In which god do you believe?” It is obvious that we all follow something and/or someone, and this in turn naturally makes us who we are and directly determines the kind of life we live and experiences we have. According to the account in Genesis, the first man Adam chose to pledge his allegiance to something other than the God who Created him. From this point on, the Scriptures unfold history in such a way as to communicate to those who would either hear about it, or read about, that mankind is no different from generation to generation; prone to sin and “naturally” living outside the style of life that God designed to be the abundant life for His creation. Amidst this meta-narrative we see the God of creation consistently and progressively revealing Himself and acting in ways that display to mankind that He desires us to live, but, live specifically unto Him. From the beginning, God has wanted nothing but to walk in the Garden with mankind in intimate, lively fellowship. This is the heart of God’s intent in all He does.
In working out His plan of redemption for the world and in order to reconcile all back to Himself, He committed Himself to take on limitation, specifically in the form of a man; a man who is called Mashiach [Messiah; "anointed one"] God chose this route for several reasons, for example [and not limited to]; remain faithful to His promises that He spoke from the beginning about bringing the Offspring through the lineage of Abraham that would consummate His Covenant and thereafter mediate as High Priest [Genesis 3.15; 12.3,7; Hebrews 7-8+], perfectly obey His code of righteousness, which is His Law given through Moses, so as to show the right way one ought to walk in obedience [Matthew 5.17-10; 11.28-30; 2 Corinthians 5.21; 1 Peter 1.19], beak down the wall of hostility that developed between Jew and Gentile due to a mis-application of the commandments [Ephesians 2.14-16; NASB for right translation excluding italics, also ref. the Message], condemn sin [Romans 8.3; 2 Corinthians 5.21], and ultimately to give the only sign undeniably legitimizing His complete sovereign reign as the eternally righteous King of the Universe – raising from the dead. [Romans 1.4; 1 Peter 1.21]
What does this mean for us today? Since Yeshua ascended to Heaven and shortly after that filled his followers with the very Spirit that raised him from the dead – the same Spirit that hovered over the waters of creation, the same Spirit that was breathed into the nostrils of the first man, the same Spirit that hovered over Mt. Sinai, the same Spirit that King David earnestly beseeched God not to take from him – this Spirit has been active throughout the world seeking and making a sanctified people [ekklēsia] whom He, God, can dwell among. God’s Spirit does what corrupt man cannot; make them into a new creation, the kind originally intended.
This is the heart of God’s intent in all He does; “They shall be my people, and I will be there God.” [Jeremiah 31.34; Ezekiel 37.24; Revelation 21.3]
The way to the Father has been made through His Son, Jesus, and now the Holy Spirit is at work making and establishing a people [ekklēsia] that will be His treasured possession. Once an individual receives this good news about their Creator and embraces the call to come home they take on God’s Name by entering into covenant relationship with Him. They are adopted into the House of God [ekklēsia] and made to be full-sons or daughters just like Ephraim and Manasseh became full sons of Jacob. Once welcomed home the process begins whereby they learn how to live in God’s house. And no worries because God has given His instructions so that they can seek Him and in turn have His commandments written on their hearts by His Spirit as He promises, which will guide them as to what it looks like to love their neighbor; thus love God. Plus, God’s Spirit is ever with them to convict, console, instruct, and empower them for the days and times to come. The important thing is that they remain attached to God’s House [ekklēsia], continuing to assimilate into His ways being faithful with what they can, always humbling themselves under His mighty hand while constantly depending upon His grace, loving mercy and justice. In this experience they, along with the ekklēsia, will manifest and have a taste of the world to come; they will show the world now what the world to come is going to look like! That is why the Master taught us to pray, “Your Kingdom come…” This is true witness. This is the abundant life.
