Genesis 1:26-27,31 (Amplified) says, "God said, Let Us (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) make mankind in Our Image (in Our Likeness), and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over all the earth. So God created man in His Own Image, in the Image and Likeness of God He created him; male and female he created them."
Verse 31 goes on, "And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant), and He approved it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day."
God finished creating mankind and everything else He made, and He was pleased with and approved it all. This was God's Original Intent for His man and family, as well as the earth and everything in it, and He approved it. God created everything with seed to replenish itself, for as long as the earth and mankind existed. God had no need to create anything more than His finished work, until 2Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified), which says, "Therefore if any person is ingrafted in Christ (the Messiah), he is a new creation (a new creation altogether); the old previous moral and spiritual condition has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come."
God didn't simply "fix" the old man and his nature by forgiveness. He actually created a new creature. We're not just forgiven sinners, but we're an entirely new species of being that never before existed in all creation. This new creation man/woman is now in the original state of being and creation. We're eternal beings, just like our Heavenly Father and we're immortal beings, like our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul writes about our immortal body or "house", in 2Corinthians 5:1-2 (Amplified) saying, "For we know that if this tent which is our earthly home is destroyed (dissolved), we have from God a building (a house), not made with hands eternal in the heavens. Here indeed, in this present abode (body), we sigh and groan inwardly, because we yearn to be clothed over (we yearn to put on our celestial body) like a garment to be fitted out with our heavenly dwelling."
This celestial body is immortal and our new creation spirit is eternal. We'll live with our Heavenly Father, in His Presence for eternity, like He intended from the beginning. Our full inheritance in Jesus consists of what God has for us, in this new creation family. We haven't received our celestial body yet, but God has already provided everything we will need, even now in this body.
Through Jesus, God has provided everything we need, even in this fallen earth and even over the devil and all his fallen angels. The power of redemption through Jesus, which is now provided by God's Grace, is sufficient for every need and for everything God's Original Plan for mankind included. Paul writes about our salvation in Ephesians 2:8 (Amplified), saying, "For it is be free Grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment) and made partakers of Christ's salvation, through your faith; And this salvation is not of yourselves (of your own doing), it came not through your own striving, but is the Gift of God."
God's Grace has restored the Original Intent He had for His family, at the beginning. God's Grace or unmerited favor, has provided our complete salvation, without our having to do anything to earn it, except to believe what Jesus has accomplished in His Sacrifice for us. Our salvation is a free Gift of Grace, but it depends on our faith in Jesus and His finished work. Our mortal body is subject to death, because of Adam's fall. Jesus provided healing and restoration to our natural bodies, while we're still living in it and He provided eternal health for after we leave it. This is all provided by Grace and received by faith in this Grace. Remember, Ephesians 2:8 (Amplified) says, "It came not through our own striving, but is the Gift of God."
Religion has us focusing so much on the things we've done wrong, causing us to lose sight of all the things that Jesus did right. We've put more faith in our lack of ability, than in His Own ability. Jesus depended on the "Father within Me Who does the works," than His Own ability, during His earthly ministry. It was the Father in Jesus, Who did all the works that Jesus did. Jesus simply lived by the Grace that the Father gave Him. Jesus was born without sin and was therefore, in Grace during His entire earthly walk.
We're part of God's new creation family and are born or created, without sin. We've been granted the same favor and Grace, that Jesus walked in. John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received (all had a share and were all supplied with), one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
These favors, Grace, Spiritual Blessings,and Truth, came to us from God's fullness, in order to supply us with the Original Intentions God had for His family. The authority and dominion that God gave to the First Adam, has been restored to an even higher level, by the Last Adam Jesus Christ.
We've been completely redeemed by Jesus' Sacrifice and by God's Grace, which has made us holy, sanctified, consecrated and perfect by the Lamb of God. God Himself has taken up residence within this house or physical body, which Paul calls, "the temple of God," in 1Corinthians 6:19 (Amplified) saying, "Do you not know that your body is the temple, the very sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received as a Gift from God? you are not your own."
It's been difficult for God's people to walk in our redemption, because we haven't understood the power of God's Grace. "We are saved by Grace through faith," and it's the Gift of God. Through Jesus, Grace has provided everything God's children will ever need here and hereafter, but it must be received and appropriated by faith in the finished work of Jesus and not of ourselves. We've misunderstood faith and Grace, which has left them dormant in the lives of the Church. Faith can only receive what Grace has already provided, but, "WITHOUT FAITH, it is impossible to please God, according to Hebrews 11:6.
Why is it impossible to please God, without faith? Because, everything He has provided, must be received by faith. This includes our salvation or being born-again. The Word tells us that, "God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Son Jesus," but we can't even receive this Love, without faith in the One He sent.
God's Love has come through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and by Grace, is available to all who will believe, but it can't come without faith in what He has done by Grace. When we believe or put faith in His Truth, then it is now pleasing to Him. When people die without believing, it grieves the heart of Love Himself. That's why, "Without faith, it's impossible to please Him."
Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith, because He allowed Himself to be abased and crucified, having faith that the Father would and could raise Him up out of the pit. This kind of faith brings glory to our Father, Who is the Source of faith. When we lean on Him as our Father and know His intentions for our lives through Jesus, then He is pleased by our faith and trust.
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