"For
I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by
me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was
I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ."
(Galatians 1:11-12).
The
Bible is not merely a "how-to" book. It is not only a history book, nor
a religious crystal ball or a philosophy book. At its core, the Bible
is a revelation of Jesus Christ. Indeed, we will learn many things
reading the Bible, truths that are historical, practical and academic;
yet the core truth emanating throughout the Scriptures is the
revelation of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament accounts, whether of
kings or priests, were all written in anticipation of Him; the prophets
encountered the Spirit of Christ and wrote of things to come as they
ultimately pertained to Him (1 Peter 1:10-11).
The biblical word revelation
means "to unveil" or "to uncover." When the Holy Spirit directs us in
the Scriptures, His goal is not only to give us religious knowledge,
but to actually, in some life-changing way, unveil Jesus Christ to us.
Do we see Christ in Genesis as the ultimate fulfillment of God's
purpose and promises to Abraham?
Indeed,
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, who had assumed the place of "experts" in
scriptural interpretations, saying, "You search the Scriptures, because
you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear
witness of Me" (John 5:39). Eternal life is not in the Scriptures, but
in Christ. The Scriptures "bear witness" of Him, but we must come to
faith in Jesus to actually find life.
You
see, the Son of God revealed Himself to men, who in turn wrote of Him,
passing to others both the revelation of Christ and His word. Thus, the
Bible is unlike any book upon the face of the earth, for it is the
unveiling of Jesus Christ to man.
The Book of Christ's Unveiling
Many
books deal with interpretations of end-time events. All of them,
invariably, include the author's opinions concerning the last book in
the Bible, the Revelation to John. But the Revelation is not merely a
forecast of end-time events. Its primary purpose is stated in the first
verse: this book is the "Revelation of Jesus Christ." Without seeing
Christ as the triumphant Lord, manifested through end-time events, this
book becomes a book of speculation rather than revelation. In every
warning there are those who possess the revelation of Jesus Christ, and
through Christ, they triumph over "the beast," "the false prophet" and
"the dragon."
As
for the opening of the seals and the events that followed, each
judgment heralds Christ's triumphant return to the world! Revelation's
final chapters then speak of the age to come and the New Jerusalem,
where the unveiled glory of the Lord replaces every other form of
light. You see, just as John wrote, this book is "the Revelation of
Jesus Christ"!
The Purpose Of The Church
Yet,
not only is the Bible a revelation of Jesus Christ, but so also is the
church. Indeed, the church is called the "body of Christ." The purpose
of a physical body is to reveal the thoughts and intentions of its
head. Thus, Christ's body is to be the revelation of Christ, the head.
When people see us, the presence of the Lord Jesus should be clearly
discerned in our attitudes, words and actions; the world should behold
Christ living within us.
In
other words, Jesus' hands cannot help others if our hands are in our
pockets. His love cannot reach others if our love has grown cold or
bitter. His victory cannot be manifested if our prayers are silent. We
are His body - the actual means He has chosen to express and reveal
Himself to the world!
"Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?" (1 Corinthians 6:15).
Because
the Spirit of Christ actually dwells in our spirits, the expression of
His will through us empowers us to serve as His body. Even as the
purpose of the Bible is to reveal Jesus, so the primary purpose of the
church is to give Jesus arms and legs, lips and a heart - a functioning
body - to make His nature known.
You
see, there are two beings living in your body: you and the Spirit of
Jesus Christ. As we yield to Christ, we grow in "all aspects into Him,
who is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15). Spiritual maturity is
nothing less than growing up to the "stature which belongs to the
fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13). Consider Paul's great
proclamation: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I
who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me" (Galatians
2:20).
Jesus
does not only dwell in heaven; He also dwells in us. As He is in
heaven, so also is He in us (1 John 4:17). We embrace the death of our
old nature, "always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus" with
one goal compelling us: "that the life of Jesus also may be manifest in
our body" (2 Corinthians 4:10). We do not embrace self-denial for mere
religious reasons, but that "the life of Jesus also may be manifested
in our mortal flesh." (2 Corinthians 4:11).
Do
we see this? The life of Jesus Himself is to be manifested, revealed
and shown forth through our mortal flesh! This is not some deep
teaching; this is basic to true Christianity! Nor is this a hope only
to be realized in eternity. Those who say they abide in Him ought to
walk even as He did walk (1 John 2:6). If the vision of Christ living
in you is not a burning truth in your heart, you may have accepted a
false version of Christianity.
Consider Paul's warning:
"Test
yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do
you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you -
unless indeed you fail the test?" (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Beloved,
just as the Bible is a revelation of Jesus Christ, so also are we. The
church is called to be a revelation of Jesus Christ!
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