Final Prayers

Final Prayers
John 17:13-16

13 And [de] now [nun] come I [erchomai] to [pros] thee [se] ; and [kai] these things [tauta] I speak [laleo] in [en] the world [kosmos] , that [hina] they might have [echo] my [emos] joy [chara] fulfilled [pleroo] in [en] themselves [autos] .
14 I [ego] have given [didomi] them [autos] thy [sou] word [logos] ; and [kai] the world [kosmos] hath hated [miseo] them [autos] , because [hoti] they are [eisi] not [ou] of [ek] the world [kosmos] , even as [kathos] I [ego] am [eimi] not [ou] of [ek] the world [kosmos] .
15 I pray [erotao] not [ou] that [hina] thou shouldest take [airo] them [autos] out of [ek] the world [kosmos] , but [alla] that [hina] thou shouldest keep [tereo] them [autos] from [ek] the evil [poneros] .
16 They are [eisi] not [ou] of [ek] the world [kosmos] , even as [kathos] I [ego] am [eimi] not [ou] of [ek] the world [kosmos] . KJV-Interlinear

13 'But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 'I have given them Thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 'I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 'They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. NASB

We first have Gods plan, and as we have already studied, if no one had demonstrated positive volition toward God, then there would be no need for His plan. That should be obvious.

But of course there are many, who have been, are currently and will be in the future, who are positive toward God. God is truth (His Word), perfection (His righteousness), and the cleansing of all filth (justice). So it only stands to reason that any creature who has the ability to choose and to discern, will lean toward that which is right.

Second, history took place not for those who will reject Christ, but for those who will believe in Him. We studied that a couple of lessons ago. Jesus Christ is not a part of this world. See our special study on the 'world.' It is on the index page on the web site if you have lost that lesson.

The world represents all that rejects God and truth. God is not a part of that. Certainly He has provided many forms of grace for all of humanity, but the choice of accepting that grace is never forced on anyone. The ultimate target of Gods plan is believers - anyone who will believe in Christ.

But that is not all. Each believer has a target or goal for their spiritual life. And that is mentioned in these verses, 'that they may have My joy.'

Joy is a completeness. Man is not born complete, but has an opportunity to become complete if He pursues his spiritual life. We are all born body and soul. Those are but two of the three vessels which hold life. The body holds biological life, and does so from conception. The soul holds human life, the spark of life or 'nashamah' and does so from physical birth. The third vessel, and life it holds is the human spirit and eternal life. That vessel is created when a person believes in Christ, and its life is imputed into it at that moment - the moment we believed in Christ. We call it a rebirth, or to be born again, as the first life (human life - the real you) came to you when your were born the first time and the second life comes to you when you believe in Christ.

The body will be discarded as nothing of this world (dust) will enter into heaven. It will be replaced with a resurrection body which will come from God and not from the dust of the earth. The soul and spirit and their respective lives, come from God as well.

The second and third vessels and life's will live forever. The first life, the physical body, is dust and to dust it will return. To become complete then person must believe in Christ and thus gain the human spirit and eternal life, but the person is still in this world in a physical body. That body will be replaced in the resurrection (for us that will occur at the Rapture), with a resurrection body. One that is not made of flesh and will not decay. These are our three forms of vessels and their respective lives.

The first vessel gives us mobility. We can get around with a body. The third gives us a relationship with God. With it we will be able to live forever with God in heaven. The second is the real us. Into that vessel goes our knowledge. And that knowledge, if it consists of truth (Gods Word), then will be beneficial to us. If it is not Gods Word, then we fill up or soul with worthless things (wood, hay, and stubble).

With truth comes capacity for life. With truth comes orientation to life, orientation to God, orientation to all that is true. Is gives us the ability to discern and to make better choices. It is spiritual growth to maturity, and when one attains that point in life, then they achieve Gods joy, Gods happiness, Gods rest. This is the ultimate goal of the believer. To advance to spiritual maturity.

Jesus Christ has given to mankind, His word. Anyone who accepts His word, then must reject the philosophy of the world. The two opinions are mutually exclusive. Therefore there is a hatred of the world toward anyone who accepts Gods Word.

Once you accept Gods Word, then you are in effect set apart from the world, and are no longer a member of its following. Jesus does not ask for God to remove all believers in the world (through physical death), because we all have a role in history. We have to be born into life in order to have spiritual life. We have to learn doctrine in order to have the opportunity to grow up spiritually. That all takes time, and especially since many people live a long time before they get with a program of Bible study. But then, God is patient. Lucky for us.

Jesus does pray that those who are positive, that those who are advancing in their spiritual lives, that they will be protected from evil. And evil is a very broad subject. Doctrine in the soul is our protection. If you study, if you want to learn, if you have a genuine (not a mere passing) desire to learn about life, about God, and about everything that awaits you, and if you reside inside your fellowship sphere, then you will be protected, as God wraps Himself around you with His impenetrable fortress.

Outside of that fortress you live in the jungle of this world and there you have no protection, no friends, no future to speak of.

So excuse yourself from this world, and enter into Gods fortress, and become not of this world, but of God. The objectives are clear. The repercussions of your decisions are clear. Now make the choice.

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