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Whispers
of Expressing
His Life (1)
by Ray and Doris Prinzing
Chapter 3
CHRIST UPHOLDS ALL THINGS
"Who being the brightness of glory, and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." [Hebrews 1:3].
We have considered that God purposes to
bring a people into a covenant relationship with Himself, so that we LIVE
AND BREATHE AS ONE. Furthermore, the life is to be totally His, for we are
to be possessed ―
indwelt by Him, so that it becomes His life-expression. These profound
truths, though so briefly stated, shall become an experiential reality by
virtue of the fact that it is all wrought by Christ, the Author and the
Finisher of our faith, for He truly UPHOLDS ALL THINGS.
Colossians 1:16, "All things were created
by Him, and for Him..."
We note that the Greek word used here for
"by" is "en" and can be equally translated three different ways, as: IN,
WITH, BY. HE is the sphere. As one ancient writer expressed it, "IN HIM!
All the laws and purposes which guide the creation and government of the
universe reside in Him, the Eternal Word, as their meeting point." (Lightfoot).
There is nothing outside of Him, not even nothingness, the universe is all
IN HIM. We cannot conceive of endless expanses, for our finite mind requires
a boundary, but the moment we have a boundary, there is that other side
thereof, and the expanse goes on. Since we cannot comprehend such an
outreach, we do well to bring our thoughts back to the fact that it is all
IN HIM, for while He is the great circumference of all things, he is also
the eternal Centre ―
and we need to see Him.
Romans 11:36, Amplified, "For all things
originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all
things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him."
However, both the beginning and the
consummation are too distant for my comprehension, though we thrill to the
knowledge that it is ALL GOD. Thus we would narrow it down just a wee bit to
this PRESENT living IN, WITH, and BY Him, for "all things live THROUGH (by
the means of) Him." And He is even NOW "upholding all things by the Word of
His power."
Hebrews 11:3 tells us, "Through faith we
understand that the worlds were framed BY THE WORD OF GOD, so that things
which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
Amplified: "The worlds (during the
successive ages) were framed
― fashioned,
put in order and equipped for their intended purpose
―BY
THE WORD OF GOD."
HE SPOKE
―
"and God said..." [Genesis 1:6], and it came into being. It was put into
order BY THE WORD OF GOD. Now He continues to "uphold all things BY THE WORD
of His power." The action and the power of His WORD is viewed all the way
through the Scriptures.
Psalm 107:20, "He sent His WORD, and
healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." All He has to do
is utter HIS WORD and there is a victory brought forth. "I have sworn by
Myself, the Word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not
return..." [Isaiah 45:23].
"Shall
not return, until He have executed, and till He have performed the thoughts
of His heart." [Jeremiah 23:20].
Concerning Joseph, we read, "Who was sold
for a servant: whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: until
the time that his word came; the Word of the Lord tried him." [Psalm
105:17-19]. Joseph went through all the processings and trial of faith, of
holding to the vision without seeing it fulfilled. He would have liked to
have fulfilled it himself. It was a glorious vision. But the longer he
waited for its fulfillment, the more it tried him. He could weep rivers of
tears and not fulfill the vision. He could command, and claim, and proclaim,
and watch his words bounce around like a rubber ball, but he would still
have to wait until GOD SPEAKS THE WORD. "THE KING sent and loosed him."
(verse 20). The king uttered the word, and forces were set in motion which
accomplished the king's command. The power is not in man, the power is in
HIS WORD, and His Word accomplished that which HE sent it forth to do
―
not according to our schemes and designs betimes.
The Centurion said to Jesus, "SAY IN A
WORD, and my servant shall be healed." [Luke 7:7]. The good news is that GOD
STILL SPEAKS TODAY, and when He speaks a word into our hearts NOW, it brings
forth His deliverance. For IN THIS DAY He continues to "uphold all things
with the Word of His power."
Psalm 138:2, "For Thou hast magnified THY
WORD above all Thy name."
Therefore, even in this day, as the
Scriptures are proclaimed, THE WORD accomplishes that which He purposes, in
whom He chooses to work. And we would be faithful to "Hold forth the word of
life," [Philippians 2:16], that He might through that Word continue to be
glorified. Furthermore, we desire that it be "not of the letter, but of
the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." [2
Corinthians 3:6]. Only as He sovereignly quickens in our hearts that
WORD which we hear, read, receive, etc. does it become LIFE within us, to
accomplish its work. Man can set forth his teachings with a projection of
his personality, ability, etc. of the soulish realm, but only God can put
life into that "Word held forth." His Spirit quickens! And His Word truly
UPHOLDS us.
The Greek word for "uphold" is "phero"
and means: to bear, to carry, not passive, but ACTIVE!
The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is
not an Atlas, sustaining the dead weight of the world on His shoulder.
Rather, this UPHOLDING implies a maintaining, sustaining movement. He is
sustaining something that is progressively being brought to its
consummation.
Genesis 1:2, "And the Spirit of God MOVED
upon the face of the waters." The Hebrew word here for "moved" is "rachaph"
meaning: to brood, and has been used in Deuteronomy 32:11, "As an eagle...
FLUTTERETH over her young..." It speaks of that brooding presence of God
that is continuously sustaining and life-giving. For God is not stagnated,
sitting in a far-off heaven, while some devil has a heyday in humanity.
Rather, the Word is clear, God is most actively and continuously "working
all things after the counsel of His own will." [Ephesians 1:11]. He has
never ceased His involvement with His creation!
His UPHOLDING signifies that HE carries
the weight, HE maintains its coherence, and HE carries on its development.
This implies a guidance and a propulsion of all parts to a definite end.
As Creator, Sustainer, Motivator of
all things from their beginning, all down through the various ages of time,
it was, AND IS His responsibility to see to it that they, in the plan of
God, are brought to the final ultimate and proper conclusion. It is not
"man's" responsibility, it is HIS! HE, and He alone has been sovereignly
appointed of the Father to "uphold all things by the Word of His power." He
creates it, sustains it, motivates it, guides it onward, and shall complete
it. Therefore, "HE must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His
feet." [1 Corinthians 15:25].
"And He is before all things, and BY HIM
all things consist." [Colossians 1:17]. This not only emphasizes His
pre-existence, but it also places Him as the LEADER, the ONE BEFORE, and all
that follows must be in harmony with the One who goes before.
So we note the word "consist," from the
Greek "sunistemi," which is a combining of two words, together and to stand,
thus; to be held together, to cohere. HE makes it a cosmos (ordered
arrangement), instead of a chaos. HE is the principle of cohesion in the
universe. He holds it all together.
It is also very interesting that this Greek word "sunistemi" has also been
translated as the word "approve."
2 Corinthians 6:4-7, "But in all things
APPROVING ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in
tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;..." What is going to HOLD US
TOGETHER in all such things, so that we don't fall apart at the seams? read
on ―
"by pureness, by knowledge, by long
suffering, by kindness, by the holy Spirit, by love unfeigned, BY THE WORD
OF TRUTH, BY THE POWER OF GOD..."
Truly God UPHOLDS, APPROVES His own
through every trial and necessity, and makes them beautiful expressions of
long suffering, kindness, etc. so that they are able to live "a life of
integrity, whether we meet honor or dishonor, praise or blame. called
'imposters' we must be true, called 'nobodies' we must be in the public eye.
Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always 'going through it' yet
never 'going under! We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have
'nothing to bless ourselves with,' yet we bless many others with true
riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth
having." [2 Corinthians 6:18-10, Phillips]. Praise God!
But note this word "sunistemi" some more,
for it is also given as COMMEND, 2 Corinthians 10:12, "For we dare not make
ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend
themselves; for they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves, are not wise."
Self-commending gets us nowhere. We might
try ever so hard to hold ourselves together, and bolster ourselves with
thoughts of how well we are doing, only to find ourselves gradually falling
apart. We march into a situation with a forceful will and plenty of grit,
determined that we'll do it our way. Then as the pressures steadily
increase, and our grit is worn away, so that while we do our best to hold it
together, we find we have lost control of it altogether. And soon, like
Peter, "When he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to
sink, he cried, saying, LORD, SAVE ME." [Matthew 14:30]. And we realize that
only HE can uphold us, keep us together, and bring us through victoriously.
How desperately we desire approval, to be
commended. There is something in our nature that requires this, if we are
going to be HELD TOGETHER so that we can make it through. If just one person
gives us that "pat on the back" and commends us just a little, we gather
strength to carry on. And how very essential this is when we are dealing
with our families, our children, and our mates. Talk to those "wash-outs of
society" and you will find that there was no one in their natural life who
would give them that one word of approval which would hold them together and
help them to walk on. Don't withhold these offerings of commendation
―
they help to build strong lives that are able
to face the pressures and stresses of this world.
But there also come those situations when
ONLY GOD can hold us together, or we won't make it. "BY HIM all things
consist." So Paul once wrote, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but
all forsook me: ...Notwithstanding THE LORD STOOD WITH ME, and strengthened
me...[2 Timothy 4:16-17]. He was held together, upheld, strengthened, by HIM
who upholds all things by the Word of His power. How marvellous!
"The scribes and Pharisees
brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery." They were ready to stone her.
They had no interest in holding her together, they would willingly help tear
her apart. But THE SON, who is UPHOLDING ALL THINGS, has no condemnation to
place upon her which would help to destroy her, rather, He would hold her
together and draw her into a higher realm of life. "Jesus said unto her,
Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more." [John 8:3,11.]
"For God sent not His Son into the world
to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." [John
3:17].
"God commended His love toward (INTO) us,
in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8].
He is UPHOLDING
―
"by Him all
things consist," and this includes the impartation of His love INTO us, to
gather us up, hold us together, and bring us into the fulness of salvation.
Yea, and not for us only, but also for the whole world. We might think that
certain ones have gone "too far." But God does not view it that way. "If I
make my bed in hell, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and
dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me,
and Thy right hand shall HOLD ME." [Psalm 139:8-10]. For there is no place
in all the universe where you can go, that is not being upheld by the Word
of His power. HE IS THERE! Understand this, beloved friend, not just for
yourself, but know that this is so for every man, including your children,
your brother, sister, parents ―
whoever, and whenever. Conditions are so tragic, and men reaping what they
have sown are in such agonies, yet GOD and creation shall yet be delivered from this
utter corruption, because the SON UPHOLDS, and shall bring this purpose of
the ages to a successful conclusion, into the fullness of HIS LIFE.
In the Greek text, we noted, the word
"uphold" is "phero." In the Hebrew text, the corresponding word is "nasa,"
meaning: TO LIFT UP, TO BEAR.
Moses once had to say to the people, "I
am not able to bear you myself alone.
―
How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and
your burden, and yourstrife?" [Deuteronomy 1:9,12]. Many a preacher/pastor
has felt this same way, and suffered a mental breakdown, a burnout, just
because they tried to hold some church-system together, and it was too much
for them to bear.
But then Moses goes on (verse 31), "In
the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that THE LORD THY GOD BARE THEE, as
a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into
this place."
Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is
Thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms...."
Just to be held? Just to be carried? NO!
But He was guiding, propelling, motivating them to go onward into the land
of promise. Therefore, "He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and
say, destroy."
It is His responsibility to see that all
things are brought to their proper conclusion, and therefore he continues to
"uphold all things by the Word of His power."
The Psalmist caught a glimpse of this,
and cried out, "HOLD UP my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not."
[Psalm 17:5].
Again, Psalm 18:35-36, "Thy right hand
hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged
my steps under me, that my feet did not slip."
"When I said, My foot slippeth; THY
MERCY; O LORD, HELD ME UP. In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy
comforts delight my soul." [Psalm 94: 18-19].
"Uphold me according unto THY WORD, that
I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold Thou me up, and I
shall be safe."[Psalm 119:116-117].
Now it is also very significant that our
word "UPHOLD-phero" has also been translated as "endure," as in Romans 9:22.
"God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, ENDURED with
much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction."
What a marvellous insight, and assurance
this brings to us. All hell breaks loose, and God does not fall apart
―
HE ENDURES, He is held together, and is carried aloft,
and continues to motivate and guide the affairs of creation, and bring to a
successful conclusion that which He has begun. The vessels of wrath could
not tear Him apart ―
the negative expressions that seem to engulf and
overwhelm us, do not distress Him ―He
can weather it all and victoriously proceed with His plan and purpose. HE is
held together, keeps it all together, and even [Psalm 76:10] causes the "the
wrath of man to praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain." If
God does not purpose to use that expression of the wrath of man for the
furtherance of His purpose, He simply restrains it, because HE is
continuously UPHOLDING ALL THINGS.
In view of the fact that HE is able to
ENDURE all things, then surely, HE, dwelling in us, in a beautiful covenant
relationship, is able to uphold us so that we also can endure whatever comes
our way, until the hour of victory.
"Wherefore gird up the loins of your
mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto
you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." [1 Peter 1:13]. To be brought
―
phero ―TO
BE CARRIED, actively bearing. HE is personally,
sovereignly bringing to us that added grace which shall consummate the work
of redemption in us, and bring us into the fulness of His life. He not only
has enough grace to start the work in us, but He has enough to bring His
inworking to a successful conclusion. "Where sin abounded, grace did much
more abound." [Romans 5:20]. There is an ACTIVE MAINTAINING, propelling us
onward, bringing us grace for the total victory, because NOW "He is
upholding all things with the Word of His power." He has further revelations
of Himself which shall encourage and strengthen and hold us together until
He has finished His inworkings.
Once more let us return to our beginning
verse for this chapter, and read on
― "Upholding all things by the Word of His power,
when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on high." [Hebrews 1:3].
Because it was HIS responsibility to
uphold it all, bringing it to a successful conclusion, therefore the purging
of our sins was essential, and it was, and IS imperative. Purification is a
vital part of His upholding.
Furthermore, we note that the Greek
text reads that it is a purification "of sins," not just us from our sins.
True, He does this too, but when He is finished, all sin is GONE, not just
removed from us, but the sin itself will have been purged, death is
swallowed up INTO LIFE. The miracle of conversion is, "your sorrow is turned
into joy." The unlovely is made lovely. The marred vessel is not cast out,
abandoned in some hell, it remains in the hand of the potter to be made
again another vessel as pleaseth him; as we read in Jeremiah 18:4.
That negative thing which had us weeping.
He so PURGES IT, changes it, that it becomes the very thing which brings us
into overflowing joy. He cannot uphold all things with the Word of His
power, maintaining, guiding, motivating onward to absolute victory, without
this intensive purification. Therefore, "HE is the propitiation for our
sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." [1 John 2:2].
How marvellous is the grace and mercy of
our God! "ALL THINGS LIVE THROUGH HIM." Sustaining, upholding, carrying us
forward until we are complete in Him, and He is the fulness of our life.
Bless His holy name!
To whisper His approval,
His words, "Be of good cheer,
Though hell around thee rages,
Salvation draweth near."
When thoughts are all a-scatter,
The mind no more can cope,
He draws His bands around it,
Becomes the Cord of Hope.
There is no utter failing,
No realm beyond His reach,
When negatives bring chaos,
He heals the wound and breach.
His life is for our living,
His vict'ry we shall share.
His work of purifying
Bespeaks He doth up-bear.
All things to God returning,
He shall not lose a one.
By Him the whole is gathered.
The Father says, "Well done."
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(1) Prinzing,
Ray and Doris. WHISPERS OF EXPRESSING HIS LIFE. (now out of print), Boise,
Idaho 83705
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