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"That your hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and OF THE FATHER, and of the Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." [ Colossians 2:2-3].

 "From Whom every fatherhood in heaven and upon earth is named . ." [Ephesians 3:15, Rotherham].

         The Hebrew word for "father" is "ab," father, ancestor, SOURCE. While the Greek word is "pater."
         It is significant that in the Greek text, it reads, "the mystery of THE GOD and Father, and of The Christ," which is somewhat different than our King James Version. Granville Sharp's rule comes into play here. It is stated as follows: "When two nouns are in the same case, connected by kai (and), and the first noun is preceded by the definite article (THE)  while the second noun is not preceded by the article, the second noun refers to the same person or thing to which the first noun has reference and is a further description of it." This construction is found in this Greek text, "of the God and father, " thus emphasizing that GOD IS OUR FATHER. There are only two identifications in this verse, THE GOD, and THE CHRIST. GOD BEING THE INVISIBLE, AND CHRIST BEING THE VISIBLE EXPRESSION OF HIS GLORY, EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON.
         "But to us, one God, The Father, out of whom are all things, and we into Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him. But not in all is the knowledge." [1 Corinthians 8:6, Interlinear].
         We need not go into a theological discussion of the oneness of God, nor set about to correct all of religious Babylon's perverted doctrine of trinity. There is but ONE GOD, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord." [Deuteronomy 6:4]. "Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Saviour." [Isaiah 43:10-11].  And when the Saviour did appear, He was "Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US." [Matthew 1:23]. "To wit, that GOD WAS IN CHRIST, reconciling the world unto Himself. " [2 Corinthians 5:19].
         Nor need we a long theological discussion on the incarnation. Our Lord Jesus Christ "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature." [Colossians 1:15]. In explanation of this word "image," Wuest, in the preface to has translation, states: "Jesus is the derived image of God by eternal generation in a birth that never took place because it always was. Divine essence is not something conferred upon Him as the divine nature is given to us, but it is naturally, normally His by virtue of the fact that He is deity."-- unquote.
         Then Paul goes on to explain that this appearance of Christ, this manifestation of the invisible, made Him the firstborn of every creature. Wuest has also clearly explained the Greek meaning for this as, "The technical word speaking of priority to and sovereignty over all creation, not that our Lord was the first created in a series of created beings. The Greek will not allow that, for it argues for the deity of our Lord in that since He antedates all created things, He must be uncreated; since He is uncreated, He must be eternal; and since He is eternal, He must be absolute deity."-- unquote.
         Paul's epistle to the Colossians is a masterpiece for asserting the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Making our Lord and Originator of the material universe, and the uncaused First Cause. "All things were created by Him, and for Him. And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist (are held together)." [Colossians 1:16-17].
         In metaphysics there are but two realities: they are Spirit and Form, and all the Forms are derivatives of the Spirit. "GOD IS SPIRIT." [John 4:24]. And again, "There is but one God, the Father, out of whom are all things." All things have been created out of His own substance which is SPIRIT. All things were formed "by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." [Hebrews 11:3].
        "In the beginning was the Word (THE EXPRESSION), and the Word was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD.-- In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." [John 1:1,4]. This glorious Word, Light, THE SOURCE bespeaks of the Fatherhood realm. "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." [John 1:3]. Yet He, who was "in THE FORM OF GOD, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; yet He took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men . . . " [Philippians 2:6-7].
         Then this Form, the man Christ Jesus, recognized His limitations, and said, "My Father is greater than I." [John 14:28]. But He also knew who His Father was, for He was conceived by the holy Spirit. [Luke 1:35]. Thus it is plain that the Father, and the holy Spirit, are ONE. He also knew that His Father, the Spirit, dwelt within and was one with Him, for He said, "The Father that DWELLETH IN ME, He doeth the works." [John 14:10].
         This natural man, Jesus, was the "weakness of God" as referred to in 1 Corinthians 1:25, "the weakness of God is stronger than men." Jesus revealed this to us by telling His disciples who went to sleep during those hours of travail in the garden, while He, in His natural man part was surrendering to the will of God, said, "the Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." [Matthew 26:41]. And "He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God." [2 Corinthians 13:4]. "I live by the Father." [John 6:57].
         Not only did Jesus recognize His limitations in being in the form of man, He also recognized that THE INNER ONE, THE SPIRIT, was present, and sometimes this INNER ONE spoke directly through the Form, to the consternation of all those present. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM." [John 8:58]. He looked beyond all the confines of time and flesh, and affirmed the timelessness of His Spirit existence.
         God, Father, Son-- bespeak of His threefold manifestation, dimensions of His operation and authority. Just as Jesus, Christ, and Lord, all speak of His threefold position and revelation to us-- as Saviour, as Anointer, as Master or Sovereign Lord of our lives.
        As the SON, Jesus, He said, "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" [ Luke 2:49]. And as He endured the limitations of a son, "He learned obedience by the things He suffered." [Hebrews 5:8].  Also, He taught us "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." [Matthew 5:48].
         Yet He also constantly stated "that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God." [John 5:18]. Again, "I and the Father are one." [John 10: 30, Interlinear].
         They were ready to stone Him just as soon as He said that God was His Father. But He went on to reveal an even more astonishing fact, when He said, "I and the Father are ONE." And then staggered the comprehension of His own disciples, when He stated, "he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father . . . believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me." [John 14:9, 11].
         As if all this was not enough to have their minds reeling, He went on to speak even more of the mystery, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; BECAUSE I GO UNTO MY FATHER." [John 14:12]. First He tells them that the Father IS IN HIM, and then He speaks about going to the Father. What does all this mean?
         "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." [John 16:28]. Furthermore, "It is expedient for you that I go away."  [John 16:7]. What was He saying?
         God, omnipotent, omnipresent Spirit, invisible, THE FATHER SOURCE, dwelt in the man Christ Jesus, manifested as SON. In this realm there was limitation, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do." [John 5:19]. As the Spirit ( Father) directed, so He did. Faithful, obedient, He sought not His own will, but only to fulfill the will of the Father. Men knew Him as Jesus, they could not see the Father in Him. But furthermore, it was necessary to leave the realm of limitation (sonship) behind, and to return into His FATHERHOOD POSITION, so that He might fulfill those purposes which were beyond the realms of sonship. The very fact of "being in the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men," [Philippians 2:7] meant limitation.
         Jesus knew His position as a SON, but He also knew of His position as FATHER, and that it was expedient for Him to return to that realm from which He would be able to impart, pour out of Himself, as the Source for every need.
         We read, "But the Comforter, the holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name . . . " [John 14:26]. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me." [John 15:26].
Observe the two wordings: "The Father will send . . . " and "I will send." As the Man, Christ Jesus, He referred to the Father as the source, but as the Father within a human form, He referred to Himself as the source.
         After the resurrection, He said to Mary, "Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and My God, and your God.:" [John 20:17]. Not only did He recognize His FATHERHOOD position, but He also recognized His GODSHIP.
         In the travail of His great prayer, at the close of that earthly ministry for which He came, He prayed, "Now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with THINE OWN SELF with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." [John 17:5].
         Observe also the depths of truth which are tucked into the promise to us, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." [Revelation 3:22]. These terms, "My throne" and "Father's throne" are synonymous. There are not two thrones, one for Jesus in contra-distinction to another for the Father. It is one throne, HIS, for He entered into His FATHERHOOD POSITION of total authority and sufficiency. He merged together sonship with fatherhood. And He promised us that as we came to the maturity of sonship, unto perfection, we could also enter into this father-hood realm. The mystery of the Father involves this most glorious truth of a fatherhood position, to become a source.
        "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they may be one in us." [John 17:21]. As a Son He said, "the Father dwelleth in Me." Then He ascended to dwell in the Father. And His prayer is that we might be one in that realm also-- one in the Father, sharing the glory of His fatherhood position. Such truth is too wonderful for us!
        "And so it is written, The first Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening (life-giving) Spirit." [1 Corinthians 15:45].
         The first Adam knew fatherhood on a natural plane, and because he was a living soul, he begat after his kind, soulish, with all the propensities and proclivities of his carnal nature. But in no way could he be the source for SPIRITUAL LIFE. But when Jesus Christ entered into His fatherhood position, "He became a LIFE-GIVING Spirit," and hath promised to pour out of His Spirit upon all flesh, so that "in Christ shall all be made alive."
         Now, as His sons, we have received of His Spirit, the spirit of adoption to work in us to bring us to the hour of our SON-PLACING. We have received His Spirit of life, that we might walk in the newness of His life. Yet we are unable to impart this life and spirit to others-- because we are not yet ONE IN THE FATHER. But this we do read, "He that believeth into Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." [John 7:38].
        He that believes, and keeps on believing until he has been received INTO Christ. This is not just a believing "on," but rather a believing INTO. The word "into" signifies a progressive working of faith steadily moving towards its goal, until it can be said "to be found IN Him." [Philippians 3:9]. There is a progressive believing into Him until we are fully swallowed up into Him, and He has become our absolute and complete, experiential salvation. And so, he that believes into, coming into, and receiving of His fullness, out of his innermost being shall flow quickening streams of divine life.
         Once we are brought into the fullness of God, where His Spirit reigns supreme in us, HE is a life-giving Spirit, and in due time shall beget from us, to impart life to others. Let it be made perfectly clear, the SOURCE OF SUFFICIENCY IS THE FULLNESS OF THE INDWELLING CHRIST, and out of that fullness there can be a begetting of all-- the quickening streams of His divine life. This does not take away from the glory of God, it does not usurp any position from Him, nor take away from His pre-eminence-- but it redounds to His glory for He will then have truly brought forth after His own kind, to be-- King of kings, Lord of lords, yes, God of gods.
        "For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the son to have life in himself." [John 5:26]. When the Father GIVES, IMPARTS to the son the fullness of life, the spirit without measure, then shall he have LIFE IN HIMSELF, and he will be able to give it to others-- that is FATHER-HOOD.
        Let it be emphasized again and again; it is because HE is the INDWELLING LIFE, that we have life to live. But it also requires that we are brought to a spiritual maturity so that we know when and where to impart that life, to His glory and praise. It will be knowing the FATHER'S WILL, the secrets of His heart, so that we flow as one with Him in all that He does.
         This will fulfill 2 Corinthians 9:8, how that "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." Who can fathom the depth of this grace of our God to us-ward? He is so rich in mercy that He would make all grace abound toward us until we should have ALL SUFFICIENCY needed for every occasion and circumstance.
         It is significant to note that the words "all sufficiency" come from a Greek word meaning "to be self-sufficient." Same word as used in Philippians 4:11, Wuest, "I have come to learn, in the circumstances in which I am placed, to be independent of these and self sufficient." And again, Philippians 4:13, Amplified, "I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me-- I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me, (that is, I am self sufficient IN CHRIST, SUFFICIENCY)."  No wonder He is so purging and purifying His own, that they shall be emptied of all self, and be fused into one with HIMSELF. Being received INTO Him, then because of this indwelling fullness, there will flow out of them that fountain of life which shall restore all things back into God. Evil shall be corrected, everything shall be returned into its principle of good, and God shall be continuously glorified and exalted.
 "Then said Jesus unto them again, Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He BREATHED ON THEM, and saith unto them, Receive ye the holy Spirit: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." John 20:21-23].
        What kind of a power-ministry is this? LIFE-GIVING and able to remit sins! On the cross, climaxing His ministry of sonship, "Then said Jesus, Father forgive them . . , " [Luke 23:34] for full well He knew that it required FATHER-HOOD sufficiency to be able to forgive sins. Yet long before, in that earthly ministry, they brought to Him a man sick of the Palsy, lying on a bed, "and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." [Matthew 9:2]. Was this not the FATHER DWELLING IN HIM that forgave this man's sins? Out of His Son of man state, He requested the Father to do the forgiving. But out of His Fatherhood He had the ability to forgive sins. And when He has breathed upon us of HIS FULLNESS, and we are perfected INTO HIMSELF, then shall we also be able to remit sin. The ministry of reconciliation is "not imputing their trespasses unto them," [2 Corinthians 5:19] but with the Father's heart of love, ever forgiving.
         John writes "unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning." [1 John 2:14]. Who is from the Beginning? THE FATHER, The Creator of all, out of Whom are all things. And when you begin to know the realm of fatherhood, and the joy of bringing forth from your own being that which shall bring victory to others, then you also know more of HIM Who is the One from Whom all father-hood is derived.
         How little does a son comprehend the depth of the Creator, and that life-giving force whereby new victories are brought into being. But when a son grows up, and becomes a father himself, then there is a new level of understanding and communion. We scarcely have a fragment of acquaintance with this realm of life-giving in the Spirit, and to know HIM Who is from the Beginning. But the Psalmist once cried out, "All my springs are in thee." [Psalm 87:7]. For he was beginning to know the Source of all life, and he also knew that all of his own springs, all of his own potential to bring forth "living waters," came from God.
         There is a fatherhood realm! A position in God where we shall be able to impart life, and yes, He is the Father of MERCIES, the Father of LIGHTS, etc. We have seen a faint glimmer of this, as God briefly pulled back the veil of that realm beyond, when we read of how Peter and John on the way to the temple to pray, came upon a man that was lame, "And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rase up and walk." [Acts 3 :4-6]. SUCH AS I HAVE! What did he have? He had the indwelling Spirit of the Father-- and it was not out of Peter's self, nor out of human ability, but out of Divine Sufficiency, to the Father's praise.
        Only a "whisper of the mystery" has been presented. But then shall we know "if we follow on to know the Lord. . . ." [Hosea 6: 3], and He shall fulfill all that which He has purposed, to His glory and praise.
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^{(1)  Prinzing, Ray and Doris  WHISPERS OF THE MYSTERIES.  Boise, Idaho 83705, P.O. Box 5822}

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