… An Appraisal of the LIFE EXPECTANCY IN CHRIST Called FRUITFULNESS
Dearly Beloved,
It would interest you to note that God summarized the life expectation of mankind in one verse of scripture; in Gen. 1:28! And so the journey of everyman to hold God’s dominion would be a measure of how s/he was faithful with the commandments contained in that blessed verse – the command to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, subdue it: and to have dominion (i.e. of the new creation over the present/old creation)
To break into the reserves of light in Genesis 1:28, we must be able to unlock and understand what the Spirit meant by “And God blessed them”, because that was a divine expectation that would define and separate man from all other creature – eternally! HEREBY, GOD COMMITTED UNTO MAN’S TRUST, HIS SEED, HIS WORD, HIS PROMISE; WHICH HAD INHERENT IN IT AN ABILITY TO REPRODUCE GOD IN MEN – A DEVELOPMENT THAT REMAINED A PUZZLE TO GLORIOUS ANGELS WHEN THEY SAW GOD RAISE CHRIST ON EARTH TO BECOME GODMAN (Ps. 8:4-5/1Tim. 3:16/Heb. 1:5-8)!
- 1Jn. 2:25 And this is the promise (seed/word) that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
- 1Jn. 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
So God’s seed or word (Gen. 1:28a/1Pet. 1:23) was committed to man when he had no physical expression, and for it to interpret it’s peculiar life, it would have to go through a process that angels can’t go through – a process called death (Jn. 12:24-25/Phil. 2:8). More important is the first chapter that this process would produce, which would see man become fruitful (Gen. 17:1-5/Eph. 2:10/Col. 1:10a-b/2Pet. 1:8c).
When God told Abraham in Gen. 15:1, “I am thy shield”, He was simply drawing his attention to Abraham’s true life expectation; one that would be characterized by warfare against A PRESENT LIFE and for A FUTURE LIFE! By so doing, God placed a demand upon him to walk or bear the life of faith as a shield (Eph. 6:16) while coming/journeying back to God (Heb. 11:6/1Tim. 2:4b)! While seeking God by faith (Heb. 11:10), ABRAHAM RECEIVED ISAAC (a type of Christ) whom he would later lay down (Gen. 21:1-8/22:7-8/Jn. 10:18), but by coming to the end of His faith, ABRAHAM RECEIVED A REWARD CALLED GOD (Heb. 11:16-17/Gen. 22:15-17)
- Gen. 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield (i.e. Faith/Power – 1Pet. 1:5/2Pet. 1:3), and thy exceeding great reward (i.e. Love/Divine nature – 2Pet. 1:4/2Cor. 6:16e/Rev. 21:3)
The day a believer begins to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus (Rom. 1:16), his soul sets out in hope concerning the first inheritance called faith; because faith is not yet seen or tangible to his soul (Rom. 8:24) or the walk, life/power referred to in the epistles is invincible to him. But by the right response to various daily commandment surrounding the unseen (2Cor. 4:18) that would come his way, he would find himself living, bearing the fruit of righteousness, walking or budding (SoS 7:12). By doing so, he is pressing into or keeping the commandment to live (Christ), which is meant to empower him to ultimately entertain the commandment to abide (God). By so doing, he would find the same life expectancy mandate of Gen. 1:28 beautifully articulated in 2Pet. 1:23.
- Isa. 27:6 He shall cause them that come of Jacob (i.e. children of the promise who are yet to conform to the promise through God’s leading/dealing) to take root (i.e. death to self/the present): Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit (i.e. the fruit of righteousness of Christ Faith is a new civilization no man or congregation can resist. They are the men Isaiah prophesied about in Isa. 4:1-2/32:1-2).
- 1Pet. 1:23 Being born again (i.e. the birth of the soul with the water and word of truth – 1Pet. 1:22/Jn. 3:5/Jam. 1:18), not of corruptible seed (i.e. not of the seed/word/promise that can’t handle corruption – like we saw in the word that governed the reformation/healing/prosperity/evangelical/charismatic movements etc), but of incorruptible (i.e. the promise/seed/word resident in the tree of life that manifests as commandments of God’s Faith and God’s Love), by the word of God, which liveth (Faith/Christ) and abideth (God/Love) forever.
Despite the exploits that our Father Abraham had generated before and in Genesis chapter 14 (the slaying of fleshy kings and his resisting the worldly temptation of the king of Sodom), fear hadn’t been overcome, and Abraham could still be moved away from the hope that is in the gospel (Col. 1:23/Heb. 6:17-19)! So God had to kept coming and speaking so Abraham would continue in Faith (Acts 14:22), and live by enduring the dealings/chastening of sons which would ultimately make him a lover or abider (Gen. 22:10-18). God simply promised him, what would be a type of his two immutable promise – that would lead to the receiving of the Son and the father (Eph. 1:13e-14/Jn. 14:21/23).
Abraham, like you and I today, are meant to stand strong in faith/power (Rom. 4:20/5:2/1Cor. 2:5/Eph. 4:13-14)), so that we can ultimately hope concerning glory (Rom. 5:2-5/Heb. 6:18). That was a type of the dealing/chastening needed for life (Christ) to be formed (built – Col. 2:7/Eph. 2:20/Heb. 3:3-4) in Abraham so that he can witness against his former life and be crowned with glory (God – Col. 1:27/1Thes. 2:12/2Thes. 2:14).
So while appreciating and being kept in hope concerning the first inheritance called Faith (Christ), the Lord separates us from everything traceable to the world; from our past and potential idols (1Jn. 5:21) typified in Abraham by his country, kindred, Egypt, Lot, the legitimate looking desire to get wealth, Ishmael, until God makes us inseparable (Rom. 8:35-39) with Him by separating us from our chief love – our Isaac!
THE UNVEILING OF CHRIST which leads to THE UNVEILING OF GOD (Col. 2:2) promises to help every soul that was once barren and/or unfruitful in their knowledge (2Pet. 1:8) to appreciate to a place of 30, 60 and 100 fold fruitfulness (Matt. 13:8/Eph. 4:13); from a place where our former identity was likable to that of the flower of the grass (Ps. 103:15-16/1Pet. 1:24/Jam. 1:10) to a place where we can stand in grace, hold faith and thereby hope concerning glory i.e. become Love fellows (Rom. 5:5/1Jn. 1:2-3)
So the key to multiplying, replenishing the earth, subduing it and having dominion is dependent on one thing – on being fruitful i.e. seeing the subject of Faith like Christ and his apostles did. Armed with this understanding, heaven can agree with us when we say “Abraham’s blessings is becoming ours”, because life expectancy has ceased to be statistically defined and measured by mortal men or institutions. It begins the day Christ Jesus is being unveiled to a soul (Rom. 16:25-26/Col. 1:27-28). Amen
Blessings!
Tayo Fasan
….. Searching Out Concealed Matters Concerning Christ & Reasoning With Truth Concerning The Word Of Righteousness (Prov. 25:2/Isa 1:18/Heb. 5:13-14)
Goggle Of Faith & Love 
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