HAVE YOU SEEN JESUS CHRIST?
John 6:36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Unless you have seen the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot go to heaven! Those who do not see and believe shall die in their sins! John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. But how does one see the Lord Jesus in this day, as he has been ascended into heaven for two thousand years?
We can began to learn of this in Christ’s teachings. Consider this verse. Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Therefore we began to understand that seeing the Lord is a matter of a pure heart, which only comes by the new birth, and not a clear, physical eyesight. Therefore think on his instruction to Thomas who said he would not believe unless he had physical sight of Christ and his wounds.
John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
And with this we understand that believing in the Lord does not require a physical seeing of him, but a seeing and believing by faith! For consider what the Apostle Peter states of those in his day who had never ‘laid eyes’ on Jesus of Nazareth. 1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
When one of the disciples asked how the Lord would be able to reveal Himself only to true believers and not to the unbelieving world, the Lord responded that it would involve the world’s unbelief due to their inability to see the Holy Spirit! John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 ¶ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
For they would be those who have eyes to see, but see not! Ezekiel 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. Matthew 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. John 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
And the Lord gives to all who are included in the atonement the spiritual eye of faith, which enables them all to ‘see’ the invisible things of the spiritual world. Also this Spirit-granted faith has a twin sister named Hope, by which the children of faith patiently await their future gathering unto Him. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
And that hope is not just a wishful desire, but a confidential and stedfast expectation set forth and sustained by the Holy Spirit coinciding with the believer’s God-granted faith!
Consider this passage wherein is set forth those with correct physical eyesight, who cannot see, and also the reason why the Prophet Isaiah could see all this very clearly. John 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 That the saying of Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Those who would not see became those who could not see! But God’s prophet had the glory of it all revealed to him in a spiritual revelation of God. Sin is a matter of “coming short of the glory!” Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
And there is only one who can recover this glory for us, less we all perish in darkness. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
As the Lord told Nicodemus, no human went up to heaven to receive this glory and bring it down to us. But it was the Lord himself who came down from heaven to bring the revelation of this glory to all who have eyes to see it! John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
And the blinding agent is the deceptive spirit of Satan working through religions. For these who say that they see, but are without any spiritual sight have invaded the seats of religion. Matthew 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
And these come up with physical locations which they deem as holy places, deceiving the masses. For they say, “This is where Christ may be found! So come to our location.” But the Lord warns us to “Believe it not!” Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Religionists strongly insist on attendance to their program, held in their location as needful for one’s eternal salvation. But where did the Lord say the true church would be found? Those who mount up with wings as eagles, (Isaiah 40:31), would always be found feasting off the body and blood of Christ! John 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. Therefore Paul can worship Christ down by the riverside with Lydia and the other women washing clothes. How else can one fulfill the command to “Pray without ceasing?” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
One such religionist pastor was heard to instruct his congregation, “You cannot hear from God, unless I am in this pulpit preaching to you!” He must not have ever read Isaiah 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: 21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Or he never thought on John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Even old carnal Eli had enough sense to send young Samuel back to his bed to commune with the Lord God, and not with himself as priest! 1 Samuel 3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
The Apostle Peter addressed his first epistle to “the strangers scattered abroad.” 1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
The regenerating grace of God is solely and sovereignly ‘dispensed’ by the invisible workings of the Holy Spirit. But the church gang have taken various verses to set forth a procedure whereby the poor sinner is ‘saved’ only by religious affiliation! But what denomination did the Lord Jesus set up? None! And what did the Lord say was the gift of God that would be sent upon his arrival back to the Father? – The Holy Spirit! Is it any wonder that religion is so anemic today, having swapped the powerful work of the Spirit of the Sovereign God for religious affiliation? They take selected verses as an actual formula for the regenerating of the lost soul! Thus placing the power of regeneration in their control, making the poor sinner fearful of eternal damnation unless he ‘joins’ in with attendance and support of their program! They therefore reduce the supernatural and effectual working of the Spirit down to legal and moral workings of the religious flesh! Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
They use verses taken out of context to exact control over their ‘members’ such as Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. But Christ said the church would be identified by the spiritual eagles (Isaiah 40:31) feasting off his body and blood! Matthew 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Only those with a hunger and thirst for Christ are identified by him as the true church. We are in a mess! Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Those religionists who only conduct their traditions have no right to feast with the ‘eagles’ of the true church! Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
The church at Ephesus tended to be filled with preforming religionists who had departed from their personal love of Christ! Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Pastor Gene Breed
February 23, 2022