APRIL 2005

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery. Part 39. The mystery of the Shekinah glory within us.

Sunday, April 3, 2005

Theophanies = TLJC appeared throughout the Old Testament in different visible forms such as a man, an angel, a pillar of fire, a cloud, a burning bush, etc.

Jesus Christ is the only visible member of the godhead, JOH 1:18; JOH 6:46.

There were many different manifestations of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, and these manifestations were to teach, instruct, guide and direct the people of God.

“Shekinah” - shakan -
to dwell = Jesus Christ indwelt certain sacred buildings in Israel.
“Glory” - kabodh = visible manifestations of Jesus Christ as a Theophany = the “dwelling of the glory” or the Shekinah glory.

Shekinah = the invisibility of Christ as the God of Israel, indwelling 3 sacred buildings during the age of Israel:
the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple, and Zerubbabel’s Temple.

His deity was invisible to the crowd who heard this prophecy, but His humanity was very visible.

In the Old Testament, they saw a visible manifestation of Christ on the outside in the realm of such things as a cloud or pillar of fire over the tabernacle or the Temple; however, invisible to the outside was TLJC who dwelt in the holy of holies.

In the daytime a cloud was covered over the tabernacle.

In the evening it would be a pillar of fire over the tabernacle.

EXO 33:20 “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”

The people who heard this magnificent prophecy could see the man, the humanity of Christ, but they could not see the glory, His deity.

John 14 - Jesus Christ as God dwelt with His people Israel in a unique way, invisible - they did not see Him, but they saw the manifestation of His presence.

GAL 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.

It means to glorify God or have the glory within be manifested without.

MAT 5:14 You are the light of the world.
MAT 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Today, people cannot see the deity of Christ, the Shekinah glory in you, but they can see the glory of God being revealed or manifested THROUGH you.

The day of the virgin birth of our Lord was the last day any overt manifestation of TLJC existed.
Never again are there Theophanies, instead there are Christophanies which are manifestations of the humanity of Christ in resurrection body.

Just like the Jews could not see the Shekinah glory in the OT but could see a manifestation of His presence, so we can reveal the Shekinah glory or the indwelling of Christ to the world and each other through our body, the temple of the living God.

He has no other way of showing Himself to men except as Christ lives in us, not by the Shekinah glory in the temple

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery. Part 40. The relationship between the indwelling of Christ and the glorification of God.

Wednesday, April 6, 2005

JOH 14:20 “In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

1JO 2:6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

Love our enemies, MAT 5:44.
Forgive as Jesus forgave, COL 3:13.
Be kind towards those who hate us, MAT 5:44.
Be overcomers - more than conquerors, ROM 8:37.

Give thanks in all things, believing that all things, even those which shatter our hopes and dreams, are working together for our good, ROM 8:28, EPH 5:20.
Be anxious for nothing, PHI 4:6.
Rejoice in the Lord always, PHI 4:4.

PHI 4:8 From now on, members of the Royal Family of God, whatever is true [doctrinal], whatever is honorable[noble or worthy of respect], whatever is just [fair or right], whatever is pure [of proper motivation], whatever personal loves exist, whatever is commendable, if there is any virtue [there is for the mature believer - first class condition] and if anything worthy of praise [there is for the mature believer - first class condition], be concentrating on these things.

ISA 6:5 Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips,

You have a hope of glory or a confidence in the glory - a confidence that He will do all these things through you while you -
PSA 46:10 Cease striving and know that He is God;

MAT 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”

Your health is based on your genetics, metabolism, allergies, environment, common sense, and mental attitude, but it has nothing to do with your spiritual life.

In sexual sins, we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, the Temple for the indwelling of TLJC.

The physical part of you is a piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you, ROM 6:12-16.

You glorify God by having the Shekinah glory which is now in your body, your temple, being manifested and shining through you.

2CO 6:16 For we are the temple of the living God, just as God has said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; I will be their God and they will be My people.”

Riches - noun “ploutos” - plou'to" = riches, wealth and abundance.

These riches are to be preached; therefore, it is a reference to the richness and wealth that comes from doctrine.

EPH 1:7 - these riches have to do with understanding God’s grace.
EPH 1:18 - these riches are related to escrow blessings.

1. Spiritual Blessings = maximum awareness of life.

2. Establishment prosperity includes the blessings of privacy and freedom; the enjoyment of both life and property; protection from crime, reprisal, violence, and vindictiveness from others; contentment under national disaster; and acceptance by one’s own peers, whether they like you or not.

3. War and national emergency prosperity include the blessings of efficiency, success, promotion, and for some leadership, whether soldier or civilian.
4. Professional prosperity = maximum success or efficiency in a profession, whether law, medicine, engineering, science, military, teaching, law enforcement, athletics, art, music, literature, etc.

5. Business prosperity = where pertinent, success in business as an owner or an executive of a large corporation; or where pertinent, success as a salesman, administrator, laborer, etc.

6. Social prosperity = the possession of loving, faithful, reliable, and stable friends, and maximum enjoyment of your relationships with them.

7. Romantic prosperity can mean a wonderful relationship with a member of the opposite sex where happiness replaces sinfulness.
8. Mental prosperity = the ability to concentrate; to organize both your thinking and your life; it includes freedom from the mental sins of fear, worry, and anxiety.

9. Cultural prosperity = maximum capacity for good entertainment; the enjoyment of the best in music, art, literature, drama, history, and whatever your hobbies may be.
10. Health prosperity is given to some mature believers.
11. Leadership dynamics, though not for everyone, is a blessing for some by virtue of either their genetics or spiritual gift, or it can be acquired.

PRO 8:18 “Riches and honor are with Me [doctrine], enduring wealth and virtue [righteousness].”

PSA 23:5-6 You have prepared for me a table in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil. My cup [of blessing] is overflowing. Only prosperity and grace pursue me all the days of my life [escrow blessings for time], and I will remain in the house of the Lord forever [escrow blessings for eternity].

3JO 1:2, Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

ROM 2:4 - these riches are related to God’s kindness and forbearance and patience with us.

ROM 9:23 - these riches are related to the fact that we are vessels of God’s mercy.

ROM 11:33 - the riches have to do with the wisdom and knowledge of God.

EPH 2:7 - the riches have to do with super-grace - in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

EPH 3:16 - the fantastic omnipotence of God provided for us - that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man;

PHI 4:19 - the riches of His glory refer to logistical grace support - And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

COL 2:2 - the riches or the wealth = the assurance that comes from understanding doctrine, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery. Part 41. The mystery of the Shekinah glory in you.

Thursday, April 7, 2005

Not only do we have the riches or the glorious riches, but we also have the source of the riches which is the glory.

We not only have access to the most fantastic riches that have ever existed, but we have more than the riches, we have the source of the riches, we have the glory.

He indwells you as He did the Old Testament Tabernacle, as a guarantee of security and prosperity and blessing.

If Jesus Christ indwelt a building in the age of Israel as a sign of protection, blessing and security, how much greater is the indwelling of Christ in the body of every believer in the Church-age?

“The hope of glory” = the mature believer’s confidence that at the point of maturity he will receive his escrow blessings which will glorify God both in time and eternity.

“Hope” = confidence or future expectation of the adult believer who recognizes that the indwelling of Jesus Christ as the Shekinah glory is the guarantee of greater blessings for time and eternity.

Knowing He indwells us gives us a very strong and powerful motivation to keep advancing through each stage of spiritual adulthood with its accompanying category of undeserved suffering.

ROM 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

HEB 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

“Christ in you” = the confidence (hope) of receiving those escrow blessings which glorify God the Father.

The indwelling of Jesus Christ is part of our motivation to continue our momentum.

REV 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.

“The hope with reference to glory” refers not only to the Lord Jesus Christ, but also to the escrow blessings deposited with Jesus Christ, the depositary, by the grantor, God the Father, in eternity past.

He conveys those blessings to His own righteousness in us, which we share by positional sanctification.

“Christ in you, the hope of glory” further speaks of capacity.

If Jesus Christ indwelt a building in the age of Israel for blessing, how much greater the indwelling of Christ in the body of every believer in this dispensation.

Hope = the nominative singular noun “elpis" = a future connotation and refers to absolute confidence. It connotes expectation of the future.

A believer who understands the purpose of the Shekinah glory will have the utmost of confidence that when he stands at the judgment seat of Christ in a resurrection body that He will receive greater blessings and rewards for the eternal state.

He indwells us for the sake of motivation and incentive.
He indwells us for the sake of blessing.
He indwells us for the sake of confidence and security.

1. The prophecy of the indwelling of Christ, JOH 14:19-20.
2. The verification of that prophecy in the Lord’s prayer for the Church, JOH 17:22-26.
3. The indwelling of Christ relates to the mystery doctrine of the Church-age only, COL 1:25-29.

1. The tables of the Law, the Ten commandments, which the Jews disobeyed.
2. Aaron’s rod that budded - a testimony to all of the sins that come from rejecting authority.
3. A golden pot of manna = the wonderful principle of logistical grace and all of the sins that come from rejecting logistical grace support.

The Shekinah or Christ indwelling the holy of holies was invisible to Israel because the Jews were to learn about Christ as the God of Israel from their doctrine.

Your body is indwelt by TLJC as Shekinah. He indwells your body but He is invisible.

The glory or the outward manifestation of the Shekinah comes when a believer executes God’s plan for his life.

When you come to love TLJC under the concept of occupation with the person of Christ then something wonderful will begin to happen - the glory will be seen.

“Kabodh adonai” - the glory of the Lord.

The holy of holies at the present time is your body.

That is invisible, and the only way the glory will ever be visible in your life is for you to get with it as a Christian and to execute God’s predesigned plan of for your life.

The first thing that Paul says concerning the indwelling of Christ is to “know yourselves” or “test yourselves.”

2CO 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless indeed you fail the test?

KJB -
2CO 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

They stood fast and they followed the directions of the Lord precisely.

In your life, God says to you at certain times, “Move out.”
Then at other times He says to you, “Stand fast.”

The motivation, the security, the life and the blessing of Israel was related to the presence of the God of Israel.

You have the God of Israel, the King of kings and the Lord of Lords, the prince ruler of the church, TLJC actually indwelling your body.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery. Part 43. The Shekinah glory and the mystery of forgiveness.

Sunday, April 10, 2005

1. The prophecy of the indwelling of Christ, JOH 14:19-20.
2. The verification of that prophecy in the Lord’s prayer for the church, JOH 17:22-26.

3. The indwelling of Christ relates to the mystery doctrine of the Church-age only, COL 1:25-29.

1. The tables of the Law, the Ten commandments, which the Jews disobeyed.
2. Aaron’s rod that budded - a testimony to all of the sins that come from rejecting authority.

3. A golden pot of manna = the wonderful principle of logistical grace and all of the sins that come from rejecting logistical grace support.

Aaron became the first high-priest of Israel.

Aaron had four sons. Two of these sons were named Nadab and Abihu.

That altar of incense belongs to the holy of holies where we have the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat, and the two cherubs.

Christology is the study of the doctrine of Christ centering on His life, person, works, and divinity.
Soteriology is the study of theology which examines His work of salvation.

One is the brass altar and one is the altar of incense.

The cloud was an overt manifestation - that Jesus Christ was actually indwelling between the cherubs on the mercy seat.

Point 1. Definition of Forgiveness.
Forgiveness = to give up resentment, excuse a guilty party, release from payment, to forget an offense never bringing it up again not even to discuss it.

Point 2. The ultimate expression of forgiveness was the cross of Christ.

Point 3. Scripture Passages on Forgiveness.
ISA 43:25 I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake [because of My honor and integrity]. Furthermore, I will not remember your sin.

COL 3:13 Bearing one another and forgiving each other. Whoever has a complaint against anyone else, just as the Lord forgave you, so also you should forgive others.

EPH 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.

MAR 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions.

COL 2:13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
1JO 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.

Point 4. One of the greatest illustrations of forgiveness is found in the story of Joseph.

1. Joseph was thrown into the pit by his brothers which was a part of God’s plan for his life, which he failed to recognize, GEN 37:1-24.

2. Joseph was sold to a caravan, which just so happened to be coming by, and the caravan took Joseph to Egypt, God’s geographical will for Joseph, GEN 37:25-36.

3. Joseph then became a servant to Potiphar, who was an officer of Pharaoh, and Joseph learned that God can provide prosperity in any situation, GEN 39:2-6.

4. Joseph was then tempted many times by Potiphar’s wife to have sex with her, and he passed the test magnificently, GEN 39:7-10.

5. Mrs. Potiphar reacted against the rejection by Joseph and falsely accused Joseph of trying to seduce her, and this was a total act of injustice, GEN 39:11-18.

6. Potiphar believed his wife and threw Joseph into the dungeon for his second “pit” experience, GEN 39:19-20.

7. In GEN 40:1-4, Potiphar abuses his authority and gives Joseph double duties as a slave to two aristocrats in the Egyptian prison.

8. In GEN 40:14-15, Joseph fails again by relying on man rather than the Lord, and the two men both forget to help Joseph in his prison experience.

In GEN 45:1, Joseph’s brothers, unknowingly, are begging Joseph for some help and food for the famine.

When God blesses and God promotes, the disasters, tragedies, and heartaches of life are all blotted out.

Joseph’s brothers assume that Jacob’s death will remove Joseph’s restraint and tolerance of them and that he will seek revenge.

The brothers judged Joseph by assigning to him their own flaws, their own sins, and their own weaknesses.

MAT 7:12 “Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them,”

Believers who are losers always assign to others their own flaws, sins, and failures!