Thursday, November 2, 2017

Pattern of Relationship

UV 2819/10000 Pattern of Relationship
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty
2 Corinthians 6 v 18

The pattern of relationship with the Lord Almighty is described in this uni-verse: we are called into a relationship between that of the Heavenly and Eternal Father and children. We are children of God by adoption. We are children by virtue of our faith in the first born Son Jesus. We are now c0-heirs or co-inheritors of the Kingdom of God with Jesus. As co-heirs, every believer in Jesus shares in both His suffering and His glory. As brothers and sisters and members of the same family, we are to reflect the image of Christ in all that we say and do. We are to love each other with Christ-like love. We are born in sin but born again in Christ to be righteous, reconciled with God and man. We are born again to be free from the captivities of the spirit. We are born again to rule with Christ in the heavenly realm.
The story of the prodigal son is symbolic of our reinstatement as sons, daugthers, co- heirs. Just as he was received with forgiveness and love, the Father receives us back as soon as we believe and return to His house. The prodigal son’s past misdeeds and folly could not cancel the love of the father or cast a shadow on their relationship. Rather the love of the father cancelled the record of his past as if it never existed. Likewise, the primary expression of our Heavenly Father’s love is His forgiveness that He manifested in sacrificing His one and only Son Jesus so that in His death, the seed of reconciliation with all mankind is sown. Just as he was given new life, we are given new life. We are given the new clothes of salvation just as the prodigal son received a new set of clothes. Just as the prodigal son received the signet ring of the Father, we receive the authority over the spiritual realms as children of God. Scripture goes further and declares us to be the signet ring of the Father. He executes His will and orders through us. Just as the prodigal son received new shoes, we receive a new sense of direction and purpose in our lives.
Just as the father celebrated the return of his long lost son, our Father in heaven celebrates our return to His house. The prodigal son never leaves the father’s house again to seek his own fortunes. We too are to never again forget the Father’s love and leave His fellowship. Just as the elder brother resented in his self righteousness the return of the prodigal brother, the world and the religious- minded will resent, oppose and persecute us. They will recall our past when the Father is preparing us for a bright, joyful and eternal future of hope, power and purpose. We are now to daily declare our dependence on Him rather than seek our independence. Our comfort, our security, our prosperity, our health, our well being and happiness lies in a closer and closer relationship with our Father in Heaven. Our recognition and awareness that He is also the Lord Almighty will keep us from the errors of understanding, decisions, actions and reactions of our past.

Prateep V Philip

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