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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Inner Resurrection, continued
But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (II Corinthians 3:18—NASB)
We have stated that the inner resurrection consists of the forming of Christ in us and also the abiding of Christ in us. The forming of Christ in us is the building of the Temple of God. The abiding of Christ and the Father in us is the occupying of the Temple of God.
Paul speaks of both of these, showing that the abiding is dependent on the forming:
That he [the Father] would grant you [the saints and faithful in Christ], according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man [the transformation]; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith [the abiding of Christ in the transformed personality]; . . . . (Ephesians 3:16,17)
The first aspect of the inner resurrection is the bringing forth of a new creation—the eternal union of Christ and the personality of the Christian.
The second aspect of the inner resurrection is the fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles, that is, the coming of the Father and the Son to dwell eternally in the new creation.
The first is the building of the "booth." The second is the eternal abiding of the Lord and the saint in the "booth," the eternally transformed inner man of the saint (Leviticus 23:40-43).
John portrays the resurrection of Christ in the members of the Body of Christ and the many "booths" (mansions) that Christ is preparing for His godly ones.
A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. (John 16:16)
"Ye shall not see me." By this Jesus meant that He would be crucified, descend into the interior of the earth, and then ascend to the Father. His followers no longer would be able to see Him.
"Again, a little while, and ye shall see me because I go to the Father." Does this mean that they would see Him after He rose from the dead, when He ate and spoke with them? No, it does not, because their seeing Him after He rose from the dead did not depend on His going to the Father.
Does this mean that they would see Him when He comes again in the clouds of glory, and "every eye shall see him"? Probably not.
Christ means that after He ascended to the Father He would be able to come to them through the Holy Spirit and appear to them by abiding in them. They would know that He is risen because He is risen in them.
Notice how John 14:19 explains John 16:16:
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:19)
This is the new covenant—the saint living by the Life of Christ. This is the spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles. This is the resurrection of Christ in the saints.
. . . Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 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. (John 14:22,23)
To be continued.