Firstborn

[eaglesway]

Jesus, Firstborn of all creation
          Firstborn from among the dead
          Firstborn of many brethren

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

Born not of the will of the flesh or the will of man, but of God.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven

[Dandelion]

Beautiful, EW. On this Resurrection Sunday, we can ponder the incredible gift of Jesus dying and rising. The turning point in the history of our salvation.

50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs after Jesus' resurrection ande went into the holy city and appeared to many people.  Matthew 27:50 - 53

The great significance of this moment......God and Man reconciled.

Before this moment, God and Man were separated.....only the high priests could go into the temple to offer the sacrifice, to God. But, when the curtain was torn, we all had the ability to have a relationship with God......Jesus had paid the price for it. Totally God and totally Man.......the perfect sacrifice, God's Son, who could also represent mankind. He died that we could live.

Romans 5:

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 1:  ( You have a piece of this in your post, I know.)

...11He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.


Truly the greatest story ever told.

D.                                               :cloud9:

[Ross]

The logical process and very reason we are here.
Glad to know that NOTHING can keep us from the love of God in Christ Jesus His Son.
Learning is an on-going process which expands the horizons every time information is received/developed.
First born, first fruit, promotes there will be more coming; mankind will be arriving in a new creation. That should literally expand horizons.

[marie glen]

I read somewhere not too long ago, how the wave offering on firstfruits was also representative of the whole harvest.. and was to be the giving of thanks for the complete harvest.. of course when I read that I thought of how that harvest, per His Word, is (will be) "all things in heaven and earth" and how Jesus, "if lifted up from the earth" (which of course, He was, on the cross) "would draw all" to Himself.. (Jn 12:32)

Jesus, as firstfruits, represented the complete harvest.. for that harvest is/will be all in Him.. (I sometimes can't help thinking our heavenly Father determined from before doing any creating.. He would not be babysitting us all for ever and ever.. just a :2c: )
   :smile:

[eaglesway]

I read somewhere not too long ago, how the wave offering on firstfruits was also representative of the whole harvest.. and was to be the giving of thanks for the complete harvest.. of course when I read that I thought of how that harvest, per His Word, is (will be) "all things in heaven and earth" and how Jesus, "if lifted up from the earth" (which of course, He was, on the cross) "would draw all" to Himself.. (Jn 12:32)

Jesus, as firstfruits, represented the complete harvest.. for that harvest is/will be all in Him.. (I sometimes can't help thinking our heavenly Father determined from before doing any creating.. He would not be babysitting us all for ever and ever.. just a :2c: )
   :smile:

Yes,  absolutely.

9 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the LORD. 13 Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the LORD, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. 14 You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. (Lev 23)

I think we are the wave offering.

He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth(full harvest). In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ(wave offering) would be to the praise of His glory.(Eph 1)

This(imo) is a pillar of understanding the restoration of all things. Totally inseparable thoughts in Eph 1, re-affirmed in James 1 and Romans 8 and 2 Cor 5.

17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.(James 1)

Our inheritance is to be that wave offering, at the first resurrection.

19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

The ministry of the reconciliation of all things will go into its next phase at the return of Jesus Christ- "whom the heavens must receive until the period of the restoration of all things spoken of by all the prophets since ancient times"(Acts 3)

Then the "many sons unto glory" will continue as "a kingdom of priests" ....

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Rev 20:6

... setting the whole creation free from futility into the glorious liberty of the children of God

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.(Rom 8)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.(Eph 2)

I think it is obvious and clear. This is our destiny and the purpose for which we are gathered out from among the generation of the world- the ecclesia- the "called out ones".

"For all those who He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son." (Rom 8)

IMO it is only a little bit less short sighted to stop at "everybody will be saved" as a gospel. The inheritance of the one new man and the "kind intention" which He purposed in Himself is the gathering together of all things into one in Christ through the "many sons" and the "children of God" is included in the gospel throughout all the writings.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.(John 1)

In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
(James 1)

I could quote a dozen more verses that feed into this thought. Once a person sees this(imo) a whole new context and perspective opens up in the scriptures concerning the gospel. "Things that angels long to look into."

As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This hope is not just "being saved".

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

The blessed hope includes the restoration of all things, and we are the instruments of it through Jesus our Lord, many sons unto glory.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

Glorrrry!

[Ross]

Indeed for we will be like Him.

[marie glen]

Amen!! and it is His (Yahweh's) blueprint and ultimate design that all will be like Him.. Saved is not only saved from death/nonlife/annihilation the natural consequence of "missing the mark"/sin/imperfection - for God is life itself.. the magic stuff! the fountain of youth.. Perfection and Life. Hence for ever and ever.. to be imPerfect can only be the opposite of life..

All must be "sealed" with the stamp of His ownership.. Most E.T. or E.D. believers think Universal Reconciliation/Redemption is an easy salvation.. an easy gospel. But of course this is not true. All must repent (the other R) and be 'born again" and all shall have His stamp of ownership, and bear the image of His Son - "this is the decree, You are my Son" - a stamp which is both upon the heart and upon the mind.. All will know that they know that they know.. to wander away from God (who is life) in any tiny speck of way, thought, word or deed) can only ever be self destructive. Period. All will fit the foundational mold which is Jesus. Knowing fully, and understanding completely, good from evil (life from death). And that is glorious liberty! To be in the likeness and image of Jesus. To share in the very character of our heavenly Father, who is Love, and Who is Life itself.

It's funny too how "firstfruits"... "we a sort of firstfruits" isn't more obvious to all believers, that it implies a further, end of season, complete harvest..! If there's a "firstfruits" there's a latter fruits! ( :doh: )

:iagree: it's also obvious in the Holy Days! The first advent of Jesus fulfilled - by His being the Passover Lamb.. by His being the unleavened bread in the oven/grave.. by His being the Sabbath, regular weekly, and then also by His being the 3rd Holy Day of Holy Week, which always followed the regular weekly Sabbath, "firstfruits" the waving of the single sheaf of grain.. Then seven weeks later, the waving of the loaves (Lev 23:17).. the "firstfruits".. loaves of leavened bread.. firstfruits even now while still not yet perfected, which perfection arrives with Jesus... :banana: O happy day!!

Which I believe brings us to the (long) 2nd advent of Jesus - Trumpets (the 7 and His return) - 10 days/1000yrs in which the firstfruits shall ("reign with Him as kings and priests") serving His glorious purpose during His millennium rule - then, will be fulfilled, the second autumn holy day, DOA - Day of Atonement, historically a collective day of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation - 5 days/500yrs - Tabernacles! ~ "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject to Him (to he who put all things under him) that God may be all in all." 1 Cor 15:28. Revelation 21:5,3 "Behold! I make all things new... God Himself will now Tabernacle(camp) with man" ..."And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.. and I, John, saw the holy city -- new Jerusalem -- coming down from God out of the heaven"

("made ready as a bride adorned for her husband")  The New Jerusalem as the new capital.. the center, likely like the Tent of Meeting was the center of Israel's encampments around which the tribes camped...

Amen! ..."all in all" .."the glorious liberty.."
:thumbsup: :banana: :cloud9:

[eaglesway]

Yes. First there was the Tent of Meeting, then there was the Temple in Jerusalem in the holy Mt. Now we are the tent of meeting(Oh How good it is when brethren dwell together in unity.....They were all as one heart and soul....) Now we are the Temple(You all as living stones fitly joined together.....being built into a habitation of God in the Spirit) in the Holy Mount(you are come to Mt. Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem and to the general assembly of the firstborn written in heaven....)

[Ross]

Amen!
Pretty good cornerstone. :dsunny:

[eaglesway]

Amen. Faithful and True :o)

[marie glen]

Amen! ...like a bride, radiant.. in revelation ..described using jewels.. a rainbow round about the throne.. He was high and lifted up and His train filled the temple.. radiant.. without spot or wrinkle.. made up of the manifold Spirit of God.. the body of Christ with its manifold members..  'smoke' filled the temple.. they shall need no lamp nor light of the sun.. like the appearance of a rainbow so was the appearance of the brightness all around Him..  david danced in front of the ark..

[eaglesway]

The King's daughter is all glorious within;
            Her clothing is interwoven with gold.

      14She will be led to the King in embroidered work;
            The virgins, her companions who follow her,
            Will be brought to You.

      15They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing;
            They will enter into the King's palace.

      16In place of your fathers will be your sons;
            You shall make them princes in all the earth.

      17I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations;
            Therefore the peoples will give You thanks forever and ever.