John 14
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
The Doctrine of Heaven: The “Father’s house” was the Jews house of worship, the Temple.
“My Father’s house” is this ‘place’ that Jesus Christ is busy preparing; it is where Jesus will ‘live’ with His
‘disciples’ at.
1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
I believe that the Lord’s churches become the ‘Temple’ in the NT. These true churches will one day be living (i.e., the members) in the New Jerusalem. Most Christians believe that every Christian will have their own mansion; however, I do not believe this to be true. I believe that the New Jerusalem, and its mansions, are only for members of the Lord’s true churches. Jesus is specifically talking to His disciples here (‘for you’); those that were truly saved, scripturally baptized and a member of His church there in Jerusalem; and who was actively following Jesus.
Do we share the mansion with others? That would be strange. Each member of His Bride may get their very own ‘mansion’; it is simply a ‘place of residence’; there are ‘many’ of these (in the NJ). I also believe that each one will be uniquely different; probably based upon the amount of righteousness of that individual.
If every Bride member received their own 1 square mile of ‘real estate’, and there were 1500 levels of this (1500 sq. miles per level), then this could accommodate about 2,250,000 ‘mansions’; if it were 100 feet in between each ‘level’, then it could accommodate 110 million mansions; and if there was just 1 acre parcels then it could accommodate about 10 Billion mansions!!!
If it were not so, I would have told you! Believe that there are ‘many’!
6 days to create the universe and life on Earth; 1975 years potentially creating/preparing ‘a place’ for His church members, disciples!!! …the NJ !
The ‘receiving’ probably is at the ‘marriage of the Lamb’! And to go on and live happily everafter… our eternal abode!
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The Doctrine of Salvation: Are there many ‘ways’ to heaven? Budha, Allah, Krishna, Mary, Church, Self (good works)….? It is ‘The’ way, not ‘a’ way. Way = cross; Truth = Bible; Life = eternal. It is only Jesus…not Mary, Muhammed, sacraments, church membership, being good…
No man will go to Heaven (cometh to the Father) except through (by) Jesus Christ (Me)! It isn’t simply believing that Jesus existed… or that He was a good teacher, a prophet, or some specially annointed man of God; it isn’t simply believing that He died on the cross for people’s sins. It is believing that He is ‘your’ ‘only’ hope for salvation from ‘Hell’, to Heaven! That He is God; the Son of God; the only Saviour of the world; believing with a sorrowful, repentant heart. Call upon ‘this Name’!
You must be extremely ‘narrow-minded’ when it comes to ‘the way to Heaven’! Everyone keeps trying to push these narrow boundaries.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
The Doctrine of Prayer: What do you think of the ‘Name it – Claim it’ philosophy of some Charismatics?
Is it simply adding an “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer…and, ‘whallaaa’, you have it?! No.
What does ‘ask anything in my name’ mean?
Asking in Jesus’ name means asking in accordance with the title, essence, character, and will of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, if you ask something in accordance with Jesus Christ’s will (the Father’s will), He will do it !
So, how do you know what is in accordance with His will? Mainly by searching the Scriptures… if it is clearly said there, then you can count on it being God’s will. This you can “Name it – Claim it” on ! The ‘disclaimer’ on this is that there may be other persons’ souls/wills involved, which have to agree with this too (i.e. it’s God’s will for everyone to get saved, but one person’s prayer is not going cause this to come about.)
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. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
The Doctrine of the Holy Ghost: What does the Holy Spirit do? Comforts. Guides into Truth. Teaches (v. 26).
How long will the Spirit be with you/us? Forever! I believe that Spirit will indwell His children for all of eternity. Where was He then? Present, but not within them. Where is He now? He dwells within you.
‘Spirit of truth’. The Charismatics and Catholics are involving themselves with the spirit of error! (lying spirits).
The churches that are the Lord’s churches have the Holy Spirit specially upon them (from Pentecost’s Baptism) and He will guide these churches into truth; thus, one key way to know which church is the Lord’s is by them continuing faithfully in ‘the truth once delivered to the saints’; they won’t ‘modernize’, compromise, ecumenicize, apostatize!
‘He shall teach you all things’ (v.26). Possibly, the main function of the Holy Spirit for a Christian is for Him to ‘teach you all things’; all things in the Bible; all things that you need to know for serving Him; all things that you’ll need to know for being a Missionary, Missionary helper…
So, let Him teach you all things!!! Don’t quench the Spirit!
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 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. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
The Doctrine of Obedience: Do you love Jesus? Look at verse 15… your level of love for Him is directly related to the level of obedience to His commandments. I believe that most Christians in America say they love Jesus a whole bunch, but they obey Him very little. Remember, this love is not an emotion or feeling or experience. I think that most Christians equate love for Jesus with an experience they are having (i.e. ‘Praise & Worship’).
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 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. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
The Doctrine of the Father: The Father is ‘greater’ than Jesus. Jesus is God. These two declarations are correct and can sit side by side of each other with no problem. Jesus many times speaks of His subordinate role to the Father. He was/is an obedient Son. And, He is fully God, and always was.