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WHO IS IN THE HOUSE OF GOD

 WHO IS IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD?
    It is important to understand that the two covenants, one of the law and one of grace, are both promised to Israel.  God never made a covenant with the Gentiles.  It is mandatory, therefore, that one become part of the house of Israel.  It is also shown in scripture that not all that are of Israel are Israel.  This is so because Israel is only a picture of the saved and the way to be saved.  Therefore, some of Israel in the flesh are actually strangers and foreigners.  That, then, is where I will begin.  One progresses from being in the house of Israel to being in the house of God.
    One understands who is in the household through direct scripture, hints, parables, and common sense.  I place all of them in the house here for simplicity.   These were also in the houses in Exodus, though there were many houses then as a picture of the one now.  I have put them in levels here depicting their position with God, though the level is gained along the way as they hear and learn from the father. 

STRANGERS AND FOREIGNERS
    These are in the house, but they are not part of the house yet.  Notice what it takes to be considered part of the house.  One seems to become part of the house of Israel before one becomes part of the house of God.  It may be simultaneously, but it is for sure that one also becomes of the house of Israel.
    Ex 12:19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land
    Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off
    Notice that even strangers can eat the unleavened bread.
    Ex 12:43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the Passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof
    Ex 12:45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.
    Ex 12:48 for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof
    Notice that even though the bread is OK for strangers to eat, the Passover meat isn’t.  The uncircumcised cannot eat of the Passover either.
    Ex 12:47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
    Ex 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land
    Ex 12:44 But every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof
     Jesus became a man to pay the price for us.  We have been bought by a great price and belong to Him.  We are also his servants according to Rom 6:22.  It would behoove us then, to be also circumcised.
    Only Israel can eat the Passover and they must all eat, but circumcision enables one to be considered Israel.  What does this mean in the new covenant?
    Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them , and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree
    We must become part of Israel because both covenants were promised to Israel, not to the Gentiles.  If we do not become part of Israel, then we are strangers and foreigners who cannot partake of the Passover Lamb.  This is accomplished through circumcision but the circumcision is not in the flesh as shown next.
    Deu 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff necked
    Deu 30:6  And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live
    Ez 44:9 Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary
    Acts 7:51 Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers
    Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ
    If the heart is circumcised, it has had the desire to follow man’s sin nature removed and been replaced with a desire to do God’s will.  How is this done? 
    Jer 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
    Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
    Heb 8:10 For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people
    God places the law in one’s heart, but that is done by the word.  The law and the prophets is a large part of the word.  Because God will not force himself on anyone, desiring a choice for him to be made; it is our responsibility to seek through the word
    Mk 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
    If we don’t seek, we won’t stand in the place where we receive the promise; because God can’t put the law into our heart.
    Acts 7:39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust [him] from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
    If the circumcision doesn’t take place, which is also by our desire, then one falls back into the sinful lifestyle and the promise is not received.
    Mt 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;   21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
    These care more about the praise of men than the praise of God.
    Mt 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
    These fall back from lusts of the things of the world.

LEVEL 1: CITIZENS AND BABES       
   
Ex 12:19 for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land
    Ex 12:38 And a mixed  multitude went up also with them
    Being born in the land is a type or shadow of being ‘born again’ into the household of God.  They are to put leaven out of their house or they will not enter the kingdom, and leaven stands for sin.
    Eph 2:16 that he might reconcile both unto God in one body
    Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
    Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;     
    They are not saints because they are with the saints, but they are reconciled and have access to the Father.  They are citizens.  This access is not eternal salvation, but only reconciliation so the Father can change them, shown later. This change in them brings the gift of eternal salvation and the inheritance because at that point the Father gives them to the Son, also shown later.   Jesus is a householder in a parable in Luke 19. 
    Lk 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us
    2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government
    The word government here means having a master over them.  There are almost always two choices when dealing with God, hence our free will.  These chose to deny God’s rule over them and one can see the outcome of both in their respective scriptures.  It does not refer to the occasional refusal we are all guilty of, but a continuation in the rebellion as a lifestyle.  The other choice takes them to the next level in God’s working in us as clay.  They have not earned salvation because they already have it freely, but they have progressed in the kingdom to a higher position through deciding to serve their Lord.  This salvation, however, is still only reconciliation, not eternal.  By choosing to serve, they are being led by the spirit.

BABES
    1Pe 2:1-2 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
    1 Cor 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  For ye are yet carnal
    Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
    Children are to be humble and to grow up through learning.  Some are to proud to admit they know nothing.  Some are to proud to admit they could be wrong.  Some think they are to high in rank to learn from someone beneath them.  With this attitude they can’t learn and if they don’t, they remain in a carnal state.  This is THE WAY.  A look at scriptures containing the word bondage shows me that a man can escape it and return to it.  We have a choice to be free of it, or not.  To be free from it one must seek and follow.

LEVEL 2: SERVANTS AND CHILDREN
    Gal 4:1 the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant
    This scripture does not say that all children are heirs, but that all heirs start as children; and that all children are the same as a servant.

SERVANTS          
    Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness
    Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life
    The fruit is from serving, not from being free from sin, as revealed in Jn 4:35-36.  At the cross all become servants.  They can serve or choose to follow the course of the citizens above.
    Gal 5:13 brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another
    The word says, Mt 25:40, that when we do for the least of the brethren, we have done it to Christ.
    Mt 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods
    Mt 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey
    Mt 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord
    Notice that: 1. they were his own servants, 2. he gave them his own goods which were not their rewards because they gave them back when he came, 3. He gave according to their ability which means it is not how much you do, but what you do with what you have, 4. they were good, 5. they were faithful, and 6. both doers received the same reward, which was ruling with their lord and entering into His joy.  Since being faithful is a quality of these and of those who return with the lord, I look at what being faithful entails in servants.

THE FAITHFUL SERVANT
    Mt 24:45-46 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them  meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
    Them, is the Lord’s household and a faithful servant is giving them meat in due season.  This is growing them up and changing them through the meat of the word, from citizens and children (babes) into adults, friends, and sons.  This only happens if the household is willing to receive the meat.
    1Cor 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  For ye are yet carnal:
    Rom 8:6 says to be carnally minded is death but being spiritually minded is life.  Paul is trying to get them spiritually minded through feeding the meat like a faithful servant.  The milk doesn’t do an eternal work because the next verse says they need the milk again.
    The milk is, according to Heb 6, the foundation of the doctrines of Christ, consisting of: 1. repentance from dead works, 2. faith toward God, 3. doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment
    Heb 5:10-14 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.  For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.   But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age.
    Jn 6:26-27 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.  Labor not  for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
    Those who follow Jesus for what they can get are not sealed.  They are serving mammon even though they are doing it through the lord.  They are in it for themselves, not for the Lord.  We all start at the cross for what we get, but on THE WAY this changes into serving the lord.  The meat of the word reveals the meat of labor. 

THE MEAT
    Jn 6:27 that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you
    Jn 4:32 Jesus said unto them, I have meat to eat
    Jn 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work
    Jn 4:35-36 I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.  And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal
    Jesus passes on his work to those who will accept it.  He is the head giving instructions; but we, his body, doing the work according to his will.  This verse compliments Rom 6:22.

HIS WORK
    Jn 6:28 What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
    Jn 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

HIS WILL
    Jn 6:38 I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me
    Jn 6:39 this is the Father’s will which hath sent me: that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing,  but should raise it up again at the last day that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting  life: and I will raise him up at the last day
    There is only one reward for works because there is only one work of God, to pass on the gospel.  This one reward is the reward of the inheritance, Col 3:24.  If one inherits all things in Christ, what else is left for a reward?  The only difference, in all that attain heaven, is the level of lordship that one attains under the Lord of Lords, and a special name depicting what got them there.  As it reveals in the parable in Mt 20:1-17; every worker received the same wage even though some worked longer and during the heat of the day.

CHILDREN
    Mt 18:3-4 Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven
    Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus
    Gal 4:1 the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant
    Gal 4:3 they are under bondage of the worlds elements

LEVEL 3: SAINTS
    Many scriptures speak of saints but they don’t tell us who this group is or how to be one.  Researching some things about them leads to understanding this elite group.  It does not happen at the cross, even though it is gained because of the cross.
    1Cor 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?
    1Thes 3:13 the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints
    Jude 1:14  Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints
    Rev 17:14  they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful
    Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus           .
    These scriptures reveal that they are trusted enough to judge the world with God.  They must be just.  The next verses reveal that they are faithful.  Many are called but few chosen and there are some who are chosen by Christ but do not make it, Judas.  The qualifying factor is faithfulness.  They also keep the commandments of God.
    In the original text, saint and holy, even in Holy Spirit, is the same word.  It means: physically pure, morally blameless, and consecrated.  To take it a step further, I looked at sanctified, which comes from the base word holy and means: to make holy, to purify or consecrate. 
    Jn 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified  through  the truth (The truth entails more than just the cross.)
    Acts 20:32 , I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified
    Acts 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me
    Col 1:12 the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light
    Meet means: to enable to qualify, and it comes from a base word to arrive: ample in amount and fit in character.  Sounds a little like being sanctified.
    2Tim 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor,  sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
    Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren
    Mk 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
    Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed
    Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all
    If this was done at the cross, then all would be sanctified, because it was done for all.
    Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified
    Heb 10:29 the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified
    One is saved by His death but sanctified by the blood.  Even then, the blood of the lamb is upon the house entrance.  It is the blood of the scapegoat that is sprinkled on the people and the utensils.  It is also noted in the feasts, that the blood for the removal of sin is the sixth step or stage in the process, THE WAY.  It is the blood of the goat being spoken of in these verses and that blood is after Firstfruits and Pentecost.

LEVEL 4: SONS
    When a servant is given his freedom to leave and he chooses to stay, he is like family.  Servants serve because they have to but sons serve out of love and receive the inheritance.
    Jn 1:12 power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
    Acts 1:8 they receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them
    Jn 14:17 the Spirit dwells with them and shall be in them
    Zech 4:6 not by power but by the Spirit
    1Jn 3:9-10 Whosoever is born  of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.   In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother
    Rom 8:14 as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God
    Gal 5:16 Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh     
    Gal 4:6-7 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ
        Gal 4:7 now they are sons rather than servants
    Jn 14:15-17 If ye love me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  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.
    Jn 14:23 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.
    They had the spirit with them and they walked in Him.  Now they have the Spirit in them.  The laws are written on their hearts and minds.  They have the inheritance, because they love him.
    Sons are actually made along the way, not created at the cross.  At the cross we are citizens or babes.  When we choose to serve, we become children or servants.  As we choose to continue and endure, we become sons.  Sons aren’t perfect, though they want to be and their sins are still covered by the cross.