Letter Three
To
those who hunger and thirst for truth, and longs for a fellowship with the only true God, through our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with his people. Come, and eat of the b hidden manna, our Savior has promised to them
that overcome. For as Jesus Christ declared to Nicodemus, c "we speak of that we do know, and testify of that we have
seen," and it is this truth, that makes us free and gives
us that fellowship. It is in this revealed truth that we have all that is
promised and commanded by our Father, for he commands us, d "But you be
glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: For behold, I create Jerusalem
a rejoicing, and her people a joy, and I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy
in my people." e
Truly, we are his people, in spirit and in truth. f
"For they are not a Jew, which are so outwardly;
neither are they of that circumcision,
which is outward in the flesh: For they are a Jew, which are one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of
God."
g Life begins, with knowing God and Jesus Christ — the anointed Word that saves us. h And how he saves us is not in an image of that process — i like the kingdoms of this world have in their images. For they say — those who contend with us — that they are saved. Yet, where is the evidence, where is the substance? For to be saved, one is born and regenerated of God, and therefore are children of God. j We have the knowledge of God and prophesy by his Spirit: the testimony of Jesus Christ — this is our evidence. Isaiah has well spoken of this matter, for says our Lord to those who contend with us: k "Produce your cause, says Jehovah, bring forth your strong reasons, says the King of Jacob. Let them bring forth, and declare unto us what shall happen: declare you, the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come. Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods: yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together." What we declare, is the substance of our faith: the grace of God — l the inheritance of our people. And that, m which is to come, is revealed in the revelation of our testimony — n and we know it is truth, by the Spirit of Truth, who lives in us.
The Lord our God has in the figure of the law said, o "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." Therefore, we do not say that we are saved, for eternal life is being given the mind of Christ, with his endless knowledge, the powers of the world to come and possession of the gifts of God, therefore it is a living reality — of endless life. P For all things of the father are given to the living Word, whereby his Spirit reveals these things unto his people. As it is written in Isaiah, q "by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many," this is our life, our eternal heritage. For Moses prophesied of this when he said, r "the secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law." Concerning this, our Savior declared to Nicodemus, s "We speak of that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen." For we go from faith to faith, and revelation to revelation.
Our Father has created a way — the indwelling Word — to convey all that is promised to us and our family forever. For the Word in us, generates the whole scope of the law, and the heart of the law is faith, judgement and mercy. It is this faith that contains the substance of all that is hoped for, and what is hoped for, is that, which is promised and commanded by our Father. In this way we regenerate forever, by that which is freely given to us, and that is how we are saved. For the righteous knowledge of our redeemer, is the substance of our faith. Moses prophesied — for he was not the true lawgiver, but a figure of the lawgiver, speaking to Jesus Christ ¾ saying: t "The Lord your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, like unto me; unto him you shall hearken." It is this lawgiver that said: u "The words I speak are not mine, but my Father that speaks in me and the words are spirit." So, by this we know that the v law is spirit, as the apostle Paul bears witness to, in his letter to the Romans. And the law from Moses is a figure that speaks to this law, generated in us by the Word. For in Isaiah our Father commands us, w "behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But you be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create." This new Jerusalem is that new testament of which Paul speaks of, in his letter to the church of the Galatians. For it is written, says he, x "that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman, that is Sarah. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from mount Sinai, which brings forth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."
It is when they who turn from the indwelling Word, that faith ceases, along with the whole law, they begin to die to the mind of Christ — becoming lawless. y This is sin — not the image of sin — and how this transgression of the law brings about death the second time. Hence, the great falling away: for many are called, but few are chosen. I speak to you who z know and love the law, and desires to look into the deep matters, contained within the law. How is it, they have turned from the word of faith and begin to fall away? They failed to mortify the deeds of the body — that is crucify the old man. But we brethren, when we were in question of the truth, while we yet were in the flesh, aa we rejected that, which appeared as light, and died in faith: bb where grace did abound, in the revelation of our Savior's knowledge. This is the process of sinless life: regeneration — the birth and renewing of the Holy Spirit by the washing of the Word — in the law of Jesus Christ. What we crucified was the old man: that is, as we knew Jesus Christ in the flesh. For we became a new creature and continue to do so, for all eternity. This is a live precept, not an image. You eat, drink and breathe every day, and do those things that are necessary to good health to keep your natural body alive — don't you? So it is in the spirit. As our beloved Paul, so speaks in his letter to the Romans, cc "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: for if you live after the flesh, you shall die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
If we are to be led by the Spirit of God, then we must begin to learn the principles, that the apostle is speaking about in the sixth chapter of Hebrews. Where he writes, dd "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection." ee If you have been weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast: that is the milk of the Word. One of the first principles learned — in the beginning — is that ff all things in the flesh, speak to things in the spirit, and are not the very real themselves. Rather they are types, shadows, allegories, figures, examples and images of the things they speak to. Do you remember, what Jesus said, when the disciples came and said to him, gg "Why do you speak to the multitude in parables? And he answered and said to them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given." The question then is why? Jesus said, "Therefore I speak to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, least they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.'" Let us understand what our teacher means, when he says, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." In Isaiah it is written: hh "Whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? They that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the Lord was to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." ii So, they fall away, as it is written of them — for their heart was not pure. jj Only the pure in heart, shall see and understand these mysteries. For you must want this with all your heart, in the meekness and gentleness of Christ.
In Hebrews, we see the intent of the Holy Spirit; it is that we go on to perfection. For the command is, "Be you perfect, as our Father is in heaven." kk "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Here we see, that many who come this far, do not go on to perfection, and have failed to keep the principles of the doctrine of Christ. They should have, by this time, been off the milk and onto the strong meat of the Word. Instead they failed to crucify the old man; rather, they have crucified the Son of God afresh.
Here we examine one of the principles. It is this, nothing in the flesh is real! Here we see the true crucifixion, that is, the one in the spirit. The crucifixion that occurred in the natural — that is the earthy — is a figure, a type, speaking to the crucifixion in the spirit. This is why the apostle Paul declared, "Yes, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hereafter know we him no more." This has manifold purposes. First it places a gulf that separates the spiritual mind from the carnal mind. ll It cleanses the Body of Christ of every spot and blemish. We do not have to share our love and inheritance with those who hate us. And it has brought about the creation of the kingdoms of this world — as they were ordained for a place of exile, until the time of reconciliation. More can be said of this, but this should suffice for now, however I will add our beloved Paul's testimony: mm "Wherefore hereafter know we no man after the flesh: yes, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hereafter know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation." For we are born again — this time in spirit by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Not only have they crucified our Savior, but also the lawgiver and in them is fulfilled the saying: nn "The night comes , where no man can work." — of which Moses was a figure of. For he himself, by the Spirit spake, saying, oo "The Lord your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, like unto me, unto him you shall hearken." From him comes the law, of which the apostle Paul writes of to the pp Romans, when he says: "For we know that the law is spiritual." Not only was Moses a figure, speaking to the true law giver, but also the law he gave was a figure, speaking to the true law in the spirit.
But bearing in mind what is written in Jude: q But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. This is spiritual.
In the letters that follow — as our Father permits — we shall continue to look into those principles that pertain to our salvation.
Here brethren, we understand that it is the love, that our God has shed abroad in our hearts, that will determine what we do, and what seed we are of. He has not created us without a will. We must love him enough to die to all, that is not of spirit and truth.
Grace, peace and joy to all who love these tidings.
a 1John 1:3. b 1 Corinthians 2:7, Revelation 2:17. c John 3:11. d John 8:32, Isaiah 65:18. e John 4:23. f Romans 2:28-29. g John 17:3. h Titus 3:5. i Romans 1:21-23. j Revelation 19:10. k Isaiah 41:21-23. l Ephesians 1:18. m Revelation 19:10. n 1John 2:20. o Exodus 20:4. p John 16:14-15. q Isaiah 53:11. r Deuteronomy 29:29. s John 3:11. t Deuteronomy 18:15. u John 6:54, 14:23-24. v Romans 7:14. w Isaiah 65:17-19. x Galatians 4:22-26. y 1 John 3:4. z Psalms 119. aa 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. bb Romans 5:20-21. cc Romans 8:11-14. dd Hebrews 6:1-3. ee Hebrews 5:12-14. ff 1Corinthians 10:6, 11, Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 9:24. gg Matthew 13:10-17. hh Isaiah 28:9-13. ii Hebrews 6:4-8, Romans 1:18-32, Jeremiah 15:1-4. jj Matthew 5:8. kk Hebrews 6:1-8. ll Ephesians 5:26-27, 1 Peter 1:19, 2 Peter 2:12-22. mm 2 Corinthians 5:16-18. nn John 9:4. oo Deuteronomy 18:15. pp Romans 7:14, Matthew 23:23, q Jude.
Amen,
Wallace F. Ingram