The Earnest of Our Inheritance
THE ESPOUSAL
By G.S. Hammans
By G.S. Hammans
Col. 1:27[1] Christ in you the hope of glory. What kind of glory? Jesus picked 12 apostles.
He said their names were written in heaven Luke10:20[2]. This was before their Acts 2:4[3]
[4] Pentecostal experience. This was even before Jesus died for them at Calvary. If they
had died during this period of times, they would not have been lost. But, would they have
had the glory spoken of in Col.1:27[5]?
In John.14:16, 17[6] Jesus told them that the Comforter i.e. the Spirit of Truth was with them and should be in them at a sometime later date. Even after His resurrection, He was still just with them. Acts 1:4[7] he was assembled with them just before He ascended. Acts 2:4[8] he was in them after He ascended and poured out His Spirit. This the Bible calls the hope of glory. They would have had hope before this but it seems this hope they had after this was a different kind of hope. John the Baptist had a very real hope. What was his hope? Was it to be a part of the bride? John 3:29[9] John the Baptist did not include himself in the bride. He called himself the friend of the Bridegroom. He said his joy (glory) was fulfilled. But in 2Co.11:2[10] the apostle said he had espoused (betrothed, engaged) someone to one husband (bridegroom) so that someone could become a chaste virgin to Christ. It seems that would be a little different kind of joy (glory?) than the Bridegroom's friend would have. The apostle said he had (past tense) espoused but that he may (future tense) present this virgin (singular compared to Mt. 25 virgins is plural) to Christ. When will this marriage be consummated? When Rev. 19: 7[11] comes to pass! John the Baptist will be there but only as the friend of the Bridegroom, not as the wife of the Bridegroom. Therefore, his joy (glory?) will be different than that of the wife. The glory of the wife will be the same as that of the Bridegroom. I John 3:2[12] when Jesus returns i.e. appears, someone will be like Him.
How could it be John the Baptist? He was never espoused to Christ. How did the apostle espouse this someone to Christ? not at Passover, not at Calvary. That is where this someone was delivered from the authority of darkness Col.1:13[13]. That is where this someone was reconciled to God, Ro. 5:10[14]. How did this someone get espoused i.e. promised to Christ? She got a promise i.e. an engagement from the Bridegroom Himself in the baptism of the Holy Ghost! John 14: 17[15] came to pass in Acts 2:4[16]! He was in them! He, Himself is the espousal! The marriage has not happened yet, but the engagement has! The baptism of the Spirit! This virgin is waiting for the marriage, but she is not waiting for the promise i.e. the engagement! She is waiting for the adoption, but she already has the Spirit of adoption Ro. 8:15 & 23[17]. This virgin's body will be like the Bridegroom's, Phil. 3:21! This glory will be different from the friend of the Bridegroom. Jesus said there was not a greater prophet that John the Baptist but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he Luke 7:28[18]. Why? Because Christ was never in him, only with him. But, this virgin has the Spirit i.e. the promise, Acts 2:39[19] and she already has the use and virtue of His Name by water baptism in His name! She has been purchased with His blood but she has been sealed with His Name and His Spirit Eph. 1:14[20], - 2Cor. 1:22[21] and 5:5[22] - Rev. 14:1[23] - Ro. 4:11[24]. The promise of receiving the Spirit is the espousal and gives her the right to be called by His name Acts 15:17[25]. What a wonderful 2-part seal. It is the hope of glory. Not the glory of the Bridegroom's friend. It is the glory of the Bridegroom that He shares with His bride. Shouldn't every one want to be filled with His Spirit and called by His name? Want to be a part of the bride? Get baptized in His name and filled with His Spirit. It is the espousal! END By G.S. Hammans
In John.14:16, 17[6] Jesus told them that the Comforter i.e. the Spirit of Truth was with them and should be in them at a sometime later date. Even after His resurrection, He was still just with them. Acts 1:4[7] he was assembled with them just before He ascended. Acts 2:4[8] he was in them after He ascended and poured out His Spirit. This the Bible calls the hope of glory. They would have had hope before this but it seems this hope they had after this was a different kind of hope. John the Baptist had a very real hope. What was his hope? Was it to be a part of the bride? John 3:29[9] John the Baptist did not include himself in the bride. He called himself the friend of the Bridegroom. He said his joy (glory) was fulfilled. But in 2Co.11:2[10] the apostle said he had espoused (betrothed, engaged) someone to one husband (bridegroom) so that someone could become a chaste virgin to Christ. It seems that would be a little different kind of joy (glory?) than the Bridegroom's friend would have. The apostle said he had (past tense) espoused but that he may (future tense) present this virgin (singular compared to Mt. 25 virgins is plural) to Christ. When will this marriage be consummated? When Rev. 19: 7[11] comes to pass! John the Baptist will be there but only as the friend of the Bridegroom, not as the wife of the Bridegroom. Therefore, his joy (glory?) will be different than that of the wife. The glory of the wife will be the same as that of the Bridegroom. I John 3:2[12] when Jesus returns i.e. appears, someone will be like Him.
How could it be John the Baptist? He was never espoused to Christ. How did the apostle espouse this someone to Christ? not at Passover, not at Calvary. That is where this someone was delivered from the authority of darkness Col.1:13[13]. That is where this someone was reconciled to God, Ro. 5:10[14]. How did this someone get espoused i.e. promised to Christ? She got a promise i.e. an engagement from the Bridegroom Himself in the baptism of the Holy Ghost! John 14: 17[15] came to pass in Acts 2:4[16]! He was in them! He, Himself is the espousal! The marriage has not happened yet, but the engagement has! The baptism of the Spirit! This virgin is waiting for the marriage, but she is not waiting for the promise i.e. the engagement! She is waiting for the adoption, but she already has the Spirit of adoption Ro. 8:15 & 23[17]. This virgin's body will be like the Bridegroom's, Phil. 3:21! This glory will be different from the friend of the Bridegroom. Jesus said there was not a greater prophet that John the Baptist but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he Luke 7:28[18]. Why? Because Christ was never in him, only with him. But, this virgin has the Spirit i.e. the promise, Acts 2:39[19] and she already has the use and virtue of His Name by water baptism in His name! She has been purchased with His blood but she has been sealed with His Name and His Spirit Eph. 1:14[20], - 2Cor. 1:22[21] and 5:5[22] - Rev. 14:1[23] - Ro. 4:11[24]. The promise of receiving the Spirit is the espousal and gives her the right to be called by His name Acts 15:17[25]. What a wonderful 2-part seal. It is the hope of glory. Not the glory of the Bridegroom's friend. It is the glory of the Bridegroom that He shares with His bride. Shouldn't every one want to be filled with His Spirit and called by His name? Want to be a part of the bride? Get baptized in His name and filled with His Spirit. It is the espousal! END By G.S. Hammans
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