1:19:49
AP Session 4
The Garden Fellowship
Overview
This session concludes the 'Ancient Path' series by exploring the concepts of Christ, holiness, and the restoration of heaven and earth from a divine council worldview. It emphasizes that holiness originates with God and is a call for believers to be set apart, reflecting His nature. The teaching delves into the idea of the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, moving beyond mere outward behavior to an inward transformation. It also examines the cosmic implications of holiness, connecting it to the restoration of humanity as sacred space and the church's role as a sign of the coming new creation, highlighting baptism as a powerful reenactment of Christ's victory over chaos and death.
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Chapters
- Holiness originates with God ('He who called you is holy, so you shall be holy').
- Believers are called to be holy in all conduct, reflecting God's own holiness.
- Holiness is essential for seeing the Lord, implying a necessary transformation.
- Holiness is not primarily about outward behavior modification but about rightly ordered love and transformation from the inside out.
Understanding that holiness begins with God shifts the focus from personal effort to divine enablement, providing a foundation for genuine spiritual transformation.
The land around the burning bush became holy because of God's presence, illustrating that holiness is intrinsically linked to divine inhabitation.
- Believers are God's temple, and His Spirit dwells within them.
- This indwelling means believers are not their own; they were bought with a price and should glorify God in their bodies.
- Holiness is perfected love by grace, not religious performance, leading to a consecration of the whole person (heart, body, desires, relationships, work, mission).
- Holiness involves aligning one's mind with God's thoughts and intentions, leading to outward transformation.
Recognizing your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit reframes personal conduct and stewardship of one's life as acts of worship and consecration.
Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 'Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you... You are not your own, you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.'
- Holiness is the restoration of humanity as sacred space where God's presence dwells.
- This concept is rooted in the biblical narrative from Eden to the Tabernacle and Temple, and now to the believer.
- Biblical holiness is a much larger concept than just avoiding sin; it's about being set apart for God's presence and becoming a conduit for His life.
- Holiness is not about what we stop doing, but what we are restored to: communion with God, image-bearing, priestly worship, and royal stewardship.
This perspective broadens the understanding of holiness from personal piety to a cosmic restoration project, positioning believers as active participants in God's redemptive plan.
The land at the burning bush was holy because God's presence was there, establishing a pattern for how God's presence makes a place sacred.
- Ancient Hebrew cosmology viewed the cosmos in distinct realms, including the heavens, earth, and Sheol (the realm of the dead).
- The sea represented chaos and a gateway to the underworld (Sheol).
- Jonah's experience in the belly of the fish for three days and nights was a symbolic representation of being in Sheol.
- Jesus identified His own three days and three nights in the 'heart of the earth' as the 'sign of Jonah,' signifying His death, burial, and resurrection.
Understanding the ancient worldview helps interpret biblical narratives like Jonah's and Jesus's burial, revealing deeper theological meanings about death, resurrection, and the underworld.
Jonah's prayer from the 'belly of Sheol' while in the fish illustrates the symbolic connection between the deep waters and the realm of the dead.
- Christ, after His death and resurrection, proclaimed to spirits in prison, specifically the rebellious 'watchers' from Genesis 6, who are bound in darkness.
- Baptism is understood not just as a ritual but as a pledge of allegiance and a public vow in the cosmic war between good and evil.
- Early church baptismal practices involved renouncing Satan and turning towards Christ, symbolizing a shift from darkness to light.
- Baptism reenacts and reiterates Christ's victory over chaos, death, and the powers of darkness, signifying a loyalty oath to the risen Savior.
Viewing baptism through the lens of spiritual warfare and allegiance transforms it from a passive ceremony into an active declaration of Christ's triumph and personal commitment.
Early Christians would turn westward to renounce Satan and eastward towards the rising sun to pledge allegiance to Christ during baptism.
- Christ, as the second Adam, recapitulates and restores humanity to its original God-intended purpose and image.
- Holiness is the restoration of humanity's image-bearing capacity, renewed by the Spirit to reflect Christ's likeness.
- This restoration impacts all aspects of life: worship, work, relationships, and stewardship of creation.
- The ultimate goal is the restoration and union of heaven and earth under Christ's lordship, with the church serving as a preview of this new creation.
Holiness is not about escaping the world but about participating in God's plan to heal and restore all of creation, starting with humanity.
Just as Adam failed in the garden, Christ, the second Adam, surrendered His will in the Garden of Gethsemane, demonstrating obedience and restoring access to God's presence.
Key takeaways
- Holiness originates with God and is a call to be set apart, reflecting His nature through His indwelling Spirit.
- Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit; therefore, all aspects of your life should be consecrated to God.
- Holiness is the restoration of humanity as sacred space, where God's presence dwells and transforms from the inside out.
- Biblical cosmology and narratives like Jonah's reveal deeper truths about death, the underworld, and Christ's victory over them.
- Baptism is a powerful declaration of allegiance to Christ and a reenactment of His cosmic victory over the forces of chaos and darkness.
- Christ, as the second Adam, restores humanity's original image-bearing purpose, making holiness an ongoing process of transformation into His likeness.
- The church is called to be a holy people, a preview of the restored heaven and earth, embodying God's kingdom life on earth.
Key terms
HolinessSacred SpaceTemple of the Holy SpiritDivine Council WorldviewSheolSign of JonahSpiritual WarfarePledge of AllegianceSecond AdamImage Restoration
Test your understanding
- How does the concept of God's holiness necessitate human holiness?
- In what ways is the human body considered a temple, and what are the implications for living a holy life?
- Explain how holiness is understood as the restoration of humanity as sacred space.
- What theological significance does the 'sign of Jonah' hold in relation to Christ's death and resurrection?
- How does baptism function as both a pledge of allegiance and a reenactment of Christ's victory in the context of spiritual warfare?