The Gospel of John ~ Chapter 17, Part 4
Verses 13 – 14
The Great High Priestly Prayer, Part 4

http://gracedoctrine.org/the-gospel-of-john-chapter-17-part-4-verses-13-14/

Chapter 17 Outline:

• Vs. 1-5, Christ Prays for Himself.
• Vs. 6-19, Christ Prays for His Disciples.
• Vs. 20-26, Christ Prays for His Church.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vs. 6-19, Christ Prays for His Disciples.

Turning to John 17:13 we have, “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.”

The Greek reads: “νῦν δὲ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι; καὶ ταῦτα λαλῶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἵνα ἔχωσιν τὴν χαρὰν τὴν ἐμὴν πεπληρωμένην ἐν ἑαυτοῖς.”

Transliterated it reads: “NUN DE PROS SE ERCHOMAI; KAI TAUTA LALO EN TO KOSMO HINA ECHOSIN TEN CHARAN TEN EMEN PEPLEROMENEN EN HEAUTOIS.”

We begin with, “But now I come to You;” 

“NUN DE PROS SE ERCHOMAI;”

“But now” is the Adverb NUN meaning, “now, at the present,” with the Coordinating Conjunction DE meaning, “but or and.” Here it contrasts the action compared to Verse 12, where Jesus was speaking about the previous three-and-a-half-year ministry of guardianship over the disciples. “Now” refers to the fact that Christ’s ministry is about to terminate.

PROS is the Accusative Preposition that means, “to, toward, etc.” It has the connotation of being “face to face” with someone. Our Lord is coming face to face with God the Father, via His impending Ascension and also in this prayer, showing the intimacy of this prayer, as all prayers should be intimate between the one praying and God the Father.

SE is the Second Person Personal Pronoun SU – σύ (soo) in the Accusative Case meaning, “you” referring to God the Father.

ERCHOMAI is the Verb meaning, “come,” in the Present, Middle Deponent, Indicative, First Person Singular.

This is an Instantaneous Present meaning the action is completed at the time of speaking. “I come” ultimately has to do with the Ascension when He will be face to face with the Father, but in the meantime, Jesus is coming to the Father in intimate prayer.

The Middle Deponent in the First-Person Singular: Jesus Himself is performing the action of Ascension and of praying. So, we can say, “I Myself come.”

So, we have, “But now I myself come face to face to You.”

Principles:

• Once again, we see the principle that all prayers are directed to God the Father and God the Father only, John 15:16; Mat 6:6, 8-9. We do not pray to Jesus or to the Holy Spirit or to any member of the human race, or to any thing in the animal kingdom, or to anything created on earth or in the heavens. We pray to God the Father only and directly. We do not go through any intermediaries. Yet, the Holy Spirit and God the Son act as intercessory on our behalf, Rom 8:26, 34.

• Our prayer life should be one of intimacy with God the Father. That intimacy includes confidence in your personal relation with Him, Heb 4:16; 1 John 5:13-15.

Heb 4:16, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Next, we have, “and these things I speak in the world,”

“KAI TAUTA LALW EN TO KOSMO,”

KAI is the Coordinating Conjunction, “and, even, or also.” This continues the topic of His prayer giving us more definition of the relationship here in view.

TAUTA is the Near Demonstrative Pronoun HOUTOS - οὗτος (hoo'-tos), “this or this one,” in the Accusative, Neuter, Plural. As a Pronoun in the Plural, we can say, “these things,” which is in reference to the Bible Doctrine Jesus taught over the last three and a half years.

LALO is the Verb LALEO – λαλέω (lal-eh'-o), “speak, talk, say,” in the Present, Active, Indicative, First Person, Singular.

The Customary Present Tense: Jesus kept on doing this, He taught them Bible Doctrine for three and a half years. We will translate this, “I kept on speaking.”

EN TO KOSMO is the Dative of Sphere Preposition meaning, “in” with the Dative, Masculine, Singular of the Article HO - ὁ (ho), “the,” and KOSMOS, “world.” Here KOSMOS is used for location that being planet earth, the place of His ministry during His incarnation. We will say, “while in the world.”

So, we have, “And I kept on speaking (teaching) these things (Bible Doctrine) while in the world.”

Finally, we have, “so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.”

“HINA ECHOSIN TEN CHARAN TEN EMEN PEPLEROMENEN EN HEAUTOIS.”

HINA is a Subordinating Conjunction linked with the Subjunctive Mood of ECHO below, here giving us the Purpose Clause for Jesus’ prayer. We translate this, “in order that.”

ECHOSIN is the Verb ECHO - ἔχω (ekh'-o), “to have or to hold,” in the Present, Active, Subjunctive, Third Person, Plural.

The Customary Present Tense defines the desire of Jesus Christ for His disciples that they have perfect happiness (+H) resident within their souls.

The Active Voice: The disciples are the ones who would possess +H.

The Subjunctive Mood is once again for the purpose clause here and includes volitional responsibility on the part of the disciple to take in God’s Word with the intent of obtaining +H.

The Third Person, Plural refers to the disciples, so we will say, “They might keep on having and holding.”

TEN CHARAN is the Article HO for “the” with the Noun CHARA – χαρά (khar-ah'), “joy, gladness, happiness, etc.” in the Accusative Feminine Singular. This is the +H of our Lord Jesus Christ that comes from having God’s Word resident within your soul. Inner happiness is designed for the believer to have all of the time that he is on this earth.

The Subjunctive Mood above says that happiness is potential. Whether you are happy or not as a Christian is strictly potential, and based on whether or not you have God’s Word resident within your soul.

TEN EMEN is the Article HO for “the,” with Possessive Adjective EMOS - ἐμός (em-os'), “My or mine,” in the Accusative, Feminine, First Person, Singular. The Accusative is used here rather than the Genitive of CHARA to add greater emphasis of the type of +H desired here by Christ. It is not just any old type of joy, especially the type that comes from the various stimuli of life, but it is the same +H that Jesus had. It is God’s happiness resident in the soul, as a result of having built the Edification Complex of the Soul (ECS) by means of the Word and Spirit.

PEPLEROMENEN is the Participle Verb PLEROO – πληρόω (play-ro'-o), “to make full or to complete,” in the Perfect, Passive, Accusative, Feminine, Singular, in the predicate position.

The Intensive Perfect Tense emphasizes the continuous results or present state produced by past action. Therefore, based on previously learning the Word of God, they will have +H in the present. The Past action: Inhale of Bible doctrine through the Grace Apparatus for Perception (GAP). Continuous results: The erection of an ECS. The erection of an ECS means continuous happiness.

The Passive Voice: The disciples receive the action of the verb that is +H. We receive +H by taking in and applying God’s Word in faith. Therefore, the believer receives inner happiness through GAP.

The Participle sets up a law, a system. There is a law from God by which we can have as believers, inner happiness. This is the operation of GAP, under an intensified form, resulting in an ECS.

The Accusative Case represents the direct object of the action and limits the action to the disciples. They are the ones Jesus is praying for here to have His +H in them, and they are the ones He has taught over the last three and a half years. We will translate this, “made full.”

EN HEAUTOIS is the Dative of Sphere Preposition for “in” plus the Pronoun HEAUTOU -ἑαυτοῦ (heh-ow-too') that means, “himself, herself, or itself.” In the Dative, Masculine, Third Person, Plural we say, “themselves.” So, combined it is, “in the sphere of themselves.” Notice where they can have this happiness: Inside. Therefore, Jesus is praying that His +H be intrinsic to these disciples by having His Word resident within their souls.

So, we have, “in order that they might keep on having My joy (+H) made full in themselves.”

A.T. Robertson translates this, “that they may keep on having Christ’s joy in their faithfulness realized in themselves.”

Our complete translation of John 17:13 is, “But now I myself come face to face to You, (God the Father) and I kept on speaking (teaching) these things (Bible Doctrine) while in the world in order that they (the disciples) might keep on having and holding My joy (+H) made full in themselves.”

Once again, we have PLEROO, as in Verse 12. Regarding +H it means:

• PLEROO means, “to fill up a deficiency.” Inner happiness (+H), joy fills up a deficiency in life, Phil 4:11-12; Heb 13:5-6.

• PLEROO means, “to fully possess.” Inner happiness fully possesses the believer during the various functions of his priesthood. It fully possesses in the ECS.

• PLEROO means, “to fully influence.” The ECS and its resultant happiness can fully influence you in all aspects of life.

• PLEROO means, “to fill with a certain quality.” Inner happiness is a certain quality based on God’s Word in your soul, having Divine norms and standards. It comes from the filling of the Spirit, Gal 5:22, and it comes from the ECS, John 17:13.

For the use of PLEROO with CHARA:

John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

John 16:24, “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.”

1 John 1:4, “These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.” This emphasizes the abiding permanence of the joy.

In Phil 2:2 note how joy is obtained, “Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

Our Lord’s Prayer to the Father for His disciples was for His joy to be their joy. What was His joy? Heb 12:1-2.

Heb 12:2, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Heb 12:1, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Also observe what the Bible says is the kingdom of God in Rom 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Principles of Happiness (+H)

Isa 65:18, “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.”

Eccl 2:26, “To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.”

The key to true happiness is a change in your mental attitude. Never confuse happiness, as taught in the Bible, with the various stimuli of life, which are enjoyable for the moment, but have no ability to sustain you in daily living, John 15:11; Heb 11:25 (for a season).

Heb 11:25, “Choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.”

John 15:11, “I have taught you these things that My happiness might be in you, and that your happiness might be fulfilled.”

• Happiness depends upon the quality of your thoughts; you should guard the type of thoughts you allow to enter your soul. Be careful not to entertain any thoughts incompatible with the righteousness of God and incompatible with impersonal / unconditional love, Phil 4:8-9.

Phil 4:8-9, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. ⁹The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

• True happiness does not come as a result of getting something you do not have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what you do have. It is not having what you want that makes you happy, but rather accepting what you have, and coming to a point of contentment, Phil 4:11-13; 1 Tim 6:7-8.

Phil 4:11-13, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. ¹²I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. ¹³I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

1 Tim 6:7-8, “For we have brought nothing into this world, and it is obvious that we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and shelter, we shall be content with these.”

• Whenever we use our capacities to the greatest extent to learn and apply the Word of God, we attain the greatest success and happiness possible in this life. It is our capacity that allows us to experience happiness.

Phil 4:11, “I have learned to be content.” (Aorist, Active, Indicative of MANTHANO - educated)

Phil 4:12a, “I know how to get along.” (Perfect, Active, Indicative of OIDA - to know, to learn)

Phil 4:12b, “I have learned the secret.” (Perfect, Passive, Indicative of MUEO - initiated into the secret)

Phil 4:13, “I can do all things.” (Present, Active, Indicative of ISCHUO - to be strong, have the power)

• The only way to happiness is to cease worrying about things that are beyond the power of your will. An unhappy person is someone involved in egotism, selfishness, evil, or ignorance.

• You will never realize how much of God’s happiness you have in your life until you go through certain problems and find out that your happiness has not been taken away, Psa 31:7; 1 Peter 1:3-8.

Psa 31:7, “I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul.”

• Happiness is not a reward for doing something; it is a consequence. In the Bible, it is the consequence of taking in Bible Doctrine, Prov 3:13.

Prov 3:13, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.”

• The place or the condition does not dictate happiness. It is the mind alone that can make someone happy or miserable, Prov 23:7; 17:22.

Prov 23:7, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”

Prov 17:22, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

• Happiness is not “following the crowd” and accepting their approach toward life. A happy person is one who makes up his own mind, has his own convictions, and does not allow himself to be manipulated, Ex 23:2. Happiness is not allowing yourself to indulge in the usual manipulation that goes on in life. A happy person is not afraid to live and is not afraid to fail.

• A person is happy because he is growing daily, not even knowing where his limit lies. Every day there can be a new revelation or a new discovery about life, about God, and about ourselves. Those who are truly happy will live one day at a time.

Happiness and Fullness

Perfect happiness is the result of spiritual living, never the result of psychological living. Psychological living is always relating you to something outside of yourself: To your environment, people, standards, situations, etc. Psychological living is the insatiable search for happiness (a.k.a., the frantic search for happiness), which is never found. Therefore, we have two categories of psychological living, normal and abnormal, and neither comes close to perfect happiness.

Jesus did not gain His happiness by psychological living that is based on the things of this world, his health, his possession, his friendships, etc.

He had perfect happiness because He had capacity for life by having God’s Word resident within His soul, being filled by the Holy Spirit and walking in the Word and Spirit every day.

To have “His joy” is the result of the great power experiment of the Hypostatic Union that was demonstrated for us, of which we now have inside of God’s Power System, GPS. Therefore, this perfect happiness is inside the mature believer and is not based on things outside of the believer.

Remember, our Lord was never married, He never had any children, was never wealthy or successful from the human standpoint. He was ridiculed, rejected, and under greater pressures than we will ever know; yet all those years He had perfect happiness.

He did not need the things of this life or world to make Him happy. He was happy because He had God’s Word and Spirit constantly cycling through His soul.

Gal 5:22 tells us the source of this great inner happiness, “the Fruit of the Spirit,” which is living inside God’s Power System. Jesus prototyped this for us during His incarnation and today it is available to every believer.

“Fruit” (KARPOS) could also be translated as “the advantage, gain, or profit.”

This is the advantage or opportunity we have; first to live by virtue-love, (impersonal / unconditional self-sacrificial love, John 15:13), and then in “joy” (CHARA, the +H from God).

Next is EIRENE, which means, “peace and prosperity.” That is the conveyance of your escrow blessings.

God cannot convey these fantastic blessings to you until you have the capacity, which comes from virtue-love and perfect happiness. Therefore, the advantage of the filling of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace.

It is the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit in epistemological rehabilitation (Rom 12:1-2); via the Holy Spirit as your true teacher and mentor of Bible doctrine that provides these three.

It is the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit inside your very own palace, the operational-type God’s Power System (GPS) that produces these three.

In John 3:29-30, we have John the Baptist and the “joy” he had during his life.

From the psychological, human viewpoint of life, he had a tragic life. He had the type of ministry not associated with fun and games and happiness. He had tremendous opposition even though he was always right. (It is very frustrating to always be right but never be recognized as being right even once.) That was the “tragedy” of his life. But John says at the end of Verse 29, “and so this joy (inner happiness) of mine has been made full.”

John was one of those rare individuals in his generation who had reached supergrace spiritual maturity. He was a man who lived from salvation to his death under spiritual living. He said, “This joy of mine has been made full,” using the same words we have in John 17:13, CHARA plus PLEROO.

He was recognizing Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the God-man, the only source of salvation. Then he added, “He must increase; I must decrease.” That is the antithesis of psychological living.

In John 15:11 our Lord, said, “These things I have communicated to you that My joy may be in you,” just as in John 17:13 He says, “in themselves.”

Inner happiness is exactly that: Something on the inside. Therefore, even if you are alone, you are perfectly happy. The problem of loneliness is the easiest problem to solve for the mature believer. Likewise, if you are in a crowd, you are happy. Whether in pleasant or adverse circumstances, you are happy. If you are alive and healthy or dying, you have perfect happiness. Therefore, wherever you go, your happiness goes with you!

The capacity for the prosperity which comes from spiritual living is an inner happiness that nothing can deter.

Rom 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy that you may abound in hope by the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit.” This verse is accomplished by residence, function, and momentum inside GPS.

1 John 1:4, “In fact, we write these things in order that our joy may be brought to completion.” John recognized that there is perfect happiness from spiritual living that cannot be deterred or frustrated or destroyed by any situation or circumstance in life.

1 Peter 1:8, “And though you have not seen Him you love Him, and though you do not see Him now but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible.”  This is the inner perfect happiness of the mature believer.

Eph 1:23, “Which is His body (the Church), the fullness of Him who has filled all with all things.” This is the tactical victory of the angelic conflict. The sign of the tactical victory is not simply the conveyance of our escrow blessings, but the capacity which precedes them, inner happiness.

Summary of the Principles of Happiness:

• Happiness is accomplished through grace, Psa 31:7, “I will rejoice and be happy in Your grace.”

• Grace happiness comes through the function of GAP, Psa 32:10-11 cf Psa 33:4-5.

• The starting point for happiness is at salvation, Gal 5:22.

• The first taste of happiness is the filling of the Spirit, Rom 14:17; 1 Thes 1:6.

• Bible doctrine in the soul produces +H, John 17:13.

• Perfect happiness protects the believer from disillusion:

          a) Regarding the circumstances of life, Phil 4:11-12. You are content regardless of your circumstances.

          b) Regarding details of life, Heb 13:5-6. You are content with what you possess or do not possess, because no matter what happens, you have the source of your blessing, Jesus Christ, as your best friend. Therefore, gain or loss of the details of life never changes the attitude of the mature believer.

        c) Regarding other believers, Heb 12:2. You do not fall into the trap of iconoclastic arrogance, because you remember that all men have an old sin nature.

• Perfect happiness stimulates and enhances capacity for love. In the edification complex of the soul, capacity for love and perfect happiness depend on each other and go together.

• The fragrance of memory is related to perfect happiness, Luke 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24-25; SOS 3:1; 4:6; 8:6; Phil 1:3; 2 Tim 1:5.

• Greater happiness exists in phase three or eternity, Jude 24.

• The happiness of the mature believer spreads to others. This is the ministry of refreshment, Phil 2:28-29; Phile 7; Rom 15:32; 1 Cor 16:17-18; 2 Cor 7:13.

• The happy nation has both a spiritual and military heritage, Psa 89:15-17.

• Happiness is described in the Millennium, Isa 35:1-2; 64:4-5; 65:18-19; 66:10; Mat 5:3-13.

• Perfect happiness reaches its peak in Occupation with Christ. Psa 128:1, “How happy is the believer who is occupied with the Lord.”

• Like Occupation with Christ, perfect happiness equates adversity with prosperity and living with dying. Phil 1:21, “For me, living is Christ; dying is profit.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Next, we turn to John 17:14, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

The Greek reads: Transliterated it reads: “ἐγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον σου, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμίσησεν αὐτούς, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου καθὼς ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου.”

“EGO DEDOKA AUTOIS TON LOGON SOU KAI HO KOSMOS EMISESEN AUTOUS, HOTI OUK EISIN EK TOU KOSMOU KATHOS EGO OUK EIMI EK TOU KOSMOU.”

In this verse, we have the concept of residual Bible doctrine versus Cosmos Diabolicus. This verse emphasizes results from a worldly perspective of having the Word of God resident within your soul. It also emphasizes the reality of our “Heavenly Citizenship!”

We have four parts to this verse:

John 17:14a is, “I have given them Your word;”

“EGO DEDOKA AUTOIS TON LOGON SOU;”

EGO is the First-Person Pronoun in the Nominative, Singular that means, “I.” Jesus is referring to Himself as the One who has given them God the Father’s Word. “I” is in the emphatic position and “the world” is in opposition to “I.” Therefore, the world is in opposition to Jesus Christ. This once again emphasizes Jesus’ teaching ministry during His incarnation.

DEDOKA is the Verb DIDOMI - δίδωμι (did'-o-mee) “to give,” in the Perfect, Active, Indicative, First Person, Singular.

The Extensive Perfect Tense emphasizes the completed action of Jesus having taught them God’s Word from which a present state emerges. The present state that emerges is seen in the second part of this passage, “the world has hated them.”  We translate this, “have given.”

Notice that the object of this sentence is “Your Word,” (in the Accusative Case), which we will see below, and that is Bible Doctrine.

Principles:

• Having built an Edification Complex of the Soul (ECS), via the Word of God resident in your soul, makes you an enemy of the KOSMOS, (Satan’s Cosmic System).

• Remember though, that the Bible (Word of God) itself is absolutely no good to the believer unless the doctrines that are found in it are actually transferred into the human spirit. So, “I have given” includes everything involved in giving the disciples and us the Word of God which includes the Grace Apparatus for Perception (GAP).

AUTOIS is the Third Person Pronoun AUTOS - αὐτός (ow-tos'), “he, she, or it,” in the Dative, Masculine, Plural. The Dative of Advantage means that Bible Doctrine resident within your soul is advantageous to your life, especially in the face of persecutions. So, we say, “to them.”

TON LOGON is the Article HO - ὁ (ho), “the,” and the Noun LOGOS – λόγος (log'-os), “something said (e.g. word, saying, message, teaching, etc.)” in the Accusative, Masculine, Singular. Here it refers to the three-and-a-half-year ministry of our Lord, where He taught the disciples God’s Word, (Bible Doctrine). In the Singular, it gathers up in totality all that Jesus taught, all that is in the Scriptures, as one thing. We will translate this as “Word.”

SOU is the Second Person Pronoun SU – σύ (soo), “you” in the Genitive, Masculine, Singular. It refers to the One Jesus is praying to, God the Father. In the Possessive Genitive, Jesus is telling us that the Word of God is the Word of the Father. We can translate this “Your”, (i.e., God the Father’s).”

So, we have, “I have given to them Your, (God the Father), Word. (i.e., Bible Doctrine).”

As we have seen in Verses 6 & 8, “Your Word” (The Word of the Father – Bible Doctrine) is the revelation which Jesus came to manifest to the world in darkness. He came to manifest God the Father, and He has done so by communicating His Word.

Principles:

• The Word of God has existed in two forms:

The Word, first of all, pre-existed.  In eternity past there was no written Word, yet the Word existed in the mind of God. Specifically, the Word is called the mind of Christ, 1 Cor 2:16. It is called the voice of God (the Father), Deut 4:33; Ezek 10:5. In eternity past, it existed in the mind of Christ, it existed in the mind of God the Father, because it is called the Word of God or the voice of God. It actually existed in eternity past but not in written form.

The completed Canon of Scripture.  There was a long period of time, at least two thousand years, when there was no written Word of God at all, until Moses. During that time God revealed Himself in many ways, but His revelation to people at that time was limited. When Jesus says, “I have given them Your Word,” and He puts it in the Perfect Tense, He is recognizing everything involved in making the Word of God available and is anticipating forward to 96 AD when the Canon of Scriptures was completed.

2 Tim 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

• People do not realize that Bible doctrine is available to every believer priest and everything that is found in the Bible is written to be understood. That means revelation. There is nothing in the Bible that cannot be understood.

• Yet, there is no such thing as instant understanding: The advanced is built upon the less advanced, and you go right down the line to the basic concepts which must come first.

• Therefore, GAP has been designed by God so that the believer can take it in. There is not anything that cannot be taken in; but we all have to start at the beginning with the basics and build from there, John 14:26; 1 Cor 3:10-12; Heb 6:1-3.

1 Cor 3:10-11, “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Heb 6:1-3, “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ²of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. ³And this we will do, if God permits.”

Next, we have, John 17:14b is, “And the world has hated them.”

“KAI HO KOSMOS EMISESEN AUTOUS.”

KAI is the Coordinating Conjunction, “and, even, also,” tying together God’s Word resident within their souls with persecutions from Satan’s Cosmic System.

HO KOSMOS is the Article, “the” plus the Noun for, “world” in the Nominative, Masculine, Singular. This time it is referring to Satan’s Cosmic System that has hatred towards the believer who has God’s Word resident within their soul.

This is a concept of the Angelic Conflict development and Satan being the ruler of this world. KOSMOS is an organized system and it is Satan’s organized system to refute Bible doctrine, Eph 6:10-17. What Satan really hates and what his system rejects is the Word of God.

EMISESEN is the Verb MISEO – μισέω (mis-eh'-o) in the Aorist, Active, Indicative, Third Person, Singular. MISEO means, “hate, to detest, (especially, to persecute), despise, disregard, or be indifferent to.”

The Constative Aorist Tense is for simple past action that views the entirety of the action of the world’s hatred toward the disciples. The Aorist shows a point of time when the hatred began and that was when the ECS was discovered. The hatred continues, but there is a point at which the hatred begins and that point is when the ECS is erected.

The Active Voice in the Third Person, Singular gathers up all those that are part of Satan’s Cosmic System, (i.e., unbelievers, especially the religious types like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, Fallen Angels, etc.), into one group that has hated these disciples of Jesus Christ.

The Indicative Mood is for simple past action, viewing the hatred towards the disciples during Jesus’ three-and-a-half-year ministry. We will say, “hated.”

“Has hated” should be viewed as a complete and total act. The reason for the world’s hatred is that Jesus was not of the same origin or family relationship as the world. The disciples were like Him, for they did not depend upon the world for their life support. Therefore, the world hated the disciples as they did Him.

This continues the theme Jesus spoke of in the Upper Room and Garden of Gethsemane Discourses in John 15:18-16:3, 33.

AUTOUS is the Third Person Pronoun AUTOS - αὐτός (ow-tos') once again for, “he, she, or it,” in the Accusative, Masculine, Plural. This time it is referring to the disciples, “them,” believers with the Word of God resident within their souls.

The world does not hate believers without the Word; it welcomes them because the power of the believer is in his ECS. It is the ECS which reflects the glory of God, and to have an ECS requires a lot of the Word, a lot of Bible doctrine in the human spirit.

The Cosmic System does not hate believers minus doctrine. In fact, they are very helpful to Satan’s Cosmic System. In a sense, in the Angelic Conflict, when you do not take in the Word, you are giving aid and comfort to the enemy, Satan.

So, we have, “And the world, (Satan’s Cosmic System), hated them (the disciples).”

Then in John 17:14c we have, “Because they are not of the world.” 

“HOTI OUK EISIN EK TOU KOSMOU.”

HOTI is a Subordinating Conjunction here, telling the cause of the world’s hatred toward the disciple, “because.”

OUK is one of the Greek Negative Particles meaning “not.”

EISIN is the Verb EIMI - εἰμί (i-mee') “I am, is, are, etc.” in the Present, Active, Indicative, Third Person, Plural.

The Progressive Present Tense describes a scene in progress that involves continuous action, that is, this section describes the position of the disciples. They are no longer of the world and are now heavenly citizens.

The Active Voice in the Third Person, Plural once again refers to the disciples. So, we will say, “they are.”

EK is a Preposition in the Genitive Case that means, “of, from, or out from.” The disciples are no longer citizens of the earth. They have been snatch out from Satan’s Cosmic System and no longer belong to His Cosmic System.

TOU KOSMOU is the Article HO - ὁ (ho), “the,” plus the noun KOSMOS - κόσμος (kos'-mos), “world” in the Possessive Genitive, Masculine, Singular, so we can say, “of the world.”

“Not being of this world” signifies one of our great benefits, the ability to learn and apply God’s Word. Unless someone is a spiritual creature from heaven, he cannot understand the spiritual phenomenon that is the Word of God. Those who are heavenly citizens have the ability and capacity to learn and apply God’s Word, i.e., spiritual phenomenon, by building their very own ECS, 1 Cor 2:12-16 cf. 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15.

2 Cor 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Together we have, “Because they are not of the world, (Satan’s Cosmic System).”

And finally, in John 17:14d we have, “even as I am not of the world.” 

“KATHOS EGO OUK EIMI EK TOU KOSMOU.”

KATHOS is the Adverb used as a Subordinating Conjunction that means, “as, just as, inasmuch as, because.” Here it links the heavenly citizenship that the disciples possess as the same as our Lord possesses. We will say, “just as.”

EGO is the First-Person Pronoun in the Nominative, Singular that means, “I”. Jesus is referring to Himself once again, but this time as another one who possesses heavenly citizenship and is not part of Satan’s Cosmic System.

OUK is the Greek Negative Particles meaning “not.”

EIMI is the root Verb that means, “I am, is, are, etc.” in the Present, Active, Indicative, First Person, Singular. Jesus is stating His position in regard to the Angelic Conflict.

EK TOU KOSMOU is once again the Preposition for, “of,” with the Article HO, “the” plus noun KOSMOS, “world” in the Possessive Genitive, Masculine, Singular, so we can say, “of the world,” again utilizing the Greek negative for “not being of the world, (Satan’s Cosmic System).”

We have for this section, “Just as I am not of the world, (Satan’s Cosmic System).”

Our complete translation of John 17:14 is, “I have given (taught) to them Your, (God the Father’s), Word. (i.e., Bible Doctrine) and the world, (Satan’s Cosmic System), hated them (the disciples) because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world.”

Because of this fantastic hatred and the persecutions that follow it, along with the pressure from Satan as a part of the Angelic Conflict; obviously the believer needs Phase Two protection from the KOSMOS. This protection is the subject of Verses 15-17.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Doctrine of Heavenly Citizenship

(POLITEUMA)
John 17:14

We are not of the world (KOSMOS).

Remember that the disciples are “in the world” (EN TOI KOSMOI, John 17:13) still and Christ sends them “into the world” (EIS TON KOSMON, John 17:18), but they are “not of the world”, (OUK EK TOU KOSMOU, John 17:14), and therefore must not be like the world nor get their spirit, standards, and message “out of the world,” or else they can do the world no good.

These verses (John 17:14-19) picture the Lord’s ideal for believers and goes far towards explaining the failure of Christians in winning the world to Christ today. Too often the world fails to see the difference between a believer and unbeliever, or the gain by the change related to the new birth, (being made a new spiritual species). The reason is that even though Christ has purchased them out from the world, they still live as if they belonged to the world. So, sadly many believers keep on living like unbelievers of the world, and therefore are not evangelizing as they should.

But as our Lord states, we are not “of this world.” We are not part of Satan’s Cosmic System, and therefore we should not live like we are part of Satan’s Cosmic System. We should be living in the Citizenship that we are, Heavenly Citizens.

Since the moment of our salvation, we have been placed into a heavenly citizenship. Therefore, our “world” is not planet earth, ruled by Satan, but it is in actuality heaven, which is ruled by God. So, our citizenship (POLITEUMA) is not earthly but heavenly, and that is what we represent while we are here on planet earth as ambassadors for Christ, 2 Cor 5:20.

We have been delivered from the kingdom of Satan and transferred into the kingdom of God, Col 1:13.

Col 1:13, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”

The Greek word for “Citizenship” is POLITEUMA, which is related to the uniqueness of the Church Age and the Christian’s responsibility to grow to spiritual maturity and become an Invisible Hero with an invisible impact on human history while living here on earth.

The Noun POLITEUMA - πολίτευμα (pol-it'-yoo-mah) comes from POLITES - πολίτης (pol-ee’-tace), which means, “a citizen,” that also comes from POLIS - πόλις (pol'-is) that means, “a city.”

Acts 21:39, “But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen (POLITES) of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.”

The Greek Lexicon BDAG defines POLITEUMA as, “a commonwealth or state; that which denotes a colony of foreigners or relocated veterans.”

POLITEUMA then comes to mean, “a form of government, citizenship, or commonwealth.”

Even though we are physically bound to planet earth, which is presently ruled by Satan, our true citizenship is in heaven, Eph 2:19-22; Phil 3:20-21.

Eph 2:19-22, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens (SUMPOLITES) with the saints, and are of God’s household, ²⁰having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, ²¹in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, ²²in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

Phil 3:20-21, “For our citizenship (POLITEUMA) is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹who will transform the body of our humble state (at the Rapture) into conformity with the body of His glory (resurrection bodies), by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Italic mine.)

POLITEUMA comes from ancient Greece and Roman times of colonization; whereby, the rights and privileges in the status of citizenship of a free state where maintained by the individual regardless of what land he lived in. It was defined as a corporate body of citizen’s resident in a foreign country but under the laws of their homeland.

One of the interesting systems for acquiring citizenship, especially in Roman times, was the autocratic grant of citizenship to slaves who had been freed. It was done with great formality. This is a great analogy of what our Lord has done for us by freeing us from the slave market of sin, thereby freeing us from the bondage of sin and Satan’s dominion, giving us a new dominion to which we belong, heaven, Acts 13:38-39; Rom 6:4-22.

In addition, imperial policy meant that the Emperor could grant citizenship to princes of another country if he desired.  This is analogous to God appointing every Church Age believer first to royalty in Christ, and then to citizenship in heaven. We are royal priests and ambassadors of heaven, 1 Peter 2:9.

The acquisition of our Heavenly Citizenship related to the POLITEUMA metaphor of Rome.

The Rights of Roman citizenship were acquired in several ways, which all have analogy to what God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ have done for us in providing our heavenly citizenship:

• Birth or adoption, (Roman parents). We have been born again and adopted into the family of God. John 3:3, 5-6; Rom 8:15, 23; Gal 4:5-7; Eph 1:5

• Legislative extension. We have been elected by God and appointed Ambassadors for Christ while here on foreign soil, Rom 8:33; 2 Cor 5:20; Eph 6:20.

• 25-years of military service in the Roman army. We have been made soldiers in Christ’s army by His service and sacrifice on our behalf, 2 Tim 2:3-4.

• Manumission; freed from slavery, Acts 13:38-39; Rom 6:4-22.

• Purchase of citizenship (a million dollars in today’s money). We have been purchased by that which is more precious than money, the blood of Christ, Acts 20:28; Rev 5:9.

• Imperial policy of granting citizenship to those who did well in the Roman Empire in some way. We have been made princes as members of the Royal Family of God, 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14; 19:16.

So, the metaphor our Lord used called POLITEUMA, comes from ancient Greece and Roman colonization, especially in the light of Roman citizenship, and its value in the time of Christ and the early Church. Paul relates Roman citizenship as a picture of our true citizenship as heavenly creatures.

In contrast, prior to our salvation, we were citizens of Satan’s Cosmic System by virtue of being born spiritual dead. In Eph 2:1 when it says, “you were dead in your trespasses and sins,” it is speaking about your spiritual death. See also Rom 5:12; 6:23; 1 Cor 15:22; Eph 2:1-10.

Spiritual death is a judgment on the human race at the point of birth. It is being born into the devil’s kingdom as his citizens, Eph 2:2-3. We are born spiritually dead and related to the devil’s kingdom, and we continue that way until we believe in Jesus Christ, at which point that death and citizenship is broken. This means that when grace found us, we belonged to Satan’s kingdom, because we were born with spiritual death.

The new birth breaks spiritual death and its lock over our citizenship. Once we are born again, we receive a new POLITEUMA.

POLITEUMA means our commonwealth.

As we have noted, the Greek word for “citizenship” is the Noun POLITEUMA that comes from POLITES (pol-ee’-tace), which means, “a citizen,” that also comes from POLIS that means, “a city.”

Acts 21:39, “But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen (POLITES) of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.”

The Greek Lexicon BDAG defines POLITEUMA as, “a commonwealth or state; that which denotes a colony of foreigners or relocated veterans.” POLITEUMA then comes to mean, “a form of government, citizenship, or commonwealth.” It means a state, a commonwealth, a whole body of people constituting a nation, or a state or a body politic.

It also refers to a body of people united by a common interest. In theatrical use in the Greek language, it also applied to a company of actors who shared the receipts instead of receiving salaries.

Paul uses this word POLITEUMA when he writes to the Philippians, because it is an excellent analogy to the members of the royal family of God who live in the devil’s world. The Philippians were Romans who lived in Philippi, and all around them were Greeks, Macedonians, Jews, all kinds of people. But in Philippi they were a POLITEUMA of Rome. Paul is using that word as an illustration to these people, for here is the royal family of God living in the devil’s world, and yet it is just as much royal family as anyone in heaven in the analogy.

So, POLITEUMA means any member of the royal family. It is not the word “conversation” as used in the KJV, but we might call it the sphere of our citizenship or the sphere of our aristocracy. It is representing a condition, an aristocracy of the Royal Family of God which will always exist.

In this light, heaven is the source of the Church Age believer’s POLITEUMA. In the metaphor, the foreign land or colony is the world in which we live as born-again believers. Greece and Rome always set up colonies; hence, heaven sets up the Royal Family of God. The 3rd heaven, (God’s throne room, the abode of God), is analogous to Greece or Rome in the metaphor as the locale of the POLITEUMA.

Just as Roman citizens who lived in foreign lands had all the privileges of a citizen living in Rome, the Church Age believers as a colony on earth of heaven have all the privileges of heaven. Born-again believers are a special privileged group as members of the Royal Family of God. The Royal Family has the privilege and opportunity to utilize privileges that no unbeliever has.

The Church Age believer is a privileged person because of his POLITEUMA in heaven. Part of that privilege is having your very own Portfolio of Invisible Assets. “Portfolio” is a term for the holdings of an investor, a synonym for God’s riches which He has poured out to us in time. God has lavished upon us the riches of His grace, Eph 1:6-8, 18; 3:8, 16; Phil 4:19; Col 1:27; 2:2.

Our portfolio is described as including, “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” Eph 1:3. Eph 1:3 emphasizes the source of these blessings, God the Father, and the mechanics of receiving them from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Your Portfolio of Invisible Assets includes:

Primary Assets:

Escrow Blessings for time and eternity.

Election and Predestination

Secondary Assets:

Positive volition toward Bible Doctrine

Production Assets = Residence in the (Predesigned Protocol Plan of God) P3G (Fruit of the Spirit)

Suffering for Blessing

Invisible Impact Blessings

1. Personal impact – blessing by association
2. Historical impact - national blessing (Pivot)
3. International impact - association with Client Nation to God

Personal Asset:

Operating in your Spiritual Gift

Unique Assets:

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Pre-designed Protocol Plan of God (P3G)

Equal Privilege and Equal Opportunity

Unique Royal Commissions

Unique Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age

Indwelling of the Trinity

100% Availability of Divine Power.

Therefore, every Church Age believer is already fabulously wealthy. Not only is the Church Age believer a citizen of heaven, but that citizenship implies extreme wealth.

The Privileges of our POLITEUMA.

As we have noted, in Paul’s day, POLITEUMA meant a Roman colony in a foreign land. It meant the citizens had all the rights and privileges of Roman citizenship being a Roman colony situated in Philippi, Greece or some other location.

We have also noted how the acquisition of Roman citizenship is a fantastic metaphor for how we have obtained our heavenly citizenship by the grace of God.

Now, when I say citizenship has its privileges, I want you to think of special advantages, immunity from certain things, permission to do things that others cannot do. I want you to think of certain rights or benefits which have been granted to you and should be enjoyed by you as an individual, as well as all of us collectively as a group of people, or better yet, members of the body of Christ.

In Phil 1:27, when Paul uses the verb POLITEUOMAI, which is translated “conduct yourselves” in the English, he is saying, in essence, “to live and lead your life according to privilege.”

Phil 1:27, “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…”

Therefore, we could say, “Only live and lead your life according to privilege in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, …”

“Conduct yourselves” is the Greek Verb POLITEUOMAI in the Present, Middle Deponent, Imperative, Second Person, Plural. It means, “to live as a citizen.” In fact, the word actually means to live as a privileged person. So, it should read, “Only live as heavenly citizens yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…”

Paul uses this word in relation to living the Christian way of life which is a life of privilege. The greatest privileges that God ever gave, He gave to born again believers in the Church-age, and all of these privileges have come one way and one way only, through union with The Lord Jesus Christ (TLJC), by the grace of God.

As believers in TLJC, each one of us is going to spend trillions upon trillions upon trillions of years in Heaven, our real home. And therefore, the principle which emerges is to live your life today in the light of your eternal future.  If you live your life in the light of your eternal future, then Bible doctrine will have the number one priority and place in your life. While our time on this earth is very short, even if you live to be a hundred, it is like a drop of water in the ocean compared to eternity. And as you know, what you do in time will determine how you live your life in eternity, 1 Cor 3:11-15.

Therefore, this metaphor is going to develop the concept that when you live your life in the light of eternity:

… whatever problems and whatever adversities you have in this life…

… you realize they cannot compare with the eternal weight of glory, which is far beyond all comparison in 2 Cor 4:16-18.

2 Cor 4:16-18, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸while we look not at the things which are seen (of this world), but at the things which are not seen (heavenly citizenship); for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (Italic mine.)

As noted in 2 Cor 4:17, you will also realize that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us, Phil 1:27-28 with Rom 8:18.

Phil 1:27-28, “Only live as heavenly citizens yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.”

Rom 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Summary thus far:

Heaven is the source of the Family of God. The POLITEUMA metaphor is related to the uniqueness of the Church Age and the Christian’s responsibility to grow to spiritual maturity and become an Invisible Hero with an invisible impact on human history. Born-again believers are a special privileged group as members of the Royal Family of God. Part of the special privileges are the 2 Great Divine Provisions: 1) The Word of God, 2) The Indwelling of the Spirit of God.

Church Age believers live on earth with all the privileges of heaven. The Church Age believer is a privileged person because of his POLITEUMA in heaven.

 The POLITEUMA metaphor is related to the uniqueness of the Church Age, the Christian’s responsibility to become an Invisible Hero through the Divine provision of the unique grace support of this Christological dispensation. In the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union, there was POLITEUMA for one Person-the Lord Jesus Christ. In the dispensation of the Church Age, there is POLITEUMA for all believers-the Royal Family of God.

Some of the special blessings or privileges we have today as citizens of heaven include the unique provisions of the Church Age. Therefore, we will note the 10 Unique Factors of the Church Age in light of our POLITEUMA privileges.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Ten Unique Factors of the Church Age

The first privilege of our Heavenly Citizenship is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that places the Church Age believer into union with Christ, making us members of the Royal Family of God, 1 Cor 12:13; 2 Cor 1:21-22; Eph 1:13-14.

The second privilege of our heavenly citizenship is the Predesigned Protocol Plan of God (P³OG} that sets forth the royal way of life that God expects of the Christian because of his exalted position in Christ, Eph 3:2 (stewardship of God's Grace); 1 Cor 1:25.

1 Cor 1:25 NLT, “This ‘foolish plan’ of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength.”

The third privilege of our heavenly citizenship is the unique mystery doctrine of the Church Age that unveils the Church Age with all of its Divine assets and mandates which define the Christian’s way of life, Eph 1:9; 3:2-4, 9; Col 1:25-27; Rom 16:25‑26.

The fourth privilege of our heavenly citizenship is the believer’s Portfolio of Invisible Assets. The Riches of His Glory Eph 1:3‑6; 3:16, which includes:

• Primary Assets: Escrow blessings and assets of Election and Predestination.

• Secondary Assets: Volitional assets, production assets, the assets of undeserved suffering for blessing, and invisible impact (personal, national, international, and angelic) assets.

• Personnel Assets: Spiritual gifts.

• Unique Assets: The Indwell of the Holy Spirit.

The firth privilege of our heavenly citizenship is the unique equality factor related to Election and Predestination, the equal privilege and equal opportunity principle, Rom 10:12; Compared with Gal 3:28-29; Col 3:11; Rom 8:29-30, 33; Eph 1:4.

Rom 10:12, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.”

The sixth privilege of our heavenly citizenship are the two royal commissions, Priest and Ambassador, 1 Peter 2:9; Rev 1:6; 2 Cor 5:20; Eph 6:20.

The seventh privilege of our heavenly citizenship is the indwelling of the Trinity, John 14:20-26; Rom 8:10-11.

The eighth privilege of our heavenly citizenship is the availability of Divine power, God’s Power System (GPS), Eph 1:19-20; 3:16, 20.

• The omnipotence of God the Father is related to our Portfolio of Invisible Assets. Eph 3:14-21.

• The omnipotence of God the Son preserves and perpetuates human history. Deut 33:26; Rom 13:1-7; 1 Tim 2:1-3; 1 Peter 2:13.

• The omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit is the power inside our very own palace, God's power system for you. Acts 1:8; John 14:26; Rom 15:13; 1 Thes 1:5.

The ninth privilege of our heavenly citizenship is the age of no prophecy, only historical trends. There are only two prophecies in the Church Age, its beginning and end.

• The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which began the Church Age, was prophesied by our Lord in John 14:20, and in Acts 1:5 just before He ascended.

• The Rapture of the Church is the next prophetical event, 1 Cor 15:50-52; Phil 3:11; Titus 2:13.

Titus 2:13, “Looking for that blessed hope (the hope of blessing - hope 3) and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

The tenth privilege of our heavenly citizenship is the ability to become a spiritual champion, an invisible hero. Eph 3:1-13; 4:11-16, emphasize the principle of the invisible hero. Invisible God, plus invisible assets, plus invisible power, equals invisible heroes.

These Unique Factors of the Church Age make it possible for any and every believer to have the “fullness of God.”  Therefore, there is no excuse for any member of the body of Christ failing to execute the Plan of God for His life. There is no excuse for any Church Age believer being a loser. The only reason for it is your own bad decisions from a position of weakness. Therefore, we must live our lives in the EPIGNOSIS knowledge of our POLITEUMA privileges, our Heavenly Citizenship.

Some of our rights and privileges as a POLITEUMA of heaven include:

• We are given access to God; Access to the Father in prayer, Rom 5:2; Eph 2:18; Heb 4:14, 16; 10:19-20.

• Access to the Holy Spirit when in fellowship with Him, Eph 5:18.

• Access to understanding the Word of God, through the Grace Apparatus for Perception (GAP), 1 Cor 2:16.

• Access to the utilization of our Portfolio of Invisible Assets.

• Members of the Body of Christ, being in union with Him, Rom 7:4; 1 Cor 10:16-17; Eph 4:12-13.

• We are created a new spiritual species, 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15.

• Provided logistic grace blessings by the Father, Psa 37:25-26; Mat 6:25-33; Rom 8:31‑32; 2 Cor 9:8; Eph 1:3; Phil 4:5-6, 19.

• Live in the light of our Eternal Life, Rom 2:7; 6:22-23; Gal 6:8; Col 3:1-2; 1 Tim 6:12; 1 John 5:11-13.

• No longer a slave to sin, freed from slavery to sin. We are delivered from the power of the old sin nature, Rom 2:29; 7-8; Phil 3:3; Col 2:11.

• Able to operate in perfect righteousness, Rom 3:22.

• Entered into the Royal Family of God forever, via adoption, Eph 1:5; 1 Peter 2:9.

• We can execute our Royal Priesthood, 1 Peter 2:9a.

• We can function as Royal Ambassadors, 2 Cor 5:20.

• Equal privilege and equal opportunity of our election and predestination. (Equal privilege is provided in the royal priesthood; equal opportunity is provided in logistical grace.) Gal 3:26-28; 6:15; Col 3:9-11.

• The universal priesthood of the believer, 1 Peter 1:5, 9; Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6.

• Because of the distribution of spiritual gifts, 1 Cor 12:11, we can operate in our gift.

• Recipients of escrow blessings, Eph 1:3.

• Beneficiaries of the 11 Problem Solving Devices.

• The unique availability of Divine power, Rom 1:16; 9:22-24; 15:13; 1 Cor 4:20; 2 Cor 4:7; 2 Tim 1:7. At the moment of salvation, three categories of divine power are available to every Church Age believer. While this divine power is available, only consistent post-salvation epistemological rehabilitation makes it usable.

• We are the recipients of eternal security. God maintains our salvation, John 10:28.

Therefore, Phil 1:27 and 3:20 is commanding the Philippians and all Church Age believers to conduct themselves as citizens of heaven while here on earth. It is commanding the Philippians and all Church Age believers to function or conduct themselves under all the privileges and responsibilities that their heavenly citizenship confers.

Summary and Conclusion

We are concluding our discussion regarding the POLITEUMA privileges we have been given and have access to as we walk in God’s plan each and every day. Therefore, we will be noting the symmetry of privileges we have available to us to execute the unique spiritual life of the Church Age, so that we are overcomers, (winners), while here in Satan’s Cosmic System, and bring maximum glorification to our Lord Jesus Christ in the eternal state.

First, as we have noted previously, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is one of the POLITEUMA privileges we received at the moment of our salvation. It is one of the Ten Unique Features of the Church Age. This POLITEUMA privilege makes the Church Age believer unique, because it is the basis for being entered into the Royal Family of God (RFG).

As a member of the Royal Family of God (RFG), we have the opportunity to live the Life Beyond Gnosis, Eph 3:18-21, which is understanding and utilizing your POLITEUMA privileges, including the understanding of the Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age, the Ten Unique Factors of the Church Age, the content of your Portfolio of Invisible Assets, the 11 Problem-Solving Devices (PSDs), along with your other rights and privileges as a citizen of heaven.

Living the Life Beyond Gnosis means that you have a Personal Sense of Destiny, which is a major Problem-Solving Devices, that is related to the POLITEUMA privileges of the Royal Family.

Having a Personal Sense of Destiny requires that you understand what God has provided under logistical grace; the entire content of your Portfolio of Invisible Assets, your equal privileges and equal opportunities under God’s plan, etc.

Under the Plan of God, you have a destiny. Fulfillment of that destiny depends on your perception, metabolization, and application of the Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age, that tells you about your Portfolio of Invisible Assets, the Ten Unique factors in the Church Age, and all of your POLITEUMA privileges, classified as the “riches of His glory,” Eph 3:16; Phil 4:19; Rom 9:23.

Learning about these privileges and understanding that God has given you a spiritual gift and has a plan for your life in utilization of that gift, (1 Cor 12:4-7, 12-14, 18), also gives you a Personal Sense of Destiny. (Remember that you have a destiny regardless of whether you have succeeded or failed from the human standpoint, or are known or unknown. That is why we are called invisible heroes.)

Only through the renewing of your mind, Rom 12:2, (post-salvation epistemological rehabilitation), and subsequent cognitive self-confidence at the first stage of spiritual adulthood, (spiritual self-esteem), related to your POLITEUMA privileges, can you have and enjoy under all circumstances of life a Personal Sense of Destiny.

Knowing that you have a destiny comes with the understanding that every Church Age believer is said to be a DIAKONOS - διάκονος (dee-ak'-on-os) or a minister in full-time Christian service, Mat 23:11; John 12:26; 2 Cor 6:4.

The universal ministry of the believer is based upon your Royal Ambassadorship [PRESBEUO – πρεσβεύω (pres-byoo'-o)]. Because you are presently living behind enemy lines here on earth and represent another “world,” heaven, 2 Cor 5:20; Eph 6:20.

2 Cor 5:20, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

You are in full-time Christian service from the point of salvation, 2 Cor 3:6; 4:1. Therefore, whatever you do is part of your full-time Christian service. That should add motivation for you to do a good job in whatever you do each and every day.

2 Cor 3:6, “Who has appointed us as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit.”

2 Cor 4:1, “Therefore, since we keep on having this ministry, as we have received mercy, so we do not become despondent, (do not lose heart, grow weary).”

Receiving mercy is logistical grace, a POLITEUMA privilege. No believer can become despondent when he understands the POLITEUMA privileges given to him. There is no way you can become despondent if you are fulfilling your servantship to the Lord, by walking in the ministry He has designed for you.

In addition, your ministry includes the ministry you have to your county as a client nation. This ministry is not only to obey the laws of establishment and to be a patriot, Rom 13:1-7, but you also have a ministry as a believer: to grow in grace, attain spiritual maturity, and become a part of the pivot of mature believers. In other words, you have the responsibility of becoming an invisible hero, the greatest thing you can ever do for your country.

Therefore, you should have a Personal Sense of Destiny where your Christian service is related to your POLITEUMA regarding your royal ambassadorship.

The believer’s victory in time for the execution of God’s Plan for his life and his subsequent glorification of God, by becoming an invisible hero, is based upon his POLITEUMA privileges.

The believer in time has control over whether he is a winner or loser regarding the Plan of God. For those who are victorious in executing God’s Plan, their victory is based on their full comprehension and utilization of their POLITEUMA privileges.

For eternity, the privilege of our POLITEUMA is that all believers will be resurrected, 1 Cor 15:20-26, 51-57; Phil 3:20-21. All believers (winners and losers) will glorify God in the eternal state which is strictly the grace of God; the Lord’s victory, never the believer’s! Resurrection is the Lord’s wise and perfect decision, and is not subject to man’s speculations or even man’s timetable.

• The Rapture is imminent because there is no prophecy to be fulfilled before it occurs. However, the actual time of the Rapture is God’s decision, not our decision. Therefore, we must live every day as unto the Lord, not as unto the Rapture of the Church.

• The omnipotence that raised Jesus Christ from the dead will also raise you as believers at the Rapture of the Church.

• The omnipotence of God the Father will provide the resurrection body for all the dead in Christ.

• The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit will provide a resurrection body for all who are alive on the earth at that time.

Phil 3:20-21, “For our citizenship (POLITEUMA) is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory (resurrection bodies), by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

Therefore, we should be living each day unto the Lord, with a keen eye looking for the blessed hope of our POLITEUMA. Eph 2:19-22; Phil 3:20-21; Heb 11:9-26; 12:22-24.

Eph 2:19-22, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens (SUMPOLITES) with the saints, and are of God’s household, ²⁰having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, ²¹in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, ²²in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

Heb 11:13-16, “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”

Heb 12:22-24, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, ²³to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”

All of these passages indicate that we are not of this world, but we have a Heavenly citizenship. As Hebrews 11 & 12 tells us, each of these Old Testament heroes were living in their own POLITEUMA privileges, understanding that during their lives, they were ambassadors for Christ. They did not embrace the worldly way of living while in Satan’s Cosmic System. And instead, kept looking for the promise, whether it be during their lifetimes or after their life on earth had ended. They understood their true citizenship and the principles of Col 3:1-5.

Col 3:1-4, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

Because of the fantastic hatred and the persecutions from the “world” towards the believer noted again in John 17:14, the believer needs Phase Two protection from the KOSMOS, which is the subject of Verses 15-17.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Complete Translation of the John 17:13 & 14

John 17:13, “But now I myself come face to face to You, (God the Father) and I kept on speaking (teaching) these things (Bible Doctrine) while in the world in order that they (the disciples) might keep on having and holding My joy (+H) made full in themselves.”

John 17:14, “I have given (taught) to them Your, (God the Father’s), Word. (i.e., Bible Doctrine) and the world, (Satan’s Cosmic System), hated them (the disciples) because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Part 5 of the Gospel of John Chapter 17, we’ll look at Verses 15 & 16 along with:  The Ways the Believer is Not of This World & The Doctrine of the Evil One - Satanic Strategy.