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  Reconciling us to God through Christ   2 Corinthians 5:18 – 19: "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through (*dia*) Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God (*Theos*) was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them, and has committed to us the message (*ton logon*) of reconciliation." *Dia* ( δι ὰ ) means "through." Salvation must come through Jesus Christ. To go through Jesus, one must enter into Jesus; Jesus ’ s role is to bring about reconciliation between God and humanity. The relationship between God and humanity was severed due to sin, and Jesus acts to bridge that relationship. Therefore, if one is not in Jesus Christ, one cannot be reconciled with God. *Theos* ( θε ὸς ) without the article refers to Christ. It means that Immanuel — God — is within Christ. In other words, Christ is Jehovah. Thus, when a believer enters into Christ, they can meet God. *Theos*, Christ, and *...

  (4) Man Manifested in the Material World   In Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning (Bereishit) God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth." Elohim was translated as God. We must understand El, Eloha, and Elohim well. El (singular) is God the Father. Psalm 19:1-4 states, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament displays the work of His hands. Day after day they speak, night after night they impart knowledge. They have no speech, no words, no voice is heard; yet their voice goes out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the ages. God (El) has set a tent in the heavens for the sun." Eloha (singular) is Christ. John 1:1 states, "In the beginning was the Word (Ho Logos), and the Word was with God (Ton Theon), and the Word (Ho Logos) was God (Theos)." Ho Logos is Eloha, and Ton Theon is the same plural form as Elohim. This implies that Christ, the Word, was with the gods. The gods can be interpreted as angels. Elohim (plural)...

  It is God who has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.   2 Corinthians 5:5 – 8: "Now the One who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who gave us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee (*arrab ō na*). Therefore, we are always confident (*tharrountes*); we know that while we are at home in the body (*s ō mati*), we are away from the Lord — for we walk by faith (*dia piste ō s*), not by sight. We are confident (*tharroumen*), and we would prefer (*eudokoumen*) rather to be away from the body (*s ō matos*) and at home with the Lord." *Arrab ō na* ( ἀ ρραβ ῶ να ) refers to a down payment or guarantee. Salvation consists of being clothed with the spiritual body from heaven over the body of sin, and God ’ s method of guaranteeing this is by giving the Holy Spirit. For those who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the body of sin is covered by the garment of Christ. *Tharrountes* ( Θαρρο ῦ ντε ς ) expresses courage — specifically, the courage to approach God. ...

  We Know We Have an Eternal Home in Heaven   2 Corinthians 5:1 – 4: "For we know that if the earthly tent (*sk ē nos*) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent (*sk ē nai*), we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." This means that the eternal home in heaven is not located somewhere up in the sky, but rather exists within the believer; it refers to the Kingdom of Heaven within the spirit. Ephesians 2:5 similarly speaks of being seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. The word *sk ē nos* refers to the physical body, specifically as a dwelling place where sin resides. In Romans, this is described as the ...