Jesus and the People of the Way: Experiencing the Nearness of Christ in Daily Living

By James Stone

The mystery of life coming out of death is everywhere present in the created world: morning comes out of night, spring breaks out of winter, and flowers bud after being planted. Jesus spoke of this mystery of life when he said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, 'Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.'"

The early followers of Jesus recognized that the death and resurrection of Jesus was crucial to their belief and to their experiences in the kingdom of God. They also soon began to realize that their life experiences were mirroring the death and resurrection of Jesus. In fact, the early disciples of Jesus did not identify themselves as Christians. Accordingly, to the Acts of the apostles, the early followers of Jesus seem to be known as the people of the way. Encountering death-producing circumstances, they experienced being raised to newness of life in Christ.

Paul, when challenged by a Roman governor to speak of "concerning the faith in Christ," "reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come." In one sentence, Paul encapsulated the Christian's experiences in life. The follower of Jesus experienced righteousness (led of the Spirit), temperance (not being controlled by enticements), and judgment to come (brought to a place of temptations, a place of growth or stagnation).

Believers in every generation have not only the promise of experiencing resurrection life in their "mortal flesh," but they also have been told of the process by which it happens. The revelations contained in this book will reveal how every believer can be identified with Jesus and the people of the way. All the power and the glory of the kingdom of God can be experienced in this life, for "the way" has been revealed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9798889432647

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Jesus and the People of the Way

Experiencing the Nearness of Christ in Daily Living

James Stone

ISBN 979-8-88943-263-0 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88943-264-7 (digital)

Copyright © 2024 by James Stone

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All Scripture references were taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible unless otherwise noted.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Way

The Way

Jesus and the People of the Way: Resurrection of Life

Resurrection of Life

1

The Way of Life

2

What Is the Fruit of a Christian?

3

The Temptation

4

The Me That I Create

5

The Me That God Creates

Epilogue: The Apocalypses

The Apocalypses

About the Author

Introduction: The Way

The Way

The mystery of life coming out of death is everywhere present in the created world. It is illustrated when the new morning comes forth out of the night. It is there when the spring breaks into view after winter. This mystery of life is also revealed when flowers bud following the planting of their seeds. It is there with the experience of love. The true essence of all life occurs when individuals' rights are sacrificed. One of the early followers of Jesus simply stated,

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:15–16)

Jesus spoke of this mystery of life when he said,

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)

Peter, often the spokesman for the original followers of Jesus, wrote,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ not only serves as the perfect example of the mystery of life coming out of death but also by his death and resurrection became the means by which all men can go through similar resurrection events. The resurrection of the body to experience the newness of life within the vessel is crucial to what it means to be Christian (2 Corinthians 4:7). God has begotten his world in a continual living hope by bringing resurrection life out of death.

It is this resurrection of the physical body to newness of life that is the distinguishing mark that separates Christianity from all other belief systems. Many people in the world believe in some form of the reincarnation of the soul. Many Christians even believe that the soul is trapped within the body and ultimate salvation occurs only when the soul is finally set free from the body. The basic tenets of biblical Christianity, however, declare that the body was created by God to house the essence of life and will go through numerous resurrection events to continually bring forth the newness of that life:

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (2 Corinthians 4:10–11)

In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul would add,

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17–18)

Finally, the believers in Corinth were told,

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved [influence-loosened], we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (2 Corinthians 5:1–4)

Peter also spoke of this mystery of our physical body being overpowered by the resurrection life of God:

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:3–4)

The believer in every generation has not only the promise of experiencing resurrection life in his mortal flesh (2 Corinthians 4:11), but also has been told of the process by which it happens. After Peter had stated to the first readers of his second letter that they have obtained like precious faith as himself, he wrote, Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. Then he stated that this grace and peace would come unto them according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.

The process by which the believer experiences all things that pertain unto life and godliness is examined in chapter 1—The Way of Life.

Peter would add that this all things that pertain unto life and godliness would come through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. This knowledge of Jesus Christ, in turn, would be the means by which believers would be given exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [the promises] [the believers] would be partakers of the divine nature. They can experience the fullness of the life of God because they have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This lust, the longing, especially for that which is forbidden, is the topic of chapter 3—The Temptation.

Escaping the corruption of the world through lust, Peter finally wrote of the process, the way, of which it occurs,

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (2 Peter 1:1–7)

Notice the end of this process of which all believers have been called is nothing more or nothing less than to experience charity, love in action. This charity (the perfection or completeness of the believer) is to love and to be loved in interactions with others by his divine power. Peter added,

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8)

Being fruitful in Christ is explained in chapter 2—The Fruit of a Christian.

The way to this ultimate fulfillment, according to Peter, is that the believer is to be eager (diligence) to let faith fully supply (add) excellent valor (virtue) of which will come knowledge. In turn, this knowing will enable the believer to stay under control (temperance), thereby producing a cheerful endurance (patience). This cheerful endurance will allow a pious behavior (godliness) to be produced in the life of the believer by the Holy Spirit. Out of this Spirit-produced godliness will come brotherly kindness which will, in turn, energize a benevolent affection (charity). Again, Peter wrote that if this way (from faith to virtue, from virtue to knowledge, from knowledge to temperance, from temperance to patience, from patience to brotherly kindness, from brotherly kindness to charity) is experienced, the believer shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter would go on to write, But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. He is actually revealing why most people struggle in the simple living of life. It seems that they are always under pressure, with its consequential stress, to keep making right decisions, easily forgetting that somehow, they made it through the past days, months, and even years of their lives. They find they are often filled with distress, despair, a sense of being forsaken, and a fear of being destroyed.

The degradation of those that lacketh these things (from faith to charity) is examined in chapter 4—The Me That I Create.

Instead of being "blind and cannot see a far off, Peter encouraged the first readers of his letter:

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.

Then Peter makes a statement that has largely been overlooked in Christianity today. It is the reason why this book is being written. After stating that believers could actually live life and never fall,

If ye do these things, he wrote. For so an entrance [a road; by implication a progress] shall be ministered [fully supply] unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:9–11)

He is actually revealing the way, an entrance, into the kingdom of God. He is revealing how to experience the nearness of Christ in daily living.

Peter is not the only New Testament writer that reveals the way by which resurrection life is experienced. Paul and James also specify the process by which man moves through the mystery of life coming out of death. Paul wrote,

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:1–5)

Before Paul enumerated his understanding of the path through which the believer experiences the risen Christ in his physical body, he first stated,

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

With the word justified meaning to render (that is show or regard as) just or innocent, the question needs to be raised: Just where or when does the believer experience this being just or innocent? Is it solely based upon the belief of what Jesus did on the cross over two thousand years ago, or does it have something to do with what is currently being experienced by the believer?

According to Paul, a believer is to manifest faith when he is troubled on every side…perplexed…persecuted…cast down (2 Corinthians 4:8–14). In fact, Paul stated, in essence, that if the believer believes that Jesus was raised from the death by the heavenly Father, should not he also believe that God will raise him up from the troubles, the perplexities, the persecutions, and the put downs (2 Corinthians 4:14)? This is, in all reality, how the believer experiences peace in the time of the storm. Resting in the knowledge that God always brings the morning after the night, the believer, in the innocence of his mind, has access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2). He is justified by faith.

Being justified, living in the innocence of mind, is the topic of chapter 5—The Me That God Creates.

Understanding this process, Paul would then say,

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:3–5)

Notice the comparison of Peter and Paul in each of their listing of the path to the ultimate experience of believers:

This way to be partakers of the diving nature according to Peter and the way of having the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us according to Paul is also mirrored in the writings of James. He wrote,

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into various temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2–4)

James added,

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12)

The authors of over half of the New Testament, Peter, Paul, and James amply emphasized the importance of knowing the way of life for all the living created world. From being partakers in the divine nature (Peter) to having the love of God bestowed in our hearts (Paul) to receiving the crown of life (James), God is in control of the process that brings man to where he needs to be.

Jesus simply summarized this way as

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)

The emphasis of Jesus was not in the afterlife of the world to come but in this life and in this world. He taught the profound truth of the way that all men can experience the heavenly life in this earthly existence. He said,

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

Again, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ not only serves as the perfect example of the mystery of life coming out of death but also by his death and resurrection became the means by which all men can go through similar resurrection events. It is the way of life for all living creatures.

It is interesting to note that it is not until the thirteenth chapter of the book of Acts that