JESUS CHRIST, the BEGINNING and the END

"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely" (Rev 21:6). "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev 22:13).

Devotion 7 of 20

A PRACTICAL VIEW

As the "Beginning," Jesus is the First of the new order. He determines the nature, or character, of all those who follow Him. To put it another way, the Divine determination is that they will become like Him (Rom 8:29). In the end, when those in Christ see Him as He is, they will "be like Him" (1 John 3:1-2). The prospect of this constrains the individual to "purify himself, even as He is pure" (1 John 3:3).

Christ's life is the preeminent life, and His will is the dominant will. Anything and everything opposed to Him will be brought to dissolution. None of those refusing to build upon Him will survive their ultimate confrontation of Him. Everyone choosing to honor the Corner Stone will rejoice in the day of judgment. He is "the Beginning" of the only building God will finally honor; "the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim 3:15).

At the point an individual or a congregation ceases to function in strict parallel and accord with Christ, the will and blessing of God have been forfeited. In such a case, Jesus has been rejected as the Beginning, or Corner Stone, of Divine purpose.

It should be obvious to you that this condition is altogether common in the religious world. A myriad of people have willingly adopted a religious stance that does not afford Jesus the preeminent position. They have rejected God's Corner Stone! Of such, whoever they may be, it is written: "Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,' and 'A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.' They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed" (1 Pet 2:7-8, NKJV).

PRAYER POINT: Father, thank You through Jesus Christ for the glorious prospect of being conformed to His image, and being like Him when I see Him as He is.

-- Tomorrow: JESUS IS PREEMINENT --