Two Words

Two words to consider that are foundational for our understanding and growth in Christ. They go together and have to do with each other. The first word is "of": The primary sense is departing, issuing, or proceeding "from". Second, “from" or out "of"; proceeding "from", as the cause, the source, the author, or, and is the agent bestowing. This word "of", in most cases, is the genitive case, the case that denotes production. Do you see how "of" and "from" work together?

When we look at so many verses in the Bible, we can see why God put those two words there. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They have always been; they are uncaused, uncreated life. They have always been "of" the same life, and therefore "from" each other (Jhn. 14:17;1 5:26). Consider Jhn.1:1, the verse that declares that before any creative acts "of" God, or before He did anything "from" Himself, there in eternity God 'was'--or should I say, there God is?!

Everything about our salvation and growth is purely and without question, "of" and "from" Him, by grace and faith-dependence. It has nothing to do with the works of or from anyone else and God has done so without violating a single person's will.

Take some time, when you have it, to read these verses that have "of" and "from" in them. 1 Cor. 1:30-31; Eph. 1:5-6,11, 14, 18; 2:2-3, 8-9, 14-15, 19-22; 3:1-2, 6-8, 10, 19; 4:1, 3, 6; and look at Eph. 4:13, "of the faith", and "of the knowledge of the Son of God", and "the measure of the stature (age) of the fulness of Christ."

1 Jhn. 4:4, " You are of God, little children"... (see 1 Jhn. 4:5-6,9,17; 5:18-19). Aren't you and I glad that everything about us with God is "of" Him, and "from" Him alone? I'm glad that "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not WILLING that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).