Training Tomorrow’s Leaders Today
Newsletter
A Word from our Dean: 
It is hard to believe, but we are now beginning our fourth year of Grace Bible Training Center. We have already had two graduating classes, and our graduates are busy serving God's call upon their lives.
If there is one thought I may be allowed to impress upon each of you, whether you are a GBTC graduate, a returing student, or a new student, it would be a statement from Romans 12:3 where the Apostle Paul said, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…” That may seem to be a bit out of place, especially seeing how much emphasis has been placed upon the teachings of Grace and Righteousness and the understanding that has been gained concerning your position and identity. But that’s just it. The truth of grace and righteousness reveals that it is all of God and not of yourselves. Grace has placed you in Christ and it is by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus that you can stand confidently as the righteousness of God. Therefore, it is not who you are or what you shall be, but it is who our God is and all He has done for you – Glory be to God! At the same time, however, just as you must be careful not to think of yourself more highly than you ought, you must also not demean yourself and identify with anything that is less than what and who you now are in Christ. Let it be understood that because of God’s love, His provision of grace and His gift of righteousness you have been made one with Him, so that where you are, He is, and where He is, you are. Within that truth, you will show yourself wise not to ascribe greatness to yourself, but do not be foolish and fail to realize that “Greatness” has identified Himself with you, and because of that you can daily have all expectations of doing great things through Christ our Lord.
Again, no one should ever think of himself or herself more highly than they ought, but all of you can rejoice greatly in all you have and will accomplish and gain at Grace Bible Training Center. We are very proud of you, we are most pleased with you, and we continually thank God for each of you.
Blessings,
Bob
GBTC News:
Summer School:
For any students who did not start in the first semester, you can sign up for summer school so you will be ready to begin school in October as a third semester / second year student. Summer school will be by DVD. If you have any questions, please see Doug or Bob. Also, for anyone who has not been a student and would like to get a jump on things and be able to come in as a second-year student in October, you may also take summer school by DVD.
Revelation with Legs:
For anyone who has on their heart to put legs to the revelation of grace and righteousness and use their time over the summer to organize a Home-Group, Bible Study, etc. and wants some help and guidance, be sure to see Doug or Bob. Grace Bible Training Center is training tomorrow’s leaders today and, therefore, if you want to step out now and lead, we are more than happy to help. One of the blessings of GBTC is 24/7 support.
Student’s Corner:
The newsletter now has a section called “Student’s Corner.” This is an opportunity for students to present essays from class assignments or a revelation they have received from the Holy Spirit and wish to share.
The Blessing of Eden
Juliane Dillon W. Dennis, Massachusetts
Advanced Righteousness 102
What is the relationship between salvation and having dominion on earth?
When YAH, I AM WHO I AM, created man, He created man in His image to rule and reign in dominion. Genesis 1:27-28, So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him: male and female he created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion…” God created man in God’s own image. This point is repeated twice in this one sentence, so it is significant. God is Creator; man was created to be a co-creator.
The first words man heard God speak were, “be fruitful and multiply.” This was God’s purpose and intent and since God, “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) it is still His purpose and intent. This is “The Blessing of Eden.” Man was created in a perfect environment to be a creator.
The first man, Adam, who was given free will to exercise his dominion, gave up dominion in response to the suggestion of THE LIE, “Hath God really said…” (Gen. 3:1), thus tempting Adam to question the nature of YAH, who is Truth. Further on in Genesis, Adam considers THE LIE, “You will not surely die” (Gen 3:4) and, “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Thus, Adam succumbed to the temptation to question his own identity as made in the image of God. God created man in God’s image to be an eternal creator.
Adam freely chose to receive the knowledge of good and evil, and thereby sinned, opening the door for suffering and death to spiral down through humanity. Adam was stripped, from the inside out, of God’s glorious Light and stood naked, separate from the Light of knowledge of Eternal Truth. God, in mercy, cast man out of the garden to protectively keep him away from the Tree of Life, thereby providing him with the possibility of escape (Jesus Christ) from an eternity of darkness in damnation.
The Old Covenant unfolds God’s restoration of “The Blessing of Eden,” which is seen in “Be fruitful and multiply”. It begins in Gen. 9 with Noah, continues in Gen. 12 with Abraham and is evident throughout the Old Testament. Restoration of “The Blessing” becomes established in the New Testament Gospels with the life, death, and resurrection of God’s only begotten Son Jesus, the Christ.
The establishment of the New Covenant unfolds toward the end of the Gospel of John with the revelation of Jesus as “I Am the Vine” (John 15:1). Here Jesus begins to plainly reveal Himself as One with Father and His intent that we abide in Him and “bear much fruit.” This revelation knowledge culminates with message of God’s glorious grace in Paul’s epistles - “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).
By Adam’s free choice, death reigned. By our free choice we receive an overflow of abundant grace and are re-created in His image and likeness (born again) to live and reign as eternal co-creators through Jesus Christ. Through Christ, God brought forth the “Light of the world” to shine forth the revelation that we may be re-created in God’s image and “Be fruitful and multiply”.
Jesus is the Word. The Word is Truth. As I look intently into the mirror of the Word of Truth (James 1:23-25), I see who I am in Him; I begin to see that I have already been re-created in the image and likeness of God. The Spirit of Truth illuminates the Word. I have begun the process of “renewing my mind” (Romans 12:2) and although I “look through the mirror darkly” (1st Corinthians 13:12), I receive revelation of the TRUTH and I am free. Free from the LIE, free to take dominion.
In Christ, the last Adam (1st Corinthians 15:45), I am free to receive all that was restored by Him and through Him. I may now rule and reign in the dominion of “The Blessing.” Jesus came that we “may have life and life more abundantly” (John 10:10), and do “greater works” (John 14:12). We are no longer under the curse of sickness and poverty. We are empowered and enlightened to be Christ to this world. “…As He is, so are we in this world” (1st John 4:17).
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world” (Matt 5:14). We are enlightened from the inside out through the Spirit. We are ministers of the gospel of Grace, so that others may be set free to choose to walk in the Light and rule and reign as Kings and Priests in the Eternal Now. In Him, I declare, “I have come that others may have life and that more abundantly.”
Before he left this earthly tent, Paul declared, “So now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). In that, I also encourage people to accept the word of grace, to be built up and take their inheritance now; for we are sanctified, set apart and holy for His intent and purpose in “The Blessing.”
The radical grace of the God of Love has translated me out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Son of His Love (Col. 1:13). My Father, God, has given me the gift of righteousness. In abundant grace I am now completely righteous. It is written, “For in Him dwells ALL the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you ARE complete in Him, who is the head of ALL principality and power (Col. 2:9-10). This was written to each of us who now rule and reign in righteousness, for as He is, so Am I in this world.
