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to bring to completion.In writing to the Hebrews the Apostle says… “let us go on unto perfection (6:1). Here we find the Greek word τελείωσις teleiōsis, meaning
completeness, perfectness.“Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.” (Matt. 21:18-19). That fig tree had not come to perfection, hence it had no fruit. God is looking for fruit from us, and whilst God is in need of nothing, all sufficient in Himself and self-sustaining, He desires fruit from us.
If we are born of the Spirit then we are “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified”.
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.“ (John 15:16)
From the beginning
Imagine, if you will, drawing a perspective on a piece of paper. This particular perspective is looking backward, not forward. We are looking back to the beginning. The Greek word used in the New Testament for beginning is: ἀρχή (narchē), meaning “beginning” or “origin”. There is nothing beyond the “beginning”. Those who are in Christ are “from the beginning”. We have our origin in God, God who was in the beginning. I am not speaking of natural things such as physical birth, family, history in this world, but I refer to that which is spiritual and eternal - a birth from above (John 3:3-10).
“…we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”. (II Thessalonians 2:13-14)
“…when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father - the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning”. (John 15:26-27)
The Apostle John used the phrase “from the beginning” eleven times in his Epistles - John was a man of “the beginning”.
I John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life...
Obviously this sentence mirrors John's opening verses in his gospel - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God". The disciples of Christ saw and touched "that which from the beginning".
I John 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
John here is speaking of the "commandment" which you had "from the beginning" - "the word which ye have heard from the beginning".
I John 2:13-14 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. "...ye have know him that is from the beginning".
I John 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
"Heard from the beginning". Viz. the spoken word of God: ἀκούω (akouō) to hear.
I John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
I John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
The message is from the beginning. It is the original message.
II John 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
The phrase is also used in the Revelation where Jesus (God the Son) refers to Himself.
Rev. 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Rev. 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev. 21:6 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. 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
