1 Do you remember the meaning of the Greek word “πρός”? It means “face to face, in intimate union and reciprocal presence, converse and communion.” The quotes from Lenski and Vincent were so good, let’s look at them again.

2 “The preposition πρός, as distinct from ἐ ν, παρά, and σύν, is of the greatest importance. Robertson attempts to render its literal force by translating: “face to face with God.” He adds that πρός is employed “for living relationship, intimate converse,” which well describes its use in this case. The idea is that of presence and communion with a strong note of reciprocity. The Logos, then, is not an attribute inhering in God, or a power emanating from him, but a person in the presence of God and turned in loving, inseparable communion toward God, and God turned equally toward him. He was another and yet not other than God. This preposition πρός sheds light on Gen. 1:26, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’ ” Lenski

3 The last line of Lenski’s quote is perfect for us because it makes the point I have been trying to teach; our relationship with God compared to the relationship Jesus had with the Father as a man. The point is that the Godhead created us in their image so that we could share in the loving intimacy, union and expression that they share between Father, Son and Spirit. We do that as humans, just like Jesus, as a human being, shared with the Father. Jesus was the first of His kind, and we are His kind. He is exactly like us because He is one of us, and we may relate to the Father as freely and as intimately as Jesus did if we choose to.

4 “The preposition πρός, which, with the accusative case, denotes motion towards, or direction, is also often used in the New Testament in the sense of with; and that not merely as being near or beside, but as a living union and communion; implying the active notion of intercourse. … Thus John’s statement is that the divine Word not only abode with the Father from all eternity, but was in the living, active relation of communion with Him.” Vincent, Marvin This is pretty amazing when you realize that the Lord wants to share exactly the same thing with us, which is why we were created in His image. Let’s look at some more scriptures where the word is used regarding us.

5 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jn 14:3 He is preparing a place for you so that He can receive you “face to face, in intimate, reciprocal union” for eternity! πρός So at least by the time we go to be with the Lord in eternity, we will be “face to face” with Him in the relationship that Jesus shared with the Father.

6 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jn 14:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Jn 14:23 Here we learn about the time that we are on the earth, not in heaven, and Jesus said that He and His Father will come “face to face” with us, and in intimate, mutual sharing, would live inside of us in a relationship that moves always toward that supreme conclusion in eternity! How does it begin for us? πρός

7 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jn 14:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Jn 14:23 πρός If we love Jesus, see Him in truth, we WILL keep His word because love draws us into the experience of God in faith. And in that faith the Father will inject Himself even more deeply into our daily experience and fellowship.

8 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jn 14:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Jn 14:23 πρός If we love Jesus, see Him in truth, we WILL keep His word because love draws us into the experience of God in faith. And in that faith the Father will inject Himself even more deeply into our daily experience and fellowship. How does all of this happen? The only reason we take our lives into our own hands is because we don’t trust God to do it. Once we begin to trust Him in smaller things, we discover that He is absolutely faithful and loving, and we learn there is no reason to not trust Him with everything. This results in the obedience He is talking about. Obedience to God’s desires makes absolute sense when we know who He is, and who we are. When we get that in place, there really is nothing else to do but to follow His desires constantly, exclusively and completely.

9 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jn 14:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Jn 14:23 The Father is waiting to express His love for you, and He and the Son are anxious to engage you “face to face, in intimate union” as much as is possible with you in a fallen body and mind. πρός

10 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jn 14:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Jn 14:23 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Jn 14:21 πρός

11 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jn 14:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Jn 14:23 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Jn 14:21 πρός Do you see how as the Father and Jesus lean in to us, face to face in intimate communion with us, that they are actually disclosing themselves to us?

12 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jn 14:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Jn 14:23 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Jn 14:21 πρός If Vincent is correct in his definition of the word “πρός” with the accusative, then the Father and the Son can’t wait to be in living union, communion, and active interaction WITH US; the same thing that They share together! In fact that is probably exactly what Jesus was thinking when He said He would reveal Himself to those who love Him.

13 “All the promises hitherto made in this chapter, each one grand and wonderful in itself, are so many evidences of something far greater, namely divine love. And this is subsequent love, which, when antecedent love has kindled faith and love in us, delights to show itself to the beloved in most intimate fashion. ‘And he that loves me with the love just indicated shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him’.” Lenski

14 “All the promises hitherto made in this chapter, each one grand and wonderful in itself, are so many evidences of something far greater, namely divine love. And this is subsequent love, which, when antecedent love has kindled faith and love in us, delights to show itself to the beloved in most intimate fashion. ‘And he that loves me with the love just indicated shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him’.” Lenski What is Lenski telling us? Lenski is saying that God’s love in us is the origin of our ability to love in any way, and when it is cultivated in our hearts by our values and choices, it makes us able to love God and other people at a real and deep level. That antecedent love additionally grows and conveys the ability to love, know and experience God on an ever expanding capacity. This is the core of Christianity.

15 Lenski’s comment explains why we obey if we love Jesus. Our love is the second generation of God’s love that He installed in us. When we let that love loose, it responds by doing the only things it knows to do and that is to engage and obey God and to love everyone it sees. Can you see why human disciplined flesh could NEVER play on this field?

16 “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 2 Pet 1:4 Do you see what happens when the Godhead turn their faces toward us and lean into us in intimacy? We don’t become gods, but we do partake of His wonderful nature, think as He thinks, and love as He loves. That causes us to live as He lives.

17 This explains why we can actually live as Jesus lived as a man on the earth. When we are equipped to live as Jesus lived by the Lord living His life in our bodies, we live as He lived. The way that Jesus lived as a man was exactly as Paul describes in 1Cor 6:17, as one spirit with God. As a man He joined Himself in one spirit to the Father and the Father lived His life in Jesus’ human body! In other words, we are to live our lives exactly as Jesus did as a man, allowing ourselves to be joined to the Father in one spirit and engaging Him. As the Father did His work in Jesus, so Jesus does His work in our submitted lives. Jesus demonstrated perfectly how to live as man. Jesus makes many statements that suggest that we are in exactly the same place He is as a man.

18 “Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’ ” Jn 20:15-17 What was Jesus’ point in His last statement? Because of the crucifixion and resurrection, the Father is just as much our Father as He is to Jesus, and He is just as much our God as He is to Jesus! Even at His resurrection He is STILL speaking as a man!

19 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” Jn 15:9 “I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” Jn 17:23 Given who God is and how He loves – How could it be any other way? Of course the Father, Son and Spirit love us as much as They love each other. That is all real love can do. I think we all need to accept what Jesus demonstrated to us as a man and start receiving and enjoying it!