"But the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptible adornment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is very costly in the sight of God" 1 Peter 3:4.
The question of the apprehension of out Christian life should be the most paramount of issues for the saint who seeks understanding of his value and purpose upon the earth. The road I have traveled has had many diversions as I searched to know the esteem in which God holds me, viewed in His Son, it is a long and continuous road; but so worth the journey.
The struggle for all of mankind is the establishment of identity. The child seeks manhood, the man seeks purpose and confidence. Once established the man then turns to security. It is no different in the search for meaning in spirit.
This word spirit has been the catalyst for many books, sermons and various alternative roads in attempt to find spirits meaning as a personal discovery. I believe and hope everyone reading this knows on some level the vital need to touch their own spirit. In a understanding or at least rest in some sort of conclusion as to its nature and then find a way to establish a Christ centered mentality; a discerned foundation for their spirit. In it's experience as life, not merely a doctrine. Any Christian man or woman not seeking that on some level is ruled by their base instincts, not knowing their true nature, a most sad and sorry state, especially so for a Christian. "When they lifted up their eyes, they saw no man except Jesus only" Matt. 17:8.
Man in the beginning was given a spirit, became a living soul, received life requiring a spirit as the breath of that life entered him; a gift from God. "So God created man in His own image" Gen. 1:27. A transference if you will of God to man, for man was formed in God's image, man became living, like God. This is not referring to the physical body only. But the function of mind as transposed to his personality/soul emanating from his spirit as a sense of life. "God is Spirit" and He is the very definition of Life. Man's spirit, given by God, is the center from which he contacts God, a natural spirit intuition. Adam in the inward man was a living spirit, from which all other functions of his being were managed, it was from the beginning God's plan to construct him as such. He gave him life. "Then God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it" Gen. 1:28
For the purpose of this essay I choose to present spirit as life found in what we know as conscience, meaning in general; conformity to ones own sense of right conduct, understanding one's own-self. To clarify this more for the Christian to be applied to spirit and life, by conscience I refer to a personal inward appraisal or intimate self defining, of our being in consciousness; a informed mental awareness of purpose and that purposed life found in Christ Jesus.
This is our Christian identity, which comes to us and is made more known, from the result of success in the development in our mind of God's gift given us by the Holy Spirit. A personal image of ourselves, as declared by God's Word. "For if you live according to the flesh, you must die, but by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live" Rom. 8:13. A godly Christian biblical world view of our presence and life in Christ, shown to us by His Spirit in our minds, as that life. The Spirit will show us the Father has positioned us by Jesus in our place before the throne of God, free from sin, we are viewed in the object before Him, a Man in Spirit and perfection, whole and complete, recognizable as a Man; Jesus Christ the Son. This is the identity and position we have in heaven which is then transferred to the earth as its truth enters our mind by His Spirit. "On earth as it is in heaven"
Giving our spirit priority as growth in the Christian life has caused much confusion in the Church and for good reason. In the beginning man walked with God in a natural normal awareness, by his spirit, to which his mind, will and emotions were subject. He was a spirit man like our Lord Jesus. He had life one with the Father, like Christ. No confusion or interruption, no lack of communication with his Maker, this is life."Oneness with God". Why? Because mans original condition or formed conscience was life with and as spirit, a natural condition then applied to the practical life on earth. Which drove all other faculties and even the physical life toward God's image. God as the originator of mans present being, thought and purpose. A life defined by the Divine. No interference from mans body or soul, all of life was motivated by the center or spirit, attuned directly to God Himself."And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" Gen. 2:7.
Then things changed. Why? Because man changed. The central aspect of mans identity was the gift from God of God's own image, which is life in spirit. It included, individual volition of choice or free will just like God. Man then was tempted by Satan and desired to seek his own identity, by selfishly exercising this privilege he lost life; defined as open free communication and fellowship with the living God. Man abandoned the Fathers open communication thus he entered death, Satan's one goal. Man went his own way and by that act his spirit became deadened, no direct and open communication with God, which is death. "And the Lord God commanded the man saying, "of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die" Gen. 2:16,17. He no longer walked in the cool protection of the garden with God after his fateful decision as we all know.
Man was not then left without a spirit, there can be no physical life without a spirit, but with a spirit that was dead to a open fellowship with the Father, it became inert and withered. A spirit and mind without contact with God is living in death. The new condition of the natural man Adam, which was passed on to all his progeny. The bible calls the result of Adams decision the sin condition of the flesh, which is a moral condition allowing sin to enter man. Man as his Adamic self, not directionally connected to God but to a sinful propensity. Not to be confused with our physical body and our Adam nature which are a federal or overriding condition producing like kinds. This Adam nature flowing through all men is simply man going his own way, not requiring sin but leading to it, possessed of a natural mind, feeling and tastes favoring his earthly existence...all apart from God, also a result of the death of spirit or life.
All humans now on the earth live in this condition by nature. The body and Adam man is simply the package which contains the biblical termed definition of what man has become; sinful flesh. And also the Adam man who is naturally self centered. His being or personality now redefined by sin and separation. Now man became unable to openly and freely be present with God, as a result falling victim to a free will triggered self centered Adam/human nature and sin. This is the permanent condition of all non-believers, resulting in permanent death, but a temporary condition for those who believe. A condition which is overcome by power from the Holy Spirit and by faith in God's word. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" Rom. 8:14.
This loss played havoc with our soul or personality, mind, will and emotions. Which are really a non-material aspect of the original gift of life as a image of God, designed to flow from the spirit, but now spoiled, left to its own devises, if remained unchecked. This is our old nature. The Fathers perfection could not accept this, despite His deep and abiding love for the central essence or being of all of mankind. He must find a new way to know us as His intimate children which would allow open freedom of fellowship."If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things are become new" 2Cor. 5:17
For one thousand six hundred years man was on his own under his own volition after making his fateful decision. Man, perhaps unknowingly served the evil one Satan in his death march, for he has been given dominion over the world systems. Finely evil became so pervasive God destroyed all of mankind. A small remnant of some who still by faith held on to their origins, survived and were so honored for their faithfulness by being chosen to begin a new society. God was recognized in the new order, but still the old Adam nature and the flesh or sin remained. But God blessed man and brought about the historical addition of the Jewish or Hebrew tribes establishing a open earthly system of recognition of the Father for the purpose of ushering in the dispensation of Jesus Christ. God returning to give life by Spirit. Under whom we now have a new open door to communication in spirit to God Himself. A New Adam Man.
Then came the restoration of spirit or life, open communication with God as in the garden: but in a entirely new way. You see we still had the Old Adams volition and retained the flesh condition in a practical way, impacting our soul or personality. But now we humans, still in such a pitiful condition, have a living Spirit Man; who has entered our mind and body as a Spirit imparting life by faith, giving us a brand new identity also by faith. His own identity. The New Adam. He is now, by Him identifying with us in becoming a Man: Then entering the world and pronouncing our death on our behalf by dieing to the sin in the flesh. Demanded by the perfect justice of the Father. He then entered heaven as a Man, again in our behalf and has been made a intersession between us and God. A permanent condition made by the Fathers power and choice over all things. This fact can be realized in all who care to believe it true and take it as such. Honored and imparted to us by God by Spirit, in our faith of it's truth. By this our own volition or choice we enter the inheritance of The New Adam. Our new man identity.
This position now affords us, still by choice, to approach the Father as in the beginning, but with a new re-born fully restored spirit, really a completely new spirit, as in "new creation life", presented to us by God in the form of The New Man or New Adam, Jesus Christ. He is now our Spirit inheritance. We are no longer seen in the morally dead position of flesh, which Christ killed on the Cross, or even the old Adam, in God's judgment. No longer needful of a earthly ministry seeking the Father in a practical practice as the Jewish tribes had. Who had ultimately came to established their worship in a religious form, as flesh men, as worldly men, despite it's Holy origin. The great difference now being all is gained by spirit in faith. Our old nature still with us, as natural men upon the earth, cannot make a proper choice, so the Spirit has entered into man by grace to establish the faith principal as the only way to please the Father.
The relationship which was first available in the garden to mankind is renewed. A new way is made but now only by Spirit. The flesh and the Adamic mans permanent present condition [the old man] has for the purpose of choice as a qualifier, been killed/annulled on the cross; because it so failed and fell into sin. A judicial decision made by God, carried out by Himself in the form of Jesus Christ, His Son. "The penalty of sin is death". Now the door is wide open for life once again. "The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God" Rom. 8:16.
Well where does that leave us in the attempt to gain a understanding of spirit/life? My hope in using the word conscience as a platform is limited by conscience being a formed condition by mental input which is open to all philosophies, Buddhists Confucianism etc. some very successfully. But the question for the Christian is; how has God's Spirit formed His Own conscience in us?
The bible says that "Jesus Christ is the way, the reality and the life". This should be for the Christian a Spirit as life truth, defining his conscience awareness of his present personal inner man condition upon the earth. Any other defined quality as to our person hood as Christians is of no godly value what so ever. All else is the Adam nature flesh sin man. It may look good even do good, but if we are not aligned with a Spirit as life consciousness, identified in and by Jesus Christ as our life, in our mind, we miss the mark."For the anxious watching of the creation eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God" Rom. 8:19.
This reality is of course implemented in the mind. But cannot be limited to the mind: God is Spirit; is He to be limited to a mind only? Spirit must be much more, as our mind is fully capable of many varied thoughts and conclusions, the source of much confusion and sin, germinated by the ever present old nature. So we can only count on the mind to form spirit as reality in a renewed form. Renewed by the word of God, flowing from The Holy Spirit in us, which is life. Requiring a active biblical fellowship and constant application and pursuit of our Christian life based on the word of God. All else is of little value in forming Christ on the earth in His Body.
Then what are we to believe to become and remain of superior conscience to the earthly man in us? We must come to know that Christ is life, as a matter of conscience appraisal and therefore we can exercise our spirit as life. "Jesus said to him, I am the way and the reality and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me" Jn. 14:6. "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God has not life" 1 Jn. 3:12. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God and is life. He dwells in heaven and manifest himself to us by "The spirit of life in Christ Jesus". This means that Christ who is the expression of God is producing life in us by the Holy Spirit, His very life. Which should impact our self defined personality in totality. This is who we are by believing it in faith. We have become the expression of God on the earth."For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" Rom. 8:14.
Finely we need to understand that our life is wholly defined by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit imparts the reality of Christ. "The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit" 1 Cor. 15:45. "For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" Rom 8:2. That He, Jesus Christ, fully embodies all the attributes of the Triune God, which is now living in us. But we have this treasure [ His Spirit] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" 2 Cor. 4:7. Our focus should be that God in union with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit has positioned us in Themselves in heaven in salvation and that positional /identity displayed in Jesus Christ, is mingled with us and has established the finality of eternal life for us in Spirit here and now. That They The God Head, have dispensed themselves into us as life. Yes this is a mystery, but a biblical fact, this is spirit and this is life, made available in our mind. Impacting and forming our consciences by God's word. The living Word of God has becoming our life and spirit as one and the same. To the degree that this truth becomes our life in a reckoned [counted as true] faith forming our conscience, it will be realized as a practical reality of our life on the earth. Forming a new creation spirit conscience defining our Christianity.
All of this my friends should led us to one undeniable conclusion: God the Father has fully restored the Adam man in His Son. That He has imparted life once again into His loved ones via His Spirit. That we having this Spirit are not merely instruments and not only servants, but vessels who contain God Himself. Further more we as Christians will live His Son's life on this earth in a permanently self centered old Adam body mind and soul fully capable of sin. But despite this great weight of unworthiness, that we are clothed with a old Adam retained human disposition, which also contains the flesh, or moral sin propensity. He will use all of us even our sin and weakness to carry out the function of His Church upon the earth. Making way for the return of His Son. And that He will take us up to dwell in the New Jerusalem of Heaven, transfiguring us to a body like His. All that the Christian need do upon this earth for his part, is live in faith and trust of Him as Lord, nothing more! He will do all that is necessary, accomplished by His Spirit in us.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Friday, December 12, 2014
DO NOT RECYCLE, RECOVER
"If any man be in Christ he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold all things are new" 2 Cor. 5:17.
In the first thirty to fifty or so years of the Church of Jesus Christ the primary goal of the Epistle writers, as inspired by God, was to explain the new age which was upon them to the Church. An age of Spirit and of a heavenly status for Gods people. "I long to know Christ and the power of His Resurrection" Phil 3:10. A mystery never before thought of. "The mystery is great, but I speak with regard to Christ and His Church" Eph.5:32.
This new dispensation was marked by the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. Which alone, if taken to heart, should be proof enough of a change for man and his relationship to God taking place right before his eyes. He was presented upon the earth as the Son of man, a human in the flesh. He obviously changed to something more in Resurrection! The main problem encountered especially for the Jewish Christians as well as the gentile [all others] was the firm self centered earth bound world view held by the population at that time. For the Jewish Christian, they were steeped in the hope of a returning Messiah and his rule upon the earth, relieving them of Roman oppression and a return to prominence. The final status upon Christ's return, of the Jew, God's chosen people fulfilled. Just as the prophets had recorded in the old Testament which will someday [the millennium] take place. For the gentile Christian the difficulty of spiritual apprehension was simply attachment to the things of the world.
The gentile population were hedonistic and many had been idol worshipers with no concept of a transfer from the earthly worldly mode to a holy heavenly position for the Church and it's believers. So the Apostles had there work cut out for them, as the records attest. Both the Jews and the gentiles constantly returned to their previous old world thinking. As Adam's kin it was genetic for them to think all things were explained by a self consciousnesses, centered in personal experience. Some of the original writers of God's word were around for many years after the Ascension always struggling to convince the believers there was a entirely new way, and it was not found in self. The Church struggled with its identity for the next four hundred years. Until that is, the Roman Government intervened and establish power over Christian thought, in a attempt to control the Christian population and insure their loyalty. The rest is history.
"The old life is neither to be recycled nor reformed. We are all-new creations in the all-new Man, Christ Jesus" J. B. Stoney. There is a illustration used by Mr Stoney of a man who was drafted in the army and because of fear or his busy station in life he finds a substitute, to stand in his stead. He did not become the man he was destined to be. This is not the new creation of the Gospels new life, creation is creation, not change or exchange, but unfortunately this is often the case for believers. The Gospel is that we were under judgement of death, and the Lord Jesus bore that judgement. "I find therefore the law of my [Paul a Christian man] nature [old Adam] to be that when I desire to do what is right, evil is lying in ambush [my sin nature] for me" Rom. 7:21. "For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me [in mind/spirit] in Christ Jesus from the law of [natural sin nature] sin and death" Rom. 8:2.
Jesus Christ did not die so we might re-work the old Adam personality and conscience, the natural man who is still under judgement: but that we should become completely severed from him in our born again experience. Without any earthly religion whatever. And that we eventually understand the freedom of a new nature we have in spirit, given us by Christ; which we now possess by grace and in faith. This new heavenly/spirit life will be seen and known in the acknowledgement of our co-death with Jesus upon the cross and becoming aware that we are made new, having received a new mind by His Spirit, in resurrection life "hidden in Christ" gaining a faith in the facts of a new creation. "Partakers of the divine nature,[now in Spirit] having escaped [by being in Him] the corruption [natural self in the flesh] that is in the world" 2 Pet. 1:4.
Yet the old man lives on in our flesh, we who are still on the earth. He occupies our mind, it is our human Adamic nature, making us self centered beings. This will always be the case. But the new creation new Adam, renewed Spirit mind, lives as a new life. It is known and lived by a biblical factual awareness, moving the old aside as a controlling force, by faith of the position we hold in Christ before the Father in Spirit. This is our actual Christian life. We have two natures, as revealed by God's Word! "Has made us alive[the new creation] together with Christ" Eph. 2:5. "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these oppose each other, so that you would not do [the struggle of the two natures] what you desire. Gal. 5:17.
We simply cannot be saved by Him and keep the life of the old Adam conscience/identity we have as a natural man or woman. It must be overcome. This is a place of great confusion in the Church. If we have a true apprehension of the work of the Lord on the cross....that he bore the judgment on man: that mankind, who has offended against God would be Judicially removed [the old human "sin is in the flesh" nature continues in our mind/body as a present reality] to the Fathers infinite satisfaction, by His Son's sacrifice. "He died unto [the realm of] the flesh" and that, by that act, those who recognized this as true will be completed and find that He who saved them from death has become their new life. A life only seen and found in faith of Christ's representative resurrected/heavenly nature applied to our new spirit and renewed mind by His Holy Spirit. If this were more apprehend as a true realization of Christianity the current church atmosphere would be very different indeed. "For me to live is Christ" Phil.. 1:21.
This lack is perhaps why much of the Church has become victims of a life and are attracted to a atmosphere, which so often finds it necessary to use the modern marketing techniques of man and the world to fill the pews; which appeals most to that old flesh man we still have. And therefore applies Christianity to human accomplishment. Paul warned against this to the Corinthian Church long ago when he said "My speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom" 1 Cor. 2:4.
The art of human persuasion produces much, even decisions for Christ, so all can be used of God yes. But does it produce a Holy Spirit induced re-birth which leads to a mature growth, the discovery of the new nature of a Spirit defined life? Christ as our life: our mind in apprehension of the new creation we are; positioned in Him. Not simply looking to Jesus as a object or warmed by experiencing Him or attending a service for fulfillment: but entering into Him as our very present definition of life in faith; knowing we are mingled with Him. He lives in us. "But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him" 1Cor. 6:17.
Of course the question always is what are we to do? How can we, the little ones, make our way? Should not the leaders under the bright lights show the correct way for us to go? Are we on on own, with only The Holy Spirit to guide? Can it be possible that we as individuals have a Christian responsibility to discover that our one true life is only found in the inner man? Having discovered there, by the word of God, that by abandoning the existing human flesh and sin nature as a identity will be where we find Him as life itself. "Your life is hidden with Christ in God" Col. 3:3. Perhaps a brief history lesson is in order to help us discern the biblical God given intended path and also the impediments we confront, for us to know the new heavenly creation. Which by Spirit we have become in Christ."Partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" Col. 1:12.
For one thousand or so years the Christian movement, previously, called The Way, was under the yoke of Roman Catholic government control. Yes there were many true Christian living under this system, but the ones who followed the rules set up by their leaders came to define their christian virtues even their faith according to mans often heretical vision. As we might know, those who did not follow as good sheep were horribly persecuted by the Roman government and later it's church. Which at that time [prior to Vatican II] and according to Catholic tenets and doctrines taught it, the Roman Church, was exclusively God's own single religious order which results in a heavenly destiny and that it was the only representative of God upon the earth.
Now that has changed under the new Pope Frances and Vatican II, opening a hope for a recognized spiritual brotherhood among all believers, which is very positive indeed. But he [the Pope] also recently has presented goodness as a commandment from God, which is a earth bound legal concept; stressing that all men are called to do good on earth. Sounds right. But we know that every man, even a atheist, is fully capable of doing good. So is the non-believer following God's command? It seem evident doing good is something even the evilest specimen of human is capable of. Doing good is commendable yes and we should do good: but under which conscience, unbelief, the flesh, duty and law conscience, or the Spirit of oneness with Christ conscience? The bible make clear the Fathers wish; the spirit under which good is performed is the paramount issue to the Lord. "Put on [mental/spiritual acquiescence] the [Jesus Christ] New Man" Eph. 4:24
The bibles is also clear, no man under the influence and identity of the self centered old Adam flesh nature including a Christian, has any creditable goodness that is recognized by the Father. As the improvement of the things on the earth are not lasting, or really of no value to a life of Spirit. "That you put off [mentally] as regards to your former manner of life the old man [us regarding ourselves as natural flesh in Christian identity] which is corrupted according to the lust of the deceit [still under Satan's lie and its permanent affect upon all of mankind] and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind" Eph. 4:22,23. Finding Jesus Christ as the motivation by a new identity of mind, and a new taste for life redirects our goodness as only coming from Him by His Spirit working in us. This is the platform God intended for us all to live and do good upon! We simply must get beyond ourselves!
Yes the Roman church was eventually greatly modified under the influence of Vatican II and also, I believe, under pressure from the system we are now currently so influenced by; the Reformed Church, [Reformed: to change to a better form or condition; impart by alteration of that which already exists] that broke away from the Pope's heavy hand in the fifteen hundreds. It then birthed, by that separation, the forming of the Protestant Church; which most of us probably consider ourselves members of. It should be also noted the original reformers never intended to break away from the Roman Catholic Church, merely to change it.
Of course we all know the old Roman system murdered many of the early founders of that rebellious movement, most famously Martin Luther and currently holds millions under its sway; although in a much more user friendly and less offensive format. And hopefully it has made room for many true Christian among its members: Although to be quite frank I cannot understand how that could be true. Or at least understand why a true Christian would submit themselves to such un- biblical teachings; Mary worship, Papal infallibility, the holiness of the Pope, etc. as found in the Roman doctrines and teachings; albeit admittedly they are co-mingled with true Christian biblical teachings and I believe and sincerely hope that many Christian are never the less among its priesthood and membership; thanks to God. using all things for His will to be done!
Luther's main modification "salvation by faith" of the old system was considered a vicious imposition by the Catholic leaders, who were steeped in a legal works based and a earthly world view. Thank God for the reintroduction of this, the most basic tenant of biblical Christianity and God bless Luther and others for their bravery for proclaiming it!
We must remember however that virtually all of these brave reformed Christian founders were still under heavy influence of the old Catholic church traditions. Their world view was steeped in the formality of grand temples, flowing robes and a moral sanctimonious ceremony, legalism and the improvement of men on the earth. Not to mention and most importantly, a old Adam Catholic/ reformed non-dispensational [specific time periods for God's economy and will to be done, i.e. Jewish law period, Christian grace Church period] earthly religious approach. Diversions made by man. Never giving acquiescence to the Church age, a heavenly positional dispensation or period of time, assigned by God, as taught by Paul, referred to as Pauline dispensationalism or the Church age.
"Now to Him who is able to establish in you according to my gospel, that is the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation [Paul's encounter directly with the Glorified Christ] of the mystery [the Church unknown in times under the old law] which has been kept in silence in time of the ages [old Jewish dispensation]" Rom. 16:25. "For I make it know to you, concerning the gospel announced by me, that it was not according to man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation by Jesus Christ" Gal.1:12. This is proof of a new generation and system [dispensation], completely different [grace] and separated from Jewish law and tradition; based on faith and a heavenly/spiritual position as identity and nothing more!
The Apostle did not make room in his Gospel for the corruption of grace with the Old Testaments law as a guiding principal in obedience to the Law as proclaimed in the Westminster protestant confession. Or carry forward the covenant promises from God to the Jews of old testament times, as having been fulfilled in the Church, as much of the current Church views it also is in this day. A product of reformed thought. The early reformers and much of today's clergy still carry this heavy load of the law, in the form of the necessity of obedience, as passed down by the Pope's of old. But Paul taught a new vision, freedom by grace and a heavenly Church. "That you may be filled with a clear knowledge of His will accompanied by thorough wisdom and discernment in spiritual things" Col. 1:9. "And raised us [co-ascension] together with Him and seated us together [position/identification] with Him in heaven, in [by His representation] Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:6. All of which can only take place as Spirit condition.
The new reformed minded teachers still retained a ministry of objective facts from the bible, but lacked a teaching or a understanding of a subjective personal... positional...fellowship with Christ, the new life of the inner man co-joined and positioned with Christ in His heavenly spiritual Church. "And to the church of the first born, who are enrolled in heaven; and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of righteous men [no man can be considered righteous in his flesh] who have been [completed in Christ] made perfect" Heb. 12:23. The only place for His [Jesus'] new creation believers to reside in a completed and mature spiritual awareness of themselves as heavenly beings. "The fellowship of His sufferings [His blood shed for remission of our sin's] being made conformable [take the attitude in faith of His substitutionary death as own old flesh/ mind/identity having died] unto His death" Phil. 3:10.
The reformers relegated all their attention on a moral upright performance assigning the Saviours work on the cross to a improved, re-made and forgiven therefore more moral old flesh man to make things better; doing God's work on the earth in the flesh. With no awareness of a heavenly spiritual identity and assignment. Again. "For your life is hidden with Christ in God" Col. 3:3.
This reformed philosophy still carries the day for many current reformed influenced minds. And most protestants quiet frankly, do not know the difference. Or that the word of God declares quite loudly a old sin nature man, as well as a newly created man, both occupying the same body. "So it is written, The First man Adam, became a living soul; the Last Adam [Jesus] became a life giving Spirit but the spiritual is not first but the soulish [natural flesh] then the spiritual, the first man is out of the earth [all humans] the second is out of heaven, as the earthly is [reformed influenced] such are they that are earthly and as heavenly is [Christ's Church, His new creation] such are they also that are heavenly" 1 Cor 15: 45,46,47,48.Which one will be your conscious choice and ultimately lived nature, is the question all Saint's must ask themselves? The gift of choosing a life defined in informed biblical Christian identity, positioned in Christ is freedom from the world.
As we move forward in history we have these same reformed influenced Christians fanning out and arriving in the new world. Producing much to find offensive to be sure [strict legalism, church and government intermingled, Salem witch trial etc.] as history tells and which was the fruit of their self centered natural objective mind set. But never the less the influence of Christianity produced many great godly men and our early leaders and under Christian influence our constitution and form of government. As well as a fairly sound moral tradition. Which we can all be thankful for and God did work His Spirit among us despite mans religious diversions.
But the reformers influence left much to be desired, by the early eighteen hundreds denominationalism held [currently we have hundreds] sway. The infighting over salvation's definition and under who's doctrines a true relationship with Christ could be determined caused much trouble and confusion among these groups. Again there was little thought of a unified Church in Spirit positioned in Christ heavenly focused, as clearly taught by Paul in the Word. This lead to dissatisfaction with the Baptist, Presbyterians, Methodists etc. A open door was made for infighting and cult groups such as the Mormons, spiritism, religious shams and various religious charlatans arose. Many still in this day occupying our airways nightly. All casting a poor light on Christianity; that carries a negative mark upon the Church for many to this day.
History does not lie, the results were failure after failure to correct the world. The reformers man made, old Adam centered objectives have not brought us any closer to a man centered peaceful prosperous environment. In fact on that score things on the earth are infinitely worse. But the reformed minded do not give up even to this day, persisting in their attempt to make man the christian ideal by performance, assigning all that we are to the conscience and betterment of the old nature. The entire workings of God in man to be done by natural human motivation helped by God; a spirit inspired old Adam. With good intent of course. Perhaps much like their temple dwelling Catholic priests/reformed fathers of old.
Now however it takes the form of programs and special meetings lead by handsome experts and of course, books, books, and more books; all provided by well meaning Christians to re-make us into better, happier, well suited for self satisfaction, reformed performers of the faith.
It is vital for us to understand the main theological motivation behind reformed and the reformed influenced, which prevails in most churches today.
The prominent teaching holding the reformed mind to the earth is that upon the cross mans sin in the form he now lives old man, flesh, natural mans conscience were forgiven and set aside completely. A new spiritualized Adam if you will. Yes our "sin's" were forgiven by His blood, just not sin itself, which man will always struggle with in his identity, if not held in death by a renewed mind. In the crucified identity of Christ."The life giving power of the Spirit...has set us free [in spirit, not flesh] from the power [by a new identity] of sin and death" Rom. 8:2.
This sin free Adam nature working for God on earth sounds good but we must realize if true then that means we should be able to make the world the place for God [just the impression trying to be made] by our action and performance. As we must by that teaching have power within our own old Adam, being now by that reckoning, relieved of original sin in our human flesh or soul. If this were true we would be nearing perfection by now.
There is little biblical teaching by much of today's theological minds as to our separation/sanctification pronounced in Judaical terms only by the Father. And that God's sanctification process is in Spirit, where our new life is found, as heavenly/spirit in Christ by faith. Yes life and works on earth are effected by that spiritual separation and new life, but there can be no value heavenly or Godly sanctification for acts done in the old flesh identity! "And those who are in the flesh [mind/identity of the old Adam] cannot please God" Rom. 8:8. Paul is not referring to non-believers here.
Please hear this, God cannot forgive the sin of our flesh, "sin is in the flesh" our sin's yes. "In whom [Jesus] we have redemption [forgiveness of our sin's] through His blood the forgiveness of sin's, according to the riches of His grace." Eph. 1:7. The Father found it necessary to kill the flesh in the representative Judicial form of His Son. We humans however still carry a sin nature from the Old Adam. And if not checked by the word in faith of a completely new life, we will always act in the motivation and under the auspiciousness of the old sin nature. Which is a affront to the grace of God in no uncertain terms.
We sin is proof enough! Our perfect sin free nature is only found and lived in faith of Jesus Christ; His presences in heaven in our stead, a living intersession! However by reformed thought, we are earth bound as a Church not heavenly/spiritual, which is not biblical. "For our commonwealth [citizenship] exists in heaven, from which [past tense, we are already there in Christ in spirit, as defined by the Father] from which we eagerly await [future transfiguration] a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" Phil 3:20.
As we came into the modern era the reformed influenced church gathered even more institutional momentum. Resulting in a social roll for religion, organized to do good on earth, not necessarily a bad thing, but still not approaching the heavenly biblical vision. A natural consequence of the reformed earthly held man. A sorry lack of biblical spiritual perspective which Paul rejected when he said; "I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which Christ Jesus has called me upward [heavenly/spiritual realization]" Phil. 3:14.
Organizations like the world council of churches, fed by a reformed mindset, arose in attempt to bring all those who recognizes a god, any god, together, called ecumenicalism. Oh yes there were many true Christians thankfully among these Churches. They were just never taught of their new creation status, the difference between the old Adam and The New Adam.... which is held by faith in a positioned identity with Christ in heaven, as a viable living alternative to man made works and experiences. "Not by works that no one should boast" Eph. 2:9.
Unfortunately the retained formality and man centered teaching of the reformed, under the influence of the institutional Catholic government movement of old still holds much of the church in it's grip. This should seem so obvious to all thinking Christians. This is again a direct affront to the Lord, and quite frankly a victory for the evil one; whose main goal is to keep Christianity earth bound in his domain.
That brings us to the current atmosphere of what some call the post-modern era. This period has ushered in the charismatic movement, a emotional based form of worship, designed to bring God to man by extroverted experience. This approach gave way to the free movement or non- denominationalism which adopted experience/emotionalism as a sign from God also, just a somewhat more reserved form. But this new group spurned the formalism of the establishment reformed Churches in a attempt to encourage commitment and evangelicalism to the moderns. Who are influenced much by worldly commercialism, for attraction, leaving them as stunted warmed and happy self satisfied milk feed Christians.
This form of outreach became perceived as necessary to please the new culture. So entertainment, family functions, fun, organized service expeditions and community projects etc. became a all important ingredient. Again not all a bad thing, in fact a lot better than the old, Christ was held up, many are saved, but the reformed and old Adam approach was still the basis for many of these new pulpit orators mental/spiritual views and Church teaching. Thus holding much of the flock in immaturity, permanently earth bound.We will make ourselves better and others will see the fruit was their cry. Again not all bad just not biblical!
Here my friends are the sad statistical results of a man centered reformed religion handed down by the so-called church fathers and the fruit of the current modern moral majority of reformed influenced leaders and their followers. As you read them please be honest and ask yourself if perhaps a new way should be sought?
According to Christianity Today 32% of the worlds population are Christians. In America 79% of the population self identify as Christian. Of course many of them are not bible believing and most are surely biblical ignorant to say the least.The number one group is the Roman Catholic for the World Christian population followed by those labeling themselves as Protestant. Three of every ten Christians in America are self identified as born again or evangelicals, which is the preferred term.
Only around 19% of regular Church goers, including evangelicals, admit to reading the bible daily, while 61% say they have read a book on spirituality in the past year. According to crossexamined.org 70-75% of all Christian youth leave the Church after High School. The Christian seminary ministry also claims most youth are not being taught even a basic theistic world view by their Churches and are in no way equipped to resist anti-Christian arguments in a higher educational environment.
According to Christianity.com bible illiteracy in America is at a all time high. Gallop shows most Americans revere the bible, but by in large do not read it; while claiming about half of church goers cannot even name the four Gospels. 81% of born again Christian polled agree with the statement "God helps them that help themselves". A most decidedly self centered old Adam, earthly statement indeed. And most think the bibles main purpose is to teach them to take good care of their family. Studies show that bible teaching occupies a diminishing fraction of most congregants time and affection. Hence the plaque of bible ignorance as a general pattern, is rampant! Biola university's beginning bible professors report a decidedly ever increasing dumbed down freshman class each year. Could we have a problem?
Without beating to death the obvious, one more personal statement. Could it be possible that a Christian world view which has overseen the Two hundred year tragic downfall of American Christianity and morals that these statistics point out. Not to mention the most obvious destruction of respect for anything that could be considered Christian values in this country not be more clear?
I will spare you the disgusting list of tragic value erosion and crimes of the Holocaust taking place with ever increasing acceptance by the so called christian community. Our consciences' are seared and evil is simply ignored. Please my brothers and sisters look around you and be the judge. Has the reformed/catholic/earthly/protestant/evangelical doctrines and teaching served to the advantage of the Christian Churches in "overcoming the world" by them taking the broad way? Has it glorified God, making the way for it's members; by clear teaching to overcome the world, by developing a lasting mentally mature Christian identity as it's emphasis? If you answer is no, as it hopefully is, then do not recycle your Christian life any longer, recover it. Discover a new way to think of yourself. Find the narrow way, positioned and identified in one Spirit in Jesus Christ as life. Your life and freedom in Christ and the life of your children's freedom depend upon it!
In the first thirty to fifty or so years of the Church of Jesus Christ the primary goal of the Epistle writers, as inspired by God, was to explain the new age which was upon them to the Church. An age of Spirit and of a heavenly status for Gods people. "I long to know Christ and the power of His Resurrection" Phil 3:10. A mystery never before thought of. "The mystery is great, but I speak with regard to Christ and His Church" Eph.5:32.
This new dispensation was marked by the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. Which alone, if taken to heart, should be proof enough of a change for man and his relationship to God taking place right before his eyes. He was presented upon the earth as the Son of man, a human in the flesh. He obviously changed to something more in Resurrection! The main problem encountered especially for the Jewish Christians as well as the gentile [all others] was the firm self centered earth bound world view held by the population at that time. For the Jewish Christian, they were steeped in the hope of a returning Messiah and his rule upon the earth, relieving them of Roman oppression and a return to prominence. The final status upon Christ's return, of the Jew, God's chosen people fulfilled. Just as the prophets had recorded in the old Testament which will someday [the millennium] take place. For the gentile Christian the difficulty of spiritual apprehension was simply attachment to the things of the world.
The gentile population were hedonistic and many had been idol worshipers with no concept of a transfer from the earthly worldly mode to a holy heavenly position for the Church and it's believers. So the Apostles had there work cut out for them, as the records attest. Both the Jews and the gentiles constantly returned to their previous old world thinking. As Adam's kin it was genetic for them to think all things were explained by a self consciousnesses, centered in personal experience. Some of the original writers of God's word were around for many years after the Ascension always struggling to convince the believers there was a entirely new way, and it was not found in self. The Church struggled with its identity for the next four hundred years. Until that is, the Roman Government intervened and establish power over Christian thought, in a attempt to control the Christian population and insure their loyalty. The rest is history.
"The old life is neither to be recycled nor reformed. We are all-new creations in the all-new Man, Christ Jesus" J. B. Stoney. There is a illustration used by Mr Stoney of a man who was drafted in the army and because of fear or his busy station in life he finds a substitute, to stand in his stead. He did not become the man he was destined to be. This is not the new creation of the Gospels new life, creation is creation, not change or exchange, but unfortunately this is often the case for believers. The Gospel is that we were under judgement of death, and the Lord Jesus bore that judgement. "I find therefore the law of my [Paul a Christian man] nature [old Adam] to be that when I desire to do what is right, evil is lying in ambush [my sin nature] for me" Rom. 7:21. "For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me [in mind/spirit] in Christ Jesus from the law of [natural sin nature] sin and death" Rom. 8:2.
Jesus Christ did not die so we might re-work the old Adam personality and conscience, the natural man who is still under judgement: but that we should become completely severed from him in our born again experience. Without any earthly religion whatever. And that we eventually understand the freedom of a new nature we have in spirit, given us by Christ; which we now possess by grace and in faith. This new heavenly/spirit life will be seen and known in the acknowledgement of our co-death with Jesus upon the cross and becoming aware that we are made new, having received a new mind by His Spirit, in resurrection life "hidden in Christ" gaining a faith in the facts of a new creation. "Partakers of the divine nature,[now in Spirit] having escaped [by being in Him] the corruption [natural self in the flesh] that is in the world" 2 Pet. 1:4.
Yet the old man lives on in our flesh, we who are still on the earth. He occupies our mind, it is our human Adamic nature, making us self centered beings. This will always be the case. But the new creation new Adam, renewed Spirit mind, lives as a new life. It is known and lived by a biblical factual awareness, moving the old aside as a controlling force, by faith of the position we hold in Christ before the Father in Spirit. This is our actual Christian life. We have two natures, as revealed by God's Word! "Has made us alive[the new creation] together with Christ" Eph. 2:5. "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these oppose each other, so that you would not do [the struggle of the two natures] what you desire. Gal. 5:17.
We simply cannot be saved by Him and keep the life of the old Adam conscience/identity we have as a natural man or woman. It must be overcome. This is a place of great confusion in the Church. If we have a true apprehension of the work of the Lord on the cross....that he bore the judgment on man: that mankind, who has offended against God would be Judicially removed [the old human "sin is in the flesh" nature continues in our mind/body as a present reality] to the Fathers infinite satisfaction, by His Son's sacrifice. "He died unto [the realm of] the flesh" and that, by that act, those who recognized this as true will be completed and find that He who saved them from death has become their new life. A life only seen and found in faith of Christ's representative resurrected/heavenly nature applied to our new spirit and renewed mind by His Holy Spirit. If this were more apprehend as a true realization of Christianity the current church atmosphere would be very different indeed. "For me to live is Christ" Phil.. 1:21.
This lack is perhaps why much of the Church has become victims of a life and are attracted to a atmosphere, which so often finds it necessary to use the modern marketing techniques of man and the world to fill the pews; which appeals most to that old flesh man we still have. And therefore applies Christianity to human accomplishment. Paul warned against this to the Corinthian Church long ago when he said "My speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom" 1 Cor. 2:4.
The art of human persuasion produces much, even decisions for Christ, so all can be used of God yes. But does it produce a Holy Spirit induced re-birth which leads to a mature growth, the discovery of the new nature of a Spirit defined life? Christ as our life: our mind in apprehension of the new creation we are; positioned in Him. Not simply looking to Jesus as a object or warmed by experiencing Him or attending a service for fulfillment: but entering into Him as our very present definition of life in faith; knowing we are mingled with Him. He lives in us. "But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him" 1Cor. 6:17.
Of course the question always is what are we to do? How can we, the little ones, make our way? Should not the leaders under the bright lights show the correct way for us to go? Are we on on own, with only The Holy Spirit to guide? Can it be possible that we as individuals have a Christian responsibility to discover that our one true life is only found in the inner man? Having discovered there, by the word of God, that by abandoning the existing human flesh and sin nature as a identity will be where we find Him as life itself. "Your life is hidden with Christ in God" Col. 3:3. Perhaps a brief history lesson is in order to help us discern the biblical God given intended path and also the impediments we confront, for us to know the new heavenly creation. Which by Spirit we have become in Christ."Partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" Col. 1:12.
For one thousand or so years the Christian movement, previously, called The Way, was under the yoke of Roman Catholic government control. Yes there were many true Christian living under this system, but the ones who followed the rules set up by their leaders came to define their christian virtues even their faith according to mans often heretical vision. As we might know, those who did not follow as good sheep were horribly persecuted by the Roman government and later it's church. Which at that time [prior to Vatican II] and according to Catholic tenets and doctrines taught it, the Roman Church, was exclusively God's own single religious order which results in a heavenly destiny and that it was the only representative of God upon the earth.
Now that has changed under the new Pope Frances and Vatican II, opening a hope for a recognized spiritual brotherhood among all believers, which is very positive indeed. But he [the Pope] also recently has presented goodness as a commandment from God, which is a earth bound legal concept; stressing that all men are called to do good on earth. Sounds right. But we know that every man, even a atheist, is fully capable of doing good. So is the non-believer following God's command? It seem evident doing good is something even the evilest specimen of human is capable of. Doing good is commendable yes and we should do good: but under which conscience, unbelief, the flesh, duty and law conscience, or the Spirit of oneness with Christ conscience? The bible make clear the Fathers wish; the spirit under which good is performed is the paramount issue to the Lord. "Put on [mental/spiritual acquiescence] the [Jesus Christ] New Man" Eph. 4:24
The bibles is also clear, no man under the influence and identity of the self centered old Adam flesh nature including a Christian, has any creditable goodness that is recognized by the Father. As the improvement of the things on the earth are not lasting, or really of no value to a life of Spirit. "That you put off [mentally] as regards to your former manner of life the old man [us regarding ourselves as natural flesh in Christian identity] which is corrupted according to the lust of the deceit [still under Satan's lie and its permanent affect upon all of mankind] and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind" Eph. 4:22,23. Finding Jesus Christ as the motivation by a new identity of mind, and a new taste for life redirects our goodness as only coming from Him by His Spirit working in us. This is the platform God intended for us all to live and do good upon! We simply must get beyond ourselves!
Yes the Roman church was eventually greatly modified under the influence of Vatican II and also, I believe, under pressure from the system we are now currently so influenced by; the Reformed Church, [Reformed: to change to a better form or condition; impart by alteration of that which already exists] that broke away from the Pope's heavy hand in the fifteen hundreds. It then birthed, by that separation, the forming of the Protestant Church; which most of us probably consider ourselves members of. It should be also noted the original reformers never intended to break away from the Roman Catholic Church, merely to change it.
Of course we all know the old Roman system murdered many of the early founders of that rebellious movement, most famously Martin Luther and currently holds millions under its sway; although in a much more user friendly and less offensive format. And hopefully it has made room for many true Christian among its members: Although to be quite frank I cannot understand how that could be true. Or at least understand why a true Christian would submit themselves to such un- biblical teachings; Mary worship, Papal infallibility, the holiness of the Pope, etc. as found in the Roman doctrines and teachings; albeit admittedly they are co-mingled with true Christian biblical teachings and I believe and sincerely hope that many Christian are never the less among its priesthood and membership; thanks to God. using all things for His will to be done!
Luther's main modification "salvation by faith" of the old system was considered a vicious imposition by the Catholic leaders, who were steeped in a legal works based and a earthly world view. Thank God for the reintroduction of this, the most basic tenant of biblical Christianity and God bless Luther and others for their bravery for proclaiming it!
We must remember however that virtually all of these brave reformed Christian founders were still under heavy influence of the old Catholic church traditions. Their world view was steeped in the formality of grand temples, flowing robes and a moral sanctimonious ceremony, legalism and the improvement of men on the earth. Not to mention and most importantly, a old Adam Catholic/ reformed non-dispensational [specific time periods for God's economy and will to be done, i.e. Jewish law period, Christian grace Church period] earthly religious approach. Diversions made by man. Never giving acquiescence to the Church age, a heavenly positional dispensation or period of time, assigned by God, as taught by Paul, referred to as Pauline dispensationalism or the Church age.
"Now to Him who is able to establish in you according to my gospel, that is the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation [Paul's encounter directly with the Glorified Christ] of the mystery [the Church unknown in times under the old law] which has been kept in silence in time of the ages [old Jewish dispensation]" Rom. 16:25. "For I make it know to you, concerning the gospel announced by me, that it was not according to man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation by Jesus Christ" Gal.1:12. This is proof of a new generation and system [dispensation], completely different [grace] and separated from Jewish law and tradition; based on faith and a heavenly/spiritual position as identity and nothing more!
The Apostle did not make room in his Gospel for the corruption of grace with the Old Testaments law as a guiding principal in obedience to the Law as proclaimed in the Westminster protestant confession. Or carry forward the covenant promises from God to the Jews of old testament times, as having been fulfilled in the Church, as much of the current Church views it also is in this day. A product of reformed thought. The early reformers and much of today's clergy still carry this heavy load of the law, in the form of the necessity of obedience, as passed down by the Pope's of old. But Paul taught a new vision, freedom by grace and a heavenly Church. "That you may be filled with a clear knowledge of His will accompanied by thorough wisdom and discernment in spiritual things" Col. 1:9. "And raised us [co-ascension] together with Him and seated us together [position/identification] with Him in heaven, in [by His representation] Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:6. All of which can only take place as Spirit condition.
The new reformed minded teachers still retained a ministry of objective facts from the bible, but lacked a teaching or a understanding of a subjective personal... positional...fellowship with Christ, the new life of the inner man co-joined and positioned with Christ in His heavenly spiritual Church. "And to the church of the first born, who are enrolled in heaven; and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of righteous men [no man can be considered righteous in his flesh] who have been [completed in Christ] made perfect" Heb. 12:23. The only place for His [Jesus'] new creation believers to reside in a completed and mature spiritual awareness of themselves as heavenly beings. "The fellowship of His sufferings [His blood shed for remission of our sin's] being made conformable [take the attitude in faith of His substitutionary death as own old flesh/ mind/identity having died] unto His death" Phil. 3:10.
The reformers relegated all their attention on a moral upright performance assigning the Saviours work on the cross to a improved, re-made and forgiven therefore more moral old flesh man to make things better; doing God's work on the earth in the flesh. With no awareness of a heavenly spiritual identity and assignment. Again. "For your life is hidden with Christ in God" Col. 3:3.
This reformed philosophy still carries the day for many current reformed influenced minds. And most protestants quiet frankly, do not know the difference. Or that the word of God declares quite loudly a old sin nature man, as well as a newly created man, both occupying the same body. "So it is written, The First man Adam, became a living soul; the Last Adam [Jesus] became a life giving Spirit but the spiritual is not first but the soulish [natural flesh] then the spiritual, the first man is out of the earth [all humans] the second is out of heaven, as the earthly is [reformed influenced] such are they that are earthly and as heavenly is [Christ's Church, His new creation] such are they also that are heavenly" 1 Cor 15: 45,46,47,48.Which one will be your conscious choice and ultimately lived nature, is the question all Saint's must ask themselves? The gift of choosing a life defined in informed biblical Christian identity, positioned in Christ is freedom from the world.
As we move forward in history we have these same reformed influenced Christians fanning out and arriving in the new world. Producing much to find offensive to be sure [strict legalism, church and government intermingled, Salem witch trial etc.] as history tells and which was the fruit of their self centered natural objective mind set. But never the less the influence of Christianity produced many great godly men and our early leaders and under Christian influence our constitution and form of government. As well as a fairly sound moral tradition. Which we can all be thankful for and God did work His Spirit among us despite mans religious diversions.
But the reformers influence left much to be desired, by the early eighteen hundreds denominationalism held [currently we have hundreds] sway. The infighting over salvation's definition and under who's doctrines a true relationship with Christ could be determined caused much trouble and confusion among these groups. Again there was little thought of a unified Church in Spirit positioned in Christ heavenly focused, as clearly taught by Paul in the Word. This lead to dissatisfaction with the Baptist, Presbyterians, Methodists etc. A open door was made for infighting and cult groups such as the Mormons, spiritism, religious shams and various religious charlatans arose. Many still in this day occupying our airways nightly. All casting a poor light on Christianity; that carries a negative mark upon the Church for many to this day.
History does not lie, the results were failure after failure to correct the world. The reformers man made, old Adam centered objectives have not brought us any closer to a man centered peaceful prosperous environment. In fact on that score things on the earth are infinitely worse. But the reformed minded do not give up even to this day, persisting in their attempt to make man the christian ideal by performance, assigning all that we are to the conscience and betterment of the old nature. The entire workings of God in man to be done by natural human motivation helped by God; a spirit inspired old Adam. With good intent of course. Perhaps much like their temple dwelling Catholic priests/reformed fathers of old.
Now however it takes the form of programs and special meetings lead by handsome experts and of course, books, books, and more books; all provided by well meaning Christians to re-make us into better, happier, well suited for self satisfaction, reformed performers of the faith.
It is vital for us to understand the main theological motivation behind reformed and the reformed influenced, which prevails in most churches today.
The prominent teaching holding the reformed mind to the earth is that upon the cross mans sin in the form he now lives old man, flesh, natural mans conscience were forgiven and set aside completely. A new spiritualized Adam if you will. Yes our "sin's" were forgiven by His blood, just not sin itself, which man will always struggle with in his identity, if not held in death by a renewed mind. In the crucified identity of Christ."The life giving power of the Spirit...has set us free [in spirit, not flesh] from the power [by a new identity] of sin and death" Rom. 8:2.
This sin free Adam nature working for God on earth sounds good but we must realize if true then that means we should be able to make the world the place for God [just the impression trying to be made] by our action and performance. As we must by that teaching have power within our own old Adam, being now by that reckoning, relieved of original sin in our human flesh or soul. If this were true we would be nearing perfection by now.
There is little biblical teaching by much of today's theological minds as to our separation/sanctification pronounced in Judaical terms only by the Father. And that God's sanctification process is in Spirit, where our new life is found, as heavenly/spirit in Christ by faith. Yes life and works on earth are effected by that spiritual separation and new life, but there can be no value heavenly or Godly sanctification for acts done in the old flesh identity! "And those who are in the flesh [mind/identity of the old Adam] cannot please God" Rom. 8:8. Paul is not referring to non-believers here.
Please hear this, God cannot forgive the sin of our flesh, "sin is in the flesh" our sin's yes. "In whom [Jesus] we have redemption [forgiveness of our sin's] through His blood the forgiveness of sin's, according to the riches of His grace." Eph. 1:7. The Father found it necessary to kill the flesh in the representative Judicial form of His Son. We humans however still carry a sin nature from the Old Adam. And if not checked by the word in faith of a completely new life, we will always act in the motivation and under the auspiciousness of the old sin nature. Which is a affront to the grace of God in no uncertain terms.
We sin is proof enough! Our perfect sin free nature is only found and lived in faith of Jesus Christ; His presences in heaven in our stead, a living intersession! However by reformed thought, we are earth bound as a Church not heavenly/spiritual, which is not biblical. "For our commonwealth [citizenship] exists in heaven, from which [past tense, we are already there in Christ in spirit, as defined by the Father] from which we eagerly await [future transfiguration] a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" Phil 3:20.
As we came into the modern era the reformed influenced church gathered even more institutional momentum. Resulting in a social roll for religion, organized to do good on earth, not necessarily a bad thing, but still not approaching the heavenly biblical vision. A natural consequence of the reformed earthly held man. A sorry lack of biblical spiritual perspective which Paul rejected when he said; "I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which Christ Jesus has called me upward [heavenly/spiritual realization]" Phil. 3:14.
Organizations like the world council of churches, fed by a reformed mindset, arose in attempt to bring all those who recognizes a god, any god, together, called ecumenicalism. Oh yes there were many true Christians thankfully among these Churches. They were just never taught of their new creation status, the difference between the old Adam and The New Adam.... which is held by faith in a positioned identity with Christ in heaven, as a viable living alternative to man made works and experiences. "Not by works that no one should boast" Eph. 2:9.
Unfortunately the retained formality and man centered teaching of the reformed, under the influence of the institutional Catholic government movement of old still holds much of the church in it's grip. This should seem so obvious to all thinking Christians. This is again a direct affront to the Lord, and quite frankly a victory for the evil one; whose main goal is to keep Christianity earth bound in his domain.
That brings us to the current atmosphere of what some call the post-modern era. This period has ushered in the charismatic movement, a emotional based form of worship, designed to bring God to man by extroverted experience. This approach gave way to the free movement or non- denominationalism which adopted experience/emotionalism as a sign from God also, just a somewhat more reserved form. But this new group spurned the formalism of the establishment reformed Churches in a attempt to encourage commitment and evangelicalism to the moderns. Who are influenced much by worldly commercialism, for attraction, leaving them as stunted warmed and happy self satisfied milk feed Christians.
This form of outreach became perceived as necessary to please the new culture. So entertainment, family functions, fun, organized service expeditions and community projects etc. became a all important ingredient. Again not all a bad thing, in fact a lot better than the old, Christ was held up, many are saved, but the reformed and old Adam approach was still the basis for many of these new pulpit orators mental/spiritual views and Church teaching. Thus holding much of the flock in immaturity, permanently earth bound.We will make ourselves better and others will see the fruit was their cry. Again not all bad just not biblical!
Here my friends are the sad statistical results of a man centered reformed religion handed down by the so-called church fathers and the fruit of the current modern moral majority of reformed influenced leaders and their followers. As you read them please be honest and ask yourself if perhaps a new way should be sought?
According to Christianity Today 32% of the worlds population are Christians. In America 79% of the population self identify as Christian. Of course many of them are not bible believing and most are surely biblical ignorant to say the least.The number one group is the Roman Catholic for the World Christian population followed by those labeling themselves as Protestant. Three of every ten Christians in America are self identified as born again or evangelicals, which is the preferred term.
Only around 19% of regular Church goers, including evangelicals, admit to reading the bible daily, while 61% say they have read a book on spirituality in the past year. According to crossexamined.org 70-75% of all Christian youth leave the Church after High School. The Christian seminary ministry also claims most youth are not being taught even a basic theistic world view by their Churches and are in no way equipped to resist anti-Christian arguments in a higher educational environment.
According to Christianity.com bible illiteracy in America is at a all time high. Gallop shows most Americans revere the bible, but by in large do not read it; while claiming about half of church goers cannot even name the four Gospels. 81% of born again Christian polled agree with the statement "God helps them that help themselves". A most decidedly self centered old Adam, earthly statement indeed. And most think the bibles main purpose is to teach them to take good care of their family. Studies show that bible teaching occupies a diminishing fraction of most congregants time and affection. Hence the plaque of bible ignorance as a general pattern, is rampant! Biola university's beginning bible professors report a decidedly ever increasing dumbed down freshman class each year. Could we have a problem?
Without beating to death the obvious, one more personal statement. Could it be possible that a Christian world view which has overseen the Two hundred year tragic downfall of American Christianity and morals that these statistics point out. Not to mention the most obvious destruction of respect for anything that could be considered Christian values in this country not be more clear?
I will spare you the disgusting list of tragic value erosion and crimes of the Holocaust taking place with ever increasing acceptance by the so called christian community. Our consciences' are seared and evil is simply ignored. Please my brothers and sisters look around you and be the judge. Has the reformed/catholic/earthly/protestant/evangelical doctrines and teaching served to the advantage of the Christian Churches in "overcoming the world" by them taking the broad way? Has it glorified God, making the way for it's members; by clear teaching to overcome the world, by developing a lasting mentally mature Christian identity as it's emphasis? If you answer is no, as it hopefully is, then do not recycle your Christian life any longer, recover it. Discover a new way to think of yourself. Find the narrow way, positioned and identified in one Spirit in Jesus Christ as life. Your life and freedom in Christ and the life of your children's freedom depend upon it!
Saturday, November 29, 2014
OUT OF THE ORDINARY
It is our obsession with the normal that holds us captured in place. We actually fear the out of the ordinary. We have entered a self imposed inclosure and have gotten comfortable. We are a institutionalized generation unlike any previous. Our family's schools and churches all follow sets of rules and ingrained traditions that discourage individuality. We have learned to find order in a life as such, a comfort in the expected, and most remain there all their lives. It is as if we are locked in a prison room, we simply adjust, we become where we are. This is the life most live, not even knowing that they fear to come out of the ordinary, content in their chosen way. This self centered satisfied life works well for the intentions of the flock rulers....who's wish [often in benevolent form] it is that their power be maintained by a orderly and content citizenry and flock.
The imagination or visionary abilities humans posses if freed up are the catalysts for joining the joy of discovery, adventure and becoming unique, escaping the confines of the ordinary. But like all powers they are limited by the environment which we choose, one cannot start a fire underwater, no matter his desire for warmth.
The revelation of God we call the bible if personalized and taken to heart is a most radically discomforting document indeed; for those who have found comfort in the ordinary path. Have you ever wondered why tyrannical governments always ban or discourage Christianity or any free thought? They know it liberates the sheep. And that is why we also tend to approach it as we have been told to, holding ourselves in a safe place. Letting others guard the way, the system must not be upset. Most simply take for granted as proper the way they are shown, depending upon the guidance of the culturally institutionalized journey taken by those they look up to. We follow as good sheep should.
I for one have always thought of myself as one who wishes not to conform. I have observed the stifling ordinary spiritual and lifestyle conformity path many tread, and have often thought, please let there be more. Please God don't let me fall victim! But alas I too often find myself huddled with the masses comfy and warm as the pot boils, unable to be brave enough to escape the confines of my cell. How can I escape? How will I find the road less traveled?
It all starts with the mind, the only true place of our residence under our direct control on the earth. Our thoughts, our imagination, our vision, are uniquely individual. We are made in God's image. As He, we each have abilities instilled in our nature, which separate us from all others. Therefore we have a God given gift of possibilities, to come out of hiding and enter the out of the ordinary life. Just what does it take for us to enter this new grand design? To desire more and more the stimulation to become a living participator in the brave new world of the revealed revelation of God.
It is very evident we as humans have great power. The physical, scientific and technological developments of the history of mankind are self evident. Then why is it Christians are so satisfied with a ornament, great halls or emotional inducements as substitute for the greatest of all, the true power behind all progress, which is God's revelation of our very life in Christ. Intended by God to be lived as conscience and tasted of as life's essence. The revelation of a people after his own image, enclosed in the Spirit of His Son. We are given a mission by His Word to become not just members, but a conscious living organic union with Himself, the Holy God of the universe. We are to walk on this earth, not as messengers of truth for good only, but as the very Son of God, in whom we have been captured, positioned and identified with, in and as His Body. Can we ask for more? Do we really believe this? Will we give up our attachment to this world and our self content and needy personality's? If we do we gain the great gift of a joyful realized eternal life here and now: by a active participation of just what we were born to be. It is not religion we were given and not mere experience, certainly not duty obligation and membership, but a new life itself. We only must abandon all of our old self life, our present condition, to find it and come out of the ordinary!
The imagination or visionary abilities humans posses if freed up are the catalysts for joining the joy of discovery, adventure and becoming unique, escaping the confines of the ordinary. But like all powers they are limited by the environment which we choose, one cannot start a fire underwater, no matter his desire for warmth.
The revelation of God we call the bible if personalized and taken to heart is a most radically discomforting document indeed; for those who have found comfort in the ordinary path. Have you ever wondered why tyrannical governments always ban or discourage Christianity or any free thought? They know it liberates the sheep. And that is why we also tend to approach it as we have been told to, holding ourselves in a safe place. Letting others guard the way, the system must not be upset. Most simply take for granted as proper the way they are shown, depending upon the guidance of the culturally institutionalized journey taken by those they look up to. We follow as good sheep should.
I for one have always thought of myself as one who wishes not to conform. I have observed the stifling ordinary spiritual and lifestyle conformity path many tread, and have often thought, please let there be more. Please God don't let me fall victim! But alas I too often find myself huddled with the masses comfy and warm as the pot boils, unable to be brave enough to escape the confines of my cell. How can I escape? How will I find the road less traveled?
It all starts with the mind, the only true place of our residence under our direct control on the earth. Our thoughts, our imagination, our vision, are uniquely individual. We are made in God's image. As He, we each have abilities instilled in our nature, which separate us from all others. Therefore we have a God given gift of possibilities, to come out of hiding and enter the out of the ordinary life. Just what does it take for us to enter this new grand design? To desire more and more the stimulation to become a living participator in the brave new world of the revealed revelation of God.
It is very evident we as humans have great power. The physical, scientific and technological developments of the history of mankind are self evident. Then why is it Christians are so satisfied with a ornament, great halls or emotional inducements as substitute for the greatest of all, the true power behind all progress, which is God's revelation of our very life in Christ. Intended by God to be lived as conscience and tasted of as life's essence. The revelation of a people after his own image, enclosed in the Spirit of His Son. We are given a mission by His Word to become not just members, but a conscious living organic union with Himself, the Holy God of the universe. We are to walk on this earth, not as messengers of truth for good only, but as the very Son of God, in whom we have been captured, positioned and identified with, in and as His Body. Can we ask for more? Do we really believe this? Will we give up our attachment to this world and our self content and needy personality's? If we do we gain the great gift of a joyful realized eternal life here and now: by a active participation of just what we were born to be. It is not religion we were given and not mere experience, certainly not duty obligation and membership, but a new life itself. We only must abandon all of our old self life, our present condition, to find it and come out of the ordinary!
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
TAKING HOLD OF THE ADVANTAGE
Oblivion is the eventual of this earthly life. Most will not be remembered long, their existence forgotten over time. All that we are of a practical nature is captured here on earth. And all that we have accomplished in the natural world will eventually be as nothing. "Looking away [from all that would distract] to Jesus" Heb.12:2. No value can be applied to us who occupy the earth, as to a legacy we have left here that we may enjoy or apply in any conscious thought of ourselves at our exit from this sphere; upon taking up residence in our heavenly existence. Its not that there will be nothing someday it just that all that we are now, as seen and having been accomplished in our natural man will simply have no meaning. "Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you" 1 Pet. 5:7. Only that which is lived in the aware value/presence of God's Spirit identified with Christ Jesus will survive as life's final explanation. "Stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has made us free" Gal 5:1. Our time here is not given by God for great accomplishments and the improvement of mankind, but to gain a mental cognizant image of a co-existence with our Lord Jesus Christ. But few indeed will give up their need for a confidence in the material world in exchange for freedom in Christ. "In Christ neither circumcision [legal duty material accomplishments] nor uncircumcision [self life, the natural flesh life and worldly comforts] but a new [positioned in Christ] creature" Gal. 6:15.
We must learn to dim down the constant chatter of the external world and come to recognize the reality and the eternal nature of our internal man, the new man we have become positioned in Christ. We may find this habitation [our identity and position] in the place we know best, our mind, by knowledge and faith of this truth. The knowing of our position hidden in Christ is crucial for any true growth and freedom! Yes a promise awaits those in Christ Jesus: but He came that we may know that promise as life here and now in these bodies, by the nurturing of our spirit in knowledge and faith of what he has made us to be. "A workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth" 2Tim. 2:15. What awaits the Christian cannot be imagined, and if it could it would be of little use here: Except to instill a diversion to that which God desires for us to become in our spirit [mental consciousness and awareness] and soul [personality] by faith in the unseen, which shows itself as our only reality in the Fathers view, Him finding us identified in Christ. "Stand fast, therefore in the liberty [identified in Christ] with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke [world, law, duty] of bondage" Gal. 5:1
How is faith made truly meaningful here? So that our spirit may prosper. Forming a new identity at the expense of our natural flesh nature as earthly bound beings. How can we make it count so that it might comfort our soul, secure in the knowledge of our presence in Christ, as heavenly new creatures? "Now we have received the Spirit who is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God" 1 Cor. 2:12 The Word of God contains the answers. We all have read it many times: but perhaps have not taken it to heart. Have not come to learn the meaning; as we have listened with the ear of the old man, who can only hear the natural, self centered narrative. The great inhibitor to our growth as new creatures is our consistent desire to perform by the ego centric nature, that which God through Christ has given to be only apprehended and lived by the Spirit formed renewed mind. Or the God imposed internalized knowledge and apprehension of being infused, positioned and identified with His Spirit. It's like love that waits to be given, it must be first felt, a intangible, which generates the tangible, we must reach out in faith to accept our heavenly citizenship, to receive the gift of the new Man, to take the advantage. "Changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" 2 Cor. 3:18.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen" Heb. 11:1, is perhaps the most common version of this most important verse. The question is; what is the image and message that is formed in our mind when we hear it? First we must keep in mind that this verse and the whole book of Hebrews was written to a people who were steeped in Jewish tradition and formality. The Jewish Christians, much like most of the modern Church, were earth bound in their understanding, experience and personal appraisal. Like many today, they did not know they could obtain a new and heavenly life in the new nature by faith, and gain by that a complete re-defining of themselves.The attempt by the writer [probably Paul] was to turn them from the seen things of this earth to the unseen things of heaven. Requiring a faith that they are present before God in Christ for the explanation of their Christianity, positioned with Him there. That type of faith must become the only thing to be relied upon for any current realized true hope in this life or the next, anything else is a earthly imitation. So faith must take shape, be formed for any advantage to be received. The cultivation of faith is therefore called upon. It is worthy of all our time as an investment to discover the significances of this truth! No Christian life can be considered complete without pursuit of a presence in Christ; by counting in faith the death of our old nature on the cross and a new ascended life in Him. Which we then may live out upon the earth. "That....the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ" Eph. 1:17
Many Christians I believe are held back by a weak under productive faith, the human natural Adamic inherent inadequacy, which can only produces a counterfeit of faith's true revelation. We fail to perceive the true message by assigning it to ourselves, our own understanding. Then there is fear. The fear is first formed when we encounter that their is a power beyond words, introduced by the miracle of a new life. Then by that new birth we hopefully see we have been given a mandate for a entirely new personal mental evaluation of ourselves; by the Word's description of just who we have become."Not I but Christ" Gal. 2:20. Yet the revelation of our separation [self definition] from our earthly nature will not take root, "we are not of this world". The bible states the very Spirit of God lives in us and surely He is not of this world! Therefore we are powerful beyond measure; even if not aware, but fearful to give up the world. And become what we were born to be; inheritors of the heavenly, "hid in Christ", brothers of Jesus Himself, priests of God, Children of God. We have entered the very thorn room of God, by the representation of a position we hold in a Man, Jesus Christ. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" Phil.2:5. We have been made specifically to manifest the glory of God, even His thoughts of us.. All accessible only by faith and given by grace. By that glory growing and seen in us others may then see the Father. This is the way the Father has chosen to expose His glory to all of creation! "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [our mind/bodies] that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" 2Cor. 4:7. We must seek the truth about ourselves in the Word's revelation first, then step into the light of the life of new creatures we are by faith in the facts absent of fear, to reveal ourselves to a lost world. "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind" 2 Tim. 1:7.
The words substance and evidence from Heb. 11:1 requires deeper understanding if we are to enter into the life the Father has for us in his revelation of who we are. Substance gives confidence, and the hope for it makes it real, or acts as a test as to its reality. Hope is not yet faith. Faith says I have it. Faith is the reality, the confidence, the substantiation of hope, which is the precursor of our faith. Faith convinces us of things which we are not able to see, hence it is evidence. The Greek word for substance or substantiation means the real nature of things. Which is our actual presence before God as seen positioned/identified with Him. We must know and live this new life by faith. "For it pleased the Father that in Him [Christ] should all fullness [the believers existence] dwell" Col. 1:19.
Understanding this as true gives evidence or conviction of the necessity of faith to please the Father as to our spiritual conduct, or life, for the true believer. Unbelievers do not have hope nor a true spiritual identity in eternal life, they will always live in death with no hope, but we are people of great hope. The proof of the reality of our hope is in the fact of our "regeneration" into the living hope Jesus Christ. "As you have therefore, received Christ Jesus as Lord [He is your life] so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him" Col.2:17 We may become new creatures in Him by faith now and ultimately we will be transfigured into a body of glory, just like His. Through the assurance of scripture we have hope in many things; first salvation, then eternal life and heaven and on and on it goes! Why not gather a firm faith from scripture of a living existence positioned in Christ? Our God is a God of hope who has given evidence and substance in this gift from His Spirit by sustaining us in a reality which is His Son and presenting Him as life in written Words. All of this can be know and lived, but one must turn away from the world as a source, for it to be applied as the wonderful advantage of Christianity. "Come unto me all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matt. 11:28.
Abraham is one example of a hope of Faith, which became alive in his sons birth. Our faith is so much more substantiated in the realty of Jesus Christ, the Word of God and by the presence of the Holy Spirit. We can have a even more firm conviction, as we have evidence and proof of God's gift by grace in His Son. Yet hope in things unseen, as with Abraham, is required, as the things seen here on earth are only temporary, while things not seen are eternal. "That I may know Him" Phil. 3:10.
We must learn to dim down the constant chatter of the external world and come to recognize the reality and the eternal nature of our internal man, the new man we have become positioned in Christ. We may find this habitation [our identity and position] in the place we know best, our mind, by knowledge and faith of this truth. The knowing of our position hidden in Christ is crucial for any true growth and freedom! Yes a promise awaits those in Christ Jesus: but He came that we may know that promise as life here and now in these bodies, by the nurturing of our spirit in knowledge and faith of what he has made us to be. "A workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth" 2Tim. 2:15. What awaits the Christian cannot be imagined, and if it could it would be of little use here: Except to instill a diversion to that which God desires for us to become in our spirit [mental consciousness and awareness] and soul [personality] by faith in the unseen, which shows itself as our only reality in the Fathers view, Him finding us identified in Christ. "Stand fast, therefore in the liberty [identified in Christ] with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke [world, law, duty] of bondage" Gal. 5:1
How is faith made truly meaningful here? So that our spirit may prosper. Forming a new identity at the expense of our natural flesh nature as earthly bound beings. How can we make it count so that it might comfort our soul, secure in the knowledge of our presence in Christ, as heavenly new creatures? "Now we have received the Spirit who is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God" 1 Cor. 2:12 The Word of God contains the answers. We all have read it many times: but perhaps have not taken it to heart. Have not come to learn the meaning; as we have listened with the ear of the old man, who can only hear the natural, self centered narrative. The great inhibitor to our growth as new creatures is our consistent desire to perform by the ego centric nature, that which God through Christ has given to be only apprehended and lived by the Spirit formed renewed mind. Or the God imposed internalized knowledge and apprehension of being infused, positioned and identified with His Spirit. It's like love that waits to be given, it must be first felt, a intangible, which generates the tangible, we must reach out in faith to accept our heavenly citizenship, to receive the gift of the new Man, to take the advantage. "Changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" 2 Cor. 3:18.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen" Heb. 11:1, is perhaps the most common version of this most important verse. The question is; what is the image and message that is formed in our mind when we hear it? First we must keep in mind that this verse and the whole book of Hebrews was written to a people who were steeped in Jewish tradition and formality. The Jewish Christians, much like most of the modern Church, were earth bound in their understanding, experience and personal appraisal. Like many today, they did not know they could obtain a new and heavenly life in the new nature by faith, and gain by that a complete re-defining of themselves.The attempt by the writer [probably Paul] was to turn them from the seen things of this earth to the unseen things of heaven. Requiring a faith that they are present before God in Christ for the explanation of their Christianity, positioned with Him there. That type of faith must become the only thing to be relied upon for any current realized true hope in this life or the next, anything else is a earthly imitation. So faith must take shape, be formed for any advantage to be received. The cultivation of faith is therefore called upon. It is worthy of all our time as an investment to discover the significances of this truth! No Christian life can be considered complete without pursuit of a presence in Christ; by counting in faith the death of our old nature on the cross and a new ascended life in Him. Which we then may live out upon the earth. "That....the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ" Eph. 1:17
Many Christians I believe are held back by a weak under productive faith, the human natural Adamic inherent inadequacy, which can only produces a counterfeit of faith's true revelation. We fail to perceive the true message by assigning it to ourselves, our own understanding. Then there is fear. The fear is first formed when we encounter that their is a power beyond words, introduced by the miracle of a new life. Then by that new birth we hopefully see we have been given a mandate for a entirely new personal mental evaluation of ourselves; by the Word's description of just who we have become."Not I but Christ" Gal. 2:20. Yet the revelation of our separation [self definition] from our earthly nature will not take root, "we are not of this world". The bible states the very Spirit of God lives in us and surely He is not of this world! Therefore we are powerful beyond measure; even if not aware, but fearful to give up the world. And become what we were born to be; inheritors of the heavenly, "hid in Christ", brothers of Jesus Himself, priests of God, Children of God. We have entered the very thorn room of God, by the representation of a position we hold in a Man, Jesus Christ. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" Phil.2:5. We have been made specifically to manifest the glory of God, even His thoughts of us.. All accessible only by faith and given by grace. By that glory growing and seen in us others may then see the Father. This is the way the Father has chosen to expose His glory to all of creation! "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [our mind/bodies] that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" 2Cor. 4:7. We must seek the truth about ourselves in the Word's revelation first, then step into the light of the life of new creatures we are by faith in the facts absent of fear, to reveal ourselves to a lost world. "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind" 2 Tim. 1:7.
The words substance and evidence from Heb. 11:1 requires deeper understanding if we are to enter into the life the Father has for us in his revelation of who we are. Substance gives confidence, and the hope for it makes it real, or acts as a test as to its reality. Hope is not yet faith. Faith says I have it. Faith is the reality, the confidence, the substantiation of hope, which is the precursor of our faith. Faith convinces us of things which we are not able to see, hence it is evidence. The Greek word for substance or substantiation means the real nature of things. Which is our actual presence before God as seen positioned/identified with Him. We must know and live this new life by faith. "For it pleased the Father that in Him [Christ] should all fullness [the believers existence] dwell" Col. 1:19.
Understanding this as true gives evidence or conviction of the necessity of faith to please the Father as to our spiritual conduct, or life, for the true believer. Unbelievers do not have hope nor a true spiritual identity in eternal life, they will always live in death with no hope, but we are people of great hope. The proof of the reality of our hope is in the fact of our "regeneration" into the living hope Jesus Christ. "As you have therefore, received Christ Jesus as Lord [He is your life] so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him" Col.2:17 We may become new creatures in Him by faith now and ultimately we will be transfigured into a body of glory, just like His. Through the assurance of scripture we have hope in many things; first salvation, then eternal life and heaven and on and on it goes! Why not gather a firm faith from scripture of a living existence positioned in Christ? Our God is a God of hope who has given evidence and substance in this gift from His Spirit by sustaining us in a reality which is His Son and presenting Him as life in written Words. All of this can be know and lived, but one must turn away from the world as a source, for it to be applied as the wonderful advantage of Christianity. "Come unto me all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matt. 11:28.
Abraham is one example of a hope of Faith, which became alive in his sons birth. Our faith is so much more substantiated in the realty of Jesus Christ, the Word of God and by the presence of the Holy Spirit. We can have a even more firm conviction, as we have evidence and proof of God's gift by grace in His Son. Yet hope in things unseen, as with Abraham, is required, as the things seen here on earth are only temporary, while things not seen are eternal. "That I may know Him" Phil. 3:10.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
TRUTH'S EFFECT
"He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" Phil 1:6. The word regeneration as reference to our born again experience is not the remaking of our old Adam spirit; but a retentively new life. Our spirit is the center of our personality, think of it as the motivator for who you are. In the case of the Christian it has been re-created entirely new and taken possession of by the Holy Spirit."Take my yoke [possessed and controlled] upon you....and you shall find rest for your souls [personality or defined being]". Matt. 11:29/
The realization of this completely new person we have become is taken or formed in stages. This is by God's design: a converting of our mental self-evaluation into the image of His Son while we live on the earth. The permanent Holy Spirit established center of our new being must be given opportunity to form as a experiential reality by faith. The reason God has chosen to use a slow process is because He loves us and respects us as individual essential persons. In other words: He respects our humaneness and our entire being, as His created natural children or our basic self; as well as having created us anew as creatures in Christ, the inevitable result of His Son's complete experience [death, burial, Resurrection, Ascension], in which we are co-participators by His design. "That we shall serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter" Rom. 7:6. By that truth becoming a known dispersion [intellectual/spiritual assent] from the Father into our being we may see a true Christian identity and will learn to become in a mental understanding new creatures by actively/spiritually/mentally living in His Spirit. Yet He has made us to be always who we are throughout eternity and loves us as just that, the person who we are. The essential self still defines us even in the new creation body or new Adam personality and spirit. In other words we remain who we are but will come to see our life entirely defined in Jesus Christ, either here by acknowledging His Word as true of us in the faith of it, or in the hereafter. Gods intent for us is always conversion to His Son's image! "Being made free from sin we have become servants of righteousness" Rom. 6:18.
God uses the natural supply we have been given to grow Himself in us. How wonderful and how like a Father to be patient throughout the growing up process. You see my friends the laws of nature as inspired by grace require such a way for Him, to extend Himself, grow His presence, through all the circumstance of our being.
Most Christian, whether aware or not, are encouraged by the Church to perform in a way demonstrated by Jesus Christ as presented in the Gospels. He was on the earth he lived in a most admirable way and we are told to emulate Him. The problem with this approach is; if one is not prepared by the Word to see themselves positioned in glory as a new heavenly creature, holders of the faith of Jesus Christ representing their presence there as their true identity, then they only have the power of themselves to work with. "But now we are delivered from the law" Rom:7:6. We cannot appropriate His perfection without conscious union which is only found in the faith of oneness with Him. This requires the transfer of the Mind of God to our mind; a conditioning of our personality to the explanation of our presence in Christ, Him as our actual being, alive in His Spirit. Believed and made real in the faith of our understanding by the Word of God. "Set you affections on things above....for you died and you life is hidden with Christ in God" Col:3:2,3. In other words we are only enabled to walk as He walked by a union and fellowship with Him in awareness of the glory we have been given as those being in His presence. "Hidden in Christ with God', a citizen of heaven. All brought about by His Spirit in us by faith.
There is a certainty in a truth, that is its nature. A truth has a effect. No one truth can produce the same effect as another, each has a new result. Living out our lives we become aware of our lack to abide in the truth, because we fail. But always the truth is measured, and its accepted, tested and disclosed by how it is practically manifested. Not by function, but by mental/spiritual acquiescence to our perfect union with the Father in Christ.
The Resurrected and Ascended glory of Jesus Christ is a admitted truth for any Christian who is a true believer, but if we really knew Him in glory or Ascension we would be forever changed; marked by that truth! "For I reckon [count true] that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be reveled in us" Rom. 8:18. We are all aware of man's weakness, we sin, we die and we experience distance from God in our natural state; but to know a Man in glory, a Man who has been accepted by the Father in moral perfection, this is a revelation. A Man formed of flesh like us, residing in glory is a truth that few are conversant with; at least as to how it might imparts life to themselves as a current conscious union with Christ. "Being filled with fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God' Phil. 1:11. The Word however has made clear that as we come to know Him in glory and that by the Spirit we may become superior and maintain a distance from the natural man; we may then by that knowledge and faith in this truth become morally suited or positioned and identified to the glory to which we are associated with Him in heaven. As the Word has made clear; we are new creatures, "hidden in Christ" and "accepted in The Beloved". Quite simply this is the reality of the Christian experience from the Mind of the Father. All our earthly performance and life of a Christian identity must stem from this truth. "But rejoice in that you are partakers of Christ sufferings [co-crucifixion and death], that, when His Glory shall be revealed [you partake of His identity], you may be glad with exceeding joy" 1 Peter 4:3.
The source of the Christian life is a Person who has entered the presence of the Father in all the attributes expected and necessary for man, one of sinless perfection. Until one knows himself seen by the Father in this Man before Him one cannot be truly delivered from the conscience of a earthy nature. We as Christians must come to apprehend our life as one seen in Christ by the father as His satisfaction and the complete and actual Representation of us. Which is the only way God can contemplate us as His accepted children. "That the name [His very presence in you] of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" 2 Thess. 1:12. Therefore in the faith of that positional understanding we gain the distinct sense of belonging to a Man [Jesus Christ] and become identified with Him in heaven. We are thus separated in our conscience thought [the appraisal of ourselves] from men of the earth, even though we still reside in these bodies here. These are all Spiritual truths and the only reality by which we may gain a true consciousness of a presence in Christ, by the Fathers design! "Stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has made us free" Gal. 5:1 You will find the door to this, our Christian reality, by studying and reading the Word of God, no other way! The lack of wiliness by the average Christian to engage the Spirit within him by the Word is the reason for the plague of spiritual defeat taking place in the life of much of the Church. "Study to show yourself approved".
Our function on this earth is therefore not about building a community or servicing the needs of others. Yes good deeds are condoned, but by them we often turn inward; if they are the primary motivator for our faith. The Christian identity must not be held to a earthly moral persuasion; that has been the source of much shame for Christianity, by the hypocrisy it has so naturally generated. We all must know that on some level as the world media is always happy to remind us of our frequent failures. We must become separated from that fleshly natural condition and conduct ourselves by a new awareness of our presence on the earth as beheld by God, "hidden in Christ" and taking His identity by faith as our own. This spiritual apprehension will then furnish a path for the Christian life formed by Spirit and not one of the flesh. " Holding forth the Word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain [a earthly identity], neither labored in vain" Phil. 2:16
We may feel thoroughly satisfied with the gift of our salvation, assured of a heavenly path upon our earthly demise, but we remain associated there with the earthly man. But to know the Saviour in the condition of His glory is another matter. One may see the Father's satisfaction that our debt has been paid in the Son, but this requires a constant reminder in order to enjoy the experience. Whereas if we are in union with the Person who paid our debt in which the Fathers satisfaction for us is expressed, we may rest in the shelter of our heavenly citizenship. We are home! "That you may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" Phil. 2:15.
The true truth seeker should be seeking to be transferred in his thoughts, effected by faith to the place of the Saviour, coming to know of their acceptance in the Beloved; where we are set aside from the old nature and the ruin of a earthly existences, re-defined in Him, abiding in glory as the spiritual/heavenly new creature we have been made to be by God, hidden in Christ. By coming to know ourselves in union with Him in newness we are thus enabled by Him to be like Him as we dwell here. Then we will walk as He walked [one with the Father] and His life [oneness with the Father]will be manifested in us as we tread the path of happy destiny upon the earth. The reading of a essay by J.B. Stoney inspired this blog.
One last personal note: We will always be the same tomorrow as we are today, except for the transference made in us by the Word of God and the fellowship we engage in!
The realization of this completely new person we have become is taken or formed in stages. This is by God's design: a converting of our mental self-evaluation into the image of His Son while we live on the earth. The permanent Holy Spirit established center of our new being must be given opportunity to form as a experiential reality by faith. The reason God has chosen to use a slow process is because He loves us and respects us as individual essential persons. In other words: He respects our humaneness and our entire being, as His created natural children or our basic self; as well as having created us anew as creatures in Christ, the inevitable result of His Son's complete experience [death, burial, Resurrection, Ascension], in which we are co-participators by His design. "That we shall serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter" Rom. 7:6. By that truth becoming a known dispersion [intellectual/spiritual assent] from the Father into our being we may see a true Christian identity and will learn to become in a mental understanding new creatures by actively/spiritually/mentally living in His Spirit. Yet He has made us to be always who we are throughout eternity and loves us as just that, the person who we are. The essential self still defines us even in the new creation body or new Adam personality and spirit. In other words we remain who we are but will come to see our life entirely defined in Jesus Christ, either here by acknowledging His Word as true of us in the faith of it, or in the hereafter. Gods intent for us is always conversion to His Son's image! "Being made free from sin we have become servants of righteousness" Rom. 6:18.
God uses the natural supply we have been given to grow Himself in us. How wonderful and how like a Father to be patient throughout the growing up process. You see my friends the laws of nature as inspired by grace require such a way for Him, to extend Himself, grow His presence, through all the circumstance of our being.
Most Christian, whether aware or not, are encouraged by the Church to perform in a way demonstrated by Jesus Christ as presented in the Gospels. He was on the earth he lived in a most admirable way and we are told to emulate Him. The problem with this approach is; if one is not prepared by the Word to see themselves positioned in glory as a new heavenly creature, holders of the faith of Jesus Christ representing their presence there as their true identity, then they only have the power of themselves to work with. "But now we are delivered from the law" Rom:7:6. We cannot appropriate His perfection without conscious union which is only found in the faith of oneness with Him. This requires the transfer of the Mind of God to our mind; a conditioning of our personality to the explanation of our presence in Christ, Him as our actual being, alive in His Spirit. Believed and made real in the faith of our understanding by the Word of God. "Set you affections on things above....for you died and you life is hidden with Christ in God" Col:3:2,3. In other words we are only enabled to walk as He walked by a union and fellowship with Him in awareness of the glory we have been given as those being in His presence. "Hidden in Christ with God', a citizen of heaven. All brought about by His Spirit in us by faith.
There is a certainty in a truth, that is its nature. A truth has a effect. No one truth can produce the same effect as another, each has a new result. Living out our lives we become aware of our lack to abide in the truth, because we fail. But always the truth is measured, and its accepted, tested and disclosed by how it is practically manifested. Not by function, but by mental/spiritual acquiescence to our perfect union with the Father in Christ.
The Resurrected and Ascended glory of Jesus Christ is a admitted truth for any Christian who is a true believer, but if we really knew Him in glory or Ascension we would be forever changed; marked by that truth! "For I reckon [count true] that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be reveled in us" Rom. 8:18. We are all aware of man's weakness, we sin, we die and we experience distance from God in our natural state; but to know a Man in glory, a Man who has been accepted by the Father in moral perfection, this is a revelation. A Man formed of flesh like us, residing in glory is a truth that few are conversant with; at least as to how it might imparts life to themselves as a current conscious union with Christ. "Being filled with fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God' Phil. 1:11. The Word however has made clear that as we come to know Him in glory and that by the Spirit we may become superior and maintain a distance from the natural man; we may then by that knowledge and faith in this truth become morally suited or positioned and identified to the glory to which we are associated with Him in heaven. As the Word has made clear; we are new creatures, "hidden in Christ" and "accepted in The Beloved". Quite simply this is the reality of the Christian experience from the Mind of the Father. All our earthly performance and life of a Christian identity must stem from this truth. "But rejoice in that you are partakers of Christ sufferings [co-crucifixion and death], that, when His Glory shall be revealed [you partake of His identity], you may be glad with exceeding joy" 1 Peter 4:3.
The source of the Christian life is a Person who has entered the presence of the Father in all the attributes expected and necessary for man, one of sinless perfection. Until one knows himself seen by the Father in this Man before Him one cannot be truly delivered from the conscience of a earthy nature. We as Christians must come to apprehend our life as one seen in Christ by the father as His satisfaction and the complete and actual Representation of us. Which is the only way God can contemplate us as His accepted children. "That the name [His very presence in you] of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" 2 Thess. 1:12. Therefore in the faith of that positional understanding we gain the distinct sense of belonging to a Man [Jesus Christ] and become identified with Him in heaven. We are thus separated in our conscience thought [the appraisal of ourselves] from men of the earth, even though we still reside in these bodies here. These are all Spiritual truths and the only reality by which we may gain a true consciousness of a presence in Christ, by the Fathers design! "Stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has made us free" Gal. 5:1 You will find the door to this, our Christian reality, by studying and reading the Word of God, no other way! The lack of wiliness by the average Christian to engage the Spirit within him by the Word is the reason for the plague of spiritual defeat taking place in the life of much of the Church. "Study to show yourself approved".
Our function on this earth is therefore not about building a community or servicing the needs of others. Yes good deeds are condoned, but by them we often turn inward; if they are the primary motivator for our faith. The Christian identity must not be held to a earthly moral persuasion; that has been the source of much shame for Christianity, by the hypocrisy it has so naturally generated. We all must know that on some level as the world media is always happy to remind us of our frequent failures. We must become separated from that fleshly natural condition and conduct ourselves by a new awareness of our presence on the earth as beheld by God, "hidden in Christ" and taking His identity by faith as our own. This spiritual apprehension will then furnish a path for the Christian life formed by Spirit and not one of the flesh. " Holding forth the Word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain [a earthly identity], neither labored in vain" Phil. 2:16
We may feel thoroughly satisfied with the gift of our salvation, assured of a heavenly path upon our earthly demise, but we remain associated there with the earthly man. But to know the Saviour in the condition of His glory is another matter. One may see the Father's satisfaction that our debt has been paid in the Son, but this requires a constant reminder in order to enjoy the experience. Whereas if we are in union with the Person who paid our debt in which the Fathers satisfaction for us is expressed, we may rest in the shelter of our heavenly citizenship. We are home! "That you may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" Phil. 2:15.
The true truth seeker should be seeking to be transferred in his thoughts, effected by faith to the place of the Saviour, coming to know of their acceptance in the Beloved; where we are set aside from the old nature and the ruin of a earthly existences, re-defined in Him, abiding in glory as the spiritual/heavenly new creature we have been made to be by God, hidden in Christ. By coming to know ourselves in union with Him in newness we are thus enabled by Him to be like Him as we dwell here. Then we will walk as He walked [one with the Father] and His life [oneness with the Father]will be manifested in us as we tread the path of happy destiny upon the earth. The reading of a essay by J.B. Stoney inspired this blog.
One last personal note: We will always be the same tomorrow as we are today, except for the transference made in us by the Word of God and the fellowship we engage in!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
LIVING ON THE DIVINE SIDE
"The Lord grant that we may each of us be more awakened to the futility of accepting the Word of God with the mind of men. Many think that because they have the light of truth they are in the reality of of it. No! You may know the whole Bible, and have much light, but there is no growth beyond the measure of the Spirits work in you" J. B. Stoney.
How little we consider the feelings of others. We live mostly for ourselves, few can deny! That includes our thoughts as to how the Father not only see's us but also His emotions toward us, His view of us, His Love for us. Think of your own children and loved ones, if they only knew truly how you care and could take into account the depth of your feelings and apply it to their life, the possibilities for the advancement of their security would likely be very enhanced. Oh if they could only enter our mind and think of themselves with the loving thoughts we have there for them.
In the case of The Father the means for provision of His very thoughts and feelings are available in His Word, but how few really take advantage. Why dear friends do we relegate ourselves to our own self centered limited mind when we have the side of God's thought toward us so available in His Word written expressly to us?
All that we are as Christians comes from one source which is the heart of the Father. We must come to connect His thoughts with our heart, subscribing to the position He has placed us in, not just the benefits which He has provided. Merely being dependent upon the relief we all encounter when saved :otherwise we are not established. Yes granted we are free from death, given a new life of possibilities to gain. But most importantly we now may partake of a new kind of love. The Love of the Father. In other words it is not only His gifts His power, His greatness, or our relief, but it is the direction of His love toward us, shown in the great sacrifice for us of His Son where we may find the divine side of life to live within. The law demands a certain life style and behavior, but the grace side declares the Father's love. We will find that side by viewing His Son just as He does, that is where the interpretation of His love resides, declared in His Word. "To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" 2 Cor. 4:6. Could it be more clear where we must seek His thoughts?
Entering into the side of Him which sheds light upon His love toward us, His applying the very image of His Son to us, requires a most important beginning; the disregarding as to identity of the effect of the flesh personality, and replacing it with a vision of our presence in His Son by faith that it is true. "Old things [our natural nature] are passed away; all things [our new nature by faith in Jesus as our life] have become new" 2 Cor.5:17.
The sanctuary we all should be seeking is the knowledge of our place in the Fathers presence. That place of rest will not be found in the mind of the personality of the old nature; so it must be shed or exchanged for the new nature we have in Christ, then rested in as a position we hold by faith in eternity, which defines us in the present. The old nature must be set aside for it is dead in the judgement of God. But for that to take place we must thoroughly be in the new, which requires a awareness of who we are as defined to be by His Word. "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you except you abide [live full time] in Me" John 15:4.
"Our new life is one spirit with Him: a living branch abiding in the True Vine. As we learn to rest upon this fact of our position in Him, abiding becomes our restful attitude" C. A. Coates 1862-1945. But alas until we know the corruption in ourselves, the permanent condition of our old Adam's sin nature, we will not find the enjoyment of the freedom of the new Adam. "But now in Christ Jesus you whom were once far off are made near by the blood of Christ" Eph. 2:13. "Most of us lean it by experience, seeing and feeling the depth's to which the flesh carries us" J. B. Stoney. The modern world of psychology seeks to sooth our condition, and the institutional church experience often provides a diversion. We are lead to service and tradition or become preoccupied with our gifts, thereby covering the approach to relationship which features Him as life: we remain cloaked in the wardrobe of the old nature. The Son's life as ours is only apprehended by awareness of our position in Christ, brought to light by embracing the condition of the weakness of the flesh, and then by faith trusting in its death with Jesus Christ on the Cross, and a new life fully contained in Him. "And I count all things as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus , My Lord" Phil. 3:8.
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me, and I in Him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing" John 15:5. We must come to know that the living in Him cannot ever be accomplished in a Christian as a way of life or any personal awareness unless one comes to see himself in the light of the defining Word of God by faith.. In other words; our personal presence upon being self examined must be found to be as a living heavenly member of Jesus Christ's Body , again in Faith.. With no connection, as to our divine life which allows any connection as to identity with the world system or the flesh. My brothers and sisters we must come to be who we are! "The Holy Spirit ministers to our mind of true faith via the Word, and He conditions our heart via our daily experience". In other words our mind may have knowledge of being positioned in Christ but in our natural flesh experiences, the condition of sin, we are held captive. Faith in our role as His children as portrayed by the Word of God is the way out. We must by this knowledge learn to accept that any freedom we have is entirely in Christ Jesus, and that the maintenance of that living union with Him is very distinctly and completely the work of divine power. The Holy Spirit dwells in us precisely for that purpose, and it is only in seeing that, yielding to Him as He works in us, that we may stand in the freedom that Christ has made for us! "Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ" Rom. 8:17.
There is a principal most Christians miss made clear here. We have no strength our power in ourselves. That is why the natural character, old nature and the flesh must be seen as dead ["put no confidence in the flesh"] for any Christian to have a true realization of a life in union with Jesus Christ. Even those who have a doctrinal awareness of position/identity must turn from any security they might think they posses in the old Adam's intellect/personality. We have been left dependent upon the work of the Lord for any deliverance! We must always have at the forefront of the thought of our Christian lives that it is wholly because we as flesh creatures have been judged and that we have died with Him on the cross, that we are free from sin, "immortality occupies our mortality. This death, performed by His Son by The Fathers design has broken the power sin once had over mankind. "Sin is in the flesh" but we are now new spiritual creatures in Christ. We must find our place, by His Spirit, which is in us as it only purposes to display Jesus Christ. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus" Heb. 10:19.
It is precisely by our failure to live the Christian life, the encountering and awareness of worldliness and sin, by which we may recognize progress in gaining His image. By becoming aware of our lack within ourselves we may see that our only choice for a joyful life will arrive via a faith that His life has become ours. "Without faith it is impossible to please God". His Spirit has been working in you to show you have no possibilities toward life in the natural flesh nature. Our only means for acquiring Him as conscious life is to continue to count upon the work of the Cross. John Darby said it like this: "Our growth is wrought out in lives down here; but it is formed up there in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father, where our affections and minds get into condition to be manifested down here".
How little we consider the feelings of others. We live mostly for ourselves, few can deny! That includes our thoughts as to how the Father not only see's us but also His emotions toward us, His view of us, His Love for us. Think of your own children and loved ones, if they only knew truly how you care and could take into account the depth of your feelings and apply it to their life, the possibilities for the advancement of their security would likely be very enhanced. Oh if they could only enter our mind and think of themselves with the loving thoughts we have there for them.
In the case of The Father the means for provision of His very thoughts and feelings are available in His Word, but how few really take advantage. Why dear friends do we relegate ourselves to our own self centered limited mind when we have the side of God's thought toward us so available in His Word written expressly to us?
All that we are as Christians comes from one source which is the heart of the Father. We must come to connect His thoughts with our heart, subscribing to the position He has placed us in, not just the benefits which He has provided. Merely being dependent upon the relief we all encounter when saved :otherwise we are not established. Yes granted we are free from death, given a new life of possibilities to gain. But most importantly we now may partake of a new kind of love. The Love of the Father. In other words it is not only His gifts His power, His greatness, or our relief, but it is the direction of His love toward us, shown in the great sacrifice for us of His Son where we may find the divine side of life to live within. The law demands a certain life style and behavior, but the grace side declares the Father's love. We will find that side by viewing His Son just as He does, that is where the interpretation of His love resides, declared in His Word. "To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" 2 Cor. 4:6. Could it be more clear where we must seek His thoughts?
Entering into the side of Him which sheds light upon His love toward us, His applying the very image of His Son to us, requires a most important beginning; the disregarding as to identity of the effect of the flesh personality, and replacing it with a vision of our presence in His Son by faith that it is true. "Old things [our natural nature] are passed away; all things [our new nature by faith in Jesus as our life] have become new" 2 Cor.5:17.
The sanctuary we all should be seeking is the knowledge of our place in the Fathers presence. That place of rest will not be found in the mind of the personality of the old nature; so it must be shed or exchanged for the new nature we have in Christ, then rested in as a position we hold by faith in eternity, which defines us in the present. The old nature must be set aside for it is dead in the judgement of God. But for that to take place we must thoroughly be in the new, which requires a awareness of who we are as defined to be by His Word. "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you except you abide [live full time] in Me" John 15:4.
"Our new life is one spirit with Him: a living branch abiding in the True Vine. As we learn to rest upon this fact of our position in Him, abiding becomes our restful attitude" C. A. Coates 1862-1945. But alas until we know the corruption in ourselves, the permanent condition of our old Adam's sin nature, we will not find the enjoyment of the freedom of the new Adam. "But now in Christ Jesus you whom were once far off are made near by the blood of Christ" Eph. 2:13. "Most of us lean it by experience, seeing and feeling the depth's to which the flesh carries us" J. B. Stoney. The modern world of psychology seeks to sooth our condition, and the institutional church experience often provides a diversion. We are lead to service and tradition or become preoccupied with our gifts, thereby covering the approach to relationship which features Him as life: we remain cloaked in the wardrobe of the old nature. The Son's life as ours is only apprehended by awareness of our position in Christ, brought to light by embracing the condition of the weakness of the flesh, and then by faith trusting in its death with Jesus Christ on the Cross, and a new life fully contained in Him. "And I count all things as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus , My Lord" Phil. 3:8.
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me, and I in Him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing" John 15:5. We must come to know that the living in Him cannot ever be accomplished in a Christian as a way of life or any personal awareness unless one comes to see himself in the light of the defining Word of God by faith.. In other words; our personal presence upon being self examined must be found to be as a living heavenly member of Jesus Christ's Body , again in Faith.. With no connection, as to our divine life which allows any connection as to identity with the world system or the flesh. My brothers and sisters we must come to be who we are! "The Holy Spirit ministers to our mind of true faith via the Word, and He conditions our heart via our daily experience". In other words our mind may have knowledge of being positioned in Christ but in our natural flesh experiences, the condition of sin, we are held captive. Faith in our role as His children as portrayed by the Word of God is the way out. We must by this knowledge learn to accept that any freedom we have is entirely in Christ Jesus, and that the maintenance of that living union with Him is very distinctly and completely the work of divine power. The Holy Spirit dwells in us precisely for that purpose, and it is only in seeing that, yielding to Him as He works in us, that we may stand in the freedom that Christ has made for us! "Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ" Rom. 8:17.
There is a principal most Christians miss made clear here. We have no strength our power in ourselves. That is why the natural character, old nature and the flesh must be seen as dead ["put no confidence in the flesh"] for any Christian to have a true realization of a life in union with Jesus Christ. Even those who have a doctrinal awareness of position/identity must turn from any security they might think they posses in the old Adam's intellect/personality. We have been left dependent upon the work of the Lord for any deliverance! We must always have at the forefront of the thought of our Christian lives that it is wholly because we as flesh creatures have been judged and that we have died with Him on the cross, that we are free from sin, "immortality occupies our mortality. This death, performed by His Son by The Fathers design has broken the power sin once had over mankind. "Sin is in the flesh" but we are now new spiritual creatures in Christ. We must find our place, by His Spirit, which is in us as it only purposes to display Jesus Christ. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus" Heb. 10:19.
It is precisely by our failure to live the Christian life, the encountering and awareness of worldliness and sin, by which we may recognize progress in gaining His image. By becoming aware of our lack within ourselves we may see that our only choice for a joyful life will arrive via a faith that His life has become ours. "Without faith it is impossible to please God". His Spirit has been working in you to show you have no possibilities toward life in the natural flesh nature. Our only means for acquiring Him as conscious life is to continue to count upon the work of the Cross. John Darby said it like this: "Our growth is wrought out in lives down here; but it is formed up there in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father, where our affections and minds get into condition to be manifested down here".
Friday, October 24, 2014
AFFECTED COMMUNION
"The communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" 2 Cor. 13:14. The word communion is often thought of in terms of an act, as in we take communion, the breaking of bread or the Lords supper. Yes this is communion in a colloquial way. A moment of remembrance, and sometimes confession, where we might experience a emotional response to the great sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on this earth as a relief to ourselves. By that we are thus encouraged to remember what He has done for us. But in what sense is the communion or fellowship of The Holy Spirit, spoken of in the bible to be affected as a internal condition which can cause us to grow in likeness to Him who we admire, and in whom we are regarded, as recorded in the Word of God?
The word Communion is derived from the Latin. It is a word most commonly used in the tradition originating in the Roman institutional Church. But the original Greek word is koinonia. Meaning fellowship. But there are much more important implications to this word, when thought of in the original form: As in the sharing or exchange of intimate thoughts and feelings; especially when this exchange is on a mental or spiritual level. It is a feminine noun, which suits the intimacy we have in being positioned in Christ as His bride.The ultimate fellowship we may so enjoy.... if entered into.
As Christians we are to develop a conscious communion [fellowship] with the Father which is dependent on a practical/spiritual abiding in Christ. So the question becomes how do we view ourselves to align our thought of ourselves with His purpose in that regard?
Most Christians have a earnest desire to be conformed to a image of Christ: but the problem is we often look at ourselves, to see if we are like Him...... Whereas it is by beholding Him where He is in heaven before the Father that we gradually apprehend that we are changed into His image in Spirit. "But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as from the Lord's Spirit" 2 Cor. 3:18. And that by learning His positional presence for and as us in heaven we are called upon to believe, and count as true, the great gift of the unsearchable riches we posses in Christ......His life is ours, His glory is ours, the love which the Father loves Him is also ours! " God who has commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts" 2 Cor. 4:6.
This image of Christ we are destined into is not approachable in the flesh; which is the whole of the Adamic nature under the power of sin. It includes our whole being, spirit, soul, and body. All of mans power is under the influence of the flesh. "But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world [the flesh] is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" Gal. 6:14. That is why it is vitally necessary to apprehend our Christian life and purpose solely in the image of a crucified Christ as representing us: Who died to that flesh, for the purpose of drawing us into the presence and power of God. The crucifying of our flesh therefore is not a thing for us to do, but a thing which has been done. "Knowing [mental acceptance] that our old man [the flesh in total] has been crucified with Christ".
Andrew Murray said it like this: " Everyone who accepts Christ receives Him as the Crucified one, and receives not only His merit but also the power of His crucifixion and is united and identified with Him. And is called on intelligently and voluntarily to realize and count upon that identification". "So also you, reckon yourselves [count as true in a personal volitional way] to be dead to sin but living to God in Jesus Christ" Rom. 6:11. We that are believers in Jesus Christ have in virtue of accepting Him in this way have accepted the crucified One as our life.We have given up the flesh to the Cross. Which enables us by faith and in spirit to live in the very essence of the person and character of Jesus Christ. This is a personal definition of simply who we are as Christians. Therefore in trusting that as true we have indeed crucified the flesh with it's passions and lust; as a practical application of that truth. Which now the Father has applied to us and identifies us in. It only remains for us to live in that truth as the defining reality of our Christian life! That is accomplished only by faith in these facts to be true, nothing else! Although it must be granted all Christian are retained in this position before God by grace, even if unaware. "Now thanks to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ" 2 Cor. 2:14.
No action, service experience or feeling will activate the communion we are called to as members of His body. We are those who are alive from the dead. We are viewed by God entirely as a heavenly race, and presented as such in complete newness by the Son as our representative or identity there. " Your life is hidden with Christ in God" Col. 3:3. This is totally a spiritual position and condition, the flesh and natural man is set aside by the Father in death. Nothing we do or say can alter that charge.We are a new nation of new creatures all seen by the Father inclusively when He looks upon His Son. " You are partakers of His Resurrection,through the faith wrought in you by God, who raised Him from the dead" Col. 2:12. There is really no other explanation for the Christian. We know the world in not our home. "God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" Eph. 1:3. For us to enter into the mindset of a presence in Christ as our Christian reality we must change the course of our thoughts; how we regard ourselves. "My soul waits only upon God; for my expectation is from Him" PS. 62:5. We must come to apprehend ourselves as wholly contained spiritual beings transferred into His image by The Spirit of God, to the very person of Jesus Christ! And then by the power of faith in that as truth we will become as Him as we regard ourselves in this life. Mentenaly/spiritually consecrated and progressively being conformed to His image; therefore not empowering the conditions of the flesh. There is no other way, that is the only destiny we have. The question is will we begin to live the new life now or wait to be transferred by the inevitable, always hoping it is true: but never experiencing Christ as life in this world?
I personally would rather consider myself as dead now than to wait for my heart to stop; for it is by a mental/spiritual based faith attitude contained in my mind, that the Father has dealt a death blow to the flesh, that promises a life here and now, a life in Christ; anything else is death. "Until Christ be formed in you" Gal. 4:19. I have come to learn it is by my taking account of my natural Adamic being as having any value for gaining God that I suffer failure to realize the truth; that my only true life is found in Him. It is with great sadness I look at myself, the Church, my friends and family and see so often a self appraising value defining the Christian life. Perhaps we will even enjoy and find affirmation in conducting a Christian life of works and experience, buying into the presentation of a worldly atmosphere geared and fine tuned to the needs of the natural man. Although by that choice we might never know there is another new way, never give it a chance to form here on earth in our soul's. It will be a sad day indeed when we discover before God that all which we have done in the flesh, good and bad, have equally no value in the judgement of a Holy God. "That you may be filled with a clear knowledge of His will [to know ourselves identified and living in Christ] accompanied by thorough wisdom and discernment in spiritual things" Col. 1:9.
The word Communion is derived from the Latin. It is a word most commonly used in the tradition originating in the Roman institutional Church. But the original Greek word is koinonia. Meaning fellowship. But there are much more important implications to this word, when thought of in the original form: As in the sharing or exchange of intimate thoughts and feelings; especially when this exchange is on a mental or spiritual level. It is a feminine noun, which suits the intimacy we have in being positioned in Christ as His bride.The ultimate fellowship we may so enjoy.... if entered into.
As Christians we are to develop a conscious communion [fellowship] with the Father which is dependent on a practical/spiritual abiding in Christ. So the question becomes how do we view ourselves to align our thought of ourselves with His purpose in that regard?
Most Christians have a earnest desire to be conformed to a image of Christ: but the problem is we often look at ourselves, to see if we are like Him...... Whereas it is by beholding Him where He is in heaven before the Father that we gradually apprehend that we are changed into His image in Spirit. "But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as from the Lord's Spirit" 2 Cor. 3:18. And that by learning His positional presence for and as us in heaven we are called upon to believe, and count as true, the great gift of the unsearchable riches we posses in Christ......His life is ours, His glory is ours, the love which the Father loves Him is also ours! " God who has commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts" 2 Cor. 4:6.
This image of Christ we are destined into is not approachable in the flesh; which is the whole of the Adamic nature under the power of sin. It includes our whole being, spirit, soul, and body. All of mans power is under the influence of the flesh. "But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world [the flesh] is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" Gal. 6:14. That is why it is vitally necessary to apprehend our Christian life and purpose solely in the image of a crucified Christ as representing us: Who died to that flesh, for the purpose of drawing us into the presence and power of God. The crucifying of our flesh therefore is not a thing for us to do, but a thing which has been done. "Knowing [mental acceptance] that our old man [the flesh in total] has been crucified with Christ".
Andrew Murray said it like this: " Everyone who accepts Christ receives Him as the Crucified one, and receives not only His merit but also the power of His crucifixion and is united and identified with Him. And is called on intelligently and voluntarily to realize and count upon that identification". "So also you, reckon yourselves [count as true in a personal volitional way] to be dead to sin but living to God in Jesus Christ" Rom. 6:11. We that are believers in Jesus Christ have in virtue of accepting Him in this way have accepted the crucified One as our life.We have given up the flesh to the Cross. Which enables us by faith and in spirit to live in the very essence of the person and character of Jesus Christ. This is a personal definition of simply who we are as Christians. Therefore in trusting that as true we have indeed crucified the flesh with it's passions and lust; as a practical application of that truth. Which now the Father has applied to us and identifies us in. It only remains for us to live in that truth as the defining reality of our Christian life! That is accomplished only by faith in these facts to be true, nothing else! Although it must be granted all Christian are retained in this position before God by grace, even if unaware. "Now thanks to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ" 2 Cor. 2:14.
No action, service experience or feeling will activate the communion we are called to as members of His body. We are those who are alive from the dead. We are viewed by God entirely as a heavenly race, and presented as such in complete newness by the Son as our representative or identity there. " Your life is hidden with Christ in God" Col. 3:3. This is totally a spiritual position and condition, the flesh and natural man is set aside by the Father in death. Nothing we do or say can alter that charge.We are a new nation of new creatures all seen by the Father inclusively when He looks upon His Son. " You are partakers of His Resurrection,through the faith wrought in you by God, who raised Him from the dead" Col. 2:12. There is really no other explanation for the Christian. We know the world in not our home. "God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" Eph. 1:3. For us to enter into the mindset of a presence in Christ as our Christian reality we must change the course of our thoughts; how we regard ourselves. "My soul waits only upon God; for my expectation is from Him" PS. 62:5. We must come to apprehend ourselves as wholly contained spiritual beings transferred into His image by The Spirit of God, to the very person of Jesus Christ! And then by the power of faith in that as truth we will become as Him as we regard ourselves in this life. Mentenaly/spiritually consecrated and progressively being conformed to His image; therefore not empowering the conditions of the flesh. There is no other way, that is the only destiny we have. The question is will we begin to live the new life now or wait to be transferred by the inevitable, always hoping it is true: but never experiencing Christ as life in this world?
I personally would rather consider myself as dead now than to wait for my heart to stop; for it is by a mental/spiritual based faith attitude contained in my mind, that the Father has dealt a death blow to the flesh, that promises a life here and now, a life in Christ; anything else is death. "Until Christ be formed in you" Gal. 4:19. I have come to learn it is by my taking account of my natural Adamic being as having any value for gaining God that I suffer failure to realize the truth; that my only true life is found in Him. It is with great sadness I look at myself, the Church, my friends and family and see so often a self appraising value defining the Christian life. Perhaps we will even enjoy and find affirmation in conducting a Christian life of works and experience, buying into the presentation of a worldly atmosphere geared and fine tuned to the needs of the natural man. Although by that choice we might never know there is another new way, never give it a chance to form here on earth in our soul's. It will be a sad day indeed when we discover before God that all which we have done in the flesh, good and bad, have equally no value in the judgement of a Holy God. "That you may be filled with a clear knowledge of His will [to know ourselves identified and living in Christ] accompanied by thorough wisdom and discernment in spiritual things" Col. 1:9.
Friday, October 10, 2014
OUR PERMANENT POSITION
It is a rare gift to understand that your life is wondrous, and that it won't last forever, at least in the form we now occupy. We have faith in the promised gift of eternity: but we are only human, we are here, this is our only practical existence. How can we take the promises we all hope for and cause it to be appreciated, even lived experientially while we are on this earth?
I think of the Lord Jesus, His beauty and the love He contained within Himself for us, His sacrifice for the ones He loved. His obedience in portraying the Grace of the Father is such a wonder. Surely if His example is true, and it applies to us as individuals, He must have also wished for it to impact the way we live our lives in a self volitional way; in light of the fact He gave us the advantage of having the gift of such joyful knowledge of a life in Him, available to us in His Word. "I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" Phil 3:12.
The practical side of such prose as above is hard to reach as a aware existence. Where is the hope then found? If a life in Christ doesn't become practical what good is it? If we are simply carrying on for the good of a improved situation on this earth, history shows this has been a fruitless endeavor. How can the beautiful vision painted in the Bible's Words, us as the children of God, "hid in Christ", bear fruit via a expression of our most inner being? Becoming what we are portrayed to be in it's pages: in our daily earthy lives.
Well the answer is; there is a way, and it's right before our eye's, giving us a total revelation of the living God. The power is in His Word's. This is how life is changed. We by the alive Spirit of Jesus Christ inside of our minds can take advantage of the reflective inner vision of a life given in complete abandon to the Lord Jesus Christ. Knowledge guides with faith as it's anchor. "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection" Phil. 3:10a.
The problem on the way to achieving this nirvana like existence is we come to realize a fact; a large part of that discovery, as a way of life, is found on the down side. How ironic, but it must be a Godly intentional condition. After all He could have made us any way He wished! " And the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death" Phil 3:10b.
John Darby said it like this: "The awakening of the conscience in one who is sincere, never produces in him the accomplishment of righteousness, but on the contrary despair."Oh wretched man that I am!" This thought puts us in a position of asking. "Who shall deliver me?" His ways are so above ours. How can we take the place we are told we have been positioned in Christ Jesus?" Has made us alive together with Christ" Eph. 2:5.
God takes no pleasure in leaving us here in such a wretched condition: but as soon as we acknowledge our state as natural earthly men, without any hope, the Father reveals our perfect deliverance in Christ. " Oh wrenched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death" Rom. 7:24 This is the new position we find in our weakness, by the Spirit in the Fathers mind seen fully in the light of His Son, and from that as our platform for life we may be delivered and bring forth good fruit. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be reveled in us" Rom 8:8
"Alive unto God in Jesus Christ, our lord" Rom. 6:11. Until we come to believe in the fact that our position as Christians is in the risen Lord Jesus Christ we will have no rest during the process of becoming alive to that position. Him becoming our true condition. In other words we must be sure of the Source before growth. " Set you affections [mental attitude] on things above....for you died [old nature on the cross] and your life [new nature in Christ] is hidden with Christ in God" Col. 3:2, 3.
Our standing with the Father is settled, it is perfect, it is eternal. "You were set free [co-crucified with Christ] from the tyranny of sin' Rom 6:18. However our condition or state is imperfect and is always fluctuating. We as Christians are partakers of a new life by Spirit, without sin, as we are considered as in Christ and Him only by the Father. But we go about our physical existence in the old Adam nature, which can only sin. "Sin is in the flesh". Our standing with God however is the new spiritual, not the old natural. We are not in this sinful flesh if in the Spirit of Christ as one born again. "But you are not in the flesh [natural man in God's sight]. but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you [ born again]. Yet if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him" Rom. 8:9. Our freedom from the old condition lies not in function and behavior or experience which is Law: but in mental acquiescence to God's Grace given as an identity, to the new man of faith, who bears the new nature as his very own. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus [our identity is in Him] has made me free from the law of sin and death" Rom. 8:2. We are excepted by God.....complete in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our practical sinful condition can never even touch our spiritual position which is internally secured by Jesus Christ. But it can very seriously affect our fellowship and worship. Our testimony, service and spiritual enjoyment can be very compromised. The carrying about of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in our practical Christian life, is defined and lived by the discovery of our position and identity in Him. This is a spiritual apprehension which defines our eternal life itself. "He shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and fit for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" 2 Tim. 2:21. There are great consequences to be gained in understanding this truth, in the recognition of the new personality and conscience we have inherited, which requires a new mind; changed by God's revelation, to take advantage of the new man we have become in Christ.
The position of the true believer always remains intact, we have complete security and even the most immature Christian is seen as perfect in Christ by the Father, as He wholly represents us. As we become more mature however we can see our condition as both in the sinful man and in the perfection of our Lord. The former condition serves the aware saint as a thorn to prod us to ever seeking identity in Christ. But now we are partakers on the earth of a heavenly position by Spirit and our faith. We may then more fully enjoy the favors of the Father [us represented by the Son] to us in heavenly places. "This I say then, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill [define yourself as a natural man] the lusts of the flesh" Gal. 5:16 Then we may thank Him for the condition we must live under, in the circumstances of the earthly man; as it only serves to enhance the position of love we may rest in; trusting in faith in all that the Father has made us in His Son. "For me to live is Christ" Phil. 1:21.
I think of the Lord Jesus, His beauty and the love He contained within Himself for us, His sacrifice for the ones He loved. His obedience in portraying the Grace of the Father is such a wonder. Surely if His example is true, and it applies to us as individuals, He must have also wished for it to impact the way we live our lives in a self volitional way; in light of the fact He gave us the advantage of having the gift of such joyful knowledge of a life in Him, available to us in His Word. "I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" Phil 3:12.
The practical side of such prose as above is hard to reach as a aware existence. Where is the hope then found? If a life in Christ doesn't become practical what good is it? If we are simply carrying on for the good of a improved situation on this earth, history shows this has been a fruitless endeavor. How can the beautiful vision painted in the Bible's Words, us as the children of God, "hid in Christ", bear fruit via a expression of our most inner being? Becoming what we are portrayed to be in it's pages: in our daily earthy lives.
Well the answer is; there is a way, and it's right before our eye's, giving us a total revelation of the living God. The power is in His Word's. This is how life is changed. We by the alive Spirit of Jesus Christ inside of our minds can take advantage of the reflective inner vision of a life given in complete abandon to the Lord Jesus Christ. Knowledge guides with faith as it's anchor. "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection" Phil. 3:10a.
The problem on the way to achieving this nirvana like existence is we come to realize a fact; a large part of that discovery, as a way of life, is found on the down side. How ironic, but it must be a Godly intentional condition. After all He could have made us any way He wished! " And the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death" Phil 3:10b.
John Darby said it like this: "The awakening of the conscience in one who is sincere, never produces in him the accomplishment of righteousness, but on the contrary despair."Oh wretched man that I am!" This thought puts us in a position of asking. "Who shall deliver me?" His ways are so above ours. How can we take the place we are told we have been positioned in Christ Jesus?" Has made us alive together with Christ" Eph. 2:5.
God takes no pleasure in leaving us here in such a wretched condition: but as soon as we acknowledge our state as natural earthly men, without any hope, the Father reveals our perfect deliverance in Christ. " Oh wrenched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death" Rom. 7:24 This is the new position we find in our weakness, by the Spirit in the Fathers mind seen fully in the light of His Son, and from that as our platform for life we may be delivered and bring forth good fruit. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be reveled in us" Rom 8:8
"Alive unto God in Jesus Christ, our lord" Rom. 6:11. Until we come to believe in the fact that our position as Christians is in the risen Lord Jesus Christ we will have no rest during the process of becoming alive to that position. Him becoming our true condition. In other words we must be sure of the Source before growth. " Set you affections [mental attitude] on things above....for you died [old nature on the cross] and your life [new nature in Christ] is hidden with Christ in God" Col. 3:2, 3.
Our standing with the Father is settled, it is perfect, it is eternal. "You were set free [co-crucified with Christ] from the tyranny of sin' Rom 6:18. However our condition or state is imperfect and is always fluctuating. We as Christians are partakers of a new life by Spirit, without sin, as we are considered as in Christ and Him only by the Father. But we go about our physical existence in the old Adam nature, which can only sin. "Sin is in the flesh". Our standing with God however is the new spiritual, not the old natural. We are not in this sinful flesh if in the Spirit of Christ as one born again. "But you are not in the flesh [natural man in God's sight]. but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you [ born again]. Yet if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him" Rom. 8:9. Our freedom from the old condition lies not in function and behavior or experience which is Law: but in mental acquiescence to God's Grace given as an identity, to the new man of faith, who bears the new nature as his very own. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus [our identity is in Him] has made me free from the law of sin and death" Rom. 8:2. We are excepted by God.....complete in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our practical sinful condition can never even touch our spiritual position which is internally secured by Jesus Christ. But it can very seriously affect our fellowship and worship. Our testimony, service and spiritual enjoyment can be very compromised. The carrying about of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in our practical Christian life, is defined and lived by the discovery of our position and identity in Him. This is a spiritual apprehension which defines our eternal life itself. "He shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and fit for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" 2 Tim. 2:21. There are great consequences to be gained in understanding this truth, in the recognition of the new personality and conscience we have inherited, which requires a new mind; changed by God's revelation, to take advantage of the new man we have become in Christ.
The position of the true believer always remains intact, we have complete security and even the most immature Christian is seen as perfect in Christ by the Father, as He wholly represents us. As we become more mature however we can see our condition as both in the sinful man and in the perfection of our Lord. The former condition serves the aware saint as a thorn to prod us to ever seeking identity in Christ. But now we are partakers on the earth of a heavenly position by Spirit and our faith. We may then more fully enjoy the favors of the Father [us represented by the Son] to us in heavenly places. "This I say then, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill [define yourself as a natural man] the lusts of the flesh" Gal. 5:16 Then we may thank Him for the condition we must live under, in the circumstances of the earthly man; as it only serves to enhance the position of love we may rest in; trusting in faith in all that the Father has made us in His Son. "For me to live is Christ" Phil. 1:21.
Friday, September 26, 2014
THE CONTEMPLATER'S COURSE
Faith is a word often misused and even abused and rarely contemplated, at least as fact. Faith really has no measurable value to the unbeliever, and aside from hope for salvation has little practical worth to the Christian; unless that is of course, he knows his faith to be a fact which may be relied upon for life itself. Few see their Christian faith in this mode.
Our Christian power for the reckoning of eternal life rests not upon a faith which is merely a hope or wished for blessed life in the now, or a relief from what we were. Or even a belief in a soul aware life beyond the grave. No if the bible is truly the Word of God the facts therein will give us the strength we need to discover faiths true power. Which then strengthens us to live a life in Christ awareness; which is eternal in scope, and includes living the now in a active eternal position and reality by faith alone. A new birth to a new dimension, [eternal/heavenly] as entirely new creatures. "But you are not in the flesh [a natural person], but in the Spirit [the mind of Christ in you], if the Spirit of God dwells in you" Rom. 8:9. Which is what a Christian is really called to discover. Albeit it seems quite often he has no strength for the task. "I press forward for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" Phil. 3:14. Just how do we find the faith to be the Christian the Word tells us we can and must be, but can not seem to become, no matter how hard we strive of our own effort?
There has been a virtual plethora of books on how to be the Spirit filled Christian man or women you are meant to be. But how about a book that tells you that you cannot be that person, in and of yourself [self effort] no matter how much you learn or how hard you try; at least within the self centered beings we are on the physical observable/experiential results oriented path most tread. "He [the Spirit] makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" Rom. 8:27. There is such a book. The bible clearly states: what we have become to God has been accomplished completely and exclusivity by His Son. "If Children then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ....if so we suffer with Him, [see/know His death is also our death to the flesh nature] that we may be glorified together [co-Resurrection and ascension]' Rom. 8:17. Our total roll in that action is only to believe by faith this is true and even that faith is a gift given by grace from God. We as natural humans played no part, except to merely exist. And the reward is being a privileged member of the Body of Christ before God in heaven.
So if we accept this truth about ourselves what is our life quest to be? How are we then to feel justified? We as Christians must be seeking by His Spirit, not our efforts feelings and experiences, a faith by which we become more self identifiably a person aware of oneness with God Himself "He in us we in Him". Him living in our conscience in faith backed by the facts of the Word. First we must concede to the fact. He is the Creator and before we were a spark of life he chose to enter His life into our souls consciousness: so we may become self actualized, mentally aware of His presences; making us who we are right now.... a child of God represented by His Son's image. And also inheritors of all that His Son Jesus Christ is to Him, as we are seen for all we can or ever will be to Him, in His Son. We will not learn by any means, to live naturally [performance/behavior] in such a position, we must simply accept it in faith held in knowledge. We must see ourselves as heavenly beings. Feelings, no matter how joyful, as definition do not enter into this equation.
This might be more simply put by saying: the relationship I am to be involved in my Christ life and define my Christianity is to be interpreted like meeting another person and knowing and understanding, immediately and deeply, that this individual belongs in my life, and in fact He is my life, by faith. And then to come to know that the person in this case is Jesus Christ and that by God's design I am to become self aware that my life is found in Him. "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" 1 Cor. 15:49. One will only find this kind of life by the revelation of God in His Word. "That you may be filled with knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" Col. 1:9.
It really does come full circle. Always back to faith; therefore by previous definition, back to the discovery of the facts needed to build the mental image necessary, which can be arrived at only by faith. That new picture of our existence is the ideal and reality of our Christian life. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" 2 Cor. 3:17. How may we accomplish this day by day?
Just as with our creative endeavors in our worldly existence we require a vision for accomplishment, the same is true of our God ordained life in spirit, or you could say our heavenly life. So a vision must be formed in our mind before this new life can be lived. God has purposed in His Word to show us the way. "That I may know Him" Phil. 3:10.
The reality and vision available to us is God's, and He is full of all possibilities, His Spirit will guide. What enhances our view and vision and makes Christianity stand out for us is that reality/vision is written down in the bible. "Without a vision my people perish". The Word explains our existence and draws a picture of who we are and will become. Then why is it so difficult to live this way? Or worse; why do so many seem not to try, or even want to know? The answer is lack of knowledge on one hand, but the real culprit holding us back from the Christ life is our self. 'Walk in [dependence upon] the Spirit. and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the [self] flesh" Gal. 5:16. Remember the flesh is a person [old Adam] to be overcome by the Spirit of God in us, as the new Adam which we are in Christ, by faith.
I ran across a million dollar word for this condition "solipsism".....a egocentric view of life where reality is defined as a individuals own mental perception and constructs. This word perfectly describes the condition of man in the old nature or the natural human. The condition Christ died unto [out of the realm of], expressly for the Father, that He [the Father] might now view us anew in Him [Jesus Christ] the representative Resurrected New Man. He died unto what we were and are in the flesh, [egocentric] and now He lives in heaven to what we have and may become by faith as seen in God's ideal Man. We were given a new creation life in spirit [The Christ mind transferred to us]; a eternal living spirit. A life which is spelled out in the Word, which we may approach and live only by faith in the facts of that Word. "Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" 1 Pet. 5:6.
This faith life is a supernatural life, not works or experiences. It is well defined by another valuable word's description; sedulously....preserving under constant effort. That effort consistently being necessary because we live on this earth in the flesh [natural sinful] condition, which proposes that most of our faith effort to be self centered. We trust Him for this or that and believe as best we can, we will receive. That is not the faith the father seeks in the mature saint. The faith the Father has provided for us by His Spirit is one which has been first acquired in a mental image [vision] of the position we have been identified in the Lord Jesus. "God has raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:6. Not in a hoped for blessing for our personal enjoyment. No our constant effort must be in the cultivating of a admiration for the Lord and the supernatural biblical fact we are contained within Him. " Complete every activity of your faith, so that the Name of our Lord Jesus might be glorified in you" 2 Thess. 1:11. He is not a figure to be placed upon the alter and be seen from afar: but we become by this new-found supernatural faith appropriators of His presence before the Father and see His life as ours. We are His and He is ours.We are irrevocably amalgamated together "made complete in Him" Our presences is nothing less that His place. " Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He has consecrated for us, through the veil" Heb. 10:19,20. By knowing the Word, we see this truth, admire it, desire it, enjoy it and therefore by faith may receive it as vision and reality.
This faith truth can only be a realized life by the fundamental knowledge of the positional death of our old Adam nature. Then we may rest in the contemplation of the course of the New Adam the Father has chosen for His children. Jesus Christ will then become our life. Could any Christian wish for more?
Our Christian power for the reckoning of eternal life rests not upon a faith which is merely a hope or wished for blessed life in the now, or a relief from what we were. Or even a belief in a soul aware life beyond the grave. No if the bible is truly the Word of God the facts therein will give us the strength we need to discover faiths true power. Which then strengthens us to live a life in Christ awareness; which is eternal in scope, and includes living the now in a active eternal position and reality by faith alone. A new birth to a new dimension, [eternal/heavenly] as entirely new creatures. "But you are not in the flesh [a natural person], but in the Spirit [the mind of Christ in you], if the Spirit of God dwells in you" Rom. 8:9. Which is what a Christian is really called to discover. Albeit it seems quite often he has no strength for the task. "I press forward for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" Phil. 3:14. Just how do we find the faith to be the Christian the Word tells us we can and must be, but can not seem to become, no matter how hard we strive of our own effort?
There has been a virtual plethora of books on how to be the Spirit filled Christian man or women you are meant to be. But how about a book that tells you that you cannot be that person, in and of yourself [self effort] no matter how much you learn or how hard you try; at least within the self centered beings we are on the physical observable/experiential results oriented path most tread. "He [the Spirit] makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" Rom. 8:27. There is such a book. The bible clearly states: what we have become to God has been accomplished completely and exclusivity by His Son. "If Children then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ....if so we suffer with Him, [see/know His death is also our death to the flesh nature] that we may be glorified together [co-Resurrection and ascension]' Rom. 8:17. Our total roll in that action is only to believe by faith this is true and even that faith is a gift given by grace from God. We as natural humans played no part, except to merely exist. And the reward is being a privileged member of the Body of Christ before God in heaven.
So if we accept this truth about ourselves what is our life quest to be? How are we then to feel justified? We as Christians must be seeking by His Spirit, not our efforts feelings and experiences, a faith by which we become more self identifiably a person aware of oneness with God Himself "He in us we in Him". Him living in our conscience in faith backed by the facts of the Word. First we must concede to the fact. He is the Creator and before we were a spark of life he chose to enter His life into our souls consciousness: so we may become self actualized, mentally aware of His presences; making us who we are right now.... a child of God represented by His Son's image. And also inheritors of all that His Son Jesus Christ is to Him, as we are seen for all we can or ever will be to Him, in His Son. We will not learn by any means, to live naturally [performance/behavior] in such a position, we must simply accept it in faith held in knowledge. We must see ourselves as heavenly beings. Feelings, no matter how joyful, as definition do not enter into this equation.
This might be more simply put by saying: the relationship I am to be involved in my Christ life and define my Christianity is to be interpreted like meeting another person and knowing and understanding, immediately and deeply, that this individual belongs in my life, and in fact He is my life, by faith. And then to come to know that the person in this case is Jesus Christ and that by God's design I am to become self aware that my life is found in Him. "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" 1 Cor. 15:49. One will only find this kind of life by the revelation of God in His Word. "That you may be filled with knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" Col. 1:9.
It really does come full circle. Always back to faith; therefore by previous definition, back to the discovery of the facts needed to build the mental image necessary, which can be arrived at only by faith. That new picture of our existence is the ideal and reality of our Christian life. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" 2 Cor. 3:17. How may we accomplish this day by day?
Just as with our creative endeavors in our worldly existence we require a vision for accomplishment, the same is true of our God ordained life in spirit, or you could say our heavenly life. So a vision must be formed in our mind before this new life can be lived. God has purposed in His Word to show us the way. "That I may know Him" Phil. 3:10.
The reality and vision available to us is God's, and He is full of all possibilities, His Spirit will guide. What enhances our view and vision and makes Christianity stand out for us is that reality/vision is written down in the bible. "Without a vision my people perish". The Word explains our existence and draws a picture of who we are and will become. Then why is it so difficult to live this way? Or worse; why do so many seem not to try, or even want to know? The answer is lack of knowledge on one hand, but the real culprit holding us back from the Christ life is our self. 'Walk in [dependence upon] the Spirit. and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the [self] flesh" Gal. 5:16. Remember the flesh is a person [old Adam] to be overcome by the Spirit of God in us, as the new Adam which we are in Christ, by faith.
I ran across a million dollar word for this condition "solipsism".....a egocentric view of life where reality is defined as a individuals own mental perception and constructs. This word perfectly describes the condition of man in the old nature or the natural human. The condition Christ died unto [out of the realm of], expressly for the Father, that He [the Father] might now view us anew in Him [Jesus Christ] the representative Resurrected New Man. He died unto what we were and are in the flesh, [egocentric] and now He lives in heaven to what we have and may become by faith as seen in God's ideal Man. We were given a new creation life in spirit [The Christ mind transferred to us]; a eternal living spirit. A life which is spelled out in the Word, which we may approach and live only by faith in the facts of that Word. "Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" 1 Pet. 5:6.
This faith life is a supernatural life, not works or experiences. It is well defined by another valuable word's description; sedulously....preserving under constant effort. That effort consistently being necessary because we live on this earth in the flesh [natural sinful] condition, which proposes that most of our faith effort to be self centered. We trust Him for this or that and believe as best we can, we will receive. That is not the faith the father seeks in the mature saint. The faith the Father has provided for us by His Spirit is one which has been first acquired in a mental image [vision] of the position we have been identified in the Lord Jesus. "God has raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:6. Not in a hoped for blessing for our personal enjoyment. No our constant effort must be in the cultivating of a admiration for the Lord and the supernatural biblical fact we are contained within Him. " Complete every activity of your faith, so that the Name of our Lord Jesus might be glorified in you" 2 Thess. 1:11. He is not a figure to be placed upon the alter and be seen from afar: but we become by this new-found supernatural faith appropriators of His presence before the Father and see His life as ours. We are His and He is ours.We are irrevocably amalgamated together "made complete in Him" Our presences is nothing less that His place. " Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He has consecrated for us, through the veil" Heb. 10:19,20. By knowing the Word, we see this truth, admire it, desire it, enjoy it and therefore by faith may receive it as vision and reality.
This faith truth can only be a realized life by the fundamental knowledge of the positional death of our old Adam nature. Then we may rest in the contemplation of the course of the New Adam the Father has chosen for His children. Jesus Christ will then become our life. Could any Christian wish for more?
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