What our God who is Spirit wishes for us; that which we may only discover by a knowledgeable spiritual intelligence, and a knowing of the self centered nature we possess which opposes Him, is of supreme importance to the advance of the Christian life. Namely we must find and know our biblical described new creation position and identification, or how we are seen by Him. This biblical spiritual reality of our new status should perhaps be on the forefront of our Christian mind. His Word says quite plainly that "what a man thinks he becomes" Prov. 23:7. He does of course wants us to become in a full awareness what he has made us to be [2 Cor. 5:17]. But just what is that and how does that work? Thinking to become our destiny and not simply being satisfied with what we are.
Being is simply to exist, a bug just is. So thinking must come first. But wait a minute if thinking forms the product of a self aware or conscious God inherited valued being then it is very important that we think on only a actual true truth to be what we really are! And there can be just one true truth! Therefore, in the case of our Christian life, which is encompassed in a spiritual life and not a life only of gratefulness and works. A life contained in thought, not just service or a determined loyalty. "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ". Rom. 8:9
Christianity is a immaterial manifestation, therefore of the thought process. Walk [live out your new creations self perception] not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" Rom 8:4. Which as such; for the living of His new creation by our spirit actively, it is all important that thinking be restricted to a true meaning [Rom. 8:7]. A meaning which promotes spiritual growth, which forms in us to a godly maturity. After all there is and can be only one true meaning in His plan for us. And for the Christian that means and can only mean, we must think God's thoughts, never ours [1 Cor. 2:6-16]. For our own intuitions and thoughts are always convoluted by our very nature. "There is a way that seems right to men but the end thereof is death". So then what does He mean for us to be?
Our natural defining thoughts centered in the natural world of touch, emotions and feelings are simply the suppositions of that which we think is right by a perception or worse a observation. They are temporary being thoughts at best. All relative to what is the most amiable for our experience, what feels right. These are really thoughts made in our imagination in that they are not of eternal value toward God. Especially so if we do not have Gods biblical truth concerning ourselves upon our mind. As we are in Adams image or condition as to physical life and natural thought upon the earth. Limited to the natural when self evaluated in the natural mind. We are ruled by our flesh thoughts if left to our own devises. All requiring self volition, which was placed upon mankind by his own actions.
Volition a curse for the earth dweller forever. As we must make our own way. A way which is and must be self centered for survival just as directed by the natural. This process always includes suffering as well. Making our own way upon the earth the hard way. For Adam to act within his own supposition's he must by the natural law principals within function in a imagination condition, placing his own value upon things not godly and eternal, of the earth. Producing what too often is simply deduced to be God's wishes. This includes our thoughts of ourselves and our Christianity when taken outside of a known biblical explanation of true spirituality or "what is written". So for true life our mind must be renewed by His Word. For He has His own thoughts of us which we are to perceive only by faith, in that which is written regarding our new creation in Christ life. This kind of faith is our responsibility to grow into, not a gift like salvation. Thus when action is taken toward a faith experience based upon His Word we are feeding spiritual growth and living in Him, trusting Him for all else which is to be added. "You were set free from the tyranny of sin" Rom. 6:18.
His are pure eternal thoughts, non-physical immaterial in their emanation from a perfect source. Which by His will and grace has established our newly formed inner man in His mind. This new man by His will is to be know in our own souls and mind as well. But only and exclusively by faith in His Words regarding what He sees in the heavenly view of His Son. This is not our perception but His. "Without faith it is impossible to please God". Leading us in a new perception, as individuals, to a new gospel, a heavenly spiritual life and Church made up of those identified in Christ in God's estimation, His Mind not ours. Just as taught in "Paul's Gospel". A new spiritual individual existence for all who believe is now available. We made into the new creation as spirit from before time for His acceptance alone. No longer is or can the old Adam natural self-centered supposition mind be in fellowship in any way with Him. "Let this [Christ's] same disposition [mind] be in you which is in Christ Jesus" " For as much then as Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourself likewise [see yourself in the very same way as God sees His Son] with the same mind. Phil2:5. 1Pet 4:1.
The mind which Adam so enjoyed formerly in the garden one of oneness with God is no longer available for those who exist in Adams inheritance as we all do. Which is our lot, except for our Spirit guided effort towards faith in a intelligence [discernment] of spirit. Based upon our individual biblical discovery. Our true life only known in spirit by faith in what God has said of us in our transference to His Son. His exclusive view, never ours. Our identification in Christ. "Let this mind be in you". "Put on the new man" Eph. 4:24.
Now with a new enlightened faith and a Word renewed mind can His new creation thought of us prevail for living life. We placed in His presence in His Son's perfection so as to enable His perfect view toward us forever. He has given us a new life by His grace and favor, the old has been proven a failure and for Him is dead. We are truly new men before Him! All of the Grace we receive is found exclusively in His love for His Son and made available to us in transference by that same grace by His will. All His Love given to us. His thoughts of His Son then applied to us in the Spirit. Co-mingling His mind and ours, as to our new creation place with Him in glory. That we might receive a new meaning and identification taking our position in glory with Him in and by faith but only in our mental perception. And then and only then may we live daily as such. This great gift of the very thoughts He has of His Son being applied to us are all based in our minds understanding. Never in our Church service or personal convictions. Founded upon knowledge of the Word. Lived and experienced by the reality of biblical Faith. Seen in truth only upon studying, resting and relying upon His Word to know who we are in Christ!
Our own selfish personal thoughts as to our status before Him, creating a need to serve Him by earthly accomplishment, are biblical referred to as Adam's thoughts [1 Cor. 2:14] and are discounted and valueless, coming from sin and death. Because they are formed in our old Adam or sin personality. God's are the thoughts we now may think anew, transferred to us in mind by His Word. Within which He evaluates His Son as His total satisfaction toward us. All this found as we contemplate His Word.
There could be no form of higher love than His for His Son. His literal thoughts have been recorded in the Word for the specific purpose that we might think them and thereby become conformed to the image of His Son, not by action but in total trust, received by grace. So thinking is everything as to meaning and therefore the being we are in God's sight. But never in the context of our natural supposition's tendency to merge with our old pre-cross condition; always a self-centered personality we usually adopt by imitation and imagination. "The carnal [natural suppositions] mind is the enemy of God" Rom. 8:7.
The great interference to the process of God transferring His thoughts to our mind, for the born again believer is listing to others. The bible is clear we need nothing more than the Word and His Spirit. "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord" 1 Cor. 1:9. Yes biblical scholarly bible talks and exegesis [explanation] can be a great help, and there are many trustworthy sources. However we must have a firm basis for the understanding of our own true spiritual standing as seen in concert with Him as God views us Himself, firmly at the depth of our own self evaluation as our status before Him. Furnished to us individually and privately by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore we should always question our own personal motivations and the influence of others actions as whether they might be under the natural mans influences.
The total meaning of Paul's ministry was to that end for clarification; him God's only clear purposeful voice toward the Church. Revealing it a spiritual and heavenly enterprise; never attached to the earth, or this world system and never to Adam's thoughts or imaginations. "Put away as concerning you former manner of life the old man" Eph.4:22. Gods voice in Paul for the believer. That we might fellowship with the Father forever in Spirit. His Word as spoken by Paul are all patterned contextually for the individual private establishment of our own vessel containing His Godly truth in regards to who we are to Him as heavenly spiritual beings. "God has raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places Eph. 2:6. The establishment of a new creature where He is. You might call this holding a spiritual truth in our individual mortal bodies [thoughts, mind] first before any value or outward expression in service may be performed or any true meaning found. "That He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He has afore [before time] prepared unto glory" Rom. 9:23. Yes there is a future transfiguration for us, but we only have now to live a true internal Christianity in this place.
For the Christian as to any Godly value contained in the mortal body can only mean the mind, the immaterial, like our God. But it is only through faith that He in fact has established a way for our becoming conformed to His Son in our immaterial thoughts and that is our responsibility to maintain . No never reasoning or intellectualism and certainly not works will due! However for man to know this new life requires a alteration of the conscience of the Adam mind or soul as we call it. So true thoughts necessitates true thinking and thinking creates being by God's design. A god like creative quality we and all of mankind by His will may pursue. We Christians all created in His image are carrying that capacity exclusively in our new creation minds. Unfortunately for Adam only need will trigger it's formation.
Hold on there you say. Just what does that mean? What we think about can create a certain being? We are not God. Yes true, so we must evaluate ourselves in a changed mind to gain His power to enter the personality of His new man creation. We are not to think in our Adam being conscience any longer as to our relationship in Him. As no good can come from Adam's thoughts or the natural man we are contained in. He has in fact attempted to circumvent God, it is his nature as he is always under "the law of sin and death" as a Adam man apart from Christ's life. It is only God's thoughts as to our newly defined heavenly presence, identified in Christ which we must allow as a true definition of our Christianity. But How? "Walk [in dependence] in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts [natural thoughts] of the flesh
By our mind becoming changed exclusively by the Spirit that's how. Simply to believe is not enough. Simply to be active and moral will never due....even a godly biblical faith when misdirected or poorly understood will hold us in limitation. If you wish to be all that God has made you to be in thought then you must have knowledge. But specific knowledge. That's why others thoughts are often a barrier to our minds perceiving who we are in the satisfaction God finds in His Son toward us. "For we walk [in dependence] by faith [a reality from God] and NOT by sight [our own ideas] 2 Cor. 5:7
Many thoughts we hold on to as having true value are really imagined or Adamic. How so? They are like borders, money/economics, culture and religion; believed to hold importance, or of real worth toward God because they have become codified into traditions and laws. Think about that for a second! We Christians have people in leadership, mere men telling us how to be included in or make a real Christianity, with good intent of course. For instance I was told by one Christian group, and they are Christians, that if we say "O Lord Jesus" two are three times with great enthusiasm His Spirit would and must take action in us. That we as individuals must form a corporate union exclusively bonding together in a specific exclusive group following a certain order before finely and ultimately reaching a god-man status in awareness thus encouraging Jesus to return. Then this group would be the only to have any hope to reign as co-kings with Him, all on the earth, of course. Only a Adam mans thoughts could assume such thoughts are true and will produce God's will in man. As always attachment to the earth is encouraged, even coveted by the Adam man as many Christians prove. Why? Because that is our natural condition? But should not we be looking for His way? "That you faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" 1 Cor. 2:5.
Or the most common Adam mind misdirection diversion; the focusing in on current events and translating them as applying to ancient end times prophecies. Thus creating a emotional earthly response. Many individuals Christians and some churches carry collectively this burden of codified Adam man imaginations, as a sort of doctrine, inflating ego, fanning the flame of emotionalism and often used as a justification for a self centered indignation. Then there is world or community improvement, one of the most egregious of the examples posing as gospel directed must do for the Christian. Strictly a Adam invention to show Christianity's form for all to judge. Not bad things perhaps but all are placing our Christianity upon the earth trusting in the behavior of men. Instead we are to; "Stand fast in the liberty [spiritual identification in Christ] wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage [the law, tradition's, works, things of the natural world] " Gal 5:1.
However there is a object which must become transformed into a mental image and prominent in our mind's before we can truly change our thoughts. Become who we are in His new creation. Until we recognize this object mentally/spiritually, in a private and individual way and then diligently seek knowledge of it, it will remain elusive. Until then we will simply remain largely in a aware state of self activity operating in a imagined reality thinking it the best Christian life which we can accomplish usually what others have told us to do. Often really what others have exemplified and we have followed. This kind of thinking has no value toward gaining God as our object. He is not glorified by this behavior, we are. A true godly fellowship within in our inner man with our creator is what we must seek. His very purpose for us.
The object we must internalize to realize this new life is of course Christ Jesus as to our defining thought. In whom God made us to be inclusive in Spirit and can be entered into only by faith, as to living His life as actually ours. A true Godly effort shown by faith alone. And thus made real in our mind, all else is to follow! This is God's design for His children. The only one in which He may be honored in Christian action and the only way within which we can live as a true "biblical" Christian; by a new heavenly perception and thought of ourselves, resulting in a Godly spiritual experience. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" Rom. 8:2.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND
The amazing thing about our God is that He lives His Life through us despite our very sin nature. Faith says He uses His Grace to conduct His life and love thru us by extending Himself Spiritualty in the allowance of using our sin and sin's to further the forming of we His children into His Son's image. All without His hand in any way touching sin which is simply a impossibility anyway. All of this foreordained by God for Himself that He might insure our observation of His Sons life as we look upon our own. Of course this kind of life can only be found in a state of mind by faith.
Are we to believe that that is true? We'll at this point I simply have no other choice as His life is becoming my state of mind, so that's good enough for me. Which makes constant growth of vital importance to maintain it clearly, I've found. That's why I write this blog. I wish to always clarify my understanding so I put it in writing. Which forces me to contemplate God's Word. And by my sending it out I am held hostage to some accountability. Of course I take great license there, as do all writers.
I used I so many times in the last paragraph that He is now showing me that it is not I but He that is life and I want in only His. The only problem is the more I gain understanding the more I see that we are truly aliens in a foreign land. We are trapped in the accouterments of the flesh or the natural element, which favors sin, as well as being instilled with the motives of the world system.
It's actually very reassuring to look at my sin and see it for what it is. A condition I must contend with yet I am reassured in the knowledge from His Word I can live above that condition by resting in God's Grace; knowing He is making use of my very sin for His ultimate Glory. Which I am well assured is true by simply reading His Word.
Now the pleasure is all mine to live it; as joy is often my experience these days. There is no need to dwell on the negative or the world condition, even my feelings, as His will be done and all for one purpose. That I might know Christ as life. So I have security that my person hood and path is only leading toward more integration of my soul's understanding with the beauty of His Love. Again all remaining in reassurance of this is maintained by reading His Word, never works or emotions.
Peter said of the Christian that; "we are a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people". But for what purpose did God make us that way? "That we should show forth the praises of Him who called you into such a marvelous light" 1 Pet. 2:9. The Word also says; we are sojourners, pilgrims and that the earth is a alien place for us. It seems the Christian life is not merely a converted life or even a consecrated one, but it is actually Christ Jesus' life we are living. This is the unstoppable all consuming desire of Christ to live His very life through us. And He does! Welcome to the neighborhood stranger!
Are we to believe that that is true? We'll at this point I simply have no other choice as His life is becoming my state of mind, so that's good enough for me. Which makes constant growth of vital importance to maintain it clearly, I've found. That's why I write this blog. I wish to always clarify my understanding so I put it in writing. Which forces me to contemplate God's Word. And by my sending it out I am held hostage to some accountability. Of course I take great license there, as do all writers.
I used I so many times in the last paragraph that He is now showing me that it is not I but He that is life and I want in only His. The only problem is the more I gain understanding the more I see that we are truly aliens in a foreign land. We are trapped in the accouterments of the flesh or the natural element, which favors sin, as well as being instilled with the motives of the world system.
It's actually very reassuring to look at my sin and see it for what it is. A condition I must contend with yet I am reassured in the knowledge from His Word I can live above that condition by resting in God's Grace; knowing He is making use of my very sin for His ultimate Glory. Which I am well assured is true by simply reading His Word.
Now the pleasure is all mine to live it; as joy is often my experience these days. There is no need to dwell on the negative or the world condition, even my feelings, as His will be done and all for one purpose. That I might know Christ as life. So I have security that my person hood and path is only leading toward more integration of my soul's understanding with the beauty of His Love. Again all remaining in reassurance of this is maintained by reading His Word, never works or emotions.
Peter said of the Christian that; "we are a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people". But for what purpose did God make us that way? "That we should show forth the praises of Him who called you into such a marvelous light" 1 Pet. 2:9. The Word also says; we are sojourners, pilgrims and that the earth is a alien place for us. It seems the Christian life is not merely a converted life or even a consecrated one, but it is actually Christ Jesus' life we are living. This is the unstoppable all consuming desire of Christ to live His very life through us. And He does! Welcome to the neighborhood stranger!
Thursday, March 10, 2016
THE CLEAR TRUTH
The investment we have in the future requires us to think into the maze. As natural men we must survive and find meaning; this is our condition in a material world. So we evolved into a story, we paint a picture. We tell ourselves this is my truth. No the truth, you may honestly say. I have something outside of my own circumstances I may rely upon. Many define this invisible force as God.
So just who is this God? We as Adam's men, men drawn into certain circumstances, must filter this true God from the vantage point as seen in the kaleidoscope of our natural minds. With that in mind God saw fit to, by His grace, bestow upon us His very Word's. A actual description of all He is, and what we are in His sight and what we became exclusively in His minds eye; through the very person of His Son. If this description or something like it is not a aware part of your Christian personality and open expression you have lost or never had a important communication channel with the living God.
How can we know this to be true, that is His word? Is it only by faith? The answers no. First knowledge must grow within and we all know where that comes from; "by hearing the Word of God"..... this effort produces inwardly the Godly reality of faith! Yes but what does that mean? How do we define it? First we must develop a language we come to understand, we come to rely upon a certain learned world view, a perception of meaning. All honed and influenced by the life surrounding us. What we read, who we know and all other social exposure for that matter. In other words we are shaped as to thought and meaning by our exposure to a certain inviourment.
This is called a Hermeneutic or the minds understanding that makes sense of a given truths presentation or any presentation for that matter. Based upon our becoming convinced, rightly or wrongly. This new or usually gradually learned exposure casts a shadow of meaning to a subject. Hence your Hermeneutic! Now my friends according to God's Word you are living here in growing realization that it is indeed Jesus Christ Himself who is living through you. If this is not a part of your Christian experience at least in hope, then the world has overtaken your self perception and you simply have no chance of a righteous or true hermeneutic!
So the choice is yours. Will you bother to develop a reliable Godly Hermeneutic? Which God will supply as you study His Word. Just as He has all other things pertaining to life. So that you may honor God and enjoy His blessings, carrying on His Sons life on earth. Or perhaps you have a hermeneutic garnered from listing to others and simply repeating their behaviors, [as most] in which case you may be in great need to be responsible enough and also brave enough to challenge it as a individual. You could be stuck awhile if you are immersed in a Christian like works sect busily preparing themselves for Christ's return, or merged in mind with the worlds affairs.
At any rate few will read this and be convicted to search the scriptures on their own I fear. While I still have great hope; yet I can not but help having doubt few will take it to heart by my urging. So Ill leave you with this, God's own Words on the subject: "According as His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. [HOW?] through the KNOWLEDGE of Him that has called us to glory and virtue 2 Pet. 1:3.
So just who is this God? We as Adam's men, men drawn into certain circumstances, must filter this true God from the vantage point as seen in the kaleidoscope of our natural minds. With that in mind God saw fit to, by His grace, bestow upon us His very Word's. A actual description of all He is, and what we are in His sight and what we became exclusively in His minds eye; through the very person of His Son. If this description or something like it is not a aware part of your Christian personality and open expression you have lost or never had a important communication channel with the living God.
How can we know this to be true, that is His word? Is it only by faith? The answers no. First knowledge must grow within and we all know where that comes from; "by hearing the Word of God"..... this effort produces inwardly the Godly reality of faith! Yes but what does that mean? How do we define it? First we must develop a language we come to understand, we come to rely upon a certain learned world view, a perception of meaning. All honed and influenced by the life surrounding us. What we read, who we know and all other social exposure for that matter. In other words we are shaped as to thought and meaning by our exposure to a certain inviourment.
This is called a Hermeneutic or the minds understanding that makes sense of a given truths presentation or any presentation for that matter. Based upon our becoming convinced, rightly or wrongly. This new or usually gradually learned exposure casts a shadow of meaning to a subject. Hence your Hermeneutic! Now my friends according to God's Word you are living here in growing realization that it is indeed Jesus Christ Himself who is living through you. If this is not a part of your Christian experience at least in hope, then the world has overtaken your self perception and you simply have no chance of a righteous or true hermeneutic!
So the choice is yours. Will you bother to develop a reliable Godly Hermeneutic? Which God will supply as you study His Word. Just as He has all other things pertaining to life. So that you may honor God and enjoy His blessings, carrying on His Sons life on earth. Or perhaps you have a hermeneutic garnered from listing to others and simply repeating their behaviors, [as most] in which case you may be in great need to be responsible enough and also brave enough to challenge it as a individual. You could be stuck awhile if you are immersed in a Christian like works sect busily preparing themselves for Christ's return, or merged in mind with the worlds affairs.
At any rate few will read this and be convicted to search the scriptures on their own I fear. While I still have great hope; yet I can not but help having doubt few will take it to heart by my urging. So Ill leave you with this, God's own Words on the subject: "According as His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. [HOW?] through the KNOWLEDGE of Him that has called us to glory and virtue 2 Pet. 1:3.
her·me·neu·tics
ˌhərməˈn(y)o͞odiks/
noun
Sunday, March 6, 2016
GIVE ME LIBERTY
There is something that has proven very allusive in the lives of the average Christian and that is a awareness and a experience of true biblical spiritual liberty, "The law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus"; a Godly biblical irrevocable principal which has been applied to all true Christians from before time began.
Liberty in secular terms is defined as; the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The power and scope to do as one pleases.
Perhaps it would be worth our consideration that we as Christians might be suffering a loss of our "spiritual liberty" imposed upon us from within our own nature? How so ? By the oppression of the Law and the flesh. This may be seen clearly; if one begins to judge His inner man or the "new creation" we are as that of one being identified within his minds self perception; as having adopted the biblical contextual explanation of his Christianity: as one who sees and understands himself as found in the Fathers eyes, as to being seen in Christ, viewed by God as heavenly. Or, if you will, His mind's appraisal of us; we held in the same exact esteem He has for His Son who is there beside Him. "Brethren you are called into liberty" Gal 5:13. Paul added, "It is not liberty for the occasion of the flesh".
If the flesh, is our mental posture [little or no knowledge of our identification in Him] one cannot see clearly the law and the flesh attempting to rule. In other words we happily engage the flesh and the law. Ask yourself which man you choose the new creation of God's mind and His Word, or the old of Adam of sin law and the flesh. Then ask yourself on what ground you choose. If the answer is vague perhaps you have some work to do. "For me to live is Christ" Phil 1:21.
Are we even aware of our loss of so great a benefit, whose absence in awareness is instigated by our very nature, the preponderance to perform well? Can we see clearly in the eye of our faith by knowledge the grace and freedom we have been provided by God's gift of our being placed and identified within His Son "Hid in Christ" as life, where He lives by Grace through us even in our unawareness?
The above definition of liberty is of course the secular meaning of the word. But have we become numb to liberty's absence in our spiritual life by not knowing our preexisted/predestined heavenly [spiritual] condition as new creatures "hid in Christ", as proven in this world by a life consisting of faith resting in those facts? This absence of a clear understanding of our actual status our very identification before God results in a Christians catastrophic loss of freedom..... as the natural default is to the effort of the flesh. Just as true liberty has been sequestered in the secular realm we also suffer liberty's loss not only to our normal daily Adam flesh natural life but in the spiritual life as well. Really few have liberty in either.
We find ourselves "in the natural" restricted on all sides by a oppressive government, a constant war machine. We are forced to support it financially and then are propagandized into declaring all who partake in death dealing as heroes. We bow down to a bankrupt and corrupt banking/monetary system stealing our prosperity and economic freedom slowly but surely. We tolerate our business and work place being hampered on all sides by excessive laws and taxes. As well as accepting as inevitable a breakdown in family unity prompted by a secular worldly media bombardment shaping our world view, which we often gleefully participate in, and on and on it goes. All of this is so obvious and is simply the Adam mans natural produce. But in our spiritual existence, the weight of self servitude and oppressive restrictions is however made more subtle.
For just as in our secular lives we have been furnished with bread and circus for a diversion there is a wall of comfort surrounding us that is restricting a clear biblical guided spiritual life. Shown by the accepted traditions surrounding us with good intent, which often serve to divert true spiritual liberty. This includes satisfaction in our moral behavior as a marker of Christianity; observances, ordinances, stimulation of the senses by entertainment and overt charismatic physical expressions evoking emotions. Countless sermons on how to feel better and serve God in our Adam sinful personality. All of which we often mistakenly define as something godly or spiritual, something of good repute, perhaps like Jesus would do we might suppose, making the self effort God's message. "But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you" 2 Thess. 3:3.
Where then may we find this elusive power liberty which we all should be longing for? In our daily physical life there is little one can do, even isolation cannot escape the tyranny we all face in the deceivers world system. Alone we are simply left with our selfish natural personality; all Satan's design for the Adam man, his sinful condition. Where is the hope then for true Godly joy and freedom found?
Give me liberty or give me death was the cry of our secular founding father Patrick Henry seeking secular freedom. Ironically for the Christian "new creation" its death that provides the path to spiritual freedom! "Knowing this that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should no longer serve sin" Rom. 6:6. So if we died with Him we are indeed free, for a dead man cannot sin. But do we really believe that "by faith's application"? My last blog dealt with this truth you might what to re-read it.
As we form Christ's death in our mind as faith's true reality toward us, not only as a substitutionary death, leaving us remaining in thought of ourselves as men in the the Adam condition. But now by His Word we may begin to form and experience the liberty of our death as a representative subjective experience us acquiring the actual new[Christ's] or second Adam Man's personality brought into our mind by His Spirit. By a secured knowledgeable faith in our co-death with Him. A death He provided in substitution yes, but just for the purpose that we might gain His identification before the Father in subjectivity as to His very life. So why is this, a firm biblical concept, taught without exception by Paul so elusive in our understanding? "For you died and your life is hidden with Christ [realized in active identification] in God" Col. 3:3.
Most Christians have a very cloudy understanding of Christian liberty as presented in full context by only Paul in his sharing God's voice. We limit our growth for lack of knowledge. We all should know we have a right standing before God in His Son called, justification [position]. In other words we are saved; but most stop there. " So then let us once and for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ... and continue progressing; toward maturity" Heb. 6:1. God urges us forward.
We unfortunately have a very low standard for growth because the institutional churches we attend teach on the basis of our position and therefore the responsibility for growth is ours. But no man will ever seek the Christ identification from his Adam dulled mind even knowing his position in Christ. Which remains in the forefront when only position or the relief of salvation is relied upon. But when it is known that God's standard for us is His Son, that our true spiritual life and liberty is found only in Him by faith's exercise; then all expectation of maturity leading to growth resulting in liberty is placed in God's hands, not ours. "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:10. So simple trust in His Word opens the door. But we must know it to enter! "But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" Gal. 6:14.
God has not left us to our old man. We suppose, when left to our own devices, that God's grace allows for our involvement in the world, the inclinations of our nature. But there is evil there and God will have no involvement and makes no allowances. He has put that all aside forever in our transfer into His Sons death, thereby gaining His Resurrected life for Himself and applying it to us. "For it is God which works in us both to will and do His good pleasure" Phil. 2:13.
We now have a new nature for His use, the old man is not subject to it or in any way a part of it! The new creation we are in His Son has another object all together, and it is another power that acts upon our consciousness and re-frames our very conscience being, in order to produce what is lovely and free. His Son is the only one acceptable. The Lord Jesus is the Father's only object. His ministry in this world is now entirely through and by the Holy Spirit who lives Christ's life through us and Who can and must only glorify the Son, 2 Cor. 3.
It is our work only to be available, by living in a faith, that all that we are as to something eternal, is found in The Lord Christ Jesus. He the image in God's mind which forms us in His sight. "For you have not come to a material object, all ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and storm and trumpet-blast and the sound of words" Heb. 12:18. In other words it is Spirit and faith we come to, not laws and actions as a defining quality. By our works going forward resting in faith, from a mind centered upon His identification, as our level of personal evaluation, we truly may live out His life, in action and experience. "For we worship God in Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flesh" Phil. 3:3.
Our problem is we naturally seek to attain, but do not rest in faith to obtain. As long as we perceive that our Christianity's blessings and function is dependent in any way upon ourselves as to Adam nature derived works, or behavior we miss the mark. Or even our allegiance to a church group, Or a way of life among people we find comfort with often only serves to keep us simply performing Christianity.
While these are not bad things still we are in these efforts trying to improve sinful mans condition. Therefore we have missed God's liberty. We seem to think that everything depends upon our diligence, but the Word says "the just shall live by faith"..... And thus liberty is explained. But without our identification being solely in Christ Jesus in His Death Resurrection and Ascension, in Whom we are not only positioned but must learn to become identified subjectively, in a conscious faith awareness that we live within Him. And thereby God is fellowshipping with us and including us spiritually "Hid in Christ" as taught by His Word. Will our liberty given by Grace always remain elusive? The answer is no it cannot be; "For He has given us a 'Spirit of liberty". "So now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death" Phil. 1:20. This was Paul's declaration. Shall we cry out with him, give me liberty!
Liberty in secular terms is defined as; the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The power and scope to do as one pleases.
Perhaps it would be worth our consideration that we as Christians might be suffering a loss of our "spiritual liberty" imposed upon us from within our own nature? How so ? By the oppression of the Law and the flesh. This may be seen clearly; if one begins to judge His inner man or the "new creation" we are as that of one being identified within his minds self perception; as having adopted the biblical contextual explanation of his Christianity: as one who sees and understands himself as found in the Fathers eyes, as to being seen in Christ, viewed by God as heavenly. Or, if you will, His mind's appraisal of us; we held in the same exact esteem He has for His Son who is there beside Him. "Brethren you are called into liberty" Gal 5:13. Paul added, "It is not liberty for the occasion of the flesh".
If the flesh, is our mental posture [little or no knowledge of our identification in Him] one cannot see clearly the law and the flesh attempting to rule. In other words we happily engage the flesh and the law. Ask yourself which man you choose the new creation of God's mind and His Word, or the old of Adam of sin law and the flesh. Then ask yourself on what ground you choose. If the answer is vague perhaps you have some work to do. "For me to live is Christ" Phil 1:21.
Are we even aware of our loss of so great a benefit, whose absence in awareness is instigated by our very nature, the preponderance to perform well? Can we see clearly in the eye of our faith by knowledge the grace and freedom we have been provided by God's gift of our being placed and identified within His Son "Hid in Christ" as life, where He lives by Grace through us even in our unawareness?
The above definition of liberty is of course the secular meaning of the word. But have we become numb to liberty's absence in our spiritual life by not knowing our preexisted/predestined heavenly [spiritual] condition as new creatures "hid in Christ", as proven in this world by a life consisting of faith resting in those facts? This absence of a clear understanding of our actual status our very identification before God results in a Christians catastrophic loss of freedom..... as the natural default is to the effort of the flesh. Just as true liberty has been sequestered in the secular realm we also suffer liberty's loss not only to our normal daily Adam flesh natural life but in the spiritual life as well. Really few have liberty in either.
We find ourselves "in the natural" restricted on all sides by a oppressive government, a constant war machine. We are forced to support it financially and then are propagandized into declaring all who partake in death dealing as heroes. We bow down to a bankrupt and corrupt banking/monetary system stealing our prosperity and economic freedom slowly but surely. We tolerate our business and work place being hampered on all sides by excessive laws and taxes. As well as accepting as inevitable a breakdown in family unity prompted by a secular worldly media bombardment shaping our world view, which we often gleefully participate in, and on and on it goes. All of this is so obvious and is simply the Adam mans natural produce. But in our spiritual existence, the weight of self servitude and oppressive restrictions is however made more subtle.
For just as in our secular lives we have been furnished with bread and circus for a diversion there is a wall of comfort surrounding us that is restricting a clear biblical guided spiritual life. Shown by the accepted traditions surrounding us with good intent, which often serve to divert true spiritual liberty. This includes satisfaction in our moral behavior as a marker of Christianity; observances, ordinances, stimulation of the senses by entertainment and overt charismatic physical expressions evoking emotions. Countless sermons on how to feel better and serve God in our Adam sinful personality. All of which we often mistakenly define as something godly or spiritual, something of good repute, perhaps like Jesus would do we might suppose, making the self effort God's message. "But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you" 2 Thess. 3:3.
Where then may we find this elusive power liberty which we all should be longing for? In our daily physical life there is little one can do, even isolation cannot escape the tyranny we all face in the deceivers world system. Alone we are simply left with our selfish natural personality; all Satan's design for the Adam man, his sinful condition. Where is the hope then for true Godly joy and freedom found?
Give me liberty or give me death was the cry of our secular founding father Patrick Henry seeking secular freedom. Ironically for the Christian "new creation" its death that provides the path to spiritual freedom! "Knowing this that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should no longer serve sin" Rom. 6:6. So if we died with Him we are indeed free, for a dead man cannot sin. But do we really believe that "by faith's application"? My last blog dealt with this truth you might what to re-read it.
As we form Christ's death in our mind as faith's true reality toward us, not only as a substitutionary death, leaving us remaining in thought of ourselves as men in the the Adam condition. But now by His Word we may begin to form and experience the liberty of our death as a representative subjective experience us acquiring the actual new[Christ's] or second Adam Man's personality brought into our mind by His Spirit. By a secured knowledgeable faith in our co-death with Him. A death He provided in substitution yes, but just for the purpose that we might gain His identification before the Father in subjectivity as to His very life. So why is this, a firm biblical concept, taught without exception by Paul so elusive in our understanding? "For you died and your life is hidden with Christ [realized in active identification] in God" Col. 3:3.
Most Christians have a very cloudy understanding of Christian liberty as presented in full context by only Paul in his sharing God's voice. We limit our growth for lack of knowledge. We all should know we have a right standing before God in His Son called, justification [position]. In other words we are saved; but most stop there. " So then let us once and for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ... and continue progressing; toward maturity" Heb. 6:1. God urges us forward.
We unfortunately have a very low standard for growth because the institutional churches we attend teach on the basis of our position and therefore the responsibility for growth is ours. But no man will ever seek the Christ identification from his Adam dulled mind even knowing his position in Christ. Which remains in the forefront when only position or the relief of salvation is relied upon. But when it is known that God's standard for us is His Son, that our true spiritual life and liberty is found only in Him by faith's exercise; then all expectation of maturity leading to growth resulting in liberty is placed in God's hands, not ours. "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:10. So simple trust in His Word opens the door. But we must know it to enter! "But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" Gal. 6:14.
God has not left us to our old man. We suppose, when left to our own devices, that God's grace allows for our involvement in the world, the inclinations of our nature. But there is evil there and God will have no involvement and makes no allowances. He has put that all aside forever in our transfer into His Sons death, thereby gaining His Resurrected life for Himself and applying it to us. "For it is God which works in us both to will and do His good pleasure" Phil. 2:13.
We now have a new nature for His use, the old man is not subject to it or in any way a part of it! The new creation we are in His Son has another object all together, and it is another power that acts upon our consciousness and re-frames our very conscience being, in order to produce what is lovely and free. His Son is the only one acceptable. The Lord Jesus is the Father's only object. His ministry in this world is now entirely through and by the Holy Spirit who lives Christ's life through us and Who can and must only glorify the Son, 2 Cor. 3.
It is our work only to be available, by living in a faith, that all that we are as to something eternal, is found in The Lord Christ Jesus. He the image in God's mind which forms us in His sight. "For you have not come to a material object, all ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and storm and trumpet-blast and the sound of words" Heb. 12:18. In other words it is Spirit and faith we come to, not laws and actions as a defining quality. By our works going forward resting in faith, from a mind centered upon His identification, as our level of personal evaluation, we truly may live out His life, in action and experience. "For we worship God in Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flesh" Phil. 3:3.
Our problem is we naturally seek to attain, but do not rest in faith to obtain. As long as we perceive that our Christianity's blessings and function is dependent in any way upon ourselves as to Adam nature derived works, or behavior we miss the mark. Or even our allegiance to a church group, Or a way of life among people we find comfort with often only serves to keep us simply performing Christianity.
While these are not bad things still we are in these efforts trying to improve sinful mans condition. Therefore we have missed God's liberty. We seem to think that everything depends upon our diligence, but the Word says "the just shall live by faith"..... And thus liberty is explained. But without our identification being solely in Christ Jesus in His Death Resurrection and Ascension, in Whom we are not only positioned but must learn to become identified subjectively, in a conscious faith awareness that we live within Him. And thereby God is fellowshipping with us and including us spiritually "Hid in Christ" as taught by His Word. Will our liberty given by Grace always remain elusive? The answer is no it cannot be; "For He has given us a 'Spirit of liberty". "So now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death" Phil. 1:20. This was Paul's declaration. Shall we cry out with him, give me liberty!
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