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Friday, 24 April 2015
Wednesday, 3 September 2014
Non-Negotiable Counsels of God's Kingdom
Dearly Beloved,
It may interest you to know that the critical mass of overcoming saints (Rev. 12:5/14:1) that would ultimate trigger the end of the reign of the devil and his cohorts from the air (i.e. the realm of authority/heaven of the earth –Rev. 12:3/Eph. 2:2b/Lk. 19:13d) were described as having two aspects of the divine nature; that of a man (Rev. 12:5a/1Cor. 14:20d) and that of a child (Rev. 12:5a/Matt. 18:3/1Cor. 14:20c).
The following transcribed message is another meat in due season (Ps. 104:27). It’s a clear and present instruction in righteousness to believers who have been blessed with hearing ears (Rev. 1:3b/Isa. 50:4c) to hear the speaker of the New Testament Assembly, Christ Jesus. Such simple truth has eluded not a few generation of zealous believers till date, but heaven has resolved to show us great mercies in this day when darkness has become increasingly tangible.
MAY WE FIND GRACE TO STOP GROWING OLD (HEB. 1:11B), START GROWING YOUNGER (LK. 1:80/2:40) AND ULTIMATELY BECOME ONE OF THE BABES AND SUCKLINGS THAT WOULD SILENCE OUR CORPORATE ENEMY (PS. 8:2) THROUGH OUR SECOND BIRTH (JN. 3:5/1PET. 1:23/JAM. 1:21), AMEN.
Graceful reading!
Scriptural Reading:
Lk 12:32 Do not be afraid oh little flock for it is the desire of the Father to give you the kingdom.
The kingdom was prepared by the Father for a company called ‘little flock’, which speaks of those whom heaven has succeeded in reducing there confidence in self. God’s desire has been to bring us into a state where we are completely emptied of our confidence in flesh and this state takes great help and mercy.
John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast YOUNG, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be OLD, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry theewhither thou wouldest not.
Youthfulness here speaks of the time when the flesh (self) is very much alive. Our youthfulness is what makes us boldand strong in ourselves, not in the Lord. With our youthful strength, we confidently go anywhere we want, we make decisions hastily and take the praise for getting things done, but this same strength is contrary to that of the little flock that qualifies for entrance into the kingdom.
Prov. 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength
The kingdom of God is alien to men whose glory is their strength (Prov. 20:29); it seeks for men who have lost their trust in self and take solace in the leadings of the spirit. The Lord has to bring us to a state of weakness so he can grace us with his strength. It took quite some time for an Apostle Paul to realize this great secret (2Cor. 12:10) and apply his heart to it.
Apostle Paul later became a man that gloried in being weak which remains a true sign of an Apostle. Apostles are like the Lord Himself; babies, lambish, childlike, though these virtues are despised by many. Like the Lord, they can of themselves do nothing (Jn. 5:19) because they have no power of their own. James 4:15 declares that we should not speak of the things we want to do with all certainty, rather we should say “IF THE LORD WILL, we shall live, and do this or that”
Jn. 5:19 … The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do
Such great men whom the world wasn’t worthy of (Heb. 11:38) had lost the ability to make decisions and choices for themselves. The world does not appreciate men like this and would rather train men with an earthly wisdom and intelligence. The World Brightens The Minds Of Men And Gets Them Stronger And Smarter Than The Timing And Process Of Eternal Life. A man who is young is strong; he is free to go wherever he wills and as such, he cannot follow the Lamb withersoever he goes (Rev. 14:4). A foreign way has been programmed into his sub-consciousness, so heresponds to death without premeditating and the enemy did this while men slept (Matt. 13:25)
When God wants to help a man, He first expires the strength of that man and makes him a child. Becoming a child is expiring the strength of flesh. A child is weak; and lacks our youthful strength. He cannot fight back when despisedbecause he lacks the strength to do so. He is vulnerable and can easily be taken advantage of. He depends on another to make decisions, and such is the state of one who trusts in the Lord in truth and deed.
When the grassy glory (1Pet. 1:23) of our youthful is traded for the Lord’s, spiritual maturity begins and we attain maturity as ‘another’ (the Holy Spirit) can now lead us in our decision making progress. Being ‘old’ according to John21:18 is a state of conversion, a state of one who has become a child.
Lk. 22:32 But I have prayed for thee (Peter) that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted (i.e. attain maturity – kingdom childhood), strengthen thy brethren.
To convert a soul from youthfulness into kingdom childlikeness, God by his Spirit would have to lead such a one to placeshe does not want to go. We begin to enter the kingdom when we are being made childlike (Lk. 18:3)
Lk. 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
As He leads us, He will begin to train us on how to relinquish our strength and lay down our life. The process of taking our strength from us is what is called CONVERSION. Conversion is the process of taking away the youthful strength of the soul of and producing a child out of such a believer. By extracting and expiring our strength, our souls will gradually become tender, weak and docile in the hands of God.
No one can come into this state except by the knowledge of truth (1Tim. 2:4), and we begin this journey by believing in the truth (Eph. 1:13 & 15/2Tim. 2:12). Truth is what God uses to convert a soul into a child because truth is that which is begets (Jam. 1:18). Truth is uncreated and unchangeable. Truth is the very person of the Father because He is called the true God (Jn. 17:3). The Son also is Truth (Jn. 14:6) and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth (Jn. 14:6/1Jn. 5:6). Truth is God’s instrument for converting a man from being youthfully confidently (according to the flesh) into being a child who can live and trust in the invincible. God Wants Us To Have Confidence In Him Only.
David’s soul had this kind of frame. Often times when you open the book of Psalms, he is revealed as a man that had so much trust and confidence in the Lord. He kept on saying, ...for I am poor (in spirit/meek) and needy (Psalm 70:5/40:17). David was the king of Israel. If he desired anything, all he needed to do was just speak forth and it would be established as a decree. But there he was, always telling God that he is poor. It’s a metaphor. He was telling God that he had no strength of his own and needed help and such is the state of men who is truly depend on the Lord. He had no trust in his status, wealth and position in Israel and it takes a revelation of the truth to train the heart and mind to be like this.
The strength of man is a stature, a building, a formation and fortification, so when such is taken away, the soul wouldcrumble. Separating bones from the flesh of a beast will cause it to fall because that is the very frame that makes it stand. When God breaks our strength, our soul will come into true humility, lowliness and meekness (Eph. 4:2)
God did exactly that to Moses. Moses was once so self-confident and sure that he was the deliverer of Israel but was later humbled when God took him to Jethro, his father-in-law, where he served as a shepherd. God crumbled and sohumbled him that when God eventually wanted to send him to the children of Israel, he was reluctant. He gave God reasons why he was not the best candidate for the job. His strength had been taken away. He was not ready to answer the call of God except God showed him a sign and God did so by turning his rod to a serpent.
This is what it means to be converted into a child. Many believers are going through custom made dealings that is meant to ensure that our logic which the enemy preys on are rendered dysfunctional. This is how we will be raised into a state where things we lust after would lose their valuable, so God can be committed to bring them as additions in fulfilment of Matt. 6:33
When a man gets to this point, God would show up. He doesn’t show up when the strength of a soul is still in place. Check our Lord Jesus for example. His body lay lifeless, closed up with a big stone in a tomb. He humbled Himself into a position where He could not raise Himself up except God showed up. He entered that tomb knowing that nothing could happen except His Father appeared in the land of forgetfulness (Ps. 88:12). The Father showed up because it is in such state that the power of resurrection swings into operation.
When we become helpless, God comes to work. He knows that the soul will not resist Him when the chips are down. God can’t work when we are engrossed with the legitimate cares of life. That is why from time to time, He will lead us to apoint where we have no other choice than to cry, Lord help me out, like Jonah did!
When we first believed the gospel (Eph. 1:13), we thought our souls was converted and we had given our lives to Christ but it was our human spirit that was recreated. You were not converted in your soul the day you gave your life to Christ. Conversion starts when the Lord begins to deal with your human strength. When something is converted, it can no longer be traced it to its former state.
Heaven has resources that are incorruptible and the soul can only be converted after we receive such in meekness (Jam.1:21). If the soul is able to endure seasons of chastisement (Heb. 12:5-9) which the Father initiates through the word of truth the soul will be converted. The word of truth (i.e. the allocation of the gospel that brings about so great salvation – Heb. 2:3) is pregnant with eternal power to convert a soul. (Pls see Psalm 19:7/Heb. 10:39b)
When God brings a season of dealings upon a man, his strength will not be lost all at once, so God calibrates His dealings into various seasons. Each process and and is meant to gradually turns the soul. After seasons of dealings, the soulappreciates into childhood. He may not have fully become a little child, but some degree of conversion has taken place.
The reason why it is not easy to take away the strength of flesh is that flesh is an old man. Every divine success and input that God is able to achieve in man, He cherishes it so much because that will provide a platform for further work.
Matt. 18:1-4 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
From Matt. 18:1-4, we can see that greatness in the kingdom is measured by how much a soul has been converted. Those who allow God to fully convert them into little children will be the greatest in the kingdom.
In verse three, Jesus talked about Little Children but in verse two, He talked about A Little Child; so they are differentbecause there are levels of conversion. IN VERSE THREE, JESUS WAS NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF GREATNESS BUT ENTRANCE WHILE IN VERSE FOUR, HE WAS ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF HOW TO BECOME THE GREATEST. For you to enter the kingdom, you must be converted into a little child, but if you want to be the greatest, you need to go further and humble yourself as a little child (i.e. Christ Jesus). After you must have entered the kingdom, you need further reduction to be the greatest in the kingdom.
Psalm. 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou has ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Babes and suckling here is not referring to carnal Christians that live on the milk of the word (1Cor. 3:1-2a). Rather, it speaks of men who have been converted to children. They have the two edged sword of the spirit in their mouth. They are men that can started using the word of righteousness (Heb. 5:13-14). Such men have gained entrance and ceased from their works (Heb. 4:10). When you enter the kingdom, you cease from your works because there is another power that works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
We are in a very sensitive season of the Spirit and it is required of us to be wise. This is the time to become babes and sucklings. This is not the time where you try to prove and defend something. No, we do not have time anymore becauseGod is into serious business with us (Heb. 4:9). For Him to be speaking to us about entrance means that He has made grace available for entrance into the kingdom.
Our ambition should be that we might come into greatness and become the greatest. If eventually we cannot meet upwith being the greatest, at least, we should enter the kingdom. We must begin to trust God in this season to help us and show us mercy, so that our hearts will fully cooperate with what He is doing. We must not frustrate the grace of God, rather we should trust God to help us align our hearts in such a way that we can enter. Amen.
Bless You!
Pst. Thompson Ehima
VGC Lifely Stones Fellowship
11th May, 2014.
The Nature and the Stature of the Kingdom (Part 2)
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Romans 8: 28; And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that LOVE GOD, to them who are THE CALLED according to his purpose.
But all things work together perfection: and few things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the CHOSEN according to his purpose.
Who are THE CALLED?
The called are those receiving the good light from God, enjoying the glory of the sardine’s (good) light. The sweet and pleasant ‘’Goshen-land’’, the peaceful amidst little troubles, no sweat enjoying utmost comfort. The called are the ‘livers’, benefactors, predictable, planned and collected Christians. The pomegranate of the called in Goshen land is an handful and much. What a pleasant place to be. What a pleasant light to receive, beautiful glory of the sardine. No affliction, no pains. The light of the sardine coming from the father of light works only good things. Every watt of light is good, sustainable for comfort and steady growth.
But ALL things work together for the PERFECTION of them that love God, to them who are THE CHOSEN according to his purpose.
Who are THE CHOSEN?
Every light from the father of light burns, cleanses, cuts, and melts the chosen to the perfection of him that chooses. The chosen faces afflictions, sufferings, pains, trials and strains just to straighten up the choiced one. The light doesn’t shine luminously nor radiantly but is narrowed and lasered to every part, every speck of dust will be removed. No room for compromise, no blot of stain permitted, a total white-washing. It often seem brutal but for the better. This is the Jasper’s light ( Rev 4:3). The chosen enjoys the jasper light that cuts his edges just like a stone, it has to be cut to the required size it was made for, it(the chosen) is distinguished and one of a kind, so it must meet the required purpose for making.
The chosen receives a perfect kind of light, enjoying the afflictions of the jasper light eclipsed by glory. Here the land is ‘’Canaan’’, it is the best for me though there be many giants to be conquered, the red sea and Jordan to be crossed. The chosen are survivors, undertakers, flexible in decision making, rugged and dogged Christians.
Rev 12:11. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. The pomegranates are mind-blowing and innumerable like sands at seashore, an inglorious but mighty and terrible jasper light. This light also comes from the father of lights’
Every watt of this perfect light burns me to remove my pleasant infirmities, my standards and strength. My growth under this light is from inside out and very slow, a speck after the other.
Nevertheless I need the sardine light: But a few things work together for the good of them that love God; and are the Chosen according to his purpose.
The sardine light polishes the work of the jasper in me, the glorious ruins I have, to make the best. The cushion effect to my glory from the inside out. Most things may not work out for the good but I know right within me that am in God’s perfect plan. I May not possess a private jet or live in Beverly hills but am at the summit of Zion hills.
But remember, ALL things work together for THE WORSE of them that DO NOT love God; to them who are NOT PART of His purpose.
Who are not A PART?
Everything might seem good but it is eclipsed by doom, you might win a lottery but that might just be a visa to the cemetery, remember the east-wind worked with the waters to drown the Egyptians and pharaoh but worked together for the good along with the perfect for God’s children.
If I may advise, why don’t you choose to be his child today, just say this little prayer:
Lord Jesus, I believe in your death and resurrection, I believe
in your saving power that will remove me from the stings of
Death. I believe that you are the Son Living of God. I pray that
You save me today and make me yours. In Jesus Name. Amen.
You are welcome to God’s family
Dearest friend.
But all things work together perfection: and few things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the CHOSEN according to his purpose.
Who are THE CALLED?
The called are those receiving the good light from God, enjoying the glory of the sardine’s (good) light. The sweet and pleasant ‘’Goshen-land’’, the peaceful amidst little troubles, no sweat enjoying utmost comfort. The called are the ‘livers’, benefactors, predictable, planned and collected Christians. The pomegranate of the called in Goshen land is an handful and much. What a pleasant place to be. What a pleasant light to receive, beautiful glory of the sardine. No affliction, no pains. The light of the sardine coming from the father of light works only good things. Every watt of light is good, sustainable for comfort and steady growth.
But ALL things work together for the PERFECTION of them that love God, to them who are THE CHOSEN according to his purpose.
Who are THE CHOSEN?
Every light from the father of light burns, cleanses, cuts, and melts the chosen to the perfection of him that chooses. The chosen faces afflictions, sufferings, pains, trials and strains just to straighten up the choiced one. The light doesn’t shine luminously nor radiantly but is narrowed and lasered to every part, every speck of dust will be removed. No room for compromise, no blot of stain permitted, a total white-washing. It often seem brutal but for the better. This is the Jasper’s light ( Rev 4:3). The chosen enjoys the jasper light that cuts his edges just like a stone, it has to be cut to the required size it was made for, it(the chosen) is distinguished and one of a kind, so it must meet the required purpose for making.
The chosen receives a perfect kind of light, enjoying the afflictions of the jasper light eclipsed by glory. Here the land is ‘’Canaan’’, it is the best for me though there be many giants to be conquered, the red sea and Jordan to be crossed. The chosen are survivors, undertakers, flexible in decision making, rugged and dogged Christians.
Rev 12:11. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. The pomegranates are mind-blowing and innumerable like sands at seashore, an inglorious but mighty and terrible jasper light. This light also comes from the father of lights’
Every watt of this perfect light burns me to remove my pleasant infirmities, my standards and strength. My growth under this light is from inside out and very slow, a speck after the other.
Nevertheless I need the sardine light: But a few things work together for the good of them that love God; and are the Chosen according to his purpose.
The sardine light polishes the work of the jasper in me, the glorious ruins I have, to make the best. The cushion effect to my glory from the inside out. Most things may not work out for the good but I know right within me that am in God’s perfect plan. I May not possess a private jet or live in Beverly hills but am at the summit of Zion hills.
But remember, ALL things work together for THE WORSE of them that DO NOT love God; to them who are NOT PART of His purpose.
Who are not A PART?
Everything might seem good but it is eclipsed by doom, you might win a lottery but that might just be a visa to the cemetery, remember the east-wind worked with the waters to drown the Egyptians and pharaoh but worked together for the good along with the perfect for God’s children.
If I may advise, why don’t you choose to be his child today, just say this little prayer:
Lord Jesus, I believe in your death and resurrection, I believe
in your saving power that will remove me from the stings of
Death. I believe that you are the Son Living of God. I pray that
You save me today and make me yours. In Jesus Name. Amen.
You are welcome to God’s family
Dearest friend.
Friday, 16 August 2013
Christian Growth
The believer in Christ is born of the spirit of Christ.
This is the spirit of God, The spirit of the son, The spirit of adoption.
Hence He lives in the spirit. ( Romans 8:9,10,11,14,15,16).
He is to walk in the spirit. (Gal 5:22-25). Walk means to conduct his ways, thoughts and life pattern from his spirit. The spirit of God.
Spiritual growth is the means to these.
It is not the growth of the spirit of Christ in measures or size or age but in influence.
It is seen primarily through our thoughts and consequent actions.
This growth is by the word.
The word of Christ is the mirror of the new creature.
This mirror isn't the old covenant but the new covenant.
The finished work of Christ. As He(the believer) feeds on this. There is a manifestation of eternal life. The life of God. The spirit is life.
Paul refers to two classifications of humanity in 1st Corinthians 2.
1st Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ears heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10. But God hath revealed it to them unto us by his spirit. For the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth
no man, but the spirit of God.
12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God.
13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things to spiritual.
14. But the natural man recieveth not the things of the spirit of God: For they are foolish unto him: neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15. But He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet He himself is judged of no man.
16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that He may instruct him? but We have the mind of Christ.
Here we have the Natural man and the spiritual man. The natural man is unsaved. He is in the flesh, from it, by it, of it. This is the unbeliever. The believer here is described as spiritual. He has received the spirit, Freely given of God.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
And what communion hath light with darkness?
15. And what concord hath Christ with belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of living God; as God hath said, ''I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.''
He is the temple of God. He is Christ. The believer, Light, Righteousness. The unsaved man is the temple of idols, Belial, The infidel, Unrighteousness.
This is the result of believing or otherwise. Very simple, the unbeliever hasn't accepted grace the believer has. This is the position of each class or kind.
However, in 1st Corinthians 3, Paul addresses a different class. It is a class within a class.
This time he speaks strictly to believers and about them.
1st Corinthians 3:1 And I,brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: For hitherto ye are not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4. For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not yet carnal?
He refers to babes in Christ. They aren't new converts as peter suggested in 1st peter2:2
They are experienced believers who have refused to grow up. He refers to their diet. They have refuse to meat and stuck to milk. Milk isn't a type of the word. It is a mode of communication. He couldn't speak unto them as spiritual. He had to not assume that because they have the spirit, things of the spirit should be expressly said to them. So like Jesus, He often use the natural to explain the spiritual. Parables are meant to communicate to non-believers.
Mark 4:11 And he said to them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: But unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12. That seeing they may see, and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at anytime they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Parables are illustrations where we use the natural to explain the spiritual. You cannot keep feeding this way and grow! Yet we have to use this when believers are not developing. Strange but true. He rhetorically says to them "are you not carnal?" Carnal! A believer?
He uses the oxymoron to drive home his point. He however safely and carefully picks his words, because there can't be a carnal christian. It's like saying animal-man, good-bad, light-darkness. This phrase is to jerk them to reality. They have been acting up. Acting as though they where unsaved!
The Greek scholars gave us some explanation. He uses sarkikos( like the flesh) for the believer.
It is metaphorical not actual. While for the unbeliever He uses sarkinos(from/ of the flesh). It is actual reality. Because the believer is not in the FLESH (Romans 8: 8-9). He has the spirit. The unbeliever is in the flesh and cannot please God!
This folks acted like they didn't have the spirit. They fought over water, head-covering,
associations, they held more to persons than to the word-Christ! They had argument and fight over food,bread and wine. Marriage! (1 Corinthians 6:1-5). They went to court with fellow believers, right before unbelievers!
The spirit coming to the flesh for wisdom! They had not been feeding on the word! The solution is the word! Hence, Paul retorted often in this letter to the Corinthians. KNOW YE NOT!
Babes need to grow up in Christ! tarry on what Christ has done. Feed on it till their minds are
renewed, lives change and transformed. Many still love to hear stories, to enjoy church, illustrations, other people's testimonies, and experiences. They are feeding on the wrong diet. Jesus used this approach for the spiritually dead! You(The Believer), can comprehend the things of the spirit, without the aid of carnal illustrations!
You don't need the story of the boy who left home, ran a riotous life and came back home to see God's forgiveness (prodigal story). You have the spirit, you look at Christ, his work, sufferings- The word, you lift your voice to the father. You are forgiven for christ's sake. ( colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:7,1john 2:12)
The Samaritan story isn't for you. You are born of God, you act like Him! Love is our nature. We are born again! Hence, diet determines our growth in Christ. Let's feed on the word, the epistles, our mirror and we are changed into glory(2 Corinthians 3:18). The glory within now shows up outside!
I declare that "I am a carrier of God's glory, I am born of God therefore I overcome the world,
I have the spirit of Christ Jesus in me, so I live above this world, above what rules the world, I am not moved by any doctor's report neither by my financial status nor any cultural superstitious belief, I am moved only by the word of God. Christ in me is the Hope of glory."
This is the spirit of God, The spirit of the son, The spirit of adoption.
Hence He lives in the spirit. ( Romans 8:9,10,11,14,15,16).
He is to walk in the spirit. (Gal 5:22-25). Walk means to conduct his ways, thoughts and life pattern from his spirit. The spirit of God.
Spiritual growth is the means to these.
It is not the growth of the spirit of Christ in measures or size or age but in influence.
It is seen primarily through our thoughts and consequent actions.
This growth is by the word.
The word of Christ is the mirror of the new creature.
This mirror isn't the old covenant but the new covenant.
The finished work of Christ. As He(the believer) feeds on this. There is a manifestation of eternal life. The life of God. The spirit is life.
Paul refers to two classifications of humanity in 1st Corinthians 2.
1st Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ears heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10. But God hath revealed it to them unto us by his spirit. For the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth
no man, but the spirit of God.
12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God.
13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things to spiritual.
14. But the natural man recieveth not the things of the spirit of God: For they are foolish unto him: neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15. But He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet He himself is judged of no man.
16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that He may instruct him? but We have the mind of Christ.
Here we have the Natural man and the spiritual man. The natural man is unsaved. He is in the flesh, from it, by it, of it. This is the unbeliever. The believer here is described as spiritual. He has received the spirit, Freely given of God.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
And what communion hath light with darkness?
15. And what concord hath Christ with belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of living God; as God hath said, ''I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.''
He is the temple of God. He is Christ. The believer, Light, Righteousness. The unsaved man is the temple of idols, Belial, The infidel, Unrighteousness.
This is the result of believing or otherwise. Very simple, the unbeliever hasn't accepted grace the believer has. This is the position of each class or kind.
However, in 1st Corinthians 3, Paul addresses a different class. It is a class within a class.
This time he speaks strictly to believers and about them.
1st Corinthians 3:1 And I,brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: For hitherto ye are not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4. For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not yet carnal?
He refers to babes in Christ. They aren't new converts as peter suggested in 1st peter2:2
They are experienced believers who have refused to grow up. He refers to their diet. They have refuse to meat and stuck to milk. Milk isn't a type of the word. It is a mode of communication. He couldn't speak unto them as spiritual. He had to not assume that because they have the spirit, things of the spirit should be expressly said to them. So like Jesus, He often use the natural to explain the spiritual. Parables are meant to communicate to non-believers.
Mark 4:11 And he said to them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: But unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12. That seeing they may see, and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at anytime they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Parables are illustrations where we use the natural to explain the spiritual. You cannot keep feeding this way and grow! Yet we have to use this when believers are not developing. Strange but true. He rhetorically says to them "are you not carnal?" Carnal! A believer?
He uses the oxymoron to drive home his point. He however safely and carefully picks his words, because there can't be a carnal christian. It's like saying animal-man, good-bad, light-darkness. This phrase is to jerk them to reality. They have been acting up. Acting as though they where unsaved!
The Greek scholars gave us some explanation. He uses sarkikos( like the flesh) for the believer.
It is metaphorical not actual. While for the unbeliever He uses sarkinos(from/ of the flesh). It is actual reality. Because the believer is not in the FLESH (Romans 8: 8-9). He has the spirit. The unbeliever is in the flesh and cannot please God!
This folks acted like they didn't have the spirit. They fought over water, head-covering,
associations, they held more to persons than to the word-Christ! They had argument and fight over food,bread and wine. Marriage! (1 Corinthians 6:1-5). They went to court with fellow believers, right before unbelievers!
The spirit coming to the flesh for wisdom! They had not been feeding on the word! The solution is the word! Hence, Paul retorted often in this letter to the Corinthians. KNOW YE NOT!
Babes need to grow up in Christ! tarry on what Christ has done. Feed on it till their minds are
renewed, lives change and transformed. Many still love to hear stories, to enjoy church, illustrations, other people's testimonies, and experiences. They are feeding on the wrong diet. Jesus used this approach for the spiritually dead! You(The Believer), can comprehend the things of the spirit, without the aid of carnal illustrations!
You don't need the story of the boy who left home, ran a riotous life and came back home to see God's forgiveness (prodigal story). You have the spirit, you look at Christ, his work, sufferings- The word, you lift your voice to the father. You are forgiven for christ's sake. ( colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:7,1john 2:12)
The Samaritan story isn't for you. You are born of God, you act like Him! Love is our nature. We are born again! Hence, diet determines our growth in Christ. Let's feed on the word, the epistles, our mirror and we are changed into glory(2 Corinthians 3:18). The glory within now shows up outside!
I declare that "I am a carrier of God's glory, I am born of God therefore I overcome the world,
I have the spirit of Christ Jesus in me, so I live above this world, above what rules the world, I am not moved by any doctor's report neither by my financial status nor any cultural superstitious belief, I am moved only by the word of God. Christ in me is the Hope of glory."
Christian Growth
The believer in Christ is born of the spirit of Christ.
This is the spirit of God, The spirit of the son, The spirit of adoption.
Hence He lives in the spirit. ( Romans 8:9,10,11,14,15,16).
He is to walk in the spirit. (Gal 5:22-25). Walk means to conduct his ways, thoughts and life pattern from his spirit. The spirit of God.
Spiritual growth is the means to these.
It is not the growth of the spirit of Christ in measures or size or age but in influence.
It is seen primarily through our thoughts and consequent actions.
This growth is by the word.
The word of Christ is the mirror of the new creature.
This mirror isn't the old covenant but the new covenant.
The finished work of Christ. As He(the believer) feeds on this. There is a manifestation of eternal life. The life of God. The spirit is life.
Paul refers to two classifications of humanity in 1st Corinthians 2.
1st Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ears heard, neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10. But God hath revealed it to them unto us by his spirit. For the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God.
12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things to spiritual.
14. But the natural man recieveth not the things of the spirit of God: For they are foolish unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15. But He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet He himself is judged of no man.
16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that He may instruct him? but We have the mind of Christ.
Here we have the Natural man and the spiritual man. The natural man is unsaved. He is in the flesh,from it, by it, of it. This is the unbeliever.
The believer here is described as spiritual. He has received the spirit, Freely given of God.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
And what communion hath light with darkness?
15. And what concord hath Christ with belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
He is the temple of God. He is Christ. The believer, Light, Righteousness. The unsaved man is the temple of idols, belial, The infidel, Unrighteousness.
This is the result of believing or otherwise. Very simple, the unbeliever hasn't accepted grace the believer has.This is the position of each class or kind.
However, in 1st Corinthians 3, Paul addresses a different class. It is a class within a class.
This time he speaks strictly to believers and about them.
1st Corinthians 3:1 And I,brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: For hitherto ye are not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4. For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not yet carnal?
He refers to babes in Christ. They aren't new converts as peter suggested in 1st peter2:2
They are experienced believers who have refused to grow up. He refers to their diet. They have refuse to meat and stuck to milk. Milk isn't a type of the word. It is a mode of communication. He couldn't speak unto them as spiritual.
He had to not assume that because they have the spirit, things of the spirit should be expressly said to them. So like Jesus, He often use the natural to explain the spiritual. Parables are meant to communicate to non-believers.
Mark 4:11 And he said to them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God:
But unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12. That seeing they may see, and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at anytime they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Parables are illustrations where we use the natural to explain the spiritual. You cannot keep feeding
this way and grow! Yet we have to use this when believers are not developing. Strange but true. He rhetorically says to
them "are you not carnal?" Carnal! A believer?
He uses the oxymoron to drive home his point. He however safely and carefully picks his words, because there can't
be a carnal christian. It's like saying animal-man, good-bad, light-darkness. This phrase is to jerk them to reality.
They have been acting up. Acting as though they where unsaved!
The Greek scholars gave us some explanation. He uses sarkikos( like the flesh) for the believer.
It is metaphorical not actual. While for the unbeliever He uses sarkinos(from/ of the flesh). It is actual reality.
Because the believer is not in the FLESH (Romans 8: 8-9). He has the spirit. The unbeliever is in the flesh and cannot please God!
This folks acted like they didn't have the spirit. They fought over water, head-covering,
associations, they held more to persons than to the word-Christ! They had argument and fight over food,bread and wine. Marriage! (1 Corinthians 6:1-5). They went to court with fellow believers, right before unbelievers! The spirit coming to the flesh for wisdom! They had not been feeding on the word! The solution is the word!
Hence, Paul retorted often in this letter to the Corinthians. KNOW YE NOT!
Babes need to grow up in Christ! tarry on what Christ has done. Feed on it till their minds are
renewed, lives change and transformed. Many still love to hear stories, to enjoy church, illustrations, other people's testimonies, and experiences. They are feeding on the wrong diet. Jesus used this approach for the spiritually dead! You(The Believer), can comprehend the things of the spirit, without the aid of carnal illustrations!
You don't need the story of the boy who left home, ran a riotous life and came back home to see God's forgiveness (prodigal story). You have the spirit, you look at Christ, his work, sufferings- The word, you lift your voice to the father. You are forgiven for Christ's sake. ( Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:7,1 john 2:12)
The Samaritan story isn't for you. You are born of God, you act like Him! Love is our nature. We are born again!
Hence, diet determines our growth in Christ. Let's feed on the word, the epistles, our mirror and we are changed into glory(2 Corinthians 3:18). The glory within now shows up outside!
I declare that "I am a carrier of God's glory, I am born of God therefore I overcome the world,
I have the spirit of Christ Jesus in me, so I live above this world, above what rules the world, I am not moved by any doctor's report
neither by my financial status nor any cultural superstitious belief, I am moved only by the word of God. Christ in me is the Hope of glory."
This is the spirit of God, The spirit of the son, The spirit of adoption.
Hence He lives in the spirit. ( Romans 8:9,10,11,14,15,16).
He is to walk in the spirit. (Gal 5:22-25). Walk means to conduct his ways, thoughts and life pattern from his spirit. The spirit of God.
Spiritual growth is the means to these.
It is not the growth of the spirit of Christ in measures or size or age but in influence.
It is seen primarily through our thoughts and consequent actions.
This growth is by the word.
The word of Christ is the mirror of the new creature.
This mirror isn't the old covenant but the new covenant.
The finished work of Christ. As He(the believer) feeds on this. There is a manifestation of eternal life. The life of God. The spirit is life.
Paul refers to two classifications of humanity in 1st Corinthians 2.
1st Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ears heard, neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10. But God hath revealed it to them unto us by his spirit. For the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God.
12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things to spiritual.
14. But the natural man recieveth not the things of the spirit of God: For they are foolish unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15. But He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet He himself is judged of no man.
16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that He may instruct him? but We have the mind of Christ.
Here we have the Natural man and the spiritual man. The natural man is unsaved. He is in the flesh,from it, by it, of it. This is the unbeliever.
The believer here is described as spiritual. He has received the spirit, Freely given of God.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
And what communion hath light with darkness?
15. And what concord hath Christ with belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
He is the temple of God. He is Christ. The believer, Light, Righteousness. The unsaved man is the temple of idols, belial, The infidel, Unrighteousness.
This is the result of believing or otherwise. Very simple, the unbeliever hasn't accepted grace the believer has.This is the position of each class or kind.
However, in 1st Corinthians 3, Paul addresses a different class. It is a class within a class.
This time he speaks strictly to believers and about them.
1st Corinthians 3:1 And I,brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: For hitherto ye are not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4. For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not yet carnal?
He refers to babes in Christ. They aren't new converts as peter suggested in 1st peter2:2
They are experienced believers who have refused to grow up. He refers to their diet. They have refuse to meat and stuck to milk. Milk isn't a type of the word. It is a mode of communication. He couldn't speak unto them as spiritual.
He had to not assume that because they have the spirit, things of the spirit should be expressly said to them. So like Jesus, He often use the natural to explain the spiritual. Parables are meant to communicate to non-believers.
Mark 4:11 And he said to them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God:
But unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12. That seeing they may see, and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at anytime they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Parables are illustrations where we use the natural to explain the spiritual. You cannot keep feeding
this way and grow! Yet we have to use this when believers are not developing. Strange but true. He rhetorically says to
them "are you not carnal?" Carnal! A believer?
He uses the oxymoron to drive home his point. He however safely and carefully picks his words, because there can't
be a carnal christian. It's like saying animal-man, good-bad, light-darkness. This phrase is to jerk them to reality.
They have been acting up. Acting as though they where unsaved!
The Greek scholars gave us some explanation. He uses sarkikos( like the flesh) for the believer.
It is metaphorical not actual. While for the unbeliever He uses sarkinos(from/ of the flesh). It is actual reality.
Because the believer is not in the FLESH (Romans 8: 8-9). He has the spirit. The unbeliever is in the flesh and cannot please God!
This folks acted like they didn't have the spirit. They fought over water, head-covering,
associations, they held more to persons than to the word-Christ! They had argument and fight over food,bread and wine. Marriage! (1 Corinthians 6:1-5). They went to court with fellow believers, right before unbelievers! The spirit coming to the flesh for wisdom! They had not been feeding on the word! The solution is the word!
Hence, Paul retorted often in this letter to the Corinthians. KNOW YE NOT!
Babes need to grow up in Christ! tarry on what Christ has done. Feed on it till their minds are
renewed, lives change and transformed. Many still love to hear stories, to enjoy church, illustrations, other people's testimonies, and experiences. They are feeding on the wrong diet. Jesus used this approach for the spiritually dead! You(The Believer), can comprehend the things of the spirit, without the aid of carnal illustrations!
You don't need the story of the boy who left home, ran a riotous life and came back home to see God's forgiveness (prodigal story). You have the spirit, you look at Christ, his work, sufferings- The word, you lift your voice to the father. You are forgiven for Christ's sake. ( Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:7,1 john 2:12)
The Samaritan story isn't for you. You are born of God, you act like Him! Love is our nature. We are born again!
Hence, diet determines our growth in Christ. Let's feed on the word, the epistles, our mirror and we are changed into glory(2 Corinthians 3:18). The glory within now shows up outside!
I declare that "I am a carrier of God's glory, I am born of God therefore I overcome the world,
I have the spirit of Christ Jesus in me, so I live above this world, above what rules the world, I am not moved by any doctor's report
neither by my financial status nor any cultural superstitious belief, I am moved only by the word of God. Christ in me is the Hope of glory."
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