This study concerning the Law is not readily understood, that is, to know why the Law was given or the purpose it would serve, or was it to supersede the original plan of God, requires an in depth study. In finding the answers to these questions it would certainly empower us to live out the Kingdom Life or The Church Life. For an example of this we will choose Romans 14:17 which read, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The term Kingdom used in this context suggests the practice, the right or just actions, the conduct or culture. In short, but precise language not only this text but the whole context ranging from Romans chapters 12-14 depicts how the citizens of The Kingdom/Church would be proven, in matters pertaining to fellow citizens, whether new to the Kingdom or those with a long tenure. It stresses that the basis for all handling or dealing of Kingdom matters must first begin in righteousness; In indicating Kingdom matters the scriptures is not pointing out only those things pertaining to the confines of the local church, but rather all inclusive. We must have a proper or just perspective towards God, then those within as well as those without, even activities, behavoirs, activities and circumstances. When this rule or conduct is implemented, it produces a beautiful fruit called peace in Hebrews 12:11 ‘No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.’ Consequently, as we the citizens live by this proper living the joy in the Holy Spirit becomes evident, …Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom. 15:13
Having established this reality of the Kingdom, it should help us to see more clearly that this is the chosen way, The New and Living Way that Christ has consecrated for us. This is simply, the way of the Spirit or living in the Spirit in contrast to living by the Law.
First, why was the law given? The law was given to declare the standard of God. Without the law man would abide in total chaos. Everyone would live according to what was right in their own eyes. Leviticus 19:2 reads, "Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy” (HCSB). The law’s purpose was to take away people’s excuses for lawlessness and bring them into judgment before God. However, man was not able to obey God’s law because he had taken into his being a lawless and rebellious nature (Romans 3:19, 20). God’s purpose in giving the law was to expose man’s weakness, put him in captivity and guard him. The Scripture imprisoned everything under sin's power, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith, Gal 3: 23, 24 (HCSB). These verses clearly explain the purpose of the law.
Guarded by the law clarifies the picture that is given in John 10:1 and 10:16 " I assure you: Anyone who doesn't enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.” The pen held the sheep for a period of time until the shepherd came to lead them out as the law held people captive until One came who was worthy to set them free John 10:3-6. The sheepfold references the law and the religion of the law which is Judaism. Christ is the door and the shepherd who leads them out to the green pastures. The green pastures are the permanent feeding and resting place for the people of God (Psalm 23). Christ is in every sense the Good Shepherd.
It was evident that the leaders of Judaism missed Christ as the shepherd because they held the law as an enduring object and not as temporary. We are likewise in danger of missing the Christ, The Good Shepherd, if we seek to take up the law as permanent, that is, as the end or the ultimate goal of God’s plan. But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been legally enacted on better promises. Heb. 8:6. Since the Law had fulfilled its function,
1. It shone the light of the holiness of God,
2. It revealed and made known what sin was, as the nature and activity of Satan dwelling in the human beings,
3. It exposed the inability of man to correct or redeem himself,
4. It imprisoned man with the guilty charge and the death sentence upon him.
The Law certainly condemned but it could not justify anyone Gal. 2:16 And knowing that a man is not justified out of works of law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we also have believed into Christ Jesus that we might be justified out of faith in Christ and not out of the works of law, because out of the works of law no flesh will be justified.
The Law certainly demanded but could not supply the ability to meet God’s righteousness, ‘For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. Rom. 7:15
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Living Christ
We take an uncommon approach to the Book of Genesis, which is more commonly known as the book of creation. Genesis truly offers great insight to spiritual understanding of things to come. Here are just a few of those insights, may the Spirit open our understanding fully to hear the Lord: In Genesis chapters 1 and 2 we see God creating or calling forth the land, separating the waters, the earth’s atmosphere, plant life, animals, and the birds of the air and finally, He made man on the sixth day. On the seventh day God rested from all His work.
Insight 1. By making man last, God was making a defining statement that man should never be in bondage to anything, all things were to be subservient to man working to bring about God's ultimate purpose. Remember, 'all things work together for...His purpose’ Rom l8:28. Do you see this? Let ‘s look at the cycle provided in this picture. God made the heavens to supply the earth with all that is necessary for reproduction, growth and a healthy environment. The earth in turn supplies what is needful for man's life, i.e., eating, producing and reproducing and comfort. Man would supply what God needed, praise, worship and adoration, yet more than this… a place for His rest. Isa. 66:1.2
Insight 2. God rested for He was satisfied that His plan was fully set in motion. Was He aware of man's inevitable failure? Yes, of course. He was fully at rest for He knew that nothing and no one, not even satan on his best day of trickeries and deceptions, could alter His plan once it was in place. Jesus said ' I will build my Church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.’ Matt 16:18 NASB
Insight 3. Man's first day was on the seventh day. It follows that God's design for man’s life was complete and he was to enter into God’s rest. The Rest here is not one of a physical nature but the ceasing of labor of the soul life (the will, mind and emotions). "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You." Isa 26:3
For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Heb 4: 10
If we are to benefit fully of the provision of God, we have to stop eating from our own table, the thing we have provided for ourselves, and eat from the table provided by the Lord. Jesus said in John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. If we are to please or fulfill the purpose of the Father we must eat and live by Christ.
The whole purpose of redemption was to reverse the damaging effect of the fall. It was the soul (mind, will, emotions) that was empowered by the will of satan (the serpent) in the garden of Eden. Genesis 3:6 gives us a clear picture of a soul fully activated and elevated ‘And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.’ In breaking this down some more ‘it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired’ is an act of the emotions; ‘to make one wise’ is an act of the mind; ‘’she took of the fruit therefore, and did eat’ this is an act of the will. The eating of the fruit was symbolic of taking in a forbidden thing, the nature of Satan, filled with rebellion and self-consciousness. You are what you eat. When we read the account of Satan’s rebellion against God in Isaiah 14 we find there a number of ‘I wills’ coming from Lucifer (Satan). When Christ came to earth His whole manner of living was in contrast to this very thing, He would say such words as these “Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.” “Yet not my will, but yours be done.” This must become the pattern for our lives as well, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Gal. 2:20. The “I” must die in order that the life of Christ have full reign. Phil. 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Insight 1. By making man last, God was making a defining statement that man should never be in bondage to anything, all things were to be subservient to man working to bring about God's ultimate purpose. Remember, 'all things work together for...His purpose’ Rom l8:28. Do you see this? Let ‘s look at the cycle provided in this picture. God made the heavens to supply the earth with all that is necessary for reproduction, growth and a healthy environment. The earth in turn supplies what is needful for man's life, i.e., eating, producing and reproducing and comfort. Man would supply what God needed, praise, worship and adoration, yet more than this… a place for His rest. Isa. 66:1.2
Insight 2. God rested for He was satisfied that His plan was fully set in motion. Was He aware of man's inevitable failure? Yes, of course. He was fully at rest for He knew that nothing and no one, not even satan on his best day of trickeries and deceptions, could alter His plan once it was in place. Jesus said ' I will build my Church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.’ Matt 16:18 NASB
Insight 3. Man's first day was on the seventh day. It follows that God's design for man’s life was complete and he was to enter into God’s rest. The Rest here is not one of a physical nature but the ceasing of labor of the soul life (the will, mind and emotions). "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You." Isa 26:3
For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Heb 4: 10
If we are to benefit fully of the provision of God, we have to stop eating from our own table, the thing we have provided for ourselves, and eat from the table provided by the Lord. Jesus said in John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. If we are to please or fulfill the purpose of the Father we must eat and live by Christ.
The whole purpose of redemption was to reverse the damaging effect of the fall. It was the soul (mind, will, emotions) that was empowered by the will of satan (the serpent) in the garden of Eden. Genesis 3:6 gives us a clear picture of a soul fully activated and elevated ‘And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.’ In breaking this down some more ‘it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired’ is an act of the emotions; ‘to make one wise’ is an act of the mind; ‘’she took of the fruit therefore, and did eat’ this is an act of the will. The eating of the fruit was symbolic of taking in a forbidden thing, the nature of Satan, filled with rebellion and self-consciousness. You are what you eat. When we read the account of Satan’s rebellion against God in Isaiah 14 we find there a number of ‘I wills’ coming from Lucifer (Satan). When Christ came to earth His whole manner of living was in contrast to this very thing, He would say such words as these “Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.” “Yet not my will, but yours be done.” This must become the pattern for our lives as well, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Gal. 2:20. The “I” must die in order that the life of Christ have full reign. Phil. 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
GOD'S ORIGINAL INTENT
We have discovered that when God said ‘let us make man in our image’ that man would be made into the image of Christ, For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; Romans 8:29
What is the image of Christ? Such verses as Col 1:15 speaking of Christ states “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” And 2Cor. 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Genesis is filled with many divine truths in which as the title of the book suggests are the origins, the beginnings and giving of birth, which can also be summarized in one word, seeds. It is a known fact that seed/s are not the final stage of a thing, but it holds the potentiality of what is to be produced, therefore the seed has to germinate, grow and develop to a matured state for harvest.
Understanding and observing this truth will help to diffuse any careless methods used to decipher or interpret scripture. In this book of Genesis we see many types and figures and symbols such as “the deep”, “dry land”, “man” just to name a few. The gross mistake that we can make here or any other part of scripture is to simply take the face value and seek to make a conclusion without going beyond the linguistic form of the text and gain the spiritual meaning.
From the standpoint that this was God’s initial intention, we can conclude that man was made to be a vessel
So, Man at a designated time would contain Christ. Read; 2Cor. 4:7, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
Romans 9:23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
Image is an inner matter, when man possesses Christ; he is transformed into the image of God. 2Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
The work of transformation can only commence when the approved mold (Christ the image of God) is deposited or dispensed into man.
‘Let us’
This points out that the Triune God purposed to dwell within man. There is no such thing as working alone in the Godhead. If one made a decision to make man His home; they would all dwell there.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
If image refers to the inner work then likeness refers to the outward work. God always begins His work from the inside and work to the outside.
Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Phil. 3:21Our God is complete in every thing He does, 1Thess. 5:23 and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The above portion of scripture confirms that man was made a tripartite being.
Since man is found with three (3) perpetual needs, spiritual, psychological and natural, let‘s look more closely at this tripartite.
Spirit – consist of three parts: conscious, intuition and communion.
Soul – the mind, will and emotion.
Body – The natural body is a 3 dimensional figure that houses the soul and spirit.
What is the image of Christ? Such verses as Col 1:15 speaking of Christ states “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” And 2Cor. 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Genesis is filled with many divine truths in which as the title of the book suggests are the origins, the beginnings and giving of birth, which can also be summarized in one word, seeds. It is a known fact that seed/s are not the final stage of a thing, but it holds the potentiality of what is to be produced, therefore the seed has to germinate, grow and develop to a matured state for harvest.
Understanding and observing this truth will help to diffuse any careless methods used to decipher or interpret scripture. In this book of Genesis we see many types and figures and symbols such as “the deep”, “dry land”, “man” just to name a few. The gross mistake that we can make here or any other part of scripture is to simply take the face value and seek to make a conclusion without going beyond the linguistic form of the text and gain the spiritual meaning.
From the standpoint that this was God’s initial intention, we can conclude that man was made to be a vessel
So, Man at a designated time would contain Christ. Read; 2Cor. 4:7, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
Romans 9:23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
Image is an inner matter, when man possesses Christ; he is transformed into the image of God. 2Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
The work of transformation can only commence when the approved mold (Christ the image of God) is deposited or dispensed into man.
‘Let us’
This points out that the Triune God purposed to dwell within man. There is no such thing as working alone in the Godhead. If one made a decision to make man His home; they would all dwell there.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
If image refers to the inner work then likeness refers to the outward work. God always begins His work from the inside and work to the outside.
Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Phil. 3:21Our God is complete in every thing He does, 1Thess. 5:23 and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The above portion of scripture confirms that man was made a tripartite being.
Since man is found with three (3) perpetual needs, spiritual, psychological and natural, let‘s look more closely at this tripartite.
Spirit – consist of three parts: conscious, intuition and communion.
Soul – the mind, will and emotion.
Body – The natural body is a 3 dimensional figure that houses the soul and spirit.
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