In continuation, we can say that faith with works is in shifting our lives from being subject to the flesh and its demands to that of the Spirit. " For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (v.8)
Without being subject to the Law of the Spirit and being led, our protestations that they were serving God 'in thy name' is hypocritical. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt.7:22-23) How Luther's word on justification has been twisted to mean faith alone is required is what the imposter churches teach. Without being led by the Spirit and treating the flesh as dead they are still creating a wicked and adulterous generation. Without faith their work is that of those that work iniquity.
"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his./ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."(vv.9-10)
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
'In all these things' refers to v.34 "shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Shall these things separate us from the love of Christ?
On one hand we have 'love of Christ' which in the sight of God is what our physical body can quite comprehend but it is faith given its full scope ,- so trust explains our part,- and intercessory aspect of faith is on the other pinion, of our being hid in Christ and it is what the Spirit shall attend to. In vv.26-27 we have this assurance," but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered./And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God".Without faith on our part this love of Christ is merely eyewash. It is not our flesh but faith that makes the connection.Both man and angel have equal part as this verse explains, "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast."(Ps.57:1)
Significance of "In the shadow of thy wings" is same as in the Song of Moses,"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty./I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."
There is only one measurement in the world of the Spirit, to which we have been called according to his purpose. So the love of Christ is interchangeable with that of God. This explains the fulness of God in Christ. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,"(v.28)
Without doing the will of God all these profession of faith is merely lip service."Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
All things associated with the fulness of God in Jesus Christ is the core value. Not material wealth not praise of men but whom God did not spare for our sakes. If the world hated him we also shall be hated. So all things we need consider within the frame of reference to Jesus Christ. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"(v.35).
"It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us," so whatever happens is according to his purpose. "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." This is good when we dod share certain things that he also suffered in his body. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."(Col.3:4)
If we are dead to the flesh, is loss if dust to dust returns. It follows law of nature. But we who are in the Spirit are under the Law of the Spirit. " For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,/Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. " This is what the Law has spoken and it is according to the divine Will.
"If God be for us, who can be against us?/ He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
It is with him that God gives us 'all things'. James in his epistle tells we were made a new creation not of ourselves but of his own will." Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights...."(Jas.1:17-18). Firstly these things delineate the fulness of God in him for his glory, so Constantine I using it to ensure his claim to the throne of Caesars, was not according to his purpose. " All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," claimed by the Caesar Constantine did not work together for his son whom on some specious charge he had killed. Neither did it good for the empire since it was soon split into two and the same controversy followed the Mother church at every turn. God had cast off the nation of Israel and as warned by his Son. Yet the Pope would create a holy war in order to retrieve Jerusalem, a conflict that haunts to this day.
The second century church father's homily, coming down to us "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church,"has become a double edged sword with the inquisitions, religious wars so the evil that was outside simply got within, so we may well heed the warning of Jesus, "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep./ The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." ( John 10:12-13) For the robbers and thieves, 'all things' have been what is tangible, wealth titles, landed property megachurches, power over life and death over men and pomp and circumstance of their cloth. Jesus would call them,"for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, "(Matt.23:27)
Do we have to look in the mirror to see how closer we conform in the image of his Son? The Law of the Spirit underpins these growing in grace, being hid in Christ. "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty./But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."(2 Co.3:17-18)
There is sequence in the manner the lump of leaven can transform the whole batch of meal. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."(v.30)
His calling and gifts are irrevocable. The Lord is good and he also is co-signatory to the everlasting covenant. So he chided Jonah for putting his personal prejudices before his ministry."And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?"( Jonah 4:11) Jonah must been like some of these Evangelicals who let the colour and race come between their own salvation and calling. If one fool of a politician suggest millions of migrants be in one fell swoop be seized by the army and deported, these 'ministers' find that is good. "The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."(Pr.16:4) The Lord alone is good and the manner the rogues have hijacked the word to impose their own prejudices and make evil for good, the Spirit has a warning for them. These wicked who lies and spread disinformation did not get to the position by their merits. God set them up for the day of evil. It has to come before the Age of apostles should continue as before. God knows how to keep His saints in that day.
The word "good" as with "absolutely" are two words in my opinion, the most abused simply because the ungodly use them to mean something else. 'Every home with a carport' was a sign of the good times but now anyone with an axe to grind, simply use one to plough into an unsuspecting crowd crowd, to cause untold damages.God alone is good and absolute but without trusting Him what the godless is what we get. Law of the Spirit use the word of God with a purpose. It is Person specific. Consider this verse."For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."(v.29). God decrees a day,'Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee./Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance." (Ps.2:7-8) If the Son asks 'the heathen' will He not give him just that? The everlasting covenant with which the Bible begins is just that. Without believing it the imposter church has completely disrupted the Age of Apostles with their travesty of 'new norms' and the Christian world is solely to blame if a Christian father gives his son for glock when he asks one. the boy already has been bitten by the 'wannahaves' as influencers. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?(Matt.7:11) Many have problem to understand the idea of predestination. They forget the Word made flesh is the same yesterday, today and forever'. The omnipotent God foreknows those who are His. Jesus asked of Him and given them for his inheritance. I do not find any impossibility here. Jesus makes it clear," For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me."( John 17:8)
Do we have to look in the mirror to see how closer we conform?
"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."
Here we have the two wings of Christian Living. On one hand we have those 'who are called according to his purpose'. On the other those 'who love God'. These are two witnesses: these are like olive trees ,"These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."(Ro.11:4). These two pinions have a body which is the building of God eternal in heavens so being hid in Christ means man called according to God's purpose, and his works while in his vile body are as though Christ in him did. Where is Christ seated? He sat down "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Under the Law of the Spirit he has his covered in the other pinion which establishes his love of Christ. It is what v.27 says, "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." This part is called 'angel.' There is only single measurement for the holy city of God, man-angel ("according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel"-Ro.21:17)
God makes angels spirits, "and his ministers a flaming fire."(Ps.104:4). We see how Moses, Elijah and prophets of old stood upto the wickedness,"And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed./These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues." It is what the Law of the Spirit executes. The angel part is witness to the mind of the Spirit,"because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." The man is hid in Christ in heavenly places, his faith meanwhile works as the two witnesses do testify. We are more than conquerors.
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."
God's covenant is with Man. Our Association with him is in the manner the Law distinguishes between God the Father and Son. He blessed His creation in him. As a living soul God placed His creation in the hands of Adam. God blesses them, "And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth."(Ge.1:22). Here also the original covenant is followed. The body of man in the image of God is also "after our likeness". Adam is the double for the Son, whose body formed of the ground rendered their bodies share a common destiny. What is it? How does man replenish the earth? As in the case of the fruit tree,"whose seed was in itself, after his kind," he renewed the earth with the seed of the loins. God uses the seed in the same sense as here when he warns of the enmity "and between thy seed and her seed;"(Ge.3:15) The same gift of propagation after his kind belonged to them."
God blessed man and woman. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. The body has been prepared for his Son so when Word became flesh,"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same."(He.2:14)
"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me."(He.10:5). The vile body for the firstfruits have a specific significance. Redemption of their body is glorious as well as spiritual. "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."(1 Co.15:49) The Lamb slain is an emblem. The glory of the throne of God and of the Lamb denotes unity of the Spirit. Signs and wonders He.2:13
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; "
Christ having died once has fulfilled his obligation under the covenant. He dies no more but is seated "on the right hand of the Majesty on High". After he had by himself purged our sins, he continues "all things by the word of his power," and it shall be so till the day decreed for him must be accomplished. In the beginning set the covenant to which the fulness of time marked the testament of Christ to come in effect. So what is holding him up? "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool./The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." (Ps.110:1-2 He.1:3:Ps.2:7)
Having freed from law of sin we are waiting for the redemption of our bodies, the Law of the Spirit has covered by the spirit of adoption so we cry, Abba, Father." Besides Jesus taught us the prayer as to signify what was his Father. "Our Father which art in heaven is our reality under the life in the Spirit. Blood of the Lamb has cleansed us from our former life, in the flesh. Christ of God has come sanctification to us. "For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."(He.2:11-12) The word of God endures forever which is the gospel preached to us. (1 Pe.1:25). We heard while so many heard but dismissed it outright as unnecessary. What made the difference. We heard the gospel in faith. (Ro.10:17) This connects with the Law, forever settled in the heavens. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren./ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Not all who were foreknown simply treated as those in the Parable of the Marriage of the king's Son.
The entire chapter changes into two section. The first section is built over "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (v.10) The second half centres about v.32,"If God be for us, who can be against us?"
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." In order to live a life in the spirit we need step back from the clamour of life that demands our time most of which are distraction than helpful. "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." For one in the flesh his social capital is in his friends and it can unless one is wary can be exhausting. As in the case of the Prodigal son in the parable one builds up friends and keep them often drains his wallet. Come a change in fortune because of pandemic or depression one often realises many of them were fair-weather friends whose socialising was to feather their own nests and higher too. For one who died in the flesh in order to have Christ in him the second part of the Proverb quote is very apt. He is 'closer than a friend.' He died for us and "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."(v.34) We die in order to gain a friend whose fulness covers the earth as well as heaven." For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,/ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Who as a friend can match him who brings along God who shall love you as his very Son?
In vv.1-15 St Paul covered what shall be taken away when you are dead to sin. Carnally minded is enmity to God, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh.' This has no place for us.
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Glory of God is the expression of Power and Wisdom in their levelling off both facets of holiness so the three entities are not separate but intrinsic quality of God. Wisdom of God renders the Word becoming flesh, for which the slain Lamb is an emblem. The same Lamb when we consider in terms of the Power principle is the Lamb of God, having the power in himself to take away the sin of the world. In his humanity it is what the Power of God has willed. So the Word or the Law of the Spirit remains sacrosanct. Jesus suffered outside the camp, which is his humanity." Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." (He.13:12) Death could not hold him because the Power of God raised him to life so that the scripture might be fulfilled. That is a sign. What is our glory being adopted in his Son? It is under the umbrella of the throne of the Lamb. This body of the Lamb is expressed in terms of the glory of the light of the Lamb. In short the same suffering such as Jesus suffered in his body is our portion as well. "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."(8:7)
Suffering in the flesh can also occur in the world being unequally yoked with godless people.. Jezebel coveted the neighbour's vineyard. King Ahab was not a slumlord but a genuine buyer who wanted to make his property grander. Neboth would not sell. So he is despondent. His happiness is in some one elses hand. The devil has got his hook on him, Jezebel asks, "But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?" Flesh suffers because of law of sin, the spirit wants it all. So the law of sin makes the damned all the more wretched. (1 Ki.21)
In continuation then .How can I be His mother? For when Jesus was teaching in a certain place his mother and half brothers came desiring to talk with Him. He replied by denying as it were His flesh and said his true mother and brethren were they " who do the will of God" .
How then can a true born child of God be His mother?
We must look at Mary who received the living Word and conceived a child who in due time brought forth Christ .
We too if born again of that incorruptible seed which is the Word of God by the Holy Spirit that seed will in its proper time bring forth fruit after its own kind . Whereby we are crucified with Christ ever the less I live but not I but Christ that liveth in me"
Jesus speaking of Himself said " unless a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abide the alone but if it does it bringers forth much fruit" what sort of fruit ? After its own kind .
Man was CREATED in the image of God but he is BORN in the image of his father Adam ." Shapen in iniquity"
That image of God was lost or so marred by sin it is now unrecognisable. Did not Jesus say He came to seek and to save that which was lost"?
"Who being the express image of the invisible God" restores or rather makes "a new creation in Christ Jesus "
If a man who stands before God then finds himself in hell ,it will not be so much because he has sinned ( for all have sinned." But because of his rejection of Christ and thus does not bare the image of God in him and is thus rejected ." I never knew you".
And let's face it if a person is forever saying " No God" in his heart is he not simply saying I am not a child of God? But rather a " child of disobedience and a " child of wrath ".?
We need to grow up who profess to know Christ for far too long we have been " little children" who know not Him who is from the beginning "
" For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live./For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
What does it mean to be hid in Christ in heavenly places? " For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."(Col.3:3) No man has seen God, as John says,"No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."( John 1:18). The word spoken to us is the truth and 'thy word is truth' makes the testimony of Jesus Christ as first hand account of heavenly realities. Being hid in Christ therefore is total trust in the Apostle sent from heaven. So the only way we can do is follow his example and it as real as being led by the Spirit. "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." Works is in the manner our faith strives to make this as natural and from our heart so there is no room for inconvenient pursuits. As a cartoonist for newspapers my world view centred on observing the quirks in others which is inconvenient in a chid of God. So I let it go. Similarly my growth led by the Spirit has been slow and with experience more easy and I believe his grace has filled in wherever gaps wer, So our Christian Living is not a single linear advancement. Main thing is to stay the course, and quit me as a man, trusting in my Saviour.
Jesus laid down the principle of Association. Matt.10:40;Luke10:16) Up and Down it moves as Jesus is the Lord from heaven; we becoming Christ-like so faithwith works move across. It mirrors heavenly placein the sight of God a Spirit. "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:/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."Ph.3:17
"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
God a Spirit sets the Law, It is Law of the Spirit. How He works from the world unseen to the world made to appear has only the word to enlighten the consequences of the Law. The writer to the Hebrews explains, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God," If one is in the Spirit does one need aske, What is deep time or the age of the mammoth tusks one digs up from time to time. It is what man in the flesh shall want to ask. His reason puts up a tantrum and what it cannot being an outsider goes on to make answers which can only make the glory of God among the skeptics, a matter of derision. Bishop pf Oxford at the time Darwin's theories defended that only showed one who is in the Spirit ought to let these things alone. St Augustine in his time was stumped to answer the question:which came first: chicken or the egg? God as the creator surely considers it according to his Law so we accept it by faith.
The Spirit instructs us for our spiritual growth set this verse. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The Spirit also has set what pleases Him. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (He.11:8) It is thus the Spirit has set signposts from first to the last. The simple merely takes a text and interprets literally. The woman's seed cannot be Abraham's seed since man's blessings do not sprnig from Abrahamic promises but from Jesus Christ the Word made flesh. "Thy word is truth" Jesus applies to the word or the Law of the Spirit. It is set down in the covenant. Ep.1:3-4. He chose us according to the pleasure of his will. "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,/To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
The Word is GOD,GOD Himself,self-executing,understand?What does the Word of GOD say?
Je.23:29-Is not my Word like as a fire?saith the Lord;and like a hammer that breakes the rock in pieces?
JESUS made it so clear,saying:Lk.12:49-I am come to send fire on the earth;and what will I,if it be already kindled?
JESUS said more:Lk.12:54-57
54...When ye see a cloud rise out of the west,straightway ye say, There comes a shower;and so it is.
55When ye see the south wind blow,ye say,There will be heat;and it comes to pass.
56Ye hypocrites,ye can discern the face of the sky and the earth;but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
57Yea,and why even of yourselves Judge ye not what is right?
Gen.18:17-22-17 The Lord said,Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?20The Lord said,Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great,and their sin is very grievous;21I will go down now,and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it,which is come unto me;and if not,I will know.22And the men turned their faces from thence,and went toward Sodom:but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
Gen.19:1-14
1And there came two men to Sodom at even;and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom:and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them;and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
13They said unto Lot:We will destroy this place...the Lord has sent us to destroy it.(NOW THE DEVIL'S WORLD AS A WHOLE)
Lk.17:26-30
26And as it was in the days of Noe,so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man
27They did eat,they drank,they married wives,they were given in marriage,until the day Noah entered into the ark,the flood came,and destroyed them all.
28Also as it was in the days of Lot;they did eat,they drank,they bought,they sold,they planted,they builded;
29But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained FIRE and brimstone from heaven,and destroyed them all
30Even thus SHALL IT BE(NOW)in the day when the Son of man is revealed
I would to give my thoughts on "The temptation or testing/proving of Satan" and whether he knew Jesus was the Son of God or not in Luke 4:1-13.
First I would like to say I believe he knew Jesus was the Son of God.
I also believe he knew Jesus was coming to this world by way of the Prophet's and perhaps the first prophecy recorded given to him in Genesis 3:15. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and HER SEED; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Immediately the line by which the seed would come was persecuted from there on.
The seed of the woman is biologically wrong and should raise eyebrows.
This is directly spoken to Eve but also depicts Israel.
Seed of the woman also depicts the father of this child would be God.
When we come to the prophets he can see a clear picture.
So why would Satan even try to test the Son of God?
There's two things here to consider.
1) We have to consider verse 1 if Luke 4. "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS,
This was orchestrated by the Spirit! Jesus was presented to be tested!
Not to see if he would fail it was to show he was who the Scripture say he was.
2) Satan used the same method he used on Eve knowing she was flesh.
He knew Jesus was the Son of God but he tried to see if there was a kink in his humanity.
Christian Living is journey from one world to another, from being counted in the divine Will to be signs and wonders of being part of the light of the Lamb. It is called everlasting to everlasting. Consequently the everlasting covenant under seven days cover heaven, the earth and below as well presents us the hope of the gospel as well as our admittance in the Man who is life. "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven./And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled/ In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight" (Col.1:20-22) His humanity is taken over by his deity which is what the indwelling Spirit signifies. It also signifies our life is bound up with Christ. " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God./Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth./For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."(Col.3:1-4) In the sight of God our lives are henceforth in the Spirit. "but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." What does it amount to? We dwell either in the flesh or in the Spirit. If we walk under the Spirit of Christ we shall also appear with him glory. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
Listen to what the Spirit says to the church. " Behold I stand at the door and knock ,if any man has ears to hear and opens the door ."
It is worth noting that after the resurrection No doir was a barrier locked or otherwise .but here the Lord is knocking on the door of the church . There are no denominations in heaven and wether you regard your church as the church to which all must be.ong or part of the church which is His body ,Christ being the head . There is but one church and thus one door . The knocking on the door therefore is a call to repentance to the whole church .The promise however is however to only those who have ears to hear and not only that but " open the door..". And while the church has it seems primarily made this a call to the unsaved it is unmistakably a call to the church .
What is it to repent of? Well even Isiah and Daniel in their intercessions felt the need to repent . It he church knows much about God . Gideon did . Moses did but there came a time when they came as it were face to face with God .Things did not begin to change for the better in Gidion time untill the lines of communication with God were fully or well established . Moses was at first terrified and dared not look but in the end talked with God as a man does face to face . Isiah when " in the year AThe king had died he saw the Lord " high and lifted up and his train filled the temple and the angels cried Holy Holy Hooy ." He said " woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips" and this was in chapter !
" By your traditions you have made the Word of Word of none effect " each denomination have their own traditions some worse than others perhaps but none the less each have their own particular doctrines sound enough in most cases but only in part .
A plethora of versions of the truth that boast much in their " better understanding" to justify them but prove to have very little or none at all being " yet carnal" but the result? "all we like sheep going our own way
What does carnal mind do? Carnal mind shall know "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush" as knowing a dollar and make it work for you. It only requires carnal wisdom which however turns out to be devil's business. "but is earthly, sensual, devilish."(Jas.3:15)
Socialism at another age defended 'the end justified the means.' So proponents of this philosophy would have called Satan's challenge, to turn the stone into bread as positive; on the other hand building a class of super rich and enacting laws to protect them so in a tricked-down economy the man on the street shall benefit was an ideal for some; It is thus carnal mind has served Satan so much so the Spirit shows "and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." Seven heads of materialism, capitalism and similar isms. These are what carnal mind, which is devilish capable of. Whereas the Lamb reveal something else. "a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." This is what wisdom from heaven indicates. " But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy./ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." (Jas.3:17-18). When we consider the world we live in what is running the show? Is it not carnal mind with devil's agenda? " For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace./Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be./So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."(vv.6-9) In this context where shall we place the ministers of God who espouse 'prosperity theology'?
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
Jesus explained what are the things of the flesh."Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." (Matt.6:31-33). In the seven days God and the Man have already settled the issue so by worrying over it merely exposes your lack of trust in the holiness of God.Further down we shall see St Paul asking, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"(v.32) First things first. Jesus Christ who of God has become righteousness is who placed his own life for our sakes so it is his righteousness that we need lay hold of. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
As many as are led by the Spirit requires the right soil in order to abound in the fruits of the Spirit. Jesus Christ is the true vine. Without it the indwelling Spirit is merely quenched.
John the Baptist was anointed from his mother's womb and having served as the voice in the wilderness, we see him practice utmost austerity in his own manner of living. He failed to see what Jesus was doing there among the harlots sinners and the lowest dregs in the society. He judged him by how own standards than by the Spirit. It is where those who are called in his Son go wrong. The Bible gives another case of the mighty Samson. He was called to live up to his vows. He simply failed and when in a crisis what do we read? "And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him."
It is not a matter of one's own will but rather a matter of who rules?
"The body is dead because of sin." It is still subject to sin and death but it has in Christ and by Him been redeemed .
It is written " Let not sin RULE in your mortal body " if sin rules you will obey and be a servant of it . Bwhioe the body is dead because of sin ,if the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwell in you ,He shall quicken yiur mortal body" and in another place " if we walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh"
Thus if Christ rules you will obey Him for your will is to do His will for you are in free submission to the Lawfull and rightful king .
It is not a sin to be tempted but all temptations are from whatever direction they come from and from whatever points of the compass are designed to have a chiod of God walk after the flesh. Jesus was not tempted with every sin all men have ever been tempted with but was " tempted in all points" tye lust of the eye the lust of the flesh ,the pride of life and the lust of the mind .
And while in the beginning it was the devil whispering in his ear " if thou be the Son of God.." at the end it was men saying it at Calvary . For the devil only left Him "for a season.".
If we are true born children of God " sin shall have no more dominion over yiu" for we are no longer under the law of sin and death " but the law of Christ
Let Christ dwell in yiur hearts by faith and rule as rightful King and Saviour and sin loses its power and it's not yiu fighting lane and by your own will ( you will lose) but in submission to Christ " go and sin no more" .
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
How can you come along side with those with fear and help them out of their fears?
My Respond:
In my days of living among the Christian Church community those who were Christian passed out gospel tracks with writings and scriptures which led people how to receive Jesus Christ as God as Saviour in repentance of sins and inviting them to learn about how to be saved and live in receiving Jesus Christ .I believe these too can be signs and in places , institutions that can change fear into confidence.
1 Peter 4:11 KJV
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
What is the righteousness of the law bur Christ Jesus? If we abide in him we walk the way as he set an example. 'Thy word is truth' and his promise to send the Spirit was to guide us and having the indwelling Spirit how can we run with the hounds and preach on Sundays as a hare? We are dead to the world. Our sufficiency is of God, "But of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Co.3:6)
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged./But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."(1 Co.11:31-32). The Spirit is the arbiter and it means walk circumspectly,"not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."(Ep.5:15-17)
" But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Our sufficiency is of the Man who signed on our behalf and the everlasting covenant bears the blood of the Lamb, for which reason when he walked the earth the Spirit gave him a sign, "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"( John 1:38) John did not have to know what he was in the divine Will, the slain Lamb before the foundation of the world in his humanity walked and he was there to testify. That was his role. Later John judging him from his own lifestyle questioned, "Do we look for another?' It elicited a summation of his role in the kingdom of God from the Word become flesh. "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he".(Matt.11:11) That the scripture might be fulfilled explains the Messenger aspect linking him but in his failure it is the Man who settled the matter.
Outpouring of the Spirit is fulfilment of the everlasting covenant. 'Male and female created he them'. Power and Wisdom alike made man "In our image and after our likeness'. In v.27-28 we read thus "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." In his resurrection Jesus intended to reveal the Power aspect of God to the disciples; but without wisdom they would be as clueless as they were earlier. Peter would testify by what the Spirit in him has done, "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."(Ac.2:24)
"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment./Of sin, because they believe not on me;/Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;/Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." Of this last we see many proof. "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Apostle Peter rebuked the prince of this world that animated them. "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people."(Ac.5:9,12). Apostles were created in the mould 'after our likeness" what they did were signs and wonders but what rendered these two words of the Spirit and the earth work seamlessly is the everlasting covenant. Exit the Son of man, enter Jesus Christ. So tarrying in Jerusalem was faith in action.
Condemning sin the flesh meant victory over it, leading to, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit".
"Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?" Luke 19:23 KJV
My focus is on usury, usury in the bible is negative. It was the least or a last resort for the servant to use if he did not have the knowledge, creativity, wisdom to increase the master money. The servant did not even have the capacity to increase the master money. I think why didn't he consult with the other servants that had the master's money on their plan to increase the master money or some one else, perhaps it was pride. Pride does not serve a person well. If it was pride it caused this servant's failure. It is nothing wrong with asking for help, in asking for help you might not get the help you ask for however you may learn something just from the activity of asking for help.
The blood of the Lamb cleanseth us from all sin. This cleansing depends on the first commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." This is where the nation of Israel failed. Instead of full commitment they tried to observe the tradition of their father which meant they still were under the law of sin.
The everlasting covenant is made between God and Man and sealed by the blood of the Lam. This is what made the Lamb of God and it came from John the Baptist. The Spirit of God revealed to him. "And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him."( John 1:36-38). The Spirit of Christ adds another element cancelling the law of sin, another aspect of the blessing under the covenant: Law of the Spirit.
This Spirit is unseen as the ten stones that covered the covering cherub in his iniquity. So the beast is called the son of perdition. he is born of that spirit of pride. Recent news had the former POTUS crowing before the Penn. crowd that he was more beautiful than his political opponent. Of what spirit is that?
Economic is not an exact science. Supply meets demand is its foundation. But in market economy these never meet but determined by unseen forces. So come pandemic and from did it come, no one knows. In the post-pandemic world the super rich are 300 time richer than before. All those economic pundits have been misled and so are policy makers of nations. They have no clue. It is thus ungodly nations go by insufficient evidence pulling wool over simple souls. Yet they root for the fools who cover their real intent by glib talk. Under the light of the Lamb we have 12 foundations laid with precious stones. This is what gospel of salvation does. Glory of it was not the high priest under the Law of Moses could qiet match.
AFTER THAT, A THIRD SCENARIO WILL TAKE PLACE IN JERUSALEM
The third scenario in Jerusalem will be of human upheaval,the environment in the holy city will be of extreme convulsion,multitudes of people and kindreds and tongues and nations will travel to Jerusalem,a strong touristic movements from all nations,mainly religious tourism from all religions and evangelical churches of all denominations,sects will travel to Jerusalem,multitudes will be circling in holy city.Even the Pope will meet the false messiah in the midst of a great human mass of religious people,a strong religious movements towards Jerusalem.
These will be the SCENARIOS in Jerusalem for 42 months(the 1st half of the last week of years,week 70th Daniel 9:27,as soon as manifest the false messiah in Israel,enthroned in Jerusalem,which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt.Thus will fulfil literally what is written in Revelation 11and13
A FOURTH TERRIBLE SCENARIO TAKE PLACE, SCENARIO OF WAR
Rev.11:2-the court which is without the temple leave out...it is given unto the Gentiles:and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
See,in paralel with the scenarios above,the true Christians will preach against these satanic movements,the environment on the earth will be a spiritual and religious War and one of the seven heads of the Beast of sea-the Papacy-and the woman which rides upon him-will be wounded to death.
Then the false messiah will make a deal with the Pope to build a religious Empire(iron mixed with clay),and he will give to the Pope his Power,and his Throne and great Authority(Rev.13:2),the deadly wound of the Papacy will be healed and all the World will be wondered after the Pope,sitting on the throne of the false messiah in the holy city.
And peoples of the earth included Jewish people,guided by the false messiah,they will worship their false messiah which gave power unto the Pope,and will worship the Pope,saying,Who is like unto the Pope?who is able to make WAR with him?
THE COURT WHICH IS WITHOUT THE TEMPLE IS GIVEN TO THE GENTILES
Broters, remember of this: according Revelation 11:1-2,what we can see is that the outer court is given to the gentiles.The text talks about two witnesses being able to execute severe Judgments for 42 months/1260 days, Fire will proceed out of their mouth,and will devour the enemies( Revelation 11:18).
What will be the SCENARIOS within Jerusalem in this time to come soon?In fact,It is at the door.
THE FIRST SCENARIO THAT WILL BE SEEN IN JERUSALEM
In fact the false messiah will manifest himself in the holy city in short future.The supposed messiah,called Eliyahu(??),born in Israel decades ago,already living in the holy city for decades(this detail is very important to be known to everyone here of course),this MAN as soon as he manifests himself as a messiah in the days to come, he will begin to make great signs and lying wonders.This esoteric / spiritist/kabbalistic messiah of the Jews will do great signs and wonders,even will make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, deceiving them that dwell on the earth by the miracles which he has power to do- 2Thessalonians 2:9 combined with Revelation 13:13-14.
THEN A SECOND SCENARIO WILL BE SEEN IN JERUSALEM
All kind of comunications,the midea in general,will comment the signs and lying wonders of the false messiah and will show them to the whole world,mainly by the chanels of television.In the other hand, Ministries and Ministers of all denominations and sects,and all religious leaders of all religious system that exist,they will preach and spread at the four corners of the earth saying Christ is in Jerusalem,yes,Christ,a false Christ, not JESUS.Then the whole world will hear by/through the leaders of the evangelical Churches and non evengelic too,that he is the Christ or he is the messiah,but it is the false, he is not the true messiah-JESUS.
The false will manifest himself very soon,after will come JESUS- 2Thessalonians 2:8.Take a look.
ATTENTION:Before JESUS coming,will come FIRST the false messiah( Revelation 13:11),as JESUS prophesied- John 5:43.GOD HIMSELF WILL SEND THIS STRONG DELUSION-BE CAREFUL
See,the Abomination of Desolation is linked to the last week,the last 7 years of this world of Devil in which we are living,but we are not of it,we are of the next to be established by our GOD for a millenniun,as JESUS said( Luke 20:35-36 combined with Revelation 11:15-18,among many biblical references)
The AoD has nothing to do with armed forces,but establishment of the religious Antichrist's Kingdom for a period of 7 years,the last 7 years of this current world of the Devil.Two satanic Beasts will be together to establish the satanic Kingdom of Antichrist:the Beast of sea-a Gentile Beast- Revelation 13:1-10,and the Beast of the earth- Revelation 13:11-18,a Jewish Beast,having 2 horns like a lamb,a FALSE LAMB,a FALSE MESSIAH( John 5:43-47),esoteric,kabbalistic and spiritist false messiah,AN IMPOSTOR,and he speaks as a DRAGON(Revelation13:11),and these devilish events will happen after be ELECTED the next and LAST Pope,this will not take long,understand?
The AoD will be established in the 2nd half of the last week of years by the false Jewish and esoteric and kabbalistic messiah who speaks as DRAGON( John 5:43-47 combined with Revelation 12:13-14,take a look)
He will sit on his demonic throne in Jerusalem,and exerciseth all the power of the first Beast(the Beast of sea)before him,and causes the earth(ISRAEL)and them which dwell therein to worship the first Beast(the Gentile Beast-headquater Vatican City),whose deadly wound by the Sword was(will be)healed.How?The deadly wound of the Beast of sea will be healed because the false messiah of the Jews,the DRAGON- Revelation 13:11-gives his Power,his Throne in JERUSALEM,and great AUTHORITY to the Gentile Beast of sea- Revelation 13:2(take a look),who will rule the 1st half of the last week(42 months-Re.13:5)sitting on the Throne of the false messiah in JERUSALEM
In continuation, we can say that faith with works is in shifting our lives from being subject to the flesh and its demands to that of the Spirit. " For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (v.8)
Without being subject to the Law of the Spirit and being led, our protestations that they were serving God 'in thy name' is hypocritical. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt.7:22-23) How Luther's word on justification has been twisted to mean faith alone is required is what the imposter churches teach. Without being led by the Spirit and treating the flesh as dead they are still creating a wicked and adulterous generation. Without faith their work is that of those that work iniquity.
"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his./ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."(vv.9-10)
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
'In all these things' refers to v.34 "shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Shall these things separate us from the love of Christ?
On one hand we have 'love of Christ' which in the sight of God is what our physical body can quite comprehend but it is faith given its full scope ,- so trust explains our part,- and intercessory aspect of faith is on the other pinion, of our being hid in Christ and it is what the Spirit shall attend to. In vv.26-27 we have this assurance," but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered./And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God".Without faith on our part this love of Christ is merely eyewash. It is not our flesh but faith that makes the connection.Both man and angel have equal part as this verse explains, "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast."(Ps.57:1)
Significance of "In the shadow of thy wings" is same as in the Song of Moses,"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty./I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."
There is only one measurement in the world of the Spirit, to which we have been called according to his purpose. So the love of Christ is interchangeable with that of God. This explains the fulness of God in Christ. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,"(v.28)
Without doing the will of God all these profession of faith is merely lip service."Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
All things associated with the fulness of God in Jesus Christ is the core value. Not material wealth not praise of men but whom God did not spare for our sakes. If the world hated him we also shall be hated. So all things we need consider within the frame of reference to Jesus Christ. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"(v.35).
"It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us," so whatever happens is according to his purpose. "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." This is good when we dod share certain things that he also suffered in his body. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."(Col.3:4)
If we are dead to the flesh, is loss if dust to dust returns. It follows law of nature. But we who are in the Spirit are under the Law of the Spirit. " For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,/Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. " This is what the Law has spoken and it is according to the divine Will.
"If God be for us, who can be against us?/ He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
It is with him that God gives us 'all things'. James in his epistle tells we were made a new creation not of ourselves but of his own will." Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights...."(Jas.1:17-18). Firstly these things delineate the fulness of God in him for his glory, so Constantine I using it to ensure his claim to the throne of Caesars, was not according to his purpose. " All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," claimed by the Caesar Constantine did not work together for his son whom on some specious charge he had killed. Neither did it good for the empire since it was soon split into two and the same controversy followed the Mother church at every turn. God had cast off the nation of Israel and as warned by his Son. Yet the Pope would create a holy war in order to retrieve Jerusalem, a conflict that haunts to this day.
The second century church father's homily, coming down to us "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church,"has become a double edged sword with the inquisitions, religious wars so the evil that was outside simply got within, so we may well heed the warning of Jesus, "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep./ The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." ( John 10:12-13) For the robbers and thieves, 'all things' have been what is tangible, wealth titles, landed property megachurches, power over life and death over men and pomp and circumstance of their cloth. Jesus would call them,"for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, "(Matt.23:27)
Do we have to look in the mirror to see how closer we conform in the image of his Son? The Law of the Spirit underpins these growing in grace, being hid in Christ. "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty./But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."(2 Co.3:17-18)
There is sequence in the manner the lump of leaven can transform the whole batch of meal. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."(v.30)
His calling and gifts are irrevocable. The Lord is good and he also is co-signatory to the everlasting covenant. So he chided Jonah for putting his personal prejudices before his ministry."And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?"( Jonah 4:11) Jonah must been like some of these Evangelicals who let the colour and race come between their own salvation and calling. If one fool of a politician suggest millions of migrants be in one fell swoop be seized by the army and deported, these 'ministers' find that is good. "The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."(Pr.16:4) The Lord alone is good and the manner the rogues have hijacked the word to impose their own prejudices and make evil for good, the Spirit has a warning for them. These wicked who lies and spread disinformation did not get to the position by their merits. God set them up for the day of evil. It has to come before the Age of apostles should continue as before. God knows how to keep His saints in that day.
The word "good" as with "absolutely" are two words in my opinion, the most abused simply because the ungodly use them to mean something else. 'Every home with a carport' was a sign of the good times but now anyone with an axe to grind, simply use one to plough into an unsuspecting crowd crowd, to cause untold damages.God alone is good and absolute but without trusting Him what the godless is what we get. Law of the Spirit use the word of God with a purpose. It is Person specific. Consider this verse."For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."(v.29). God decrees a day,'Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee./Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance." (Ps.2:7-8) If the Son asks 'the heathen' will He not give him just that? The everlasting covenant with which the Bible begins is just that. Without believing it the imposter church has completely disrupted the Age of Apostles with their travesty of 'new norms' and the Christian world is solely to blame if a Christian father gives his son for glock when he asks one. the boy already has been bitten by the 'wannahaves' as influencers. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?(Matt.7:11) Many have problem to understand the idea of predestination. They forget the Word made flesh is the same yesterday, today and forever'. The omnipotent God foreknows those who are His. Jesus asked of Him and given them for his inheritance. I do not find any impossibility here. Jesus makes it clear," For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me."( John 17:8)
Do we have to look in the mirror to see how closer we conform?
"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."
Here we have the two wings of Christian Living. On one hand we have those 'who are called according to his purpose'. On the other those 'who love God'. These are two witnesses: these are like olive trees ,"These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."(Ro.11:4). These two pinions have a body which is the building of God eternal in heavens so being hid in Christ means man called according to God's purpose, and his works while in his vile body are as though Christ in him did. Where is Christ seated? He sat down "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Under the Law of the Spirit he has his covered in the other pinion which establishes his love of Christ. It is what v.27 says, "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." This part is called 'angel.' There is only single measurement for the holy city of God, man-angel ("according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel"-Ro.21:17)
God makes angels spirits, "and his ministers a flaming fire."(Ps.104:4). We see how Moses, Elijah and prophets of old stood upto the wickedness,"And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed./These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues." It is what the Law of the Spirit executes. The angel part is witness to the mind of the Spirit,"because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." The man is hid in Christ in heavenly places, his faith meanwhile works as the two witnesses do testify. We are more than conquerors.
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."
God's covenant is with Man. Our Association with him is in the manner the Law distinguishes between God the Father and Son. He blessed His creation in him. As a living soul God placed His creation in the hands of Adam. God blesses them, "And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth."(Ge.1:22). Here also the original covenant is followed. The body of man in the image of God is also "after our likeness". Adam is the double for the Son, whose body formed of the ground rendered their bodies share a common destiny. What is it? How does man replenish the earth? As in the case of the fruit tree,"whose seed was in itself, after his kind," he renewed the earth with the seed of the loins. God uses the seed in the same sense as here when he warns of the enmity "and between thy seed and her seed;"(Ge.3:15) The same gift of propagation after his kind belonged to them."
God blessed man and woman. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. The body has been prepared for his Son so when Word became flesh,"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same."(He.2:14)
"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me."(He.10:5). The vile body for the firstfruits have a specific significance. Redemption of their body is glorious as well as spiritual. "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."(1 Co.15:49) The Lamb slain is an emblem. The glory of the throne of God and of the Lamb denotes unity of the Spirit. Signs and wonders He.2:13
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; "
Christ having died once has fulfilled his obligation under the covenant. He dies no more but is seated "on the right hand of the Majesty on High". After he had by himself purged our sins, he continues "all things by the word of his power," and it shall be so till the day decreed for him must be accomplished. In the beginning set the covenant to which the fulness of time marked the testament of Christ to come in effect. So what is holding him up? "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool./The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." (Ps.110:1-2 He.1:3:Ps.2:7)
Having freed from law of sin we are waiting for the redemption of our bodies, the Law of the Spirit has covered by the spirit of adoption so we cry, Abba, Father." Besides Jesus taught us the prayer as to signify what was his Father. "Our Father which art in heaven is our reality under the life in the Spirit. Blood of the Lamb has cleansed us from our former life, in the flesh. Christ of God has come sanctification to us. "For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."(He.2:11-12) The word of God endures forever which is the gospel preached to us. (1 Pe.1:25). We heard while so many heard but dismissed it outright as unnecessary. What made the difference. We heard the gospel in faith. (Ro.10:17) This connects with the Law, forever settled in the heavens. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren./ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Not all who were foreknown simply treated as those in the Parable of the Marriage of the king's Son.
Overview of vv.16-39
The entire chapter changes into two section. The first section is built over "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (v.10) The second half centres about v.32,"If God be for us, who can be against us?"
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." In order to live a life in the spirit we need step back from the clamour of life that demands our time most of which are distraction than helpful. "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." For one in the flesh his social capital is in his friends and it can unless one is wary can be exhausting. As in the case of the Prodigal son in the parable one builds up friends and keep them often drains his wallet. Come a change in fortune because of pandemic or depression one often realises many of them were fair-weather friends whose socialising was to feather their own nests and higher too. For one who died in the flesh in order to have Christ in him the second part of the Proverb quote is very apt. He is 'closer than a friend.' He died for us and "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."(v.34) We die in order to gain a friend whose fulness covers the earth as well as heaven." For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,/ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Who as a friend can match him who brings along God who shall love you as his very Son?
In vv.1-15 St Paul covered what shall be taken away when you are dead to sin. Carnally minded is enmity to God, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh.' This has no place for us.
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Glory of God is the expression of Power and Wisdom in their levelling off both facets of holiness so the three entities are not separate but intrinsic quality of God. Wisdom of God renders the Word becoming flesh, for which the slain Lamb is an emblem. The same Lamb when we consider in terms of the Power principle is the Lamb of God, having the power in himself to take away the sin of the world. In his humanity it is what the Power of God has willed. So the Word or the Law of the Spirit remains sacrosanct. Jesus suffered outside the camp, which is his humanity." Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." (He.13:12) Death could not hold him because the Power of God raised him to life so that the scripture might be fulfilled. That is a sign. What is our glory being adopted in his Son? It is under the umbrella of the throne of the Lamb. This body of the Lamb is expressed in terms of the glory of the light of the Lamb. In short the same suffering such as Jesus suffered in his body is our portion as well. "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."(8:7)
Suffering in the flesh can also occur in the world being unequally yoked with godless people.. Jezebel coveted the neighbour's vineyard. King Ahab was not a slumlord but a genuine buyer who wanted to make his property grander. Neboth would not sell. So he is despondent. His happiness is in some one elses hand. The devil has got his hook on him, Jezebel asks, "But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?" Flesh suffers because of law of sin, the spirit wants it all. So the law of sin makes the damned all the more wretched. (1 Ki.21)
How then can a true born child of God be His mother?
We must look at Mary who received the living Word and conceived a child who in due time brought forth Christ .
We too if born again of that incorruptible seed which is the Word of God by the Holy Spirit that seed will in its proper time bring forth fruit after its own kind . Whereby we are crucified with Christ ever the less I live but not I but Christ that liveth in me"
Jesus speaking of Himself said " unless a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abide the alone but if it does it bringers forth much fruit" what sort of fruit ? After its own kind .
Man was CREATED in the image of God but he is BORN in the image of his father Adam ." Shapen in iniquity"
That image of God was lost or so marred by sin it is now unrecognisable. Did not Jesus say He came to seek and to save that which was lost"?
"Who being the express image of the invisible God" restores or rather makes "a new creation in Christ Jesus "
If a man who stands before God then finds himself in hell ,it will not be so much because he has sinned ( for all have sinned." But because of his rejection of Christ and thus does not bare the image of God in him and is thus rejected ." I never knew you".
And let's face it if a person is forever saying " No God" in his heart is he not simply saying I am not a child of God? But rather a " child of disobedience and a " child of wrath ".?
We need to grow up who profess to know Christ for far too long we have been " little children" who know not Him who is from the beginning "
" For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live./For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
What does it mean to be hid in Christ in heavenly places? " For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."(Col.3:3) No man has seen God, as John says,"No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."( John 1:18). The word spoken to us is the truth and 'thy word is truth' makes the testimony of Jesus Christ as first hand account of heavenly realities. Being hid in Christ therefore is total trust in the Apostle sent from heaven. So the only way we can do is follow his example and it as real as being led by the Spirit. "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." Works is in the manner our faith strives to make this as natural and from our heart so there is no room for inconvenient pursuits. As a cartoonist for newspapers my world view centred on observing the quirks in others which is inconvenient in a chid of God. So I let it go. Similarly my growth led by the Spirit has been slow and with experience more easy and I believe his grace has filled in wherever gaps wer, So our Christian Living is not a single linear advancement. Main thing is to stay the course, and quit me as a man, trusting in my Saviour.
Jesus laid down the principle of Association. Matt.10:40;Luke10:16) Up and Down it moves as Jesus is the Lord from heaven; we becoming Christ-like so faithwith works move across. It mirrors heavenly placein the sight of God a Spirit. "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:/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."Ph.3:17
"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
God a Spirit sets the Law, It is Law of the Spirit. How He works from the world unseen to the world made to appear has only the word to enlighten the consequences of the Law. The writer to the Hebrews explains, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God," If one is in the Spirit does one need aske, What is deep time or the age of the mammoth tusks one digs up from time to time. It is what man in the flesh shall want to ask. His reason puts up a tantrum and what it cannot being an outsider goes on to make answers which can only make the glory of God among the skeptics, a matter of derision. Bishop pf Oxford at the time Darwin's theories defended that only showed one who is in the Spirit ought to let these things alone. St Augustine in his time was stumped to answer the question:which came first: chicken or the egg? God as the creator surely considers it according to his Law so we accept it by faith.
The Spirit instructs us for our spiritual growth set this verse. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The Spirit also has set what pleases Him. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (He.11:8) It is thus the Spirit has set signposts from first to the last. The simple merely takes a text and interprets literally. The woman's seed cannot be Abraham's seed since man's blessings do not sprnig from Abrahamic promises but from Jesus Christ the Word made flesh. "Thy word is truth" Jesus applies to the word or the Law of the Spirit. It is set down in the covenant. Ep.1:3-4. He chose us according to the pleasure of his will. "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,/To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
Je.23:29-Is not my Word like as a fire?saith the Lord;and like a hammer that breakes the rock in pieces?
JESUS made it so clear,saying:Lk.12:49-I am come to send fire on the earth;and what will I,if it be already kindled?
JESUS said more:Lk.12:54-57
54...When ye see a cloud rise out of the west,straightway ye say, There comes a shower;and so it is.
55When ye see the south wind blow,ye say,There will be heat;and it comes to pass.
56Ye hypocrites,ye can discern the face of the sky and the earth;but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
57Yea,and why even of yourselves Judge ye not what is right?
Gen.18:17-22-17 The Lord said,Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?20The Lord said,Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great,and their sin is very grievous;21I will go down now,and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it,which is come unto me;and if not,I will know.22And the men turned their faces from thence,and went toward Sodom:but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
Gen.19:1-14
1And there came two men to Sodom at even;and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom:and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them;and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
13They said unto Lot:We will destroy this place...the Lord has sent us to destroy it.(NOW THE DEVIL'S WORLD AS A WHOLE)
Lk.17:26-30
26And as it was in the days of Noe,so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man
27They did eat,they drank,they married wives,they were given in marriage,until the day Noah entered into the ark,the flood came,and destroyed them all.
28Also as it was in the days of Lot;they did eat,they drank,they bought,they sold,they planted,they builded;
29But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained FIRE and brimstone from heaven,and destroyed them all
30Even thus SHALL IT BE(NOW)in the day when the Son of man is revealed
The Word is GOD,GOD Himself,self-executing
Get ready
I would to give my thoughts on "The temptation or testing/proving of Satan" and whether he knew Jesus was the Son of God or not in Luke 4:1-13.
First I would like to say I believe he knew Jesus was the Son of God.
I also believe he knew Jesus was coming to this world by way of the Prophet's and perhaps the first prophecy recorded given to him in Genesis 3:15. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and HER SEED; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Immediately the line by which the seed would come was persecuted from there on.
The seed of the woman is biologically wrong and should raise eyebrows.
This is directly spoken to Eve but also depicts Israel.
Seed of the woman also depicts the father of this child would be God.
When we come to the prophets he can see a clear picture.
So why would Satan even try to test the Son of God?
There's two things here to consider.
1) We have to consider verse 1 if Luke 4. "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS,
This was orchestrated by the Spirit! Jesus was presented to be tested!
Not to see if he would fail it was to show he was who the Scripture say he was.
2) Satan used the same method he used on Eve knowing she was flesh.
He knew Jesus was the Son of God but he tried to see if there was a kink in his humanity.
God bless.
Christian Living is journey from one world to another, from being counted in the divine Will to be signs and wonders of being part of the light of the Lamb. It is called everlasting to everlasting. Consequently the everlasting covenant under seven days cover heaven, the earth and below as well presents us the hope of the gospel as well as our admittance in the Man who is life. "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven./And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled/ In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight" (Col.1:20-22) His humanity is taken over by his deity which is what the indwelling Spirit signifies. It also signifies our life is bound up with Christ. " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God./Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth./For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."(Col.3:1-4) In the sight of God our lives are henceforth in the Spirit. "but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." What does it amount to? We dwell either in the flesh or in the Spirit. If we walk under the Spirit of Christ we shall also appear with him glory. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
It is worth noting that after the resurrection No doir was a barrier locked or otherwise .but here the Lord is knocking on the door of the church . There are no denominations in heaven and wether you regard your church as the church to which all must be.ong or part of the church which is His body ,Christ being the head . There is but one church and thus one door . The knocking on the door therefore is a call to repentance to the whole church .The promise however is however to only those who have ears to hear and not only that but " open the door..". And while the church has it seems primarily made this a call to the unsaved it is unmistakably a call to the church .
What is it to repent of? Well even Isiah and Daniel in their intercessions felt the need to repent . It he church knows much about God . Gideon did . Moses did but there came a time when they came as it were face to face with God .Things did not begin to change for the better in Gidion time untill the lines of communication with God were fully or well established . Moses was at first terrified and dared not look but in the end talked with God as a man does face to face . Isiah when " in the year AThe king had died he saw the Lord " high and lifted up and his train filled the temple and the angels cried Holy Holy Hooy ." He said " woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips" and this was in chapter !
" By your traditions you have made the Word of Word of none effect " each denomination have their own traditions some worse than others perhaps but none the less each have their own particular doctrines sound enough in most cases but only in part .
A plethora of versions of the truth that boast much in their " better understanding" to justify them but prove to have very little or none at all being " yet carnal" but the result? "all we like sheep going our own way
What does carnal mind do? Carnal mind shall know "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush" as knowing a dollar and make it work for you. It only requires carnal wisdom which however turns out to be devil's business. "but is earthly, sensual, devilish."(Jas.3:15)
Socialism at another age defended 'the end justified the means.' So proponents of this philosophy would have called Satan's challenge, to turn the stone into bread as positive; on the other hand building a class of super rich and enacting laws to protect them so in a tricked-down economy the man on the street shall benefit was an ideal for some; It is thus carnal mind has served Satan so much so the Spirit shows "and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." Seven heads of materialism, capitalism and similar isms. These are what carnal mind, which is devilish capable of. Whereas the Lamb reveal something else. "a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." This is what wisdom from heaven indicates. " But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy./ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." (Jas.3:17-18). When we consider the world we live in what is running the show? Is it not carnal mind with devil's agenda? " For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace./Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be./So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."(vv.6-9) In this context where shall we place the ministers of God who espouse 'prosperity theology'?
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
Jesus explained what are the things of the flesh."Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." (Matt.6:31-33). In the seven days God and the Man have already settled the issue so by worrying over it merely exposes your lack of trust in the holiness of God.Further down we shall see St Paul asking, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"(v.32) First things first. Jesus Christ who of God has become righteousness is who placed his own life for our sakes so it is his righteousness that we need lay hold of. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
As many as are led by the Spirit requires the right soil in order to abound in the fruits of the Spirit. Jesus Christ is the true vine. Without it the indwelling Spirit is merely quenched.
John the Baptist was anointed from his mother's womb and having served as the voice in the wilderness, we see him practice utmost austerity in his own manner of living. He failed to see what Jesus was doing there among the harlots sinners and the lowest dregs in the society. He judged him by how own standards than by the Spirit. It is where those who are called in his Son go wrong. The Bible gives another case of the mighty Samson. He was called to live up to his vows. He simply failed and when in a crisis what do we read? "And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him."
It is not a matter of one's own will but rather a matter of who rules?
"The body is dead because of sin." It is still subject to sin and death but it has in Christ and by Him been redeemed .
It is written " Let not sin RULE in your mortal body " if sin rules you will obey and be a servant of it . Bwhioe the body is dead because of sin ,if the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwell in you ,He shall quicken yiur mortal body" and in another place " if we walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh"
Thus if Christ rules you will obey Him for your will is to do His will for you are in free submission to the Lawfull and rightful king .
It is not a sin to be tempted but all temptations are from whatever direction they come from and from whatever points of the compass are designed to have a chiod of God walk after the flesh. Jesus was not tempted with every sin all men have ever been tempted with but was " tempted in all points" tye lust of the eye the lust of the flesh ,the pride of life and the lust of the mind .
And while in the beginning it was the devil whispering in his ear " if thou be the Son of God.." at the end it was men saying it at Calvary . For the devil only left Him "for a season.".
If we are true born children of God " sin shall have no more dominion over yiu" for we are no longer under the law of sin and death " but the law of Christ
Let Christ dwell in yiur hearts by faith and rule as rightful King and Saviour and sin loses its power and it's not yiu fighting lane and by your own will ( you will lose) but in submission to Christ " go and sin no more" .
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
How can you come along side with those with fear and help them out of their fears?
My Respond:
In my days of living among the Christian Church community those who were Christian passed out gospel tracks with writings and scriptures which led people how to receive Jesus Christ as God as Saviour in repentance of sins and inviting them to learn about how to be saved and live in receiving Jesus Christ .I believe these too can be signs and in places , institutions that can change fear into confidence.
1 Peter 4:11 KJV
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Published by REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
What is the righteousness of the law bur Christ Jesus? If we abide in him we walk the way as he set an example. 'Thy word is truth' and his promise to send the Spirit was to guide us and having the indwelling Spirit how can we run with the hounds and preach on Sundays as a hare? We are dead to the world. Our sufficiency is of God, "But of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Co.3:6)
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged./But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."(1 Co.11:31-32). The Spirit is the arbiter and it means walk circumspectly,"not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."(Ep.5:15-17)
" But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Our sufficiency is of the Man who signed on our behalf and the everlasting covenant bears the blood of the Lamb, for which reason when he walked the earth the Spirit gave him a sign, "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"( John 1:38) John did not have to know what he was in the divine Will, the slain Lamb before the foundation of the world in his humanity walked and he was there to testify. That was his role. Later John judging him from his own lifestyle questioned, "Do we look for another?' It elicited a summation of his role in the kingdom of God from the Word become flesh. "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he".(Matt.11:11) That the scripture might be fulfilled explains the Messenger aspect linking him but in his failure it is the Man who settled the matter.
Outpouring of the Spirit is fulfilment of the everlasting covenant. 'Male and female created he them'. Power and Wisdom alike made man "In our image and after our likeness'. In v.27-28 we read thus "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." In his resurrection Jesus intended to reveal the Power aspect of God to the disciples; but without wisdom they would be as clueless as they were earlier. Peter would testify by what the Spirit in him has done, "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."(Ac.2:24)
"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment./Of sin, because they believe not on me;/Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;/Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." Of this last we see many proof. "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Apostle Peter rebuked the prince of this world that animated them. "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people."(Ac.5:9,12). Apostles were created in the mould 'after our likeness" what they did were signs and wonders but what rendered these two words of the Spirit and the earth work seamlessly is the everlasting covenant. Exit the Son of man, enter Jesus Christ. So tarrying in Jerusalem was faith in action.
Condemning sin the flesh meant victory over it, leading to, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit".
My focus is on usury, usury in the bible is negative. It was the least or a last resort for the servant to use if he did not have the knowledge, creativity, wisdom to increase the master money. The servant did not even have the capacity to increase the master money. I think why didn't he consult with the other servants that had the master's money on their plan to increase the master money or some one else, perhaps it was pride. Pride does not serve a person well. If it was pride it caused this servant's failure. It is nothing wrong with asking for help, in asking for help you might not get the help you ask for however you may learn something just from the activity of asking for help.
The blood of the Lamb cleanseth us from all sin. This cleansing depends on the first commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." This is where the nation of Israel failed. Instead of full commitment they tried to observe the tradition of their father which meant they still were under the law of sin.
The everlasting covenant is made between God and Man and sealed by the blood of the Lam. This is what made the Lamb of God and it came from John the Baptist. The Spirit of God revealed to him. "And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him."( John 1:36-38). The Spirit of Christ adds another element cancelling the law of sin, another aspect of the blessing under the covenant: Law of the Spirit.
This Spirit is unseen as the ten stones that covered the covering cherub in his iniquity. So the beast is called the son of perdition. he is born of that spirit of pride. Recent news had the former POTUS crowing before the Penn. crowd that he was more beautiful than his political opponent. Of what spirit is that?
Economic is not an exact science. Supply meets demand is its foundation. But in market economy these never meet but determined by unseen forces. So come pandemic and from did it come, no one knows. In the post-pandemic world the super rich are 300 time richer than before. All those economic pundits have been misled and so are policy makers of nations. They have no clue. It is thus ungodly nations go by insufficient evidence pulling wool over simple souls. Yet they root for the fools who cover their real intent by glib talk. Under the light of the Lamb we have 12 foundations laid with precious stones. This is what gospel of salvation does. Glory of it was not the high priest under the Law of Moses could qiet match.
The third scenario in Jerusalem will be of human upheaval,the environment in the holy city will be of extreme convulsion,multitudes of people and kindreds and tongues and nations will travel to Jerusalem,a strong touristic movements from all nations,mainly religious tourism from all religions and evangelical churches of all denominations,sects will travel to Jerusalem,multitudes will be circling in holy city.Even the Pope will meet the false messiah in the midst of a great human mass of religious people,a strong religious movements towards Jerusalem.
These will be the SCENARIOS in Jerusalem for 42 months(the 1st half of the last week of years,week 70th Daniel 9:27,as soon as manifest the false messiah in Israel,enthroned in Jerusalem,which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt.Thus will fulfil literally what is written in Revelation 11and13
A FOURTH TERRIBLE SCENARIO TAKE PLACE, SCENARIO OF WAR
Rev.11:2-the court which is without the temple leave out...it is given unto the Gentiles:and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
See,in paralel with the scenarios above,the true Christians will preach against these satanic movements,the environment on the earth will be a spiritual and religious War and one of the seven heads of the Beast of sea-the Papacy-and the woman which rides upon him-will be wounded to death.
Then the false messiah will make a deal with the Pope to build a religious Empire(iron mixed with clay),and he will give to the Pope his Power,and his Throne and great Authority(Rev.13:2),the deadly wound of the Papacy will be healed and all the World will be wondered after the Pope,sitting on the throne of the false messiah in the holy city.
And peoples of the earth included Jewish people,guided by the false messiah,they will worship their false messiah which gave power unto the Pope,and will worship the Pope,saying,Who is like unto the Pope?who is able to make WAR with him?
Broters, remember of this: according Revelation 11:1-2,what we can see is that the outer court is given to the gentiles.The text talks about two witnesses being able to execute severe Judgments for 42 months/1260 days, Fire will proceed out of their mouth,and will devour the enemies( Revelation 11:18).
What will be the SCENARIOS within Jerusalem in this time to come soon?In fact,It is at the door.
THE FIRST SCENARIO THAT WILL BE SEEN IN JERUSALEM
In fact the false messiah will manifest himself in the holy city in short future.The supposed messiah,called Eliyahu(??),born in Israel decades ago,already living in the holy city for decades(this detail is very important to be known to everyone here of course),this MAN as soon as he manifests himself as a messiah in the days to come, he will begin to make great signs and lying wonders.This esoteric / spiritist/kabbalistic messiah of the Jews will do great signs and wonders,even will make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, deceiving them that dwell on the earth by the miracles which he has power to do- 2Thessalonians 2:9 combined with Revelation 13:13-14.
THEN A SECOND SCENARIO WILL BE SEEN IN JERUSALEM
All kind of comunications,the midea in general,will comment the signs and lying wonders of the false messiah and will show them to the whole world,mainly by the chanels of television.In the other hand, Ministries and Ministers of all denominations and sects,and all religious leaders of all religious system that exist,they will preach and spread at the four corners of the earth saying Christ is in Jerusalem,yes,Christ,a false Christ, not JESUS.Then the whole world will hear by/through the leaders of the evangelical Churches and non evengelic too,that he is the Christ or he is the messiah,but it is the false, he is not the true messiah-JESUS.
The false will manifest himself very soon,after will come JESUS- 2Thessalonians 2:8.Take a look.
See,the Abomination of Desolation is linked to the last week,the last 7 years of this world of Devil in which we are living,but we are not of it,we are of the next to be established by our GOD for a millenniun,as JESUS said( Luke 20:35-36 combined with Revelation 11:15-18,among many biblical references)
The AoD has nothing to do with armed forces,but establishment of the religious Antichrist's Kingdom for a period of 7 years,the last 7 years of this current world of the Devil.Two satanic Beasts will be together to establish the satanic Kingdom of Antichrist:the Beast of sea-a Gentile Beast- Revelation 13:1-10,and the Beast of the earth- Revelation 13:11-18,a Jewish Beast,having 2 horns like a lamb,a FALSE LAMB,a FALSE MESSIAH( John 5:43-47),esoteric,kabbalistic and spiritist false messiah,AN IMPOSTOR,and he speaks as a DRAGON(Revelation13:11),and these devilish events will happen after be ELECTED the next and LAST Pope,this will not take long,understand?
The AoD will be established in the 2nd half of the last week of years by the false Jewish and esoteric and kabbalistic messiah who speaks as DRAGON( John 5:43-47 combined with Revelation 12:13-14,take a look)
He will sit on his demonic throne in Jerusalem,and exerciseth all the power of the first Beast(the Beast of sea)before him,and causes the earth(ISRAEL)and them which dwell therein to worship the first Beast(the Gentile Beast-headquater Vatican City),whose deadly wound by the Sword was(will be)healed.How?The deadly wound of the Beast of sea will be healed because the false messiah of the Jews,the DRAGON- Revelation 13:11-gives his Power,his Throne in JERUSALEM,and great AUTHORITY to the Gentile Beast of sea- Revelation 13:2(take a look),who will rule the 1st half of the last week(42 months-Re.13:5)sitting on the Throne of the false messiah in JERUSALEM