In the Process of Time

It's commonly believed that in heaven there is no time, for God lives outside of time. It's a hard concept for us on earth to wrap our minds around because almost everything we do on earth is measured by time.

In the letter to the Hebrews, we are advised to be "followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Heb. 6:12b KJV  Further on in Hebrews we read, "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." Heb. 10:36 KJV  Another translation for the previous verse reads, "For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:" NKJV  The definition for the word endurance denotes perhaps a prolonged period of time, the ability to continue or carry on. Faith and patience work together.

Often, under a trial or challenging set of circumstances, our faith is tested over a period of time. (ref. James 1:3) Our faith is what must endure until we receive the promise. Our faith has a faith object and He is Jesus, but of course, the specific trial or circumstance may vary. Perhaps it's income and your need is a financial breakthrough, or it's an illness and your need is recovery or healing. For our faith to stay strong and endure until we receive the promise in reference to our specific need or circumstance, we must be trained to know the truth of our faith object, His character and nature, for after all, it is the nature of the One who made the promise which gives the promise its validity.

How are we to train ourselves to know the truth of our faith object (Jesus) and for that matter, the principles by which His kingdom operates? The Apostle Paul instructed his young disciple Timothy, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" 2 Tim. 3:14-16 KJV

The Apostle Peter instructs all young Christians to "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." 1 Pet. 2:2-3 NIV  It is perfectly fine and warranted for a young Christian to be growing on the pure milk of the word, but the writer of Hebrews gentle admonition to those of us who have been in the word of God for an extended period of time reads as follows, "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Heb. 5:12-14 KJV

Now the above verses are a gentle admonition that God spoke through the writer of Hebrews to instruct us of a vital truth which reflects largely on His nature and our understanding of it. Ultimately, as Christians, we are to have our senses trained or exercised to discern both good and evil. In the book of Isaiah the prophecy of Jesus is given, saying, "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." Isa. 7:14-15 KJV

When the Israelites came out of Egyptian bondage and came into the promised land after forty years of wilderness wanderings, the promised land was a land flowing with milk and honey, but what is butter but milk that through a [process of time] has been churned into butter? Once again, "Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good."

We seem to be living in a world that has a hard time understanding what is truly good and what is truly evil, but we are not of this world. (ref. John 17:16) The only true and accurate definition of moral absolutes is found in the word of God and refutes the moral relativism which the world offers. Jesus's own words give us the biblical definition of good and evil as He taught in a synagogue on the sabbath. "Then said Jesus unto them, 'I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy it?" Luke 6:9 KJV  To do good is to save life, and to do evil is to destroy it.  He further states in John's gospel, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 KJV

The devil wants to destroy, steal and kill, but Jesus brings abundant life and heals the brokenhearted, restores that which is stolen and brings liberty and release from bondage. When two of Jesus' disciples wanted to call fire down from heaven, as did Elias, on a village of the Samaritans, scripture tells us what Jesus said, "But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Luke 9:55-56a KJV  Scripture also tells us, "he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father;" John 14:9b

Scripture further clarifies Jesus' nature by the words of Luke written in the book of Acts, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." Acts 10:38 KJV  Jesus is the Healer, while the devil and his cohorts try to oppress with sickness, both physically and mentally. Don't let anyone tell you that God put sickness on you to teach you a lesson. God is a good God! Going back to the words found in Hebrews, "For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe." Heb. 5:13 KJV  Righteousness simply means "right-standing with God." You are in right-standing with God if you are born again and have accepted Christ. (ref.2 Cor. 5:21) His atoning sacrifice qualifies us and it's a righteousness from God, apart from our works or performance. (ref. Rom. 3:19-24)  The Apostle Paul said this in the book of Romans, "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith."  4:13 KJV  Further in Romans, he also states, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Rom. 10:17 NIV  This is why the Apostle Paul starts out the book to the Romans stating, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." Rom. 1:16-17 KJV Also as stated in chapter seven of Romans;  "But now we are delivered from the law." (vs. 6a)  "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." Rom. 10:4 KJV

Under the Old Covenant of law, their righteousness wasn't based on their belief, but on their performance, for as found in the book of Deuteronomy, "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He hath commanded us." 6:25 KJV  We are to recognize that as born again New Covenant believers, we have received an imputed righteousness (right-standing with God) the moment we became born again. Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. (ref. Rom. 4:11, 24-25, 2 Cor. 5:21) The Old Covenant Israelites agreement to keep the law, and their relationship with God, was a conditional covenant.

Scripture tells us, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law;" Romans 3:20a, but the scripture references below from the book of Nehemiah written at a time when God's people we're under the law, teach us an important principal about understanding and 'the sense' of the word being obtained.

Understanding of the word of God trains our senses and gives us joy, as expressed in the words of Nehemiah. "So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra, the priest, the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them." Neh. 8:8-12 KJV

Understanding and discernment are gained by spending quality time in God's word and sitting under sound teaching. Jesus said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63 KJV  The Spirit and the word work together to bring life to a situation. If you are born again, you have the Spirit of God inside of you. Continued growth and a clearer understanding of God's word through study over a "process of time" allows it to anchor deep in our hearts. ( ref. Col. 2:2 ) We are told in Paul's second letter to Timothy to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15 KJV  We don't study to earn favor with God; we study to affirm that as believers we are already approved of God, delivered from all sin and shame, fully ready for the Master's use.

Once again, as written in the book of Nehemiah, "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. (vs. 8)  "And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them." (vs. 12)  "...neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Neh. 8:10b

We gain 'the sense' when the word is taught distinctly and caused to be understood. The correct posture towards the word is given, and then can be applied to a situation or circumstance. Consider the definition of the word 'Posture.'

          From Merriam-Webster's online dictionary:

    2: state or condition at a given time especially with respect to capability in particular              circumstances

    3: a conscious mental or outward behavioral attitude

Christian, keep churning the milk, in the 'process of time' it will turn to butter. God's word is always faithful, as He is faithful.

       

Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed

                                                                                                                                                    "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? " Proverbs 30:4 KJV 
                                                                                                                                                   "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;  Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."  Isaiah 7:14 KJV                                                                                                                                                                                   "And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name  JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL BRING FORTH A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:21-23 KJV

Jesus Heals the Man with the Withered Hand

Luke 6:6-10 King James Version (KJV)

6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.

8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.

9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

In the church, we are often healing only part of the man; one of his hands remains withered, so to speak, but God wants it to be restored whole as the other. There are two hands, if you want to phrase it that way, in the church; in the explanation concerning the full gospel. Both of these hands are representative of the truth of God, His nature, His will and His desire. These two hands are in reference to how we received Christ (one hand) and how we continue to walk in Him while on earth (the other hand). Scripture tells us " As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:" Colossians 2:6 KJV  To receive Christ Jesus and to walk in Him are both a total act of dependence on His grace and not our merit.

In a sense, it's a two-handed issue, because the first issue was and is mankind or humanity's problem, caused by the fall in the garden with Adam and Eve, [original sin]. The problem for mankind was solved by Father God who sent His Son to die in our place, for us and as us, so that all who put faith in His finished work would receive the full payment made for their sin and also receive spiritual life, which is to be born-again. ref. 1 Cor. 15:3, Mat. 1:21, Eph. 2:1, John 3:3

Our sin debt has been paid! We now have spiritual life; eternal life. ref. John 3:16  We once were spiritually dead in the water, with no way in our own merit or human effort to save ourselves. Scripture tells us, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8 NIV This is unconditional love. But a transfer had also taken place upon our belief in His finished work. We find in the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21 KJV  

Righteousness simply means right-standing with God. I am in right-standing with God - apart from my works or performance (the law). ref. Rom. 3:21 As God's children this is how God sees us 24/7. This is my and your standing in Christ, if you are a believer. But what if born-again, spirit-filled, righteous believers, saints or holy ones, don't know that they are? The Apostle Paul writes, "Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God:" 1 Cor. 15:34a  Now God is no longer holding our sin against us, as believers, and we have received an imputed righteousness. ref. Rom. 4:5-11, 2 Cor. 5:17-21  

But if a Christian, in their thinking, doesn't realize this, they are endeavoring, by their own performance (or merit), to make themselves something they already are.  In the Apostle Paul's epistle to the Romans, we are told to, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:11 KJV  As it states in the Apostle Peter's first epistle, "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Pet. 2:24 KJV  

You have to know you died to sin (past tense) to live unto righteousness. Once again, this is a righteousness apart from the law.  ref. Rom. 3:21-22  The first hand is complete for the believer. He or she has gone from sinner to saint, from spiritually dead to spiritually alive, and from unrighteous to righteous; this person is now born-again.  ref. Col. 2:10, Eph. 2:1 Note: Once we are born-again into the kingdom of God-we have eternal salvation and we are assured of heaven, but many of the blessings here on earth are activated by continuing to walk in His unconditional love. This is what I am referring to as the two-handed explanation concerning the gospel.  Now, in the account of Jesus and the man with the withered hand [ref. Luke 6:6-11], the religious leadership of the synagogue, the scribes and the Pharisees were a hindrance to Jesus healing on the Sabbath day. Their effort to keep the law (in this case, they wanted no healing on the Sabbath) caused them to be hardhearted toward the man with the withered hand. 

The epistle to the Hebrews says this of Jesus, "when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high;" Heb. 1:3b  We read in Peter's second epistle, "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." 2 Pet. 1:9 KJV  We also find in James epistle, "But if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgeteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James 1:23-25 KJV

The perfect law of liberty echoes Paul's words in Galatians, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Gal. 5:1 KJV  The yoke of bondage spoken of here is the law that we have been delivered from.  ref. Rom. 7:6  We've been delivered from the law and the penalty of the law. An earlier verse found in Galatians states, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law." Gal. 3:13a  Along with that, we have been delivered from God's wrath, because the law brings wrath.  ref. Rom. 4:15, John 3:18, 1 Thes. 1:10  The word of God tells us, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." Rom. 10:4 KJV, ref. 8:4a  

Now the second hand has to do with being healed and our definitions of good and evil. Jesus, in the account of the man with the withered hand, asked the question, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?" Luke 6:9b KJV  Notice in Jesus' question, he also gives the biblical definition of good, which is to save life, and of evil, which is to destroy it. If we, as believers, are under the false assumption that God puts sickness on someone to teach them something, then we would have to stop and realize that this is an indictment against God's nature and His character. 

Jesus tells us in John's gospel, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 KJV, ref. Luke 9:55-56 We find in the book of Acts, it states: "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." Acts 10:38 KJV  In the gospels, Jesus healed everyone who came to Him in faith; He never put sickness on anyone, and He said if you've seen me, you've seen the Father.  ref. John 14:9  God is a good God!

The Apostle John pens God's heart and words, as he writes, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2  This is the proper representation of His (God's) nature, His character and His will toward us, also properly recognizing who the thief is and who the life-giver is, as well as who and what is good and who and what is evil.  We find in the book of Romans, "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?" Rom. 8:32 KJV  This way, when we pray, we know we are in agreement with God's will. I believe most Christians know God can heal them, but they wonder if it's God's will to heal them. 

We can rest assured it is God's will and desire for us to be healed; after all, it has already been provided for us in the atonement.  ref. Isa. 53:5, 1 Pet. 2:24  God does not want us to suffer sickness and disease. The Apostle Paul spoke of suffering persecution as he fulfilled his ministry call from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.  ref. Acts. 20:24  It (scripture) also speaks of suffering for righteousness sake. This is speaking of the persecution we may receive for a message that is counter culture and states that we cannot earn it, but must receive it by grace.  ref. Mat. 5:10   Jesus said, "in this world, ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33b KJV  Often God tries to warn us of impending trouble, if we will recognize and hear His voice.  ref. John 10:4, 27 

My (and your) body, as a believer, is the temple of God; indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and our thought life must line up with the truth of God revealed in scripture. To know our sin issue has been purged [expunged-to eliminate from one's consciousness/Merriam-Webster.com]; we are to be righteousness-conscious; not sin-conscious. Along with this, to discern good from evil is a sign of maturity.  As found in Hebrews, "For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."  Heb. 5:13-14 KJV  We must be patient and gentle as we teach; and to know we are told from scripture, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:" 1 Pet. 2:2 KJV  There is no shame in learning something from scripture you may not have known before, even if you've sat in the church for many years, but are unfamiliar to this teaching; growth is always the objective. 

The account of Jesus and the man with the withered hand speaks to the body of Christ today. When we as believers and church leadership know our sin problem has been dealt with and our righteousness in Christ is our identity, that God is a good God-who desires us healed, the hindrances are removed and faith is activated.  ref. Dan. 11:32 As stated earlier, in Paul's epistle to the saints in Colosse, Paul instructs, " As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:" Col. 2:6 KJV  The two-handed explanation concerning the gospel is to recognize we've received Christ's unconditional love to become born-again, (you couldn't clean yourself up) and that after we are born-again, we continue to walk in His unconditional love. Note: Once we are born-again into the kingdom of God-we have eternal salvation and we are assured of heaven, but many of the blessings here on earth are activated by continuing to walk in His unconditional love. 

To understand how God's unconditional love works in the life of a believer, perhaps you can relate to a time you've had a domineering, fault-finding, tyrant of a boss who demanded perfection from you and never praised you, even when you performed well. Contrast that with having another boss who really had your best interests at heart, who cared for you and truly wanted you to succeed. If you are like me, you probably found it a whole lot easier to go the extra mile for the latter employer; the employer who extended grace. The word of God tells us that it's grace that teaches us, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" Titus 2:11-12 KJV  

The word of God tells us that by observing the law, no one is made righteous. ref. Rom. 3:20a  Later in Romans we read, "the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death."  ref. Rom. 7:5b  

I'll end this teaching by going back to Jesus and the man with the withered hand. Once again, the scribes and the Pharisees were a hindrance to Jesus' healing the man. Their obsession with the law left no room or thought in their hearts for the healing love Jesus was about to extend, as he healed the man who stretched forth his hand and it was restored as whole as the other. In John's epistle, it says, "And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment." 1 John 3:23 KJV  It also states in John's epistle, "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1John 4:16 KJV This is an unconditional love. We have the fruit of the Spirit in us, because we received the Holy Spirit when we became born-again.  ref. Gal. 5:22  But I believe sometimes this is brought forth better as we understand our righteousness in Christ and the fruits of righteousness.  ref. Amos 6:12, 2 Cor. 9:10, Phil. 1:11, Heb. 12:11, James 3:18  Jesus is the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  When the man with the withered hand came into the synagogue that day, that's who he met. Jesus restored his hand as whole as the other. As the church applies this truth, I believe we will better understand this scripture, "By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,"  ref. John 1:14b, 2 Cor. 6:7

Christian, are you available?

I knew a man who told a story of having lived in the same town as a youth, from the fourth grade through part of his junior year. He moved midway through his 11th grade year with his parents, over one hundred miles from his previous town, and finished high school in his new location.

Well over a decade later, at this man's place of employment, he met another employee there and through casual conversation, he found out that she, too, had attended his first high school, only she arrived there shortly after he had left. They would both have been in the same grade and she graduated from that school.

She brought in a yearbook from her senior year to show this man, and as he flipped through the pages and saw all the familiar faces of fellow students he had known from the fourth grade. He was amazed to see the athletes on the high school football team of what would have been his senior year. Most of these team members he could have run circles around, but in this yearbook they were pictured as prominent athletes.

Upon reflection, he thought, it's only right; no doubt those athletes had improved and deserved a spot on their team. But, this man knew he had been unavailable to be on that team, because of his move. The team from his previous high school was only made up of those who could make themselves available. And although some of them may not have been the best athletes, they filled vital spots on the team.

God wants us, as Christians, to make ourselves available. We, in the natural, may not seem to have the best abilities and may look around and see others we think might be better suited, but God looks at our heart. Make yourself available and trust God to use you to complete His team. As God's team members, we each have our special giftings and God desires that we make them available as members of the body of Christ.

God's standard is met, because we are in Christ (in His Son) and He qualifies us. God has instilled  giftings and desires in us to be vital team members in the church body in which He places us.

1 Cor. 1:26 NIV - "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth."

Col. 1:12 NIV - "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."

2 Tim. 4:5 NIV - "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."

God Resists the Proud but Gives Grace to the Humble

In the Apostle Paul's written letter to the church at Rome, we find in the eighth chapter, "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" Rom. 8:3 KJV 

This scripture verse is very impactful, for the question is raised as to what it is that the law could not do. The answer is given in the following verse, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:4 KJV  The answer is that the law could not make us, or give us, the righteousness that it demanded from sinful man because of the weakness of our flesh.

The word 'righteous' comes out of a root word 'just' or "authority to uphold what is right." 'Righteous' means "acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin." [2012 Merriam Webster, Inc.] Righteousness [noun form] refers to man and that which is required from man by God. The law demands righteousness from sinful man; whereas grace imparts righteousness to sinful man. Under law, everything depended on man and his obedience, but under grace, everything depends on Jesus and what He did on the cross.

Indeed we as born-again believers have received an imputed righteousness apart from the works of the law. (ref. Rom. 3:20-22, 4:1-15, 4:22-24)  Righteousness simply means right-standing with God, and to be righteous is to be in right relationship with God. The Old Covenant Hebrews believed that to be in right relationship or right-standing with God they had to keep all of the law. The law God gave through Moses, found in Deuteronomy, stated, "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He hath commanded us." Deut. 6:25 KJV

Pride says, 'I can do it on my own, by my own effort,' whereas grace and faith say, 'It's been done for me through belief in Jesus.' The law has to be kept perfectly if one is to attain to the righteousness of the law by his own effort. (ref. James 2:10 and Deut. 6:25) 

When the Israelites under Moses made the prideful statement that they could keep all of God's commandments, God shortly thereafter gave them the ten commandments, along with the rest of the law. (ref. Exod. 19:7-8, ch. 20) Once again, it states in Deut. 6:25, "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He hath commanded us." I'm glad they agreed to that covenant and not me; don't let it be you either.

A covenant is basically an agreement. (ref. Amos 3:3) The Old Covenant Hebrews, under Moses, were entering into a covenant where their right-standing with God, or righteousness, depended on them keeping all the law. As Moses led the people out of Egypt, and God gave Moses the law, He also instructed Moses on the building of the ark, which would be a place where God's people could receive mercy. The ark, through a progression of time, went from being housed in a portable tent to eventually taking residence in the temple that Solomon built under his father David's instruction. Now we know our bodies are the "temple of God" and God's Spirit resides in us as born-again believers.

Pride says, 'I can do it on my own.' The Israelites, under Moses, made this prideful statement and entered into the covenant of law. Why would I need a Savior if I thought I could do it myself? Once again, the standard of the law is perfection (by your own merit or human effort) if you want to try and keep it apart from faith in Christ. Just look at the ten commandments and realize the only Man or Person who ever walked the earth and kept them all is Jesus. Jesus is fully man and fully God.

So once again, the ancient Hebrews were given the law because of their prideful attitude and fallen mankind, today, is under the law for the same reason. We find in the gospels, whenever someone would come to Jesus and ask, "What must I do to be saved?" thinking they could merit their own salvation, Jesus would give them the law. But, if someone came to Jesus and knew that by their own merit they were unworthy of salvation, but looked to Jesus, they found grace. (ref. Luke 18:18-25, 19:1-10, 1 Pet. 5:5-6, James 4:6)

As stated before, "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh" Rom. 8:3a, God did by sending Jesus, "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:4 KJV (also ref. Rom. 10:4, ch. 13:14, Gal. 3:3)

Scripture tells us, "But ye are not in the flesh, 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." Rom 8:9 KJV  Remember when you first heard the "plan of salvation", it was said, 'Come just as you are with all your faults.' You put no trust or faith in your own effort or merit, and if you became born-again, at that moment you received an imputed righteousness. Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. That's how we began.

The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians, "This only would I learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Ch. 3:2-3 KJV  Paul also wrote, "And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith;" Phil. 3:9 KJV and he (Paul) also wrote, "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. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Rom 8:5-6 KJV

Scripture states, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye are led of the Spirit ye are not under the law." Gal. 5:16-18 KJV The flesh and the Spirit lust against each other. Another Bible translation says they desire what is contrary to each other, and indeed they do.

The mind focused on the flesh thinks it can on its own merit (the law or human effort)  attain to the righteousness of the law. (ref. Rom. 10:3-4)  But the mind focused on the Spirit rests in the fact that we have attained an imputed righteousness apart from the works of the law; our sin was punished at the cross (God took our sin and gave us His righteousness) and hence God is no longer holding our sin against us. Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Mat. 5:48 KJV  This He spoke to the Jewish people who were under the law in what is referred to as "the sermon on the mount." Jesus was trying to show them the severity of the law.

Scripture tells us in the epistle to the Galatians, "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. To redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." ch. 4:4-6 KJV  When the Apostle Paul wrote earlier in Galatians, "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" he, (Paul) knew the only One to have kept the law perfectly is Christ, and we are to put our faith in Him and not ourselves (or our own merit). For as Paul wrote in Romans, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth, for Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them." Rom. 10:4-5 KJV

As we said above, Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore as your heavenly Father is perfect." Mat. 5:48 NIV Through our union with Christ, this is how the Father sees us. Consider John 17:23 NKJV, "I in them and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." This is all the work of the Spirit.

I'll end with these words spoken by the prophet Zachariah, "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." Zach. 4:6-7 KJV  God bless.

New Creations in Christ-Part 3 No Longer Enemies in our Mind

In this third and final segment of this series, "New Creations in Christ," I simply present an example- or a practical application of how what we have learned in parts One and Two of this series might play out in the life of a believer. We have been delivered from the law and the condemnation of the law (ref. Rom. 7:6, 8:1 and 2 Cor. 3:9), but we must understand how these truths- and the choice we make to properly apply them- reflect on our view of God.

A great example of this is something I've seen many times. Christians who smoke often feel very condemned; some I've known have allowed this condemnation to hinder them from church attendance and fellowship. They feel beat up with condemnation because of their powerlessness to quit this habit, but if they are born again, are they righteous? Yes, they are, and they have to know that they are and rest in this truth. Righteousness means they have a right-standing with God, apart from their works or self-effort. Now, we know smoking is harmful, and God knows it, too, but this addictive habit is very difficult to break. If a Christian who smokes rests in the fact that he or she is in right-standing with God, even as a smoker, he removes himself from the condemnation of the law, along with the desires or sinful passions aroused by the law, and thus eventually loses the desire to smoke, breaking his dependency on this habit. God wasn't mad at him for smoking. He's the One who made a way to set him free. [excerpt from Gates: Thanksgiving Papers, pg 38-39]

The enemy is on a smear campaign to distort our view of God's true love for us. It says in the book of Colossians, "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;" (1:21-22)

I hope this study has allowed you to understand who you are as a new creation in Christ. God bless.

New Creations in Christ - Part 2 Our New Nature

The limitations of our physical bodies, which are weak because of the flesh, meant we as humans, in an unregenerative state had no ability or strength to meet the righteous requirements of the law. (ref. Rom. 8:3-4)  The supernatural change that took place in us the moment we became born again, allows us to supercede the weaknesses of the flesh. This all began and continues in response to faith.

The Apostle Paul's lament, found in the 7th chapter of Romans, reads as follows: "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (vs.'s 22-24)

He answers his own question by writing, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God: but with the flesh the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 7:25 KJV, Rom. 8:1 NIV)

And Paul continues, "For the law of the Spirit of life hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 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. 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. But ye are not in the flesh, 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. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."  Rom. 8:2-10 KJV

We, as Christians, no longer have Adam's [Adamic] nature, but a new nature, because our nature abounds from our spirit, which has been renewed. As a Christian, my "spirit man," the real me, is always on top of its game, always abounding in the fruits of the Spirit and always has the peace of God, even though my actions and emotions may say otherwise. (ref. John 14:27)

The indwelling Holy Spirit is my Comforter and brings to remembrance the things God has given me. As a believer, you don't bounce back and forth out of the Spirit and into [the flesh that you died to] at conversion, when you became a new creation. As Paul said in Galations, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Gal. 5:24 KJV (ref. Rom. 6:6, Col. 2:11-12)  You were once spiritually dead in Adam - and dead in sin; now you are spiritually alive in Christ and alive in righteousness. Once again, the Apostle Paul states, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." Rom. 8:9a KJV

Paul is saying that at the moment of conversion, we died to the flesh and received the Holy Spirit. To put this all into perspective, it really helps to understand that a proper biblical definition of the word righteousness means "our right standing with God," and thus the righteous requirements of the law that are fulfilled in us conveys a continual right-standing with God. We are continually in the Spirit and not in the flesh - because we died to the flesh and are alive in the Spirit. (ref. Gal. 5:24, Col. 2:11-14)

Now this brings us to our response of faith. The Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast," (ref. 2:8-9) which is true, but he also writes in Romans, for we are saved by hope. (ref. 8:23-24) Now, it is this hope that first revolutionized our heart and mind and continues to - as we live from faith to faith. Paul writes, "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom. 5:5 KJV

So when we were born again, because of this hope, the love of God was shed abroad in our hearts and minds, when we received the Holy Ghost. Those under the law have no hope of fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law. In the epistle to the Ephesians, Paul writes about the unsaved person under the law, "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:" Eph. 2:12 KJV

The law demands perfection [and that it be kept perfectly] if one thinks he can keep it apart from faith in Christ. (ref. James 2:10) The law is demanding and unyielding and always makes you come up short. It always says there is yet one more thing you must do to be in right-standing with God. It always leaves you in despair, with no hope, looking at your short-comings and weaknesses. But the law was given so we would stop having faith in our own ability and merit, and realize that apart from Christ, we are sinners who need a Savior. (ref. Jer. 18:11-12, Gal. 3:24-25)

The word of God says, "Study to shew (show) thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15 KJV  What this means for us is that we are to look into the word of God and find out that, as Christians, we are approved of by God, all because we are in Christ. We have an imputed righteousness from God (right-standing with God) and we are not to be ashamed. (ref. Rom. 4:6, 11)

As stated in chapter one, verses 16-18 (NIV), of Paul's letter to the Romans, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,"

Recorded in John's gospel, Jesus said, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. (3:36 KJV) In Paul's epistle to the Ephesians we find, "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." (2:3 KJV)

Before we were born again, we were "by nature the children of wrath," but now as believers in Christ, we have been delivered from the law and the penalty of transgressing the law. (ref. Rom. 7:6) As stated in Romans 4:15, "Because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression." Also, as found in the Apostle John's first epistle, "Whosoever commiteth sin transgresses the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (3:4 KJV)  It tells us in the book of Romans, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (6:11 KJV)  And for the Christian, there is no condemnation. (ref. Rom. 8:1) The law is referred to as "the ministration of condemnation and the ministration of death." (ref. 2 Cor. 3:7-9) So, we as Christians are no longer by nature children of wrath. In John's gospel, it is written, "But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name;" (John 1:12 KJV)

To believe on Jesus' name is to believe in His inherent goodness, and His work of the cross demonstrated His love for all of mankind. It's an unconditional love, because none of us deserved it. (ref. Rom. 5:8) But now once again, for we as Christians, His love has been shed abroad in our hearts, and the Apostle Paul's lament in the 7th chapter of Romans, saying, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" hopefully is better understood by his answer. "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin." (ref. Rom 7:24-25)  But now remember, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you." Rom. 8:9a KJV

If you're born again, the Spirit of God is dwelling in you. Now this brings us to the root. Our soul, which is made up of our mind, will and emotions, is how we possess this knowledge and transfer what is in our spirit, "the fruit of the Spirit and the supernatural realm" to all areas of our life.

Our own willpower often doesn't work and lacks any value when it comes to restraining sensual indulgences. (ref. Col. 2:20-23 NIV) But we do have the power of choice. We can choose to recognize Romans 8:9a, which says, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you." And when you understand this, you are thinking correctly and honoring the word of God that tells you what took place the moment you became born again, as well as understanding that before you were born again, scripture tells us "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now, we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." Rom. 7:5-6 KJV

This is choosing to be spiritually minded vs. carnally or fleshly minded. Now - God's laws are written on our hearts and minds and we are led by the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit, not by an external code, and the dominion of sin has been broken over our lives because we are not under law but under grace. (ref. Rom. 6:14)  God has given the believer, as promised, a new heart and a new spirit and taken away our stony heart, and now our hearts are no longer deceitfully wicked.  (ref. Ezek. 36:26, Jer. 17:9)

We no longer have the spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father. The Holy Spirit is always present to convict the unsaved person of his sin, the devil - that he has been judged - and the believer of his righteousness. (ref. John 16:8-11, Rom. 8:15, 1 John 4:18) By knowing and thinking this way, we are being renewed in the spirit of our mind and allowing our soul, which is our mind, will and emotions, to function as it should. This is something we as Christians can do, and the unbeliever cannot. (ref. Eph. 4:22-24, Eph. 4:17)

Our mind must be focused on the truth of what we studied here. This is done by an active choice of the will, and it will greatly affect our emotions. (ref. Rom. 12:2, Eph. 4:21-24, Isa. 26:3) Hebrews,  chapter 6, tells us we have hope as an anchor of the soul. (ref. Heb. 6:19) Our mind is to be renewed to these truths. We once, before we were born again, were enemies in our minds toward God; we thought He was out to get us. (ref. Col. 1:21) Now, we know better, for after all, faith is to believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (ref. Heb. 11:6)

Scripture tells us, "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." I Thes. 5:8-9 KJV

I'll end this teaching with this; scripture tells us, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor. 13:13 KJV Our faith and hope in Christ are first received by receiving the unconditional love given to us from God, then we are able to extend that love we've received to others and truly be God's hands and feet.  God bless.