Articles

The Lord Shall Teach Every Man

Pete
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The Lord Shall Teach Every Man

Feb 2024

May these words enlighten those in the faith given to understand.

The Lord is our one true teacher in our day of the Lord.  All will sit under the tutelage of men for a very long time before a time arrives when they will be separated for the Lord’s purposes.   Living by every word and fulfilling the prophecies written in the Book includes being released from the tutors and governors who raise us as spiritual babes.  We won’t understand this separation and its purposes until it happens.  Then, we can look back, see the Lord’s hand in all of it, and rejoice as we see ourselves in the Scriptures.  We don’t need to do anything; the Lord will advance or keep us where He wants us.  Ultimately, the Lord brings divisions to set apart those chosen few as HE will teach His children.

Isa 54:13  And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. 

It is a necessary part of the three-day journey to have the temple of God rebuilt within us.

Jer 32:40  And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 

With the Lord teaching us, we are learning the fear of the Lord.  This is called a treasure in Isaiah and is His way to instill His commandments, His Word, into our very being.  Simply put, the Master Teacher who brings salvation teaches us to obey Him and thus delivers the promised saving from our sins.

Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

As we make this transition, our zeal to seek further knowledge of the Scriptures is overtaken by a zeal to please and dwell with God.   It takes time for us to see the good, the fruit of righteousness come forth.  But the Lord is not going to fail.  He will teach and instill within us His commandments.

Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 

The promise of the new covenant proves the Lord is the one teacher doing the impactful work of bringing salvation.  There is no longer a need for any man to teach another, the Lord is the Saviour of All.

Heb 8:10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Heb 8:11  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Chasing knowledge is chasing spiritual riches (seeking to be rich), and it gives power to our flesh.  All scripture is very good for its purpose in preparing us for our day of the Lord.  We should always read and study to keep our minds turned towards the things above.  Yet we are warned not to make an idol out of it and miss the Lord in the process.

Joh 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 

Joh 5:40  And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 

Those in the faith are at different points in their journey and spiritual maturity.  These variables can be challenging to navigate, and our example to follow is written in the Scriptures.  The Apostle Paul, in 1Cor 9, spoke of meeting those where they were to minister and do what he could to advance the kingdom of Christ.  As the Lord’s priests, ambassadors, and witnesses,  we are to give an account and answer to all sent to us.  We are to turn nobody away but always do Christ.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 

Our spiritual gifts of understanding and speaking in tongues and the associated knowledge play a big part in our preparation.  Yet a day comes when our focus on these things will vanish.  This is our day of the Lord and where we are henceforth taught of no man.

1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

Having been built up and grounded in the true doctrines of Christ is a necessity and a foundation of our faith.  The end of our faith is being able to express and live the love of God.  It is the greatest.

1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 

Lest we forget, God’s true love or charity is our obedience, the fruit of what salvation brings.

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 

It has been several years since this understanding came into our hearts, and our actions in pursuing more knowledge have largely vanished.  We support those still under the tutelage of men as that is where the Lord has them now, as He had us for many years.   The words of Christ are being fulfilled in every man’s life at the appointed time.

Mat 23:10  Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

To be perfected, we are, in due time, drawn away from those who raised us as spiritual babes.  The Lord is the one true teacher who creates the void and then steps in to fill it and lead us in victory over our sins.

Psa 27:10  When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

Psa 27:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

A time comes when one is released from the tutors and governors who raised them [our spiritual mothers and fathers].  We are exiled from our people to suffer and learn from the Lord in the wilderness.  The Lord had this experience, and every man will follow, as John wrote, when Christ is revealed.

Rev 1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

When the Lord becomes THE teacher, it is our day of the Lord.  Here, His laws (Commandments) are being written in our hearts and minds.  All things are being made new as the teacher goes to work.

Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 

Eze 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 

Eze 36:28  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. 

The putting off of our sins is salvation and is also known as the circumcision of our flesh.  It has nothing to do with our strength and initiative (free will) but everything to do with the power of God working in us.  His fingers and hands are writing His laws into our hearts and minds.  Thus we are putting off the sins of our flesh.

Col 2:11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 

Getting the laws of Christ written onto our hearts and minds is becoming a doer of the WORD.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

Jas 1:23  For 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: 

Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 

We won’t forget who we are in Christ when His commandments are being written into our minds by our many tribulations.  Progress will be made, and the Lord shall not fail to deliver on the promise.  Such a man is blessed who does not forget who he is and is overcoming being double-minded.

Jas 1:25  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. 

The Lord is more than just our teacher; He is the Potter and works all things in His clay vessels’ lives.  He causes us to be deceived and enslaved in Babylon for a symbolic 70 years.  Only He leads us out in due time.

Jer 29:4  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 

Jer 29:10  For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 

Our time in Babylon is when the Lord first promises the new covenant.  The process of “coming out of her,” my people, is where the switch occurs and henceforth we are no longer taught by men but by the Lord.

Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. 

The scattering and regathering of Israel is all the Lord’s work.  When we are gathered back to the Lord, we are being fed with judgment as the Lord feeds His flock what they need to grow and advance.

Eze 34:13  And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 

Eze 34:14  I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 

Eze 34:15  I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. 

Eze 34:16  I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. 

 To the carnally minded, our way of life and our isolation from worldly activities may seem like arrogance or even evil.  Yet we are in good company as they first did the same to our Lord.

Those separated from Israel are the Elect in every generation, the sons of Aaron in the OT types and shadows.  Entering into the holy of holies, we are given to eat of the true manna from heaven.  Those on the outside, not yet granted to be moved onward through the veil, cannot eat this bread at this time.

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

This is the true manna from heaven, fed to us by the Lord, which comes down from our inward heavens and gives life to all given to eat.

Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 

Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 

His words and strong arm will save every man precisely in the appointed time frame.  The result or the fruit of this salvation is our overcoming of sin and our God-given steadfastness to not depart from His commandments.  The Master shall not fail.

Isa 40:10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 

Isa 40:11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. 

Grace and peace to all,

 

Pete & Ronel

Articles

The Resurrection of Christ Within Us

Pete
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Moving from Spiritual Death unto Newness of Life

Passing from spiritual death unto life in the Spirit is being accomplished within us the day we are given ears to hear the truth and the faith to believe.  Henceforth, we begin the process of being resurrected from the spiritual dead.

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 

Joh 5:25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 

That day is TODAY; the resurrection of the remnant of saints is ONGOING NOW; it is not a past or future static experience.  The spiritually dead the Lord is choosing, a small remnant indeed, is hearing His voice and arising to newness of life.  While these John 5 verses have an outward application and certainly apply to the billions of physically dead human beings, they most aptly are applicable NOW, in this age, for those few given the gift of faith and the requisite hearing (understanding).  The physically dead will most assuredly be raised to life in the age to come, and the spiritually dead are being raised to newness of life since the Holy Spirit was first given. Many only see the Scriptures “in the letter”, still being under the law [carnal] and cannot discern the mystery of the resurrection to life.

Rom 7:6  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. 

Only the Lord can open eyes and ears and give the increase and understanding.  Rather than argue with those the Lord has blinded, we will wait upon Him and answer only those that He has prepared.

Psa 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Being raised up together in the heavenlies is an ongoing process of coming alive into the life of Christ from being carnally minded and dead in our sins. Paul speaks of this numerous times in his letters.

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen [already, NOW, risen = resurrected] with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him [Christ in you] from the dead. 

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, [=the better resurrection, an ongoing process] having forgiven you all trespasses; 

He is Risen!  Like all prophecies, we mistakenly only see them and the resurrection as an outward only future event versus a living and active event we are experiencing now in this age.  He is risen within you if He is come unto you.

Our resurrection from the spiritually dead is the resurrection of Jesus Christ within us.  Rather than be a static event that happens all at once it is an ongoing event as the unclean old man decreases and Christ in us increases.

2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest [i.e. resurrected] in our body. 

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, […an ongoing process of coming alive into the life of Christ..]  and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Let’s consider some more writings from Paul on death and resurrection.  We begin to see the two sides of the same topic speaking of the same one process.  Dying to our flesh and carnal mind is newness of life and is the ongoing process of our being resurrected.

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Paul does not contradict himself.  He consistently shows that dying to death (the carnal mind) is one side of the same process as being raised by Christ.

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

Paul is telling the saints they ARE RISEN (not “will be” risen) with Christ right now.  This rising is in earnest, but it is being resurrected (risen) now nonetheless.  The more we die daily (planted in the likeness of his death), the other side of that same coin is us being raised up in His likeness.  It is simply the other side of the same event and process.  Thus we have another of the myriads of witnesses to what a two-edged sword, the WORD, is doing in our lives.  Paul is not contradicting anything, and he harmonizes the truth that the rest of the Apostles and the Gospels record for our learning.

The sum of Paul’s words shows that we do not experience the fullness of the resurrection in Spirit now while we are in clay vessels.  But he is saying that he has given up things carnal men esteem so he can know Christ and die to death (the carnal mind) right now.  It is an active and living event (it IS) if we belong to Christ and our time of reformation is at hand.  We press onward and upward in hopes the Lord will complete His work in this age, even knowing He will complete it in the end for all humanity.

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made [IS] conformable unto his death;

Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

What is the Resurrection?

We need not guess who or what the resurrection to eternal life is.  Jesus Christ Himself IS THE RESURRECTION and the life.  It is not an outward or physical dynamic; our eyes should be turned inwardly.  Let’s look again at some powerful words of the Lord.

Joh 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 

Joh 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.  Believest thou this? 

Jesus Christ, among other spiritual symbols, is the WORD, The TRUTH, the WAY, the VINE, the DOOR, and the RESURRECTION.  This is because what is being resurrected is HIS WORD, HIS TRUTH, HIS WAY,  as we grow in the faith and His commandments [words] arise within us.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the raising up of His commandments.  The very commandments are His Words, which are spirit and eternal life.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life. 

We have a wonderful promise in verse 11:26.  Once Christ is raised in us (whos0ever liveth) and continues in the faith (believeth), shall never spiritually die again.

When His words take hold and rise in us, a new spiritual body, Jesus Christ, within us, is being created and matured.  Note that there are two kinds of bodies, and our purposefully marred flesh natural body of corruption is never destined to be resurrected.

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.  There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 

Our remaking is the resurrection, creating new spiritual sons and daughters made into His image and likeness, exhibiting His glory.

2Co 3:18  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. 

In the first half of our walk with the Lord, we remain dead in our sins abiding in what is called spiritual Sodom or Egypt.  But a time comes, the day of the Lord for every man, when we enter into the last woe, the third day in which we are being perfected as we are called up hither by the Lord.  This is how Jesus Christ is revealed within us.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 

Rev 11:11  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them [us, the two witnesses lying dead in the streets], and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 

Rev 11:12  And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 

Christ is inseparable from the Word as He is the Word made manifest to us.  Jesus Christ is the resurrection rising within us and working righteousness. This ongoing process from spiritual birth unto maturity is what IS raising us from being spiritually dead and manifests newness of life.

Mat 11:5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

So long as we abide in faith, we shall never die again, although our fleshly bodies will undoubtedly die.  That is why Christ is come, and it is the work of God within us.  We are living out the book and fulfilling the Scriptures in our appointed time.  In the latter times, this is about the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead within us, which begins our transformation into a new being.

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit [raising Christ from the dead within] that dwelleth in you.

1Co 6:14  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

The Word of God is the fire that is killing off the flesh, the old man, the lies (false prophet), the beast, and even the mind of Satan, our carnal mind.  As Christ is raised within (increased), our old man is being decreased.  Living out the Scriptures is the process of being resurrected from the spiritually dead.  However, we must know that process will never be fully completed in this age while we only have an earnest deposit of His Spirit.

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession [in fullness], unto the praise of his glory. 

2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

The longer we dwell in our day of the Lord, the more we groan for the promised fullness of the spirit to come and complete our redemption.

Rom 8:23  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. 

The resurrection from the dead is the resurrection into spirit, not a fleshly body.   We are given little to understand what this means and how this compares to physical life, yet we are told it is far more glorious.  As the Scriptures declare, our fleshly vile bodies are destined for destruction and will return to dust.  That process begins today for those the Lord has chosen.

Two Edges of the Sword

As we read the Scriptures, we always hold to some basic principles to ensure we are rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  Some fundamental tenets include these below:

  • The sum of thy Word is truth
  • No prophecy of Scripture is of its own interpretation
  • The Word is a two-edged sword of opposite sides of the same event
  • His Words speak of spiritual things, and they are Spirit
  • We learn by applying spiritual to spiritual, not looking outwardly
  • Man must live by every Word God spoke in their appointed times
  • The Lord calls things that are not now as if they are [Rom 4:17]

Many things in the Scriptures are spoken about differently from opposite sides, yet they speak of the same event and process.  Such is the case with our dying and our being resurrected.  This well-known verse from Paul is an excellent verse speaking to just one side of the same process that is raising us up with Christ.

1 Cor 15:31 I die daily, I protest by your glory, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dying to the flesh is the same as Christ within being resurrected.  Here Paul speaks from the other side of the same event.

Eph 5:14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead [i.e. be resurrected], and Christ shall give thee light. 

Another dynamic principle regarding the Word is remembering that the Word of God, Jesus Christ,  IS, WAS and WILL BE to come.  If we are the Lord’s in this age, our focus is on the IS which is the here and now.  I am constantly correcting my writing, “The Lord WILL do this, or we WILL do that”.  NO, the Lord IS doing this, and we ARE doing whatever is in discussion NOW.  It is not somewhere out there in the future, it IS.

The Lord IS come to those who are keeping those prophecies now in this age.  He will eventually come to all in their appointed time which may be in the age to come.  For some, right now, the time is at hand, it IS.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

 If we are the Lord’s, we are NOW living out this Word, and the tense of our experience is on the IS.  The Lord is come to our flesh, and we do not deny it.  I am fulfilling those prophecies written in the book right now!  This experience is not the fullness of what is promised but only in the promised down payment form.

Looking for the Glory to be Revealed:

Indeed, our resurrection is not yet come in its fullness, yet we look forward to that glorious event in great hope as John writes.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

We are being perfected now.  The process is not over, and it will never be over while we are alive in the flesh body.   Peter spoke of the living hope we have already been given while we wait for the fullness of our resurrection to come.

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Overcoming death [physical and spiritual] is only possible through the power of God raising us from the dead.  In our day of the Lord, the Word that lives within us will not fail.  We will begin to be resurrected and get overcoming over our sins.  Again only in down payment form now, but we rejoice and hope for the full attainment when we finish our race.

1Jn 2:13  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.  I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.  I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

1Jn 2:14  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.  I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

We are so blessed to our being made holy by fulfilling those prophecies and beginning to reign with Christ in His temple.  These widely mistranslated verses speak of both sides of the sword as we endure our day of the Lord and live out the prophecies.

Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  This is the first resurrection.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The second death [destruction of Satan, beast, false prophet in us] and the first resurrection are the same event, just opposite sides of the same coin.  When death [carnal mind] is destroyed in the lake of fire (death to death or aka the second death), then Christ in us is being resurrected.  Blessed and holy are those given to partake of this now in this age.  Once raised in the heaven and earth within us, Christ will reign until the last enemy is destroyed.

1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 

1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

The last enemy to be destroyed is SPIRITUAL DEATH, not physical death.  The enemies of God that keep us dead are all burned up in His consuming fire, that is His Word and His commandments.    When the carnal mind that is death is destroyed then we are fully alive with Christ.  We will see the fullness once we depart our clay vessels and receive the promised crown.

No matter where we are on the Lord’s timeline, our dying to death and being raised to new life will continue until it is completed.  We are being resurrected with Christ every day as we die every day to our carnal ways.  Rejoice, for the Lord is faithful and will finish the good work He has already started.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

Articles

Dying to the Flesh

Pete
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Dying to the Flesh

Followers of Christ are dying daily to the lusts of their flesh that, if not overcome, has us doing things contrary to the Lord’s commandments.  Dying to our flesh is the salvation process that takes the remainder of our physical lives to finish the journey the Lord has set before us.  A fleshly, carnally minded way of life is given up for men to be saved.  Lord willing, we understand and heed the words of the Lord as we lay down our carnal and worldly way of life and follow Him.

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Luk 9:24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

The sooner one can subdue the flesh, they are hastening the coming of the Lord, which manifests peace and newness of life.  Spiritual life comes only through death; as the old life is decreased, the new life increases.

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Rom 8:13  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.

The Scriptures provide many exhortations and admonishments to remind and encourage us of the necessity that followers of Jesus Christ are dying to the flesh during our sojourn here on the earth.

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry ….

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

The purpose of the Lord is to save all men from their sins which is done by taking every man through a transformative process.  All are being moved from a state of spiritual death [dead in our sins, being carnally minded] to being spiritually alive with Christ’s mind and overcoming our sins.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

As we are being matured, we are given overcoming LITTLE BY LITTLE, and thus we learn to obey the commandments of the Lord as we conquer our fleshly lusts which wage war against our soul.

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

As one progresses in their journey, we increasingly have our faith exercised in fighting the pulls of our sinful fleshly bodies.  This is the meaning of dying to the flesh or, said another way, how we are dying to our carnal mind.  To become spiritually minded, we are overcoming the carnal mind, defined as spiritual death.

Rom 8:5  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.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

The carnal mind is being subdued for obedience and salvation to manifest.  Otherwise, one remains disobedient to the commandments and is not living pleasing to our heavenly Father.

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 If Christ lives in us, we are striving to obey the Lord and take captive the lusts of the flesh.  Our flesh is said to be sin, missing the mark, and not designed to inherit the kingdom of God.  Yet with Christ in us, we can live in the Spirit and overcome as we learn obedience.

Rom 8:9  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 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Dying to one’s flesh results from our engagement in what Paul calls the “good fight of faith.”  We endure this fight all the days of our flesh, and it never stops so long as we remain in these clay vessels.   We endure to the end and finish the race the Lord has set before us in this age.

2Ti 4:6  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

2Ti 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

While perfection is always our goal and hope, we only arrive there fully once we are resurrected in spiritual bodies in the next age to come.  Yet we always press onward to receive the prize that is the mind of Christ.  When we sin, we get right back up to keep the course, knowing even our mistakes are used by the Lord to bring good in the end.

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The opposite of resisting, striving, and fighting to be holy is turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, which we all do at one time or another.  We need to be vigilant in pursuing righteousness and holiness at every turn.

Christ As Our Example

Jesus Christ the Lord is our example, and we follow Him in our appointed time, learning obedience to the Father’s commandments.  The Lord died on a cross, and we also need to die [to death] on our cross.

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Picking up our cross and following the Lord is about laying down our carnal way of life and thinking.  We give up that life (being carnal, worldly, sinful) to obey the Lord and reap the reward of salvation.  Jesus Christ is our example who sinned not all the while being subject to the same temptations and lusts of the flesh that come upon us mere mortals.

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

2Co 5:21  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.

Having been tempted and suffered just like us, the Lord is able to comfort us in our time of need.

Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Dying to the flesh does not mean all the enjoyments and pleasures of life are given up.   Our focus is on keeping His commandments and we seek to abandon and overcome things that are contrary or which negatively impact our obedience.  It is a narrow way we navigate to enter into the kingdom of God.  The Lord made all things, and they are to be considered GOOD for the purposes the Lord has made them.   His creations were made for the pleasure and purposes of aiding and comforting mankind.

1Ti 4:4  For every creation of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

The sum of the word that is truth teaches us that while all things are lawful, not all things profit or are beneficial to our spiritual growth.  We are being circumspect in navigating our journey and using our freedom in Christ wisely.

1Co 10:23  All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

 1Co 6:12  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

 Dying to the flesh requires active engagement in resisting temptation and striving to be obedient in all our behavior.   Some key things we are learning to do more and more as we progress include these activities:

  • Taking sinful and negative thoughts captive.

 

  • Warring in the heavens against lies and false doctrines.

 

  • Resisting the devil (our carnal mind and its temptations)

 

  • Seeking to live a quiet and set-apart life from the world

 

We are failing on this journey, but that, too, is all the Lord’s plan, so when we do overcome, we know it is HIM and not of our own strength.  The process of salvation requires us to fail often as the Lord uses those failures to teach us and to know it is 100% Him doing all the saving.  Rather than be discouraged by our failures, we should be encouraged by the comfort given in the Scriptures and learn from them.

Fullness versus a Measure of the Spirit

The Lord had one key advantage that needs to be pointed out.  He was given the Spirit WITHOUT MEASURE when He walked in a sinful body of flesh but remained without sin.

Joh 3:34  For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

 We however are only given the Spirit WITH measure, an earnest deposit, so we have a much more difficult challenge in not falling for the various temptations of the flesh.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Until we are resurrected in spiritual bodies and given the fullness of the Spirit, there is always work remaining to overcome and subdue our flesh.   Perfection and having the fullness of the Spirit are not achieved while we remain in fleshly bodies.   Yet we patiently wait in the hope of the fullness promised to come.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

When we do fail, we are to confess those sins and move on, striving to do better, knowing the Lord’s promises and purposes in molding His clay vessels.

 Rom 8:18  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.

We always focus on the prize and wanting to please our heavenly Father.  We are told many things to encourage us to keep the course despite our many failures.  We are to be patient, not grow weary and seek the throne of mercy in our many times of need.  Finishing our race is enduring to the end and never stopping the pursuit of holiness and righteousness, striving against our sins.

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

It is key to remember that the Lord calls things that are not as if they are already done. Such is the truth that we are dying to the flesh in order to reap the promise of eternal life.  We have not fully perfected it, yet we are getting there more and more every day.

Rom 4:17  (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

As we grow in faith, our results (overcoming) also improve as what we believe is becoming our reality.

 Mat 9:29  Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

One can indeed do all things through Christ with the requisite measure of faith.  As we endure our day of the Lord, big changes will be evident as the Lord moves us closer to the finish line.   May these words edify and encourage those the Lord has prepared to hear them.

Grace and peace to all,

 

Pete

peterjwilson56@gmail.com

Articles

Guarding Against Deception

Pete
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Deceptions in the Last Days

The love of many is waxing cold in the world as everything seems to be turned upside down.  The love of God and even the mention of His name and His commandments are hard to find.  And where Christ is preached, most are offended in these darkening times, as foretold.  Those precious few in the faith need to remain vigilant and endure the many deceptions and evils we confront daily.

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

The Lord is separating the sheep from the goats in this day of the Lord.  Today is that day if we belong to the Lord and have the living Word, the sayings and commands of Jesus Christ working its work in us.  We best heed all apostasy warnings lest we, too, fall away.

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

An expanding deception is the perversion of the meaning and intents of the word Love.  The relentless promotion of unnatural relationships between men and women impacts all nations.  The so-called gay lobby has successfully promoted the lie that not accepting their abominable behaviors is akin to hate, and by agreeing with their views, one would be deemed to be siding with “love.” Those so deceived have it entirely backward and flip-flopped as prophesied.

Isa 5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

My purpose in this article is not to get entangled with those in the world nor contest what the Lord is doing, as He is ultimately responsible for everything we witness.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. 

Rather, the Lord quickened me to write a follow-up to my last post, “Heeding the Lord’s Commandments in Faith.” The goal is to expose a related perversion of love, a growing apostasy that has ensnared brethren who previously stood firm in the faith.  Godly love shares some attributes with the love that those in the world know, but it is distinctly different in one key component.  What sets it apart is that love must be tied to doing the Lord’s commandments and sayings.  Any action contrary to what the Lord has commanded of us is not love in the eyes of Christ.  May these words the Lord gave me, sharpen our senses to be on guard.

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 

The further we walk with the Lord, the more the warnings and admonishments about falling away and deception take on a more significant meaning.  When you experience it firsthand, then it becomes a louder wake-up call to stay vigilant.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 

Many are fallen into apostasy, going beyond what is written in their doctrine and selectively adding to or taking away from the Scriptures. If not corrected, such departure removes one from the Book of Life and entrance into the Holy City in this age.  Be forewarned.

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 

The commandments are the power of the Gospel; apart from them, we have no part with the Lord, instead building our spiritual house on sand.  Do not be deceived.

Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 

Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 

We need to be circumspect in testing the spirits and trying the doctrines others bring to us.  As the Scriptures show us, carnal minds (Satan) are good at speaking half-truths and making spiritual writings or talks that, on the surface, appear godly to the undisciplined.  The Word of God is pure, and no lie is found in what is spoken to be the Truth.

1Jn 2:21  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 

The spirit of Satan is the spirit of man’s carnal mind which is opposed to the commandments of the Lord.  The father of all lies is a proud and lying spirit that sways many with their smooth words and a forked tongue.  A recurring experience is seeing brethren forget and now dismiss the Lord’s commandments and replace them with a mantra of “let us just love everyone” and accept everything.   Such a doctrine is not the way of Christ and most certainly is not what the Scriptures, the sum of them, teach us as doctrine.  Following these seductive lies keeps one from having eternal life and entering into the Holy City that is Jerusalem above.

Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 

Rebellious children are brethren (Israel) who have been ensnared by the lie and have no desire or ear to hear about the Lord’s commandments [The Law of the Lord].  A smooth sounding “feel good” gospel is their spiritual bread full of leaven, which leads away from the true Gospel.  All flesh wants to hear the wide and tolerant easy road versus the narrow path defined in the Scriptures.

Isa 30:8  Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:

Isa 30:9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

Isa 30:10  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits

In our day of the Lord (the latter times), we experience more brethren departing the faith and giving way to lies, such as the perverted concept of love in the world.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 

We continue to pay a high price to walk with the Lord in terms of what we lose in this carnally-minded world.  It is such a blessing to be called and chosen to receive the blessing of the Lord.   We continue only as the Lord disciplines us to guard our gates and protect our crowns from the prevalent liars, thieves, and antichrists.    The last days are upon us now, and many antichrists IS COME disguised as angels of light.  We need to be on guard, try the spirits, and test the doctrines espoused by those who claim to be the Lord’s people.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 

1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 

The Apostle John gives us many warnings and encourages the true church [The Elect Lady] explicitly to stay focused on loving the Lord [which is obeying the Lord’s commandments] and beware the many deceivers out there who would bring in false doctrines to lead us astray.  In this powerful Scripture from 2 John,  the Apostle defines godly love for us and starkly reminds us of a specific commandment we need to be exercising in faith to keep the prize of salvation.

2Jn 1:4  I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 

2Jn 1:5  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 

2Jn 1:6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.  This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 

2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.  This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 

2Jn 1:8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 

2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.  He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 

2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 

2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 

Flesh is naturally opposed to obeying the Lord [Gal 5:17] and resists the law of the Lord at every turn.  Jesus Christ, The WORD, is inseparable from His commandments.  Denying Jesus Christ is come in one’s flesh is denying that His commandments are alive and working righteousness by His divine power within us.   Those not staying the course will stray from the commandments, while those being saved in their day of the Lord will be pressing into those same commandments.

The Lord is surely creating these experiences as part of the all things He is working in the lives of every man.  Christ brings division in one realm as He winnows down His little flock in this age who are promised the kingdom of God.  In this age, there will be few given to endure to the end on the narrow way of salvation.  This feat is impossible with man, but with God, it is possible.  We should always pray for wisdom and discernment and keep our hearts on the commandments of the Lord.  Those commands include requirements to take action and do things contrary to what the carnally-minded world thinks about the meaning of love.  But we are not here to please the world or men, but only the Lord and the Scriptures say this.

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

Jas 4:4  whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 

The mark of a true disciple [“disciples indeed”] is the one keeping His commandments.  Staying our minds on those commands is how we are making our calling and election sure in the day of temptations.  If we want the Lord to come the Lord will put a spirit of obedience within us that will make the commandments, the true love of God, the focus of our walk.  Nothing else matters without this true love and this is how we know who belongs to the Lord and who does not.

Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 

Joh 14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. 

It is so important that the Scriptures give us many warnings not to be deceived about who enters and who does not enter the kingdom of God.  We best remember the warnings to obey the Lord’s commandments, including not partaking in the apostasy of others.

Further Witness of the command to separate:

The fable of false love, which calls for accepting everyone and just going along to get along, is an insidious lie that steals one’s reward [the mind of Christ] in this age.  Twice rejected, we as Christ need to move on to be obedient to the Lord.

1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 

It is not “love” or “godly” to hang around and argue and contend over the most fundamental truths.  Instead, godly love is our obedience to the commandments to not engage with those the Lord has deceived.  We are to separate.

Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 

Tit 3:10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

When we are given to love God more than flesh feelings and emotions, we have the steadfastness to stand firm even amid great opposition.  We won’t give an inch and waver not in exercising our love [obedience] for God.  Separating even from brethren bringing false doctrines and polluted gospels is not just wise to do; it is a commandment of the Lord.

Rom 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Entering the kingdom of God is impossible by the will or strength of man.  It is all God’s work in the brethren; remember, it comes by us being caused to pay a high price.  This includes losing relationships and engaging contact we once valued with brethren we have walked with for years.

Luk 18:29  And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, 

Luk 18:30  Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. 

When this happens in our walk, Lord willing, we are obeying the commandments and not being trapped by the insidious lies of another gospel.  We yearn for reconciliation and repentance to our fallen brethren and know whether now or in the age to come; we will be reunited and be ONE in the faith.

The True Christ, the Commands is Not Attractive

The Babylonian or orthodox definition of love is attractive to flesh and draws people towards it.  Yet the true Christ and His Word are contrariwise NOT ATTRACTIVE to the flesh, and one is only drawn to Christ by the power of God.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

The commandments of the Lord [The Word,  Christ] are not esteemed by the carnally minded.  There is nothing about Jesus Christ, the WORD that flesh desires, and His Words were never intended to profit our flesh.

Isa 53:2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

When we heed His Word and begin to do them (obey the commands), we enter into newness of life and start reaping the promises of salvation.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

As we mature, we more readily move beyond our sadness when brothers and sisters are swept away in apostasy.  We are also commanded to try to snatch them back from strange fire.  Yet if our words regarding the commandments are not received, we are commanded to move on as we saw above.  If we deny the Lord, He also denies us until repentance is granted. As our Lord is, so are we as His Christ in the world.  We are commanded to do the same as our Master does when the commandments are rejected.

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

We learn that it is impossible to wake brethren to errors unless the Lord has mercy and opens their eyes to see it.  All we can do is preach the Gospel boldly; the rest is up to the Lord.

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

2Ti 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 

2Ti 4:4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 

Let those who have been given ears to hear, hear these Truths and remain vigilant in the walk of faith.

Grace and peace to the Saints.

Pete & Ronel

peterjwilson56@gmail.com