1Corinthians 2:7 (Amplified) tells us, "But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden (from the human understanding) but now revealed to us by God (that wisdom) which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification (to lift us into the glory of His presence)."
Paul goes on to discuss the difference between the carnal mind (the natural man) and the mind of Christ in 1Corinthians 2:16 (Amplified) saying we can now understand what he's talking about because we have the mind of Christ by the Holy Spirit. Because we have the Holy Spirit, Paul says, we can now understand Spiritual things and read the Word of God in a new light. Those walking under the old covenant or those who are still trying to use the carnal mind to understand spiritual things, don't understand what the Father is telling His people.
Hebrews 11:1 (Amplified) says that, "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of things (we) hope for, being the proof of things (we) do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses."
To those who are no longer under the Law, Paul's statement that, "Now faith is the assurance of the things we hope for," meant there's no more sacrifice that can obtain anything and that now only faith can obtain it. The carnal Christian understood this statement to mean that it's not based on your performance or works, but only through faith in what Jesus did. This is simple to believe to the carnally minded because the carnal minds wants to do something to earn the favor of God. To the Jews, this statement means we still have to follow certain laws and rituals. But, to those who will discern this scripture by the Holy Spirit (the mind of Christ), it means exactly what it says, "Now faith is how you receive.
You no longer need to try and perform in order to be righteous, but only take by faith the truth of the Word. 2Corinthians 5:21 (Amplified) says that, "For our sake He made Christ (virtually) to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become (endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of) the righteousness of God (what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, in His goodness)." Romans 3:24 (Amplified) says that, "(All) are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, free and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy) through the redemption which is (provided) in Christ Jesus."
As long as the Church, which is now righteous because of Jesus, continues trying to become righteous by works, aren't we still carnal in our minds? Jesus made us righteous in His Own Image and His Own right standing with the Father. No matter how hard we try or how hard we work at it, we can never be anymore righteous than He is and He is our righteousness.
When Christian people read in the Word that we are blessed with all spirituals blessings through Jesus, the carnal mind will retort, "Yes, when we get to heaven all these blessings are ours." The spiritual man will know and understand that, now, all of the blessings of heaven have been poured out on us by the Holy Spirit.. The man who will walk in the mind of Christ knows that through Jesus, we've been redeemed from the curse of the Law and that the "blessings of Abraham have now come upon us, the Gentiles through faith in Christ Jesus" according to Galatians 3:13 (Amplified).
The carnal mind puts off everything Jesus completed to until we get to heaven. The Spiritual minded (the mind of Christ) working in man will realize how all of God's blessings were poured out on man through the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. We keep trying to discern a spiritual Word by the same carnal mind that is in enmity against the Word of God.
We've allowed ourselves to be cheated out of our inheritance through Jesus until we get to heaven. Romans 8:16-17 (Amplified) tells us that, "The Spirit Himself (thus) testifies together with our own spirit, (Assuring us) that we are children of God and if we are (His) children, then we are (His) heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (sharing His inheritance with Him) only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory."
Most Christians only want to see the last part of this scripture and use it for a reason to suffer on this earth. The only thing Jesus suffered on earth was the persecution of the religious leaders He was trying to reach. The suffering of Jesus on the cross, isn't what this scripture was referring to. Everything Jesus did on the cross was for us. He was the only One Who could do this. We cannot suffer what Jesus did on Calvary. We can only receive what Jesus did and thank Him for His sacrifice.
I can't go to the cross for someone else and I can't be crucified for my own sins. I must accept that Jesus' suffering on the cross isn't what this scripture was referring to. How can you or I go to the cross to become righteous or to forgive sin? Only Jesus could do that. The suffering we will endure is being persecuted for declaring (as Jesus did) that God is My Father, I am a son of God and I am now righteous before God.
Try telling these things to those who still walk in the carnal mind and you'll begin to suffer like Jesus did. We still try walking with God on our own terms. We set up rules and doctrines and rituals that we practice to be righteous before Him. We deal with the length of our hair, the way we dress, the day or time we worship to the denomination we serve and many other such carnal rules. We struggle over what we can or cannot eat. Don't we yet know what James 2:10 (Amplified) says, "For whoever keeps the Law (as a) whole but stumbles and offends in one (single instance) has become guilty of (breaking) all of it."
As Christians, how can we only take part of the Law and teach it without breaking some of the parts of it? If you wish to observe certain days or foods or other parts of the Law to obtain right standing with God, then you must maintain the entire Law to obtain that right standing with God. Only someone with a carnal mind would even attempt such a thing. Those who are Spirit led and know the mind of Christ, will walk in the liberty that Jesus gave us and no longer come under bondage to the Law.
James 1:5-8 (Amplified) illustrates very clearly, the difference between those who walk in the carnal mind and those who don't. It says, "If any of you is dedficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault findingm and it will be given him." Verse 6 goes on, "Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating or no doubting) for the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind." Verses 7&8 say, "For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anythings (he asks for) from the Lord (for being as he is) a man of two minds (hestating, dubious, irresolute), (he is) unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything (he thinks, feels, decides)."
Here is a man who seeks God for the truth of His Word, God gives him the truth, and then the carnal mind takes over and says, "I wonder if this is really God?" Now, he is a man of two minds; the mind of the Spirit abides in him, but the carnal mind is still in control. And, because of his being double minded, he has lost the wisdom God gave him altogether. Remember that, "God has made unto us wisdom in Christ Jesus."
Through the new birth, we have been given honor and the ability to understand what has been hidden from the foundations of the earth. Ephesians 1:9-10 (Amplified) says, "Making known to us the mystery (secrets) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose) (and it is this) In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him." Verse 10 goes on, "(He planned) for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, (both) things in heaven and things on the earth."
God has, through Jesus, revealed this great mystery to us by the Holy Spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment