When the Holy Spirit gave the revelation of the new covenant, through Jesus, neither the Jew nor Greek received it very well. Even the Apostles didn't wish to believe what Paul said. After the Lord gave Peter a vision about Cornelius and the clean versus unclean things, the revelation finally overrode the Law that Peter knew and he began seeing what the Holy Spirit was saying.
Peter initially discounted what Paul was preaching. Here was a man who walked with Jesus in the flesh and saw the miracles Jesus performed, but this was only head knowledge and not the knowledge the Holy Spirit gave to Peter, according to 2Peter 3:15-16 (Amplified) which says, "And consider that the long-suffering of our Lord (His slowness in avenging wrongs and judging the world) is salvation (that which is conducive to the soul's safety) even as our beloved brother Paul also to you according to the spiritual insight given him." There are some things in the Epistles of Paul that are difficult to understand. The unstable and ignorant people twist and misconstrue these scriptures to their own advantage, just like they distort and misinterpret the rest of the scriptures.
After Peter received revelation from the Holy Spirit, he began referring to Paul's writings as scripture. Only the Holy Spirit can take salvation to the Gentiles and reveal it to the Jews and have them receive it as Holy Scripture.
John 14:26 (Amplified) says, "But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Stand-by) the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name (in My place, to represent Me, and act on My behalf). He will teach you all things, and He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you."
We don't know everything Jesus might have told His disciples, we only know what the Holy Spirit told them to record in the four Gospels. Whatever teachings Jesus gave them, it is only the Holy Spirit Who could give it life and bring it to remembrance. And, until the Holy Spirit gives revelation of the scriptures, they remain only head knowledge to the believer.
We, the Church, are believers or we would not be the Church. So, it's not a matter of "are we believers," but are we willing to believe what the Holy Spirit is presenting to us? Once we allow the Teacher to reveal the truth of scripture, everything will change and it will become easier to understand and better truths for our Christian walk. When we no longer are afraid of God or feel unworthy of His answering our prayers, then the harvest will come into the barn in record time.
You will never see you like God sees you, apart from the Holy Spirit's revealing the truth of your salvation. We must remember Jesus' Words about the Holy Spirit in John 16:14 (Amplified) which says, "He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine, and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you."
Jesus is honored and glorified in the world when the Church receives and declares what and Who He is and what He has, to the world. Sometimes, I feel as though the Holy Spirit is revealing so much to us, that we cannot soak it all up. I've discovered with growth in my Christian walk, that the things the Holy Spirit showed me in my infancy seem so childish now. He didn't take the revelation He gave me away, but He expounded on it so that I feel like the scriptures have opened to me with a new revelation.
Then, I came to realize that it wasn't a new revelation, but more revelation than I had before. Paul speaks about going to the Third Heaven in 2Corinthians 12:2 (Amplified). Paul said he knew a man [Saul,before God changed his name to Paul] who was taken to heaven fourteen years ago and given this revelation. He said he didn't know if he was taken in the flesh or in the spirit.
Paul spoke about this also in Galatians 1:11-12 (Amplified) saying, "For I want you to know brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed and made know by me, is not man's gospel (a human invention, according to or patterned after any human standard) For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but (it cam to me) through a a(direct) revelation (given) by Jesus Christ (the Messiah)." In Galatians 2:1 (Amplified) Paul said, "Then after (an interval) of fourteen years, I again went up to Jerusalem, this time I went with Barnabas, taking Titus along with (me) also. These are two separate events and not to be confused.
This gospel is a direct revelation given by Jesus Himself. It is not man's gospel and cannot be received in man's understanding. It must be given by revelation of the Holy Spirit.
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