When we think about preaching the Gospel, our first thought usually turns to the unsaved. Truthfully, though, most of the Church have never really heard the Gospel. We preach and share about the cross, along with the release and forgiveness of sin to the unsaved, but we also teach and preach the same message after we're saved. Many never rise above this same message into the realm of what lies in wait for us after we're born again. Sadly, we remain in the same state we were in the moment we are born again.
The Gospel, or Good News, is an ongoing message that didn't stop when we were born again, but is one that continues until we reach our final destination in the Father's House. It is good news to the unsaved when they learn they can be forgiven and saved and have a clean slate with God. It's just as important to the saved that they now have right standing with God and can progress and grow in our relationship with Him.
The message to the world (if they will listen to it), is that a new life awaits those who believe in the shed Blood of Jesus. The message is equally as true for the Church, if they will believe in the shed Blood of Jesus. Once someone is born again, the old man (the man of sin) is dead and buried. The new man has a completely new future and family. And, the things belonging to the new man were also paid for when the price of Jesus' blood gave him new life (through Christ).
We act like we were purchased on a time-plan that requires monthly payments to complete. The same Blood that took away the death and sin of the old man, instantly and simultaneously gave us life and right standing with the Father. There was nothing left to do except to begin our new life in Him.
For many, our new life meant falling back into the old tradition of the world's religious order. They believe that the liberty we received was to be doled out to like an allowance, one quarter or dollar at a time. The truth is that the entire estate was ours all at once. The only thing we don't have in our life now is a glorified body. This is the only thing that is lacking.
Our problem is that we've only listened to men and not to the Teacher of the Church, the Holy Spirit. He and He alone, can reveal to us the fullness of what has really happened when we were born again. 1Corinthians 2:8-10 (Amplified) says, "None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory. But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, (all that) God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him (who hold him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed)." Verse 10 says, "Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the (Holy) Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God (the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny)."
Only the Holy Spirit can reveal all of the "hidden mysteries and divine counsels" of God. He said that these things are "beyond man's scrutiny," but not beyond the Holy Spirit. Without Him we remain in the same spiritual state we were in when we first believed. We are still spiritual babies without the unveiling of the Holy Spirit. It seems like every time the Holy Spirit beings new revelation to the Church, it brings a split in our own congregations.
Many who receive the revelation and try sharing it with the Church are seen as sacrilegious, in one form or another. This was the most difficult things Jesus had to deal with when speaking to His disciples in John 16:12-13 (Amplified). The greatest Teacher Who ever lived said to His disciples, "I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now." Then Jesus said in Verse 13 that "When the Holy Spirit and the new birth came, the Holy Spirit would make all things clear to us."
If Jesus could only teach the natural man so much without the Holy Spirit, then why would we assume that we can teach spiritual things without Him? When the Holy Spirit brings revelation to the Church, we must listen to Him to discern whether or not it's from God. Many "revelations" being taught did not come from the Father. Thus, John said in 1John 2:20 (Amplified), "But you have been anointed by (you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from) the Holy One, and you know (the truth) or you know all things."
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth Who lives within you. That gives you access to know all things. It's not a problem with truth, but a problem with our receiving truth. Many or all of us come into salvation with preconceived ideas about God, heaven and eternity that affects the way we deal with these things. Many simply enter into a particular church or denomination their parents followed. And, because our parents were good people, we think that's the way to follow.
When we hear something different than what's been historically taught in our church, we choose to rebuff it rather than receive it. Only the indwelling Holy Spirit can make it real and exciting in our lives.
Many things are being taught in our church today that are both right and wrong. Some things are from God and some are not. This is where 1John 2:20 must come into play in the heart of the believer. Without the Holy Spirit, we aren't able to discern truth from error. Some have decided to disregard any new revelations and remain static in their spiritual growth without grace and maturity. Some though, have dared to step out by faith and learn more about the Father and His Kingdom. It requires hearing from the Holy Spirit.
The danger of staying static in your Christian walk is that you're not investing what you've been given. The danger of going on from faith to faith is being deceived by a voice we don't recognize. If we will study the Word by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then we can grow into mature men and women of God. If we study the Word without the Holy Spirit, then we become like the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' time. They believed they knew it all and didn't need any teaching or further learning.
There is always more to learn in the believer's life. The more we understand our Father, the easier it is to walk with Him. The less we understand our Father, on the other hand, the more inadequate we feel in His presence and uncertain in our security.
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