Hear what the Apostle Paul says in 2Corinthians 5:16-17 and 2Corinthians 12:1-5 (Amplified). This is the same man who was taken to the Third Heaven and received this firsthand revelation from God. Thus, the second says, "True, there is nothing to be gained by it, but (as I am obliged) to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know man in Christ who fourteen years ago-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-was caught up to the third heaven And I know that this man-whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows was caught up into paradise and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter. Of this same (man's experiences) I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses)."
Paul wrote nearly two-thirds of the New Testament and was told by Jesus, the things of the new creation, the son-ship rights, the righteousness by faith, the redemption from the curse, the blessings on the Church and salvation from sin and death. Paul received these revelations, directly from Jesus, Himself.
Paul was charged with the ministry of being the one who would deliver this Truth to the world. Remember, that when you read Paul's epistles, these Words could very easily be written in Red (as the words of Jesus). Paul was directly quoting God Himself. Paul's writings weren't doctrines or religions fabricated by man, but were God speaking to the world, through Paul. Just as surely as it was when Jesus spoke to the world before His resurrection, He is speaking to the world after His resurrection through Paul.
The things Jesus couldn't reveal to His Own disciples on earth, He is now telling the world what His crucifixion and resurrection accomplished for mankind. 1Corinthians 2:8 (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." Jesus couldn't reveal the whole truth of His crucifixion lest the enemy should hear and prevent the death of the Messiah and man would remain fallen.
Now that Jesus' Sacrifice has been made and accepted, Jesus could reveal (through Paul) the fullness of His resurrection on our behalf. 2Corinthians 5:16 (Amplified) says, "Now we estimate and regard no one from a (purely) human point of view (in terms of natural standards of value). (No) even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a Man, yet now (we have such knowledge of Him that) we see Him no longer (in terms of the flesh)."
This was a significant statement for anyone to speak and to the carnal minded Christian it seems to be almost blasphemous. However, this is what Jesus told Paul and what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. Most in the Church, still view Jesus as a Man, more than the Lord of Glory. You might ask, "Aren't they the same?" Well, we see Jesus, not only as the Son of God, but also as the Son of Man. His human body was to die in our stead and His Spiritual body was to be raised on our behalf. Now, because of Jesus, the same Holy Spirit Who was wrecking satan's house, could indwell God's new creation, after our receiving Him as Lord and Savior and believe in what Jesus did on our behalf.
We're no longer "mere men," but are new creation people. We've been made so clean, so holy and so pure by Jesus, so that God Himself can now come live in us and walk in us. We've become the Temple for Him to inhabit. God cannot, and will not, inhabit a temple without it's being clean. Does this give you any idea how the Lamb of God totally cleansed and made new this new creation?
Our outer man (the flesh) isn't perfect and can mess up at times. but Paul said, "We are no longer seen as mere (natural) men, but after the Spirit." Jesus spoke to the old covenant people (men before the new creation) and said in Matthew 23:24-26 (Amplified), "You blind guides filtering out a gnat and gulping down a camel. Woe to you, scribes and pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites) for you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but within they are full of extortion (prey, spoil, plunder) and grasping self-indulgence. You blind pharisees! First clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so the outside may be clean also."
Jesus went on to say in Verse 27, "Woe to you, scribes and pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites) For you are like tombs that have been white washed, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and everything impure." Jesus was saying that it's not the outside look of religion that changes a man, but the new creation of his spirit that changes. Once the inside is "washed," the outside will be clean too.
The Law, with all of its legalism, couldn't produce the cleansing of the spirit man. We keep trying to make the outside obey by rules and regulations, because we don't understand the principle of the new creation (Spirit of God) within us to cleanse the inside and outside. Galatians 5:16 (Amplified) says, "But I say, walk and live (habitually) in the Holy Spirit (responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit); then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)."
If we do not under the working of the Word in our spirit and only become born again without receiving His righteousness by faith and continue trying to obtain it in other ways, then we will become like "white washed tombs." We might look good on the outside, but are struggling to control our flesh. In John 6:63 (Amplified) Jesus says, "It is the Spirit Who gives life (He is the Life-Giver_ the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
All the Life, healing, righteousness and the Image of God, come from the inside-out and not from the the outside-in. Reading the Word and understanding the Word are two different things, according to Proverbs 4:7 (Amplified) which says, "The beginning of wisdom is: Get (skillful and godly) wisdom (it is preeminent)! And with all your acquiring, get understanding (actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation)."
God's Word is wisdom, but understanding this wisdom takes the Holy Spirit to teach us. Without His teaching, we simply take the interpret the Spiritual Word of God with our own intellect and then we miss what He said. We do like the scribes and pharisees did and make traditions from the outside, without having it wash us from the inside first. This is why so much of God's Word has lost power in the eyes of the world, it no longer has been identified with the super-natural and has been reduced to mere words.
No comments:
Post a Comment