Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Lesson 187 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     Proverbs 4:7 (Amplified) says, "The beginning of wisdom is, get wisdom (skillful and Godly wisdom) (For skillful and Godly wisdom is the principal thing). And with all you have gotten get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation)."
     Paul says in James 1:5 (Amplified), "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding and it will be given him."
     In our new creation identity through the new birth and the indwelling of the Spirit of God Himself, we have access to God's Own wisdom and knowledge, according to 1Corinthians 2:9-10 (Amplified) which says, "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 goes on, "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)."
     Before the new creation man came into being, man's understanding of God was limited to only carnal knowledge.  Man could learn, but not discern.  They could read and hear the Words of the covenant, but still not discern the Truth and depth of wisdom.  Man could fulfill the physical requirements of the Law, but not the spirit depth of why and what it was all about.
     In today's Church, the family of the new creation children of God, we have access to the very wisdom and understanding of the Father Himself.  1Corinthians 2:13 (Amplified) says, "And we are setting these truths forth in Words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Holy Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual Truths with spiritual language (to those who possess the Holy Spirit)."
     "Spiritual Truth in spiritual language" is given to those who will allow the Holy Spirit to interpret and reveal it to their spirit.  This Spiritual Word and Truth can be received into a renewed mind and even the physical man can be brought under the new revelation of wisdom.  Jesus kept His Body under the dominion of this Wisdom and Truth and the Apostle Paul did so too.  While Paul was being in the process of walking out this revelation, he "kept his body under his, and did not allow the carnal knowledge of the Law, determine the outcome of what he was revealing to those who were hearing the Spiritual truth and spiritual language."
     We can learn and memorize the Bible, but still not "discern the Truth and wisdom of the Spiritual Truths" that it has hidden for us.  Memorizing your car's drivers manual, doesn't mean that you can drive a car.  You must take time to discern or train your senses to maneuver the vehicle in traffic.    We can memorize scriptures, but still not receive any benefit from the revealed Truth of God's Promises.
     In the above scripture, Paul (through the Holy Spirit) speaks about how carnal man doesn't understand "all that God has prepared, made ready and keeps ready for those who love Him."  These things have been made ready for all those who "love Him" but not all those who love Him have the revelation of what these things mean in our lives, while we're still in this physical body.  This spiritual understanding can come only in your spirit, by the Holy Spirit.  We can all read the same scripture and come away with "understanding of this wisdom, by revelation through the Holy Spirit."
     It's up to the individual person to seek this out on his/her own.  This doesn't mean we're to discard everything that we've learned, but we're to meditate on the words and go from "learning to discerning."  I heard many different preachers and teachers of the Gospel, when I first got saved.  They were all saved men and were reading the same Word of God, but I held lingering questions in my heart about why we had so many varying interpretations of what God's Word was saying.
     Instead of determining that all of them "were wrong" and I was the only on who "was right," I asked God for wisdom in understanding Truth," quoting James 1:5.  I knew God's Word is Truth, because of John 6:63 (Amplified) where Jesus said, "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."
     Even though many of the preachers were using scriptures in their teachings, it came from the learning of the carnal mind.  Because it was the Word of God, it was Truth.  But, since it came from the flesh, there was no Life and understanding coming forth to me.  Even though the Word is Truth, the Truth of it in our lives, is revealed as "spiritual language and Truth."  The Spirit gives Life (He is the Life-Giver) and He is "combining and interpreting spiritual Truths with spiritual language.
     When we are in a situation of trial or lack of understanding, we must ask God for wisdom, according to James 1:5.  God has promised that He will give us wisdom, if we ask.  When God gives this wisdom, we are responsible to either receive this wisdom or wonder "Is this from God?"  You are the one who will determine whether you will receive it or be double-minded" about it.  You are the only one, who through the Holy Spirit can come to the "knowledge of Truth" in your spirit.  Romans 8:14 (Amplified) says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."  Paul is speaking about mature sons of God and not simply born-again infants who are still on milk.
     All babies need milk and all babies are required to grow and mature into eating the solid food of God's Word and becoming mature sons of God.  We can only grow into mature sons and daughters of God, by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal "Spiritual Truth and spiritual language."  Both sinners and Christians can read the Bible.  The Words are the same, but their understanding of them are different.  The same is true for different Christians, who read the Word.  If the only way you get the Word is from someone else, you only know what they have to say and not necessarily what the Spirit of God has to say.  It's not just education, but revelation.  It's the same Word, with different results.
     When we were in school,  our teacher taught the same thing to all the students.  You weren't responsible and neither was the teacher, to "make" you understand.  Only you could be responsible to receive what was being taught.  Likewise, in today's Church, it's not the preacher's job to "make you believe," and it's not the congregation's responsibility to do so.  It's the individual person's responsibility to "heed what you hear."  Jesus said in Mark 4:23-24 (Amplified), "If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend. And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. For the measure (of thought and study) you give (to the Truth you hear) will be the measure (of virtue and knowledge) that comes back to you, and more besides will be given to you who hear."      

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