John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share, and were all supplied with one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
Many fail to distinguish between the God of the old covenant and our new covenant "Father." We've not covenant, we are family. God didn't make this covenant with us, He made it to and through Jesus. This covenant is impossible to break, because both sides of the covenant are upheld by God Himself. Under the Law, the covenant depended upon man's keeping his end, which he could never do.
We have a covenant with God and Jesus is our Guarantee, making it iron-clad. Hebrews 7:22 (Amplified) says, "In keeping with the oath's greater strength and force, Jesus has become the Guarantee of a better, stronger agreement, a more excellent and more advantageous covenant." Hebrews 6:13 (Amplified) says, "For when God made His Promise to Abraham, He swore by Himself, since He had no one Greater by whom to swear."
The new covenant has taken us from our own natural efforts and has placed us into the Super-natural realm of family with God. The God of the old covenant has become our "Father." He has raised us from spiritual death and has given us His Very Own Life, by the new birth with the Holy Spirit. We don't depend on our own ability to walk as His children any longer, because He has given us His Very Own Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives within our new living spirit, where He directs, leads and corrects us.
The God of the old covenant, Who punished by the flesh, has now punished Jesus for all our sin and trespass. God looks upon us, through the Sacrificial Lamb Jesus, Who cleansed us through His Sacrifice. Hebrews 12:9 (Amplified) tells us, "Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded to them and respected them for training us. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of Spirits and so truly Live." We continue expecting the Father to deal with our flesh, instead of our spirit.
We find it difficult to see that our status with God has changed. We are now His children, but we think of ourselves as those under the Law, instead of family under Grace. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. I'm not saying that, "It's okay to continue in sin." This isn't Grace, it's foolishness. I'm telling you that "Grace will cover us, to the place of obeying and hearing the Voice of the Holy Spirit."
We shouldn't need pastors to teach us what God sees and doesn't see as sin. The Holy Spirit is to direct, lead and teach us how to walk in this new family covenant. The responsibility for knowing God's Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to Teach us, is an individual responsibility. Paul gives guidelines for the new covenant family in 2Timothy 3:16-17 (Amplified) saying, "Ever scripture is God-breathed, given by His inspiration, and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin (for correction of error and discipline in obedience), and for training in righteousness (in holy living), in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action. So that the man of God may be complete and proficient (well-equipped) for every Good work."
The is how the child of God is to walk, with the Father. We're not supposed to rely on the Pastor to feed us, but we're required to seek the Word (the Bread of Life) for ourselves. A shepherd is required to take the sheep where there is plenty to eat, but the sheep must learn to eat for themselves.
The things I've been teaching aren't things the Law requires us to do, in order to be a child of God. These are things that we, as children of God, should want to do. We should want to follow God's Word. We honor God, when we allow His Word and His Spirit within us, to discipline, teach and correct us.
Some might ask, "What about the sickness and calamity that befalls God's children?" When we walk outside of His Word and allow ourselves to fall into the enemy's territory, then we will pay the consequences for our disobedience. This doesn't mean that the Father is doing it, but that we didn't heed the Voice and Guidance of His warnings. Even earthly fathers can't "make" his children stay in the confines of safety, if they disobey his teachings and warnings. There are calamities all around us, as we walk in the Valley of the shadow of death, but God says that, "He leads us into green pastures and still waters," if we allow Him to lead us.
We need to learn the importance of listening to God's Word and His Spirit. We shouldn't walk around waiting for bad things to happen, and then say that "The Lord led me there." We must listen to God's Word and allow the Voice of the Spirit to lead us. Even such teachings as "Watching what you say," are greatly important for us to walk in the safety of God's Word. Psalm 17:10 (Amplified) says, "Concerning the works of men, by the Word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent, the paths of the destroyer."
When the old covenant people followed God's Word, they avoided the path of the destroyer. How much more will the new covenant people do when we follow God's Word? 2Timothy 3:16-17 (Amplified) tells us, "Let the Word and the Spirit direct your paths, and calamities of this world can be avoided." We've failed to see the impotence of following sound teachings from God's Word. How productive or nonproductive an adult will be, is determined by how he/she is raised. Many babies have been born, who didn't grow into mature and good persons. Much of this has to do with how they were raised and how they submitted to the words and leading of their parents. Nature vs. nurture.
God's children endure many things, that were never His will for them. Thank God that His Grace will deliver them out of the destruction. Loving God and submitting to His Word, would prevent many of His children from falling into the enemy's pitfalls. God intended for His family to avoid the path of the destroyer. If we would follow the Great Shepherd, the He will lead us into green pastures.
God never intended His family to walk in fear, but in His Love. I don't walk with God, because I'm afraid He will do something bad to me, if I don't walk with Him. I walk with God, because I love Him and can count on His Love to take care of me, while I learn and grow into the fullness of His Stature. We must each take responsibility for our walk with the Father. We must learn what pleases Him and what will help us to grow in the Wisdom and understanding of His ways and Word.
Every child bears the responsibility of either obeying or disobeying his/her parent's teachings and words. If we allow God's Word to discipline, correct, convict and lead us, then we won't fall into the paths of the destroyer. We get into trouble, because we don't or won't hear or yield to God's Word. Even when trials come, if we stay steadfast on His Word, then God will deliver us to safety, according to Galatians 6:7 (Amplified) which says, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man sows is what he will received." We must watch what we sow and then we will reap the Promises of God.
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