2Cor.5:17(Amp) 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 away. Behold, the fresh and new has come."
The new creation person is born from the Seed of God's Word and is saved by Grace, through faith in this Word. Many today believed that salvation only means we're forgiven of our sins and will go to Heaven, when we leave this earth. The word "saved" or "salvation" means much more than the Church has understood. The Strong's Concordance tells us it means, according to #4990 "a deliverer, i.e. God or Christ, savior," #4982 "safe, to save, i.e. deliver or protect, lit. or fig. heal, preserve, save self, do well, be or make whole."
1Pet.2:2(Amp) says, "Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire), the pure unadulterated Spiritual mile (the Word of God), that by it you may be nurtured and grow into completed salvation." This indicates that there's much more to our salvation, than just forgiveness and going to Heaven. Rom.1:17(Amp) says, "For in the Gospel a Righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith, disclosed through the way of faith, that arouses to more faith.As it is written, the man who through faith is just and upright and shall live by faith."
The KJV says, "We go from faith to faith." Our faith in God and His Word is a growing process, which takes us from only believing salvation is our going to Heaven, to living in God's Blessings and in His Presence while we're still in this body on earth. We became new creation children of God, when we accepted His Gift of Life through Jesus, but most of us haven't continued going from faith to faith. Many become born-again, but never mature from what Peter called "newborn babies" in Christ.
Many believers have been taught that these things "aren't for us today, but only for the early Church," but God's Word is for all who will believe in what Jesus bought and paid for, by His Sacrifice on our behalf. Gal.3:13-14(Amp) says, "Christ purchased our freedom, redeeming us from the Curse (doom of the Law) and it's condemnation, by Himself becoming a Curse for us, for it is written in the scriptures, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified). To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit."
Jesus paid for and has bought us all back (redeemed) us from the the Curse of the Law, by His Blood. It only takes faith in His Redemption, for us to live in the Blessing. Few have allowed their faith to reach into this Power of Redemption, because of the weakness of our flesh. We feel the symptoms in our flesh and feel sick and then allow those feelings to negate the Promise. Then we accept that which the Curse continues trying to perform in our lives.
Our getting sick doesn't mean we're not good Christians, but means that we haven't yet grown into completed salvation. Our salvation was, and is, complete in Him, so we can't give up too soon on the Promise. We live by faith daily, in this provided Salvation. The Curse of the Law is still working in the earth and will try coming on anyone who doesn't use faith to rise above it. It takes faith and patience to do this, according to Heb.10:36(Amp), which says, "Do not therefore fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus received and came away and enjoy to the full what is Promised."
We can't become discouraged when we don't seem to receive what the Promise says "is ours." The enemy knows the Word will work, if we hold fast to it in faith and he's determined to talk us out of God's Promises. This is why we need endurance and patience. Jesus gave "The Parable of the Sower," in Mark4 and said this in Verse15, "The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown in their hearts, but when they hear, satan comes at once and by force takes away the Message which is sown in them." Verse17 says that, "Satan comes to take with persecution and trouble, and the trouble and persecution arises on account of the Word in order that it not bring forth the Promise."
As we grow from faith to faith and become more mature children of God, we establish His Kingdom on this earth for all mankind to see. Sadly, the world hasn't seen much difference between Christians and themselves. They haven't seen the Super-natural Power of God's Presence and His Blessing in our lives, so they think we're just another religion. The world needs to witness God working in and through us, in order to believe. God is going to reveal Himself in such a way, through His Church, that no one will able to deny it. Signs and wonders will follow the Church, as God proves out His Word and Presence, to the unbelievers. It will take faith and boldness to do what God is going to do, but He has a people in the land that He can move through. Eph.3:10(Amp) tells us, "The purpose is that through the Church, the complicated, many sided Wisdom of God in all it's infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities, principalities and powers in the heavenly sphere."
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