Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

  Click on Image for presentation

Passivity & Credulity As Ready Vehicles For Oppression

Law of Sin and death

Passivity, The Will of Man And The Will of God

Credulity Interfering With Faith For Sanctification In Everyday Christian Living

Passivity & Credulity As Ready Vehicles For Oppression

Applying Jesus Finished Work In Dividing Between The Soul and Spirit

Passivity & Credulity As Ready Vehicles For Oppression-

The Need For Having The Surety of Being on The Lord’s Side

Man is a credulous animal and must believe something. In the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones – Bertrand Russell.

“This teaching system that has been made to fetter in the Church today has very high capability of diminishing or out-rightly annulling a believer’s creative power and instead, stimulate their credulity. IT ONLY ENHANCES AND SOLIDIFY THE ‘TEACHER’S’ NEED TO CONCENTRATE ATTENTION ON JUST CHANGING THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE OPPRESSED BELIEVERS, NOT THE SITUATION WHICH OPPRESSES THEM. FOR THE MORE THE OPPRESSED BELIEVERS CAN BE LED TO ADAPT TO THAT SITUATION, THE MORE EASILY THEY CAN BE DOMINATED.

This concept of teaching (as very far advanced in the church today) regards men as adaptable, manageable beings. THE MORE STUDENTS WORK AT STORING THE DEPOSITS ENTRUSTED TO THEM, THE LESS THEY DEVELOP THE CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS WHICH WOULD RESULT FROM THEIR INTERVENTION IN THE WORLD AS TRANSFORMERS OF THAT WORLD.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines CREDULITY as:

“READINESS OR WILLINGNESS TO BELIEVE ESPECIALLY ON SLIGHT OR UNCERTAIN EVIDENCE.” –

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20 Amp).

In the world we live in today, to shy away from taking this admonition by Apostle John literarily when dealing with people even a person who puts on the garb of Christianity, is to set oneself up for total defeat.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)

Before our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ advised us to be “as innocent as the dove” he first told us to “be as wise as the serpent”.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (1 John 4:7-9)

The litmus test for the anointing is love. So it is wise when you hear so much ‘anointing’, ‘anointing’, ‘anointing’ AND YOU CANNOT FIND ANY TRACE OF LOVE – RUN FOR YOUR DEAR LIFE!!! Because the anointing is supposed to come from and be of God and GOD IS LOVE. For this is why before we seek the Lord for anything, power, money, fame or whatever has become the ‘priorities of our time’ we should seek to know what real love is; that is why our foremost prayer should be:

O LORD. TEACH ME WHAT LOVE IS!!! It is a lesson that comes with pain and if you really want it; then you pray:

O LORD. TEACH ME WHAT LOVE IS!!! No matter what it costs!!

It depends on how much you want God and this is what determines how much power or anointing; but more importantly, the Spiritual authority you can be trusted with by God; because love is the check and balance, the brakes that controls our vessel and prevent us from shipwreck. So again:

When you hear so much ‘anointing’, ‘anointing’, ‘anointing’ AND YOU CANNOT FIND ANY TRACE OF LOVE – RUN FOR YOUR DEAR LIFE!!!!

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. (John 15:12-13)

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:25-28)

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, BUT BY LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER. (Galatians 5:13)

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT: BUT WHOSOEVER WILL LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE, THE SAME SHALL SAVE IT. (Luke 9:23-24)

The soul of a believer, being saved should reflect the purity of the heart; meaning that the effect of the functions of a liberated conscience, intuition and communion with God is demonstrated by the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of our righteousness and sanctification and redemption (that we cannot physically see) and the conviction of the reality (perceiving as real what is not revealed to the senses) of this fact being made real to us by our seeing ourselves hidden in Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God.

Then, at this point of being saved and having a regenerated heart, the soul [(Functions of Will, Intellect & Emotions now being controlled by the spirit (Functions of a liberated conscience, intuition and communion with God) that is in turn now also under the control of the Holy Spirit] should be committed solely to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and enabled to comprehend the solid biblical and historical facts that Christianity is built on.

We have so far been looking at the vertical aspect of the appropriation of the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary that being between the believer and God now we will have a look at the horizontal aspect which is between the believer and the influences around him/her that have a bearing on how the relationship is formed and maintained.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS hath made me FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.

Similar to the teacher’s ministry, all the other four gifts have a ‘teacher-student’ or as in a Christian scenario ‘teacher-believer’ relationship inherent in their delivery; this pattern of delivery have tend to determine the direction in which the Church (the body of Christ) goes at every dispensation it goes through. In the dispensation that cuts through latter half of the 20th century to our present day, we see a pattern developed, that have tend to tarnish and diminish this ‘teacher-believer’ relationship. It is more like Luther’s reformation rolled back but in a way that is producing more deadly (albeit invisible) outcome for the teacher and the student or believer.

The fact that hearts tainted by sin will not only oppress their owners; but will inevitably lead to oppressive systems as well. These systems that have made their ways deep into the walk with God of even some of the ‘very elect’ and making so many to head towards shipwreck; makes it obligatory for Christian educators to unveil these systems of oppression and currents that carry people along unconsciously in cooperation with such systems.

HOLDING FAITH, AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE; WHICH SOME HAVING PUT AWAY CONCERNING FAITH HAVE MADE SHIPWRECK. (1 Timothy 1:19)

This may entail bringing to our attention, the sinful streams of greed, pride, lust, etc., that run through every human heart and carries them along individually and unconsciously as well as and prior to unveiling how those streams carry us along and oppress us at the societal level.

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted. (Psalm 12:8)

This is a teaching system where all a ‘teacher’ has to do is to present he/herself as a ‘special one’ who has been gifted with knowledge; that he/she has to now benevolently bestow to those who he/she considers to ‘know nothing’. This being a core characteristic of oppression which negates education and knowledge as processes of inquiry and diminishes the quest for fellowship with God.

In this teaching system that has crept into the Church that has exchanged such grace that was bestowed upon someone like Apostle Paul to make him a master builder (such grace that is purely made of ingredients of the fruit of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance) with worldly virtues and virtues derived purely from gaining access to, development and use of ” soul-force ” – the development and use of all the ” attributes of the soul ” .

WHILST IN ITS FALLEN CONDITION

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. BUT LET EVERY MAN TAKE HEED HOW HE BUILDETH THEREUPON. (1 Corinthians 3:10)

This teaching system that has infiltrated the church today in which the scope of action allowed to students or ‘the led’ extends only as far as receiving, filing, and storing deposits thrust on them from one service to another. The teacher presents himself to his students as their necessary opposite (the ‘perfect opposite’); BY CONSIDERING THEIR IGNORANCE ABSOLUTE, HE JUSTIFIES HIS OWN EXISTENCE.

And in their greed they will exploit you with false arguments and twisted doctrine. Their sentence [of condemnation which God has decreed] from a time long ago is not idle [but is still in force], and their destruction and deepening misery is not asleep [but is on its way]. (2 Peter 2:3 Amp)

He/she justifies him/her self as the crème de la crème of the society who is ‘just being there as a favour’ for ‘the led’ ; one whose ‘success’, ‘greatness’ and/or ‘superior intelligence’ is a product of his/her closeness with God in contrast with the ‘led’ (who are not necessarily all poor or of the lower echelons of the society) but one way or the other are made to perceive themselves to be humanly below the ‘teacher’.

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, and cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. (Revelation 18:11-13)

HOLDING FAITH, AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE; WHICH SOME HAVING PUT AWAY CONCERNING FAITH HAVE MADE SHIPWRECK. (1 Timothy 1:19)

The intrigues involved in the act of a teacher justifying his/her own existence by presenting. Him/herself to the students as their necessary opposite (their ‘perfect opposite’); (their ignorance considered to be absolute) is capable of inhibiting their ability to exercise their will and ultimately their fellowship with God. When in the act of teaching, a teacher presses for instance, a ‘guilt or fear button’ in their listeners, insinuating that if people don’t believe them, that is because they won’t admit their complicity in something terrible. If a sense of guilt – or, in some cases, fear or indignation – is induced, the result can be credulity of astonishing proportions.

Bringing an educational system straight from the world into how the gospel is taught has automatically created (as it has evolved), the point blank abuse and oppression we see today in the some churches; the ridiculous and outright abuse (in some cases physical) that ‘the taught’ or ‘the led’ are being subjected to.

THE SPECTACLES WE SEE TODAY ARE AS A RESULT OF THE LEVEL OF ‘NEAR PERMANENT’ PASSIVITY OR INACTION ‘THE TAUGHT’ HAVE BEEN MADE TO DESCEND INTO WHILE BEING SUBJECTED FOR LONG TO TEACHING ENVIRONMENTS WHERE ‘THE TAUGHT’ HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO ‘CONTAINERS’; INTO ‘VESSELS’ TO BE “FILLED” BY THE ‘TEACHER’.

The more completely he/she fills the ‘vessels’, the better a teacher he/she is. ‘The more meekly the receptacles permit themselves to be filled, the better students they are’.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (2 Peter 2:3)

This teaching system that has been made to fetter in the Church today has very high capability of diminishing or out-rightly annulling a believer’s creative power and instead, stimulate their credulity.

IT ONLY ENHANCES AND SOLIDIFY THE ‘TEACHER’S’ NEED TO CONCENTRATE ATTENTION ON JUST CHANGING THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE OPPRESSED BELIEVERS, NOT THE SITUATION WHICH OPPRESSES THEM. FOR THE MORE THE OPPRESSED BELIEVERS CAN BE LED TO ADAPT TO THAT SITUATION, THE MORE EASILY THEY CAN BE DOMINATED.

As the continued strengthening of the conscience [that has been released from the control of the soul into the control of the spirit (at salvation); as it is the only function of the spirit in the heart] THROUGH CONSISTENT OBEDIENCE (continuous, conscious determination to do what is right and shun what is wrong) triggers more, EASIER empowerment of the heart from the inner-man This continuous empowerment of the intuition (Flow of Godly Understanding) brings the knowledge of the WORD i.e. WISDOM

JESUS = WISDOM[W] = (KNOWLEDGE [K} + UNDERSTANDING[U])

Contrary to having THIS NEW LIFE OF CHRIST JESUS; this concept of teaching (as very far advanced in the church today) regards men as adaptable, manageable beings. THE MORE STUDENTS WORK AT STORING THE DEPOSITS ENTRUSTED TO THEM, THE LESS THEY DEVELOP THE CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS WHICH WOULD RESULT FROM THEIR INTERVENTION IN THE WORLD AS TRANSFORMERS OF THAT WORLD.

THE MORE COMPLETELY THEY ACCEPT THE PASSIVE ROLE IMPOSED ON THEM, THE MORE THEY TEND SIMPLY TO ADAPT TO THE WORLD AS IT IS AND TO THE FRAGMENTED VIEW OF REALITY DEPOSITED IN THEM.

In some societies at least two generations of believers have been rendered powerless of having a grasp on the running of their societies while the whole world just moved past them; which now have pushed generations after them to question the authenticity of the Gospel.

The act of projecting an absolute onto ‘the led’ in the process of ‘teaching the gospel is a characteristic of the ideology of oppression and negates education and knowledge as processes of inquiry. In a situation where the teacher presents himself to ‘the led’ as their necessary opposite; by considering them to be absolutely ignorant, and thus justifying his own existence.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:1-4)

If in the act of presenting the gospel you have at any point deliberately had to make the recipient of your message feel lower than you as a person in order to press home your point; especially in a way that overstates your own worth or even worse-still with a false understanding and projection of the view that your recipient is just an object: BE REST ASSURED THAT YOU HAVE PREPARED THE RECIPIENT TO READILY ACCEPT ABUSE AND OPPRESSION.

JUST TAKE A LOOK AT OUR SOCIETY TODAY

Our God is in control and have the final say – Selah

May the Lord helps us all – Amen

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

   Click on Image for presentation

The Battle For The Soul of Man: Passivity, The Will of Man And The Will of God

Law of Sin and death

Passivity, The Will of Man And The Will of God

Credulity Interfering With Faith For Sanctification In Everyday Christian Living

Passivity & Credulity As Ready Vehicles For Oppression

Applying Jesus Finished Work In Dividing Soul and Spirit

Credulity Interfering With Faith For Sanctification In Everyday Christian Living

It is very much possible to believe that God exist, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were three persons in one God, that God created the world, that Jesus was born of a virgin, was crucified, died and was buried, that He rose again the third day and that He would come again to judge the world: But by the fruit of that person’s life, It can show clearly  that he or she is not trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

The signs for this could be:

Not being able to repent of sins and seeking to ‘do good works out of a love for God’.

Having a kind of faith, but not possess saving faith.

Believing in the existence of God while living life according to own reasons, desires, and fears.

At the root of all this is wrong foundation when it comes to perception or understanding of what salvation is. This in most part is as a result of wrong presentation of what the real Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is which sets the tone for a credulous ‘Christian’ race – “Bred To Be Led”

 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3)

This is the after effect of careless and hopeless credulity that characterises our modern day Christianity. It is the sin of believing in something that one should not believe in. As human beings we are created in the image of God, the One who is the truth.

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue. (Proverbs 17:4)

We are to live our lives by what is true. What should be expected are catastrophic results when fundamental principles are destroyed.

The fact that God sanctifies by giving more faith, makes it imperative for us to daily seek for more faith to become more holy.  Holiness grows with faith, and faith, as a gift of God, arises from hearing the Word of God while also ignoring the world, the flesh and the devil, which all bid us to doubt God by focusing on negative circumstances.

When it comes to sanctification, our faith plays out in a two-fold movement: downward, We cease to trust in our ability to improve ourselves; upward, we put our trust in Jesus for the also a measure of the spiritual authority God puts at our disposal, which is also commensurate with the level of our spiritual maturity. Worldly maturity connotes the level of being independent of anyone; but spiritual maturity is the:

LEVEL OF OUR TOTAL AND ABSOLUTE DEPENDENCE ON GOD

I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted. (Job 42:2)

In our world today, where new and more complicated problems seem to emanate from man’s dealings with others and even more disturbing, man’s dealing with himself. An age when man have now decided to create a culture of ‘managing his problems’ instead of seeking a solution. All kinds of ‘programmes’ are proffered to solve these problems but the real intensions of proffering this solution is the lust for money and fame – “For the love of money is the root of all evil”. Man keep going round and round in circles but no solution.

The quest to find solutions to these problems, especially in society where you have high levels of poverty have made people caught up in the web of these programmes to be conditioned to ever remain credulous.

A “new man” begins in us if we have exercised faith in Jesus Christ and repented. God’s solution is to end the curse of Adam and to release within us the power of a new life, the life of Jesus himself. But:

Man is a credulous animal and must believe something. In the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones – Bertrand Russell, Unpopular Essays

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Credulity as:

“Readiness or willingness to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence.”

The Bible defines faith as:

 “The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)

The question now is how this promise to release within us the power of a new life, the life of Jesus himself is delivered to the believer without being sold a dummy?

Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? (Luke 12:57)

We are therefore, not to be gullible or foolish in what we accept as true. In fact, we do not have the right to believe in anything until there is sufficient evidence to establish it as true, and then we are only to believe it insofar as the evidence proves it

The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. (Proverbs 14:15)

The Christian is to respond to and accept the voice of truth. We are commanded to “test the spirits,” To neglect to examine things for their truthfulness and to live by make-believe or falsehood will most definitely lead to false hopes here on earth and more devastatingly, false hope of making heaven.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

However, once something is proven to be true, to not believe it is to commit the sin of unbelief. Thus, to not believe in Christ’s resurrection, which is proven to be true by the credible testimony of Scripture and history, is sinful.

One should be very careful because on the opposite end of the spectrum to credulity are:

Heresy: is to believe in false doctrines that strike at the fundamentals of the Christian faith, or else to deny true doctrines that are essential to Christianity.

Misbelief: This to believe in falsehood that, while it does not rise to the level of heresy, it is still sinful to believe it.  If we were careful to only believe in things insofar as they show themselves to be true, we would never commit the sin of misbelief.

Distrust: Like all of the other kinds of faith mentioned in this list, has to do with distrusting God, whom we should always trust. It is not a sin to distrust in someone or something who shows him or itself to be dis-trustworthy

Despair: While it may be right at times to despair of a certain event coming to pass, it is never right to despair in terms of who God is or what He has done or said He will do.

Heavenly Father, that You quicken us with Your presence like never before; that we may continually be empowered to actively seek the purification our motives and conscience. (Hebrews 9:13, 14)

Heavenly Father, that You quicken us to rejoice evermore; Pray without ceasing and in every thing give thanks: for this is Your will in Christ Jesus concerning us. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

  Click on Image for presentation

The Battle For The Soul of Man: Passivity, The Will of Man And The Will of God

Law of Sin and death

Passivity, The Will of Man And The Will of God

Faith For Everyday Christian Living

Credulity Interfering With Faith In Sanctification

Passivity & Credulity As Ready Vehicles For Oppression

Credulity Interfering With Faith In Sanctification

Passivity, The Will of Man And The Will of God

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40 Amp.)

After the fall man becomes flesh. The flesh envelops the whole being and overpowers him. Man was originally a living soul; now, having fallen, he becomes flesh. His soul had been meant to submit to the spirit’s control; now it is subject to the dominion of the flesh. Sin finds its seat in man’s body.

The main cause of a believer’s susceptibility to the power of darkness APART FROM SIN, is through the caving in or, a cessation of the active exercise of the (regenerated spirit backed) will in control over, intellect, emotions and body. It is, practically, a counterfeit of “surrender to God.” The believer who “surrenders” his “members“ or faculties ‘to God’, and ceases to use them himself, thereby falls into “passivity” which enables powers of darkness to deceive, and possess any part of his/her being which has become passive.

Simply put, passivity is the opposite condition to activity; It must not be confused with quietness, or the meek and quiet spirit, which, in the sight of God, is of great price. Quietness of spirit, of heart, of mind, of manner, voice and expression, may be co-existent with the most effective activity in the will of God. In a believer’s Christian walk it means:

Loss of self control: Loss of full control by the believer him/her self of all of the departments of his/her personal being

Loss of freewill: in the sense of the person him/her self exercising his/her will as the guiding principle of personal control, in harmony with the will of God.

All the danger of “passivity” in the ‘surrendered’ believer, lies in the advantage taken of the passive condition by the powers of darkness. Apart from these evil forces, and their workings through the passive person, “passivity” is merely inactivity, or idleness. In normal inactivity, that is, when the evil spirits have not taken hold, the inactive person is always holding himself ready for activity; whereas in “passivity” which has given place to the powers of darkness, the passive person is unable to act by his own volition.

The will of the man united to the will of God; and thus having the energizing power of God working with his volition; is to rule his  “own spirit”

Like a city that is broken down and without walls [leaving it unprotected] Is a man who has no self-control over his spirit [and sets himself up for trouble]. (Proverbs 25:28)

for the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets [the prophecy is under the speaker’s control, and he can stop speaking].   (1 Corinthians 14:32)

The will of the man united to the will of God–and thus having the energizing power of God working with his volition–is also to rule his thoughts or mind (inclusive of all the soul-powers)

Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. (Colossians 3:2)

The will of the man united to the will of God–and thus having the energizing power of God working with his volition–is also to rule his body

But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service]. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

                                                              Have You Been Careful Enough To Activate Your Account????

Sabaoth Spring 2022

FORESIGHT OF THE MASTER PLANNER -The Eternal Purpose

The Spirit of Holiness & The Sanctification of Man Part 2: Our Freedom From Sin.

PLAN A2, BACK ON TRACK – Transformation: The proving of Faith and The Glory of God                                                                           Section F -THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Reality Check: Am I In Christ Jesus??? (Part 1)

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:4)

God is not out to reform our life. It is not His thought to bring it to a certain stage of refinement, for it is on a totally wrong plane. On that plane He cannot now bring man to glory. He must have a new man; one born anew, born of God. Regeneration and justification go together.

He That Hath The Son Hath The Life

There are various planes of life. Human life lies between the life of the lower animals and the life of God. We cannot bridge the gulf that divides us from the plane above or the plane below, and the distance that separates us from the life of God is vastly greater than that which separates us from the life of the lower animals.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his

Watchman Nee in trying to explain the choice that confronted Adam  in his book The Normal Christian Life, gave this illustration:

In China one day I called on a Christian leader who was sick in bed, and whom, for the sake of this story, I shall call Mr. Wong’ (though that was not his real name). He was a very learned man, a Doctor of Philosophy, and one esteemed throughout the whole of China for his high moral principles, and he had long been engaged in Christian work. But he did not believe in the need for regeneration; he only proclaimed a social gospel.

When I called on Mr. Wong his pet dog was by his bedside, and after speaking with him of the things of God and of the nature of His work in us, I pointed to the dog and inquired his name. He told me he was called Fido. Is Fido his Christian name or his surname?’ I asked (using the common Chinese terms for personal name’ and family name’). Oh, that is just his name’, he said. Do you mean that is just his Christian name? Can I call him Fido Wong?’ I continued. Certainly not!’ came the emphatic reply. But he lives in your family’, I protested,

Why don’t you call him Fido Wong?’ Then, indicating his two daughters, I asked Are your daughters not called Miss Wong?’ Yes!’ Well then, why cannot I call your dog Master Wong?’ The Doctor laughed, and I went on: Do you see what I am getting at?

Your daughters were born into your family and they bear your name because you have communicated your life to them. Your dog may be an intelligent dog, a well-behaved dog, and altogether a most remarkable dog; but the question is not, Is he a good or a bad dog? It is merely, Is he a dog? He does not need to be bad to be disqualified from being a member of your family; he only needs to be a dog.

The same principle applies to you in your relationship to God. The question is not whether you are a bad man or a good man, more or less, but simply, Are you a man? If your life is on a lower plane than that of God’s life, then you cannot belong to the Divine family. Throughout your life your aim in preaching has been to turn bad men into good men; but men as such, whether good or bad, can have no vital relationship with God. Our only hope as men is to receive the Son of God, and when we do so His life in us will constitute us sons of God.’ The Doctor saw the truth, and that day he became a member of God’s family by receiving the Son of God into his heart.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2)

For there to be “no condemnation’“ it is essential  (a must) to be in Christ Jesus – ALIVE UNTO CHRIST (In Spirit)

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (Romans 8:3-4)

IN WHOM CAN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW BE FULFILLED??????

These are the questions we will be looking at in this two-part series on Reality Check that shows that the righteousness of the law cannot possibly be fulfilled in the non-Christian :

Am I In Christ Jesus???

BORN AGAIN OR NOT – Is there really anything like a “carnal Christian”????

Prayer:

Father let your Holy Spirit be with us to open the hardest parts in us to flow with the milk of kindness. Let the power of your Holy Spirit energise the inner man of each and every one of us to the point that it breaks every yoke that is not of you so that the inner man of each and every one of us starts to yield the fruits of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Lord, as this attributes are limited to the extent of our human tolerance, compassion, and maturity, let the Holy Spirit take total and pre-eminent control of the inner man of each and every one of us and let the inner man of each and every one of us take total and pre-eminent control of each one’s body, soul, spirit, will, emotions and intellect; that there may be an endless supply of this fruits as we surrender to the Spirit’s work in our lives and allow the shaping of our characters by your grace,

Give us the grace to confess our sins, forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness for you are faithful and just. By the cleansing power of the Blood of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, bring the spirit of each and every one of us into union with Christ; for he who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in the Spirit. Let the each and everyone’s spirit actively dominate him / her in full co-operation with the Holy Spirit.

Sabaoth Spring 2022

FORESIGHT OF THE MASTER PLANNER -The Eternal Purpose

The Spirit of Holiness & The Sanctification of Man Part 2: Our Freedom From Sin.

PLAN A2, BACK ON TRACK – Transformation: The proving of Faith and The Glory of God                                                                           Section F -THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

                                                                       NO CONDEMNATION!!! With The Normal Christian Way of Life  (Part 2)

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:4)

In the first part of no “condemnation!!! – With The Normal Christian Way of Life”  we looked at a believers bid to deal with Sin while the law is still in the way; we looked at a believer’s bid to obey God and also at the same time contend (in this end times) with passivity and the level of de-humanization it can lead to while trying to work out the tele-guiding (that is the order of the day in the society he /she find themselves) by trying to do it through his / her own efforts, willpower, and determination which really is legalism. We saw that without being fully delivered from the law; it is impossible to know full deliverance from Sin. In this second part, we will now continue to look at the solution God has provided for the struggle of the believer when cornered by the inherent power of the law to the point of saying (like Apostle Paul said):

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  (Romans 7:24-25)

 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (Romans 8:1-4)

In the first part we looked at:

1. Who do this apply to?
2. No Condemnation – To whom do this apply?
3. Man’s Sinful Nature
4. Law of Sin and Death
5. Walk not according to the flesh: But according to the spirit
6. What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh
7. God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh

In this second part we will look at:

1. God’s own Son condemned sin in the flesh
2. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us
3. “Bring forth fruit unto God” & “Serve in newness of spirit”
4. No Condemnation!!!
5. Impartation of the Righteousness of Christ Jesus

No Condemnation!!!

Who do this apply to?

Those who have had an experience of that exclusive act of God by which a principle of new life is implanted in man, with the result that the governing disposition of the  functions of the soul is made holy. Those who have  RECEIVED AN IMPARTED LIFE WHICH MAKES THE RETURN FROM A STATE OF DECLINE TO A REVITALISED STATE POSSIBLE. Who have beeen renewed, reformed, or reconstituted;  who have had a spiritual rebirth (be spiritually reborn) “Born Again”; have been completely reformed or improved and grown anew.

Why does this apply to them?

This applies to them because “God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh”

Why did God send His Son?? In the likeness of sinful flesh???

 For Sin

For what the Law could not do [that is, overcome sin and remove its penalty, its power] being weakened by the flesh [man’s nature without the Holy Spirit], (Romans 8:3a Amp.)

God did: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man as an offering for sin. And He condemned sin in the flesh [subdued it and overcame it in the person of His own Son], (Romans 8:3b Amp.)

All the sacrificial offerings in the old testament were a fore-shadow of what “The Lamb of God” was to come into the world to do. John, who by special signs and divine inspiration had perceived that Jesus, even in sinful flesh, was the Son of God, said of Him:

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:24-26)

This is the way of salvation god has provided for us that we might be forgiven and redeemed

How it works

Sin condemns the natural man through the law, But by the death of Christ Jesus, sin itself has been condemned.

As it was the law that aggravated and inflamed sin in man; Take away the law (done by the death of Christ, Jesus); and the aggravation is taken away (what was in man to aggravate the motions of sin in him is gone).

As far as the believer is concerned; it has no power

My position as a regenerated Christian:

Is not simply that I am no longer condemned

It is not just no longer that, the aggravation that sin which the law produces in me has been removed –

But:

Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God…… But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.(Romans 7:4,6)

Note!!!!!

It is impossible to be joined to Christ, Jesus:While still joined to the Law

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we pray that you will quicken our body soul, will, intellect, emotions,  spirit and inner man to the Scriptural ground for living a new life in Your ways, which is the truth concerning our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ’s full victory at Calvary, We bind each and everyone of us to the work of the cross of Calvary where the power, the authority, the love, the forgiveness, the mercy and the grace would flow into our lives.  We confess that Jesus is the head of the body , the church, He is the beginning and the first born from among the dead. So that in everything he might have supremacy. For you were pleased to have all Your fullness dwell in Him, and through Him you reconciled Yourself to all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood . For once we were alienated from you and were enemies in our minds because of our evil behaviour but now we know that you have reconciled us by Christ’s physical body through death to present us holy in Your sight, without blemish and free from accusation. For as much as we children are partakers of the flesh and blood, and Christ also Himself took part of the same flesh and blood: that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; and deliver them, who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

We confess Father that, Having being buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through faith in Your power who raised Him from the dead, that when we were dead in our sins and in the uncircumcision of our sinful nature, You made us alive with Christ. You forgave us all our sins, Having cancelled the written code, with it’s regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us; Jesus took it away and nailed it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities that have stood against our lives, He made a public Show of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Sabaoth Spring 2022

FORESIGHT OF THE MASTER PLANNER -The Eternal Purpose

The Spirit of Holiness & The Sanctification of Man Part 2: Our Freedom From Sin.

PLAN A2, BACK ON TRACK – Transformation: The proving of Faith and The Glory of God                                                                           Section F -THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS

 

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

                                                                      NO CONDEMNATION!!! With The Normal Christian Way of Life (Part 1)

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:4)

As we continue our look at sanctification taking into consideration (as seen in our last instalment on this series), that the main oppressor of man is sin in the heart, for hearts tainted by sin will not only oppress their owners, but will inevitably lead to oppressive systems as well. The ‘led’ (a scope which can also capture the ‘leader’ depending on where he / she lies within the ‘pyramid’ ) goes through very intense struggle because, as a believer (converted), he is trying to keep the Law, get involved in a discipline of the spirit and dedication of his / her heart to obey God and also has to contend (in this end times) with passivity and the level of de-humanization it can lead to while trying to work out the tele-guiding (that is the order of the day in the society he /she find themselves) by trying to do it through his own efforts, willpower, and determination which really is legalism. We will now continue to look at the struggle of the believer when cornered by the inherent power of the law to the point of saying (like Apostle Paul said):

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  (Romans 7:24-25)

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)

In this first part we will look at:

1. Who do this apply to?
2. No Condemnation – To whom do this apply?
3. Man’s Sinful Nature
4. Law of Sin and Death
5. Walk not according to the flesh: But according to the spirit
6. What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh
7. God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh

There is no short cut to holiness; it is only developed in us as a result of our understanding the great and mighty truths the Lord has given us in His Word. Apart from the sanctification that is imputed at regeneration; it is only as we grasp these doctrines that we become a more sanctified people separated unto good works and unto God.

Not only are we freed from sin, as Paul points out, but we are freed from the Law as well. The Law does its work (condemns us), but we are no longer under Law if we are resting in Christ. Therefore, the Law does not serve any useful purpose in delivering us from sin apart from flashing the search light on it (sin) and drive us back to Christ Jesus. In this instalment we will be looking at the believer’s need to be free from the law; without being fully delivered from the law; it is impossible to know full deliverance from Sin.

Doing the bidding of the law will not be the basis of our being in God’s favour, but the evidence that we are trusting Jesus Christ, united to Him, and, thus is the basis of our qualification  on the day of judgement

For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.  (Romans 2:13)

For it is not merely hearing the Law [read] that makes one righteous before God, but it is the doers of the Law who will be held guiltless and acquitted and justified. (Romans 2:13 AMP)

We are all sinners by nature. If God asks nothing of us, all seems to go well, but as soon as He demands something of us the occasion is provided for a grand display of our sinfulness. The main object of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ coming into this world was that He might deliver us from sin and condemnation by becoming an Offering for us – offering for sin. All the sacrificial offerings in the old testament where a fore-shadow of what “The Lamb of God” was to come into the world to do.

John who by special signs and Divine inspiration had perceived that Jesus, even in sinful flesh, was the Son of God, said of Him: Apostle Paul explains further that it is for this reason that “there is condemnation” – God sent His Son, made Him an offering for sin on our behalf:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)

The question now is:

Who do this apply to?

Why do this apply to them?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we pray that you will quicken our body soul, will, intellect, emotions,  spirit and inner man to the Scriptural ground for obtaining deliverance, which is the truth concerning our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ’s full victory at Calvary, through which we CAN BE DELIVERED FROM THE POWER OF BOTH SIN AND SATAN, Teach us that the victory won at Calvary can only be applied as there is conformity to Divine laws. O Lord, as the deceptions of Satan are recognised, and our will is set to reject them, we can, on the basis of the work of Christ at Calvary claim our deliverance from these workings of the devil in deception and possession.

For all of us who were baptised into our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ were baptised into His death. We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that just as He was raised from the dead through your glory, we too may live a new life. if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection, for we know that our old self was crucified Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died have been freed from sin. Now if we died with our Lord and Saviour Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the death, He cannot die again; death has no longer mastery after Him, the death He died, He died to sin once for all; but life He lives, He lives to You our God. In the same way we count ourselves dead to sin, but alive to you in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Let your seed remain in us O Lord, that we may not continue to sin, for he who does what is sinful is of the devil, the devil has been sinning from the beginning. And the reason our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ appeared for us, was to destroy the devils work that no one who is born of you will continue to sin.

In the second part we will look at:

1. God own Son condemned sin in the flesh
2. No Condemnation!!!
3. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us
4. “Bring forth fruit unto God” & “Serve in newness of spirit”
5. Impartation of the Righteousness of Christ Jesus

CHANGE OF DISPOSITION THROUGH REGENERATION  

The Only Remedy For The Decadence of Our Time.!  (Part 2a) 

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

In the second part (Sections a & b) of this two part series we have a bit more in-depth look at what a change of disposition means. Change of disposition being the result of regeneration – the supernatural change in the very core of man’s being that occurs through the exclusive act of God by which a principle of new life is implanted in man, with the result that THE GOVERNING DISPOSITION OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SOUL IS MADE HOLY.

1. An Introduction
2. Regeneration & Disposition – Definitions “Except A Man Be Born Again”
3. Man’s Sinful Nature
4. Quickening (Regeneration) ‘Awakening’ Leading To The Governing Disposition of The Functions of The Soul Being Made Holy And Then Repentance
5. Sorrowful Turning From Sin

In Part 2 (a &b), we will look at:

1. Disposition
2. Result of A Changed Disposition
3. Why it is impossible to be A Christian Without A Change of Disposition
4. Assurance of Salvation

CHANGE OF DISPOSITION THROUGH REGENERATION – The Only Remedy For The Decadence of Our Time. (Part 2a) 

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. (Titus 3:5)

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:3-8)

 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezek. 36:26–27)

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (John 1:13-16).

The dictionary describes disposition as:

 A person’s inherent qualities of mind and character.

“your sunny disposition has a way of rubbing off on those around you“

2. The way in which something is placed or arranged, especially in relation to other things.

“the plan shows the disposition of the rooms“

Disposition is that which guilds, govern, control and directs all the faculties, powers and propensities. The change of the disposition is what occurs as a result of quickening – the direct and supernatural operation of the Holy Spirit to effect a newness of life in the heart of man, so that he is able to receive the things of God (e.g. Word, directions etc.). That newness of life being the ‘activation’ of the intuition and communion in the spirit of man.

Why Change of Disposition

At any point in time, a man can either be regenerate or unregenerate: But all men are born unregenerate: One can claim to be a Christian for a long time (even ‘from birth’) or even lived right inside a church for 100 years: If there is no change of disposition, it is all a waste of time and great deceit. Such one can only hope to turn up at ‘there’ just to be informed that he has been a spectator all along.

Just as it is what nature of internet flows into and from the wireless access port that GOVERNS what NATURE of internet service (3G, 4G, 5G) you get in all the devices: SO DOES THE DISPOSITION OF A MAN GOVERN THE NATURE OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SOUL OF THAT MAN.

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. (Romans 5:5b)

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (Matthew 12:35)

Regeneration being an act of God by which He subconsciously puts a holy principle, a seed of new spiritual life into our disposition and it is what determines what we are; how we behave and how we use our natural experiences, opinions, desires, stimuli, actions, temperament, abilities, faculties and powers etc.

The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5b)

A man who is born again is a man who has gotten a new disposition. He has gotten a new principle of life operating in him and controlling him. He still retains all his natural powers. Regeneration does not (like widely believed) produce a standard type of Christian; who are more or less identical; everything about them is almost exactly the same. But this is not new-testament Christianity; whatever a man is by nature, as regards natural experiences, opinions, desires, stimuli, actions, temperament, abilities, faculties and powers etc. remain exactly as they were before. BUT what changes and becomes new is the thing that controls these natural experiences, opinions, desires, stimuli, actions, temperament, abilities, faculties and powers etc.

The Application of Redemption

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

The Holy Spirit applies the finished work of redemption of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to us through regeneration, when there is a change of disposition. Functions such natural experiences, opinions, desires, stimuli, actions, temperament, abilities, faculties and powers etc now have a new disposition governing them; new “I” as in Galatians 2:20 where Apostle Paul says, “And the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith.…” the life is now lived by the life which is Christ Himself. The life which is Christ Himself now governs our natural experiences, opinions, desires, stimuli, actions, temperament, abilities, faculties and powers etc.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

Apostle Paul’s Journey from persecutor of the Church to a “Servant of Jesus Christ”

Before Apostle Paul’s conversion; although the faculties of his soul were in an impeccable order, the disposition that governs them all was very much aimed at persecuting the Church and making him see our Lord Jesus Christ as an enemy.

And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. (Acts 22:6-11)

 These same faculties, now governed by a different disposition, one “born of God”; preaching the Gospel of the same person he once hated with a passion with all the same power, abilities and personality. THE CHANGE IS IN HIS DISPOSITION NOT ANY OF HIS FACULTIES

THE CHANGE SHOULD BE IN OUR DISPOSITION NOT IN OUR PERSONALITY

The change was in Apostle Paul’s disposition and not his personality These same faculties, now governed by a different disposition, one “born of God” (Jon 1:13); preaching the Gospel of the same person he once hated with a passion; with all the same power, abilities and personality. His faculties remain the same but are now propelled in the direct of God’s will.

What Paul had at Damascus was regeneration NOT a psychological change process. NOT what we have today (in a lot of cases) in our ‘church’ of the 21st century, where motivational and psychological birthing has produced so many Pentecostal clones, who have become victims of psychological movements and stripped of their identities. Told to ‘just follow and think later’

When we are regenerated, the peculiar gifts and traits that make us who we are always remain the same. More like when you re-install an application on your system and the files you have on your system remain the same, they do not get lost entirely nor change. We are not all meant to be identical or speak the way or dress and have the same mannerisms, preach the same way, pray the same way or ‘speak in tongues’ the same way etc.

Apostle Paul’s intellectual abilities, zeal (to persecute the Church); religious passion, all got translated to be used for good purposes when his disposition changed. His change in disposition and not personality made it possible to translate from being a Jewish zealot to an apostle to the gentiles

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

The more we see of Jesus, the more we realise that ‘our own righteousness is as filthy rags’. The closer we draw to Him the more we see our need for Him, because the closer we draw to Him the more we grasp His holiness and our sinfulness.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesss are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

This is why Paul was able to go from being:

For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God (1 Corinthians 15:9 – written in 56 AD).

To:

This grace was given to me — the least of all the saints — to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of the Messiah (Ephesians 3:8 – written in early 60 or 61 AD).

To:

This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” — and I am the worst of them. (1 Timothy 1:15 – written in 62-64 AD).

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

We will conclude the series with Why it is impossible to be A Christian Without A Change of Disposition

Prayers:

1. Heavenly Father, we pray that You quicken us with Your presence like never before; that we may continually be empowered to actively seek that Holy Spirit inspired change of our disposition. (Titus 3:5)
2. Heavenly Father, we pray that You quicken us with Your presence like never before; that we may continually be empowered to actively seek the purification our motives and conscience. (Hebrews 9:13, 14)
3. Heavenly Father, we pray that You quicken us to rejoice evermore; Pray without ceasing and in every thing give thanks: for this is Your will in Christ Jesus concerning us. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
4. Heavenly Father, we pray that You will circumcise our hearts, that we may be able to enter the covenant of being Your people, who are fully joined to You and fully submissive to You. (Deuteronomy 30:6)
5. Lord, we bind the inner man of each and every one of us to a loving relationship with the Holy Spirit. Give us the grace to know that, ‘to seek you through knowledge about you without seeking a relationship with the Holy Spirit ends up in confusion and unbalance in our perception of You. (Matthew 18:18-20)
6. Heavenly Father, we pray that You will work in us to replace our heart of stone that is cold and unyielding with a heart of flesh that is alive and responsive to You. (Ezekiel 11:19)
7. Heavenly Father, we pray and bind each and everyone of us to the work of the cross of Calvary where the power, the authority, the love, the forgiveness, the mercy and the grace would flow into our lives. (Galatians 3:13-14)
8. Heavenly Father, we pray that by Your Holy Spirit You teach us to accurately and righteously fear You. (Matthew 10:28)
9. Lord we pray that as being indwelled by You is the great joy of salvation; You would grant us this honour; put Your Spirit within us O Lord and choose to take residence in us. (Ezekiel 36:27)
10. Heavenly Father, we pray that You will Keep us in Your Word daily, that we may be daily saved, nourished, and enlivened by Your Word. (2 Timothy 2:15)
11. Heavenly Father, we pray that You will give us the grace wisdom and power to recognise that the object and purpose of your instruction and charges to us is Love, which springs from a pure heart and a good and clear conscience and sincere, unfeigned faith. (Jeremiah 17:9)
12. Heavenly Father, we pray that You may give us the grace to have a prayerful attitude as we come to Your Word, receiving the Word into us by means of all prayer, thanksgiving, petition, singing, and psalming. (Philippians 4:6-8)
13. O Lord, we pray that as we are convicted of our own sins; the Holy Spirit of conviction and Holy Spirit inspired repentance will flow through us to others in our surroundings and beyond. ( Acts 2:37-38)
14. O Lord, continually multiply Your glorious riches in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ unto us and fill us with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; so that we may realize that, in us lies the power that was in Adam that is hidden and IS MEANT BY YOU TO BE PERMANENTLY HIDDEN AS LONG AS WE ARE IN OUR MORTAL BODIES. Continually give us the grace to resolve never to use it and to war in order to keep it until we see you. Most importantly, we pray that You continually bind this inordinate power of our soul and express Your Life through us O LORD!!!!!!!! (2 Timothy 1:12)

CHANGE OF DISPOSITION THROUGH REGENERATION  

The Only Remedy For The Decadence of Our Time.!  (Part 1) 

Happy New Year

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

                                    Click on image To see Workbook 

In this two part series we have a look at the supernatural change in the very core of man’s being that occurs through the exclusive act of God by which a principle of new life is implanted in man, with the result that THE GOVERNING DISPOSITION OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SOUL IS MADE HOLY.

“Every Generation Needs Regeneration” – Charles H. Spurgeon

“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.” – William Booth

In Part 1, we will look at:

1. An Introduction
2. Regeneration & Disposition – Definitions “Except A Man Be Born Again”
3. Man’s Sinful Nature
4. Quickening (Regeneration) ‘Awakening’ Leading To The Governing Disposition of The Functions of The Soul Being Made Holy And Then Repentance
5. Sorrowful Turning From Sin

In Part 2, we will look at:

1. Disposition
2. Result of A Changed Disposition
3. Why it is impossible to be A Christian Without A Change of Disposition
4. Assurance of Salvation

CHANGE OF DISPOSITION THROUGH REGENERATION – The Only Remedy For The Decadence of Our Time.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. (Titus 3:5)

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:3-8)

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezek. 36:26–27)

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (John 1:13-16).

Regeneration is an Exclusive act of God by which a principle of new life is implanted in man, with the result that THE GOVERNING DISPOSITION OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SOUL IS MADE HOLY.

Regeneration means to be renewed, reformed, or reconstituted; to have a spiritual rebirth (be spiritually reborn) “Born Again”; to cause to be completely reformed or improved and to grow anew (a part to replace one hurt or lost).

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7)

While the dictionary describes disposition as:

1. A person’s inherent qualities of mind and character.

“your sunny disposition has a way of rubbing off on those around you“

2. The way in which something is placed or arranged, especially in relation to other things.

“the plan shows the disposition of the rooms“

Disposition is that which guilds, govern, control and directs all the faculties, powers and propensities. The change of the disposition is what occurs as a result of quickening – the direct and supernatural operation of the Holy Spirit to effect a newness of life in the heart of man, so that he is able to receive the things of God (e.g. Word, directions etc.). That newness of life being the ‘activation’ of the intuition and communion in the spirit of man.

Quickening is a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit; it is characteristic of the attributes of God as shown through His Spirit. This sovereignty backed up by the omnipotence of God:

God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God. (Psalm 62:11)

Quickening is entirely an act of consistent, instantaneous, unperceived work of the Grace (unmerited favour) of God. MAN HAS NO PART TO PLAY IN IT. The goodness of God leads man to repentance or can we say it should lead man to repentance: SO THAT the governing disposition of the  functions of the soul is made holy.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4)

Man’s sinful ways naturally should lead to judgement but instead, God extends His mercy to man:

Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. (Psalm 25:8)

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5: 7-8)

QUICKENING ACTIVATES THE INTUTION AND COMMUNION WITH GOD IN THE SPIRIT OF MAN – This is the point where man’s quickened heart is able to see the spirituality of God’s law, as the functions of intuition and communion are made available to him by God,. The conversion process which follows regeneration (at point of quickening) is Repentance and Faith (Saving Faith) working hand in hand in an indivisible process. Saving faith is trust in Jesus Christ as a living person for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God. It is faith that propels one to take the next step past simply having knowledge of Christ and believing in the facts presented.

While faith is our receiving of the grace “offered us in Christ.” and repentance is availing ourselves of this grace and utilizing the power of it to turn to God. It is paramount we realise that faith will always precede repentance as it impossible for one to utilise what he/she does not have an understanding of – we need first to understand this mercy of God as provided for us in the finished work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ before we can now say we will go to God in repentance:

The quickening that effects the change in disposition, then repentance (turn around) which then opens the door for the receiving of this understanding does not change the faculties of a man’s being (his inherent qualities of mind and character); but does this by replacing the old principle of life that governs them so that a new principle of life is operating in him and controlling him. He still retains all his natural powers. Regeneration (quickening) does not (like widely believed) produce a standard type of Christian; who are more or less identical; everything about them is almost exactly the same. But this is not new testament Christianity; whatever a man is by nature, as regards his temperament or his abilities, his faculties, his powers etc., they remain exactly as they were before.

We will have a closer look at this in Part 2.

FORESIGHT OF THE MASTER PLANNER

First Begotten Son is God Part 1

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1-7)

So far in this series of examining the book of Romans (early part of chapter 1), we have been looking at the eternal purpose of God – “The glory of God” (Romans 3:23); and “The glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). We have also looked at His plan for us and how we have (through Adam) “temporarily deviated” from the path of this plan. In our last post we looked at the consequences of Adam’s original sin (in Watchman Nee’s The Normal Christian Life).So, up to this point in our analogy of this eternal purpose, we have looked at PLAN A as described in Ephesians 1:3-6 (Please bare in mind that it was always Plan A from the beginning and so it will be for eternity); and the bridge to PLAN 1, We will now, in this post start taking a look at the “only Begotten Son” the “Tree of Life” through whom we have divine life. What a wonderful foresight the Master Planner has, to perceive that Adam’s choice could only count for disobedience and had a contingency:

click on image for larger size

PLAN A1 – The Gospel of Christ – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself”. (Ephesians 1:7-9)

“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:3-4)

Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws that govern our relationship with God. Man consists of 3 components: BODY (seat of our world-consciousness, and represents the functions of our senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, pain, balance, thirst, and hunger etc: SOUL (seat of our self-consciousness and represents the functions of our will, intellect and emotions: Lastly SPIRIT (seat of our God-consciousness and represents the functions of our conscience, intuition and communion).

Now, in our last post Called to God’s Kingdom – Part 2 ALL HAVE SINNED, Watchman Nee in his book The Normal Christian Life touched on Adam’s Choice The Reason For The Cross, where he said:

Adam chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and thereby took up independent ground. In doing so he became (as man is now in his own eyes) a fully developed’ man. He could command a knowledge; he could decide for himself; he could go on or stop. From then on he was “wise” (Genesis 3:6). But the consequence for him was death rather than life, because the choice he had made involved complicity with Satan and brought him therefore under the judgment of God. That is why access to the tree of life had thereafter to be forbidden to him.

 

Yes, complicity of soul and spirit, complicity that made his soul and it’s inherent power susceptible to manipulation by Satan; a complicity that set the soul at loggerheads with his spirit: In other words, a complicity that sets the functions of his will, intellect and emotions against the functions of his conscience, intuition and communion with God.

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”. (John 4:24)

The reason for this complicity Jessie Penn-Lewis articulates in chapter 7of  SOUL AND SPIRIT where she wrote:

Why can it be said that the world-conflict is becoming a question of “forces of psuche” (or soul) versus the “forces of pneuma” (or spirit). To get light on the causes underlying this, we must again go back to the Eden tragedy and see what the Fall of Adam meant, and the serpent’s objective, which is nearing its climax at the present hour. For we have not clearly understood how deep and tragic were the results of the Fall, nor what Adam carried with him into his fallen condition, nor realized that the God-given powers which Adam possessed in his sinless state lay open afterwards to the tempter.

Compare with: Luke 1:47; John 4:23; Rom. 1:9; Rom. 7:6; Rom. 8:15; Rom. 8:16; I Cor. 6:17; 1 Cor. 14:15; I Cor. 14:16; Rev. 21:10.

click on image for larger size

These three elements of man each have their own distinct level of supremacy; The spirit is highest in supremacy and the body is lowest, in other words, our SPIRIT, God-consciousness (as represented by the functions of our conscience, intuition and communion) should at all times, have supremacy over our BODY, world-consciousness (as represented by the functions of our senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, pain, balance, thirst, and hunger etc): and the balance between these two is facilitated by our SOUL, self-consciousness (as represented by the functions of our will, intellect and emotions)

Now at any point in time, the spirit being most supreme should also have control over the soul which acts more or less as the middleman between it (spirit) and body; it is the communicator of authority from the Holy Spirit from man’s spirit to His body.

So if at any point in time the soul is compromised, as in complicity that made Adams soul and it’s inherent power susceptible to manipulation by Satan; then the result is the abnormality of the soul being totally subjected to and being at ease with the dictates of the flesh (body).

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. (Galatians 5:16-25)

“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”. (Galatians 6:8).

After the fall, Adam only had the capacity to sow to the flesh, the functions of his will, intellect and emotions became totally subjected to and at the “beck and call” of his flesh – world-consciousness (as represented by the functions of his senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, pain, balance, thirst, and hunger etc) and this definitely meant he then has to “of the flesh reap corruption”; because he failed to heed the waning given to him by God in Genesis 2:17:

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”

The death spoken of here by God is not physical death, but death of the spirit; it refers to a spirit separated from God; a spirit in darkness that needs the light of God to be regenerated, to come alive again – less than an empty battery that needs to be recharged to be of any use but one that needs to be born afresh. It refers to a spirit that needs fresh Life from above breathed into it. King David gave us a clue in Psalms 36:9 about the source of this fresh Light and Life:

“For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light”.

John also points us in the same direction:

“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”. (John 1:9-12)

Yes!! Because, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. (John 3:6) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God” (born not of the intensions of the first Adam with ulterior motives characterised by the irregularity of the functions of his will, intellect and emotions; totally subjected to and at the “beck and call” of his flesh) but –

“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”. (John 1:13-14).

That’s right! “Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” Jesus, The Only Begotten Son of God came in the form of man to right the wrongs of Adam’s choice. Now this is the crux; there is always that lingering thought in the inner recess of the mind that questions this idea of Jesus being The Son of God.

Being brought up as a Muslim, this was one of the hurdles I had to cross; a great number of professing “Christians” have also passively bypassed their own personal opinions on the matter. Charles Spurgeon in GOD’S WORD NOT TO BE REFUSED touched on this:

But there are some who do hear, and have a very intelligent idea of what they hear, but who actually refuse to believe it. For divers reasons best known to themselves they reject the testimony of the incarnate God. They hear that God the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and he hath borne testimony that whosoever believeth in him is not condemned. They know but they will not believe in him. They will give you first one excuse, and then another, but all the excuses put together will never mitigate the fact that they do not believe the testimony of God concerning his Son, Jesus Christ, and so they “refuse him that speaketh.” How many, how many here are by their unbelief refusing the Christ that speaks out of heaven?

egotten Son is God Part 1

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1-7)

So far in this series of examining the book of Romans (early part of chapter 1), we have been looking at the eternal purpose of God – “The glory of God” (Romans 3:23); and “The glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). We have also looked at His plan for us and how we have (through Adam) “temporarily deviated” from the path of this plan. In our last post we looked at the consequences of Adam’s original sin (in Watchman Nee’s The Normal Christian Life).So, up to this point in our analogy of this eternal purpose, we have looked at PLAN A as described in Ephesians 1:3-6 (Please bare in mind that it was always Plan A from the beginning and so it will be for eternity); and the bridge to PLAN 1, We will now, in this post start taking a look at the “only Begotten Son” the “Tree of Life” through whom we have divine life. What a wonderful foresight the Master Planner has, to perceive that Adam’s choice could only count for disobedience and had a contingency:

click on image for larger size

PLAN A1 – The Gospel of Christ – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself”. (Ephesians 1:7-9)

“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:3-4)

Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws that govern our relationship with God. Man consists of 3 components: BODY (seat of our world-consciousness, and represents the functions of our senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, pain, balance, thirst, and hunger etc: SOUL (seat of our self-consciousness and represents the functions of our will, intellect and emotions: Lastly SPIRIT (seat of our God-consciousness and represents the functions of our conscience, intuition and communion).

Now, in our last post Called to God’s Kingdom – Part 2 ALL HAVE SINNED, Watchman Nee in his book The Normal Christian Life touched on Adam’s Choice The Reason For The Cross, where he said:

Adam chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and thereby took up independent ground. In doing so he became (as man is now in his own eyes) a fully developed’ man. He could command a knowledge; he could decide for himself; he could go on or stop. From then on he was “wise” (Genesis 3:6). But the consequence for him was death rather than life, because the choice he had made involved complicity with Satan and brought him therefore under the judgment of God. That is why access to the tree of life had thereafter to be forbidden to him.

 

Yes, complicity of soul and spirit, complicity that made his soul and it’s inherent power susceptible to manipulation by Satan; a complicity that set the soul at loggerheads with his spirit: In other words, a complicity that sets the functions of his will, intellect and emotions against the functions of his conscience, intuition and communion with God.

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”. (John 4:24)

The reason for this complicity Jessie Penn-Lewis articulates in chapter 7of  SOUL AND SPIRIT where she wrote:

Why can it be said that the world-conflict is becoming a question of “forces of psuche” (or soul) versus the “forces of pneuma” (or spirit). To get light on the causes underlying this, we must again go back to the Eden tragedy and see what the Fall of Adam meant, and the serpent’s objective, which is nearing its climax at the present hour. For we have not clearly understood how deep and tragic were the results of the Fall, nor what Adam carried with him into his fallen condition, nor realized that the God-given powers which Adam possessed in his sinless state lay open afterwards to the tempter.

Compare with: Luke 1:47; John 4:23; Rom. 1:9; Rom. 7:6; Rom. 8:15; Rom. 8:16; I Cor. 6:17; 1 Cor. 14:15; I Cor. 14:16; Rev. 21:10.

click on image for larger size

These three elements of man each have their own distinct level of supremacy; The spirit is highest in supremacy and the body is lowest, in other words, our SPIRIT, God-consciousness (as represented by the functions of our conscience, intuition and communion) should at all times, have supremacy over our BODY, world-consciousness (as represented by the functions of our senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, pain, balance, thirst, and hunger etc): and the balance between these two is facilitated by our SOUL, self-consciousness (as represented by the functions of our will, intellect and emotions)

Now at any point in time, the spirit being most supreme should also have control over the soul which acts more or less as the middleman between it (spirit) and body; it is the communicator of authority from the Holy Spirit from man’s spirit to His body.

So if at any point in time the soul is compromised, as in complicity that made Adams soul and it’s inherent power susceptible to manipulation by Satan; then the result is the abnormality of the soul being totally subjected to and being at ease with the dictates of the flesh (body).

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. (Galatians 5:16-25)

“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”. (Galatians 6:8).

After the fall, Adam only had the capacity to sow to the flesh, the functions of his will, intellect and emotions became totally subjected to and at the “beck and call” of his flesh – world-consciousness (as represented by the functions of his senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, pain, balance, thirst, and hunger etc) and this definitely meant he then has to “of the flesh reap corruption”; because he failed to heed the waning given to him by God in Genesis 2:17:

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”

The death spoken of here by God is not physical death, but death of the spirit; it refers to a spirit separated from God; a spirit in darkness that needs the light of God to be regenerated, to come alive again – less than an empty battery that needs to be recharged to be of any use but one that needs to be born afresh. It refers to a spirit that needs fresh Life from above breathed into it. King David gave us a clue in Psalms 36:9 about the source of this fresh Light and Life:

“For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light”.

John also points us in the same direction:

“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”. (John 1:9-12)

Yes!! Because, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. (John 3:6) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God” (born not of the intensions of the first Adam with ulterior motives characterised by the irregularity of the functions of his will, intellect and emotions; totally subjected to and at the “beck and call” of his flesh) but –

“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”. (John 1:13-14).

That’s right! “Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” Jesus, The Only Begotten Son of God came in the form of man to right the wrongs of Adam’s choice. Now this is the crux; there is always that lingering thought in the inner recess of the mind that questions this idea of Jesus being The Son of God.

Being brought up as a Muslim, this was one of the hurdles I had to cross; a great number of professing “Christians” have also passively bypassed their own personal opinions on the matter. Charles Spurgeon in GOD’S WORD NOT TO BE REFUSED touched on this:

But there are some who do hear, and have a very intelligent idea of what they hear, but who actually refuse to believe it. For divers reasons best known to themselves they reject the testimony of the incarnate God. They hear that God the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and he hath borne testimony that whosoever believeth in him is not condemned. They know but they will not believe in him. They will give you first one excuse, and then another, but all the excuses put together will never mitigate the fact that they do not believe the testimony of God concerning his Son, Jesus Christ, and so they “refuse him that speaketh.” How many, how many here are by their unbelief refusing the Christ that speaks out of heaven?