Today, the development of born again believers is compared to growth and life process seen with infants and small babies. The hidden and unseen power revealed in Jesus dying upon the cross pertains to rebirth, and the living being made a new creation. Every Christian believer must journey from error and ignorance of spiritual things to acceptance and mature understanding. The followers of Jesus Christ all must learn and become perfected by the workings of GOD. In addition to divine law that exposes and identifies sin, life experiences and spiritual gifts are provided that establish resonance with the divine will, resistance to and wrath against sin. Through the cross, believers are joined to Christ in oneness, bereavement, sacrifice, substitution, surrender, and vicarious death. In the operations of the living, strong emotion is believed necessary to control and manipulate behavior. Thus, anger, fear, depression and despair repeatedly are used to bring about predictable responses. In the operations of divinity, boundaries, discovery, love, and godly sorrow serve to establish spiritual appetite, consciousness of eternity, the sense of future and possibility as well as enduring conviction. As the remission of sin requires blood, the salvation of GOD through Jesus Christ requires sorrow for sin. Consider again the Scriptures and the presentation below:
John 3: 6-7, King James Version (KJV): 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Ephesians 5: 1-5, KJV: 1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Matthew 18: 2-4, KJV: 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Ephesians 1: 3-7, KJV: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Romans 8: 24-27, KJV: 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
The writer at “Yahoo! Answers” using “cindy” as her ID (Level 3 with 1,991 points, a member since January 05, 2016) posted the following:
Why is the Christian symbol a cross, why not a lamb or a dove or a shepherds staff? Isn t a cross a bit morbid?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4: 10-16, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Represented by The Cross? (03/08/2016); The Cross Must Occur? (02/23/2016); Offspring of GOD? (12/23/2015); Inheriting the Kingdom (06/27/2014); Points on Bible Study (06/28/2014); Genuine Repentance? (03/24/2014); When Is A Law The LAW? (03/25/2014); Spirit Gives Birth to Spirit (01/22/2014); Will Truth Destroy Joy? (11/10/2014); No Sorrow in Heaven? (11/11/2014); We Shall Behold Him (10/17/2013); Angels, Law and Sin (10/18/2013)
“cindy”, trust that, despite time and space, through operations of the Holy Spirit, blood and truth from the cross are flowing to here and now. Created beings and living creatures are very much like infants and small babies before divinity. While they have organic and visceral reactions to hunger, thirst, or discomfort from the acid in their diapers, they cannot express themselves clearly and simply to answer their own needs by fitting actions and words together using finite tools of intellect, logic, and reason as do adults. Similarly, humans (even when in adult stages of development) can not correctly comprehend and recognize their needs for permanent change in their spirit content from the makeup of divinity, guidance through divine law and sacred knowledge, fellowship and emotional support within a community of faith (that may include family) as well as consciousness of eternal purposes that establish meaningful goals, hope (we say, specific expectations) and sacred vision. Healthy babies all must go through a “crying phase” for getting attention and response. As children develop, they increasingly engage, exchange and interact with their environment, other people, and themselves as having their own measure of mind, person, and presence. Development of Christian believers may be described as somewhat the same: there must be “a crying phase” where godly sorrow brings forth repentance, commitment, and unselfish love. For those “born again,” challenges, growing pains, and suffering must appear within the operations and continuing patterns that are the inner frameworks a believer uses to organize life experience. Reactions that emerge from emotions, feelings, and intellect must be understood as surface, that is, merely at the level of deep feeling and the psyche (structure of mind and personality). Believers are prepared and made ripe to be harvested from the earth at the coming of Jesus. To exist as immortal and incorrupt companions to divinity, their present character, nature, and substance must be made like that of Christ. Consider how this is stated using language from the Bible:
(1.) 1st Corinthians 1: 17-18, King James Version (KJV): 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
(2.) 2nd Corinthians 7: 9-11, KJV: 9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
(3.) Romans 8: 5-9, KJV: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
(4.) 1st Peter 2: 1-5, KJV: 1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
There is far more to be said, understood, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (5.) Acts 20: 32, KJV: 32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
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