Today, focus is on why life expressing Christian belief is described as ministry, unselfish service, and suffering. Christians should be thought of as “sinners in transition,” and not as those who are already flawless and perfect. Believers are to develop obedience, sacred knowledge, and full understanding by meeting life challenges and engaging in sacred experiences while on the earth. They then emerge as a new creation through divine operations of faith, expectation (we say, hope), promise, and prophecy. More important than individual achievement, self-promotion, and the things from our material world, are the shared and vicarious experiences of oneness without sameness, and of the spirit content from GOD deposited within the body of believers. A fighter at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “….” (Level 6 with 17,824 points, a member since December 28, 2007) posted the following:
Why do Christians have all the answers for everyone else but none for themselves when trouble comes?
They suffer as much as anyone else and die like anyone else. If God does nothing for us in this life while we have faith in Him to do so how can we know in the next life if he will or not like in this life?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 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? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8: 22-25, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Transformation Not Obedience Alone (07/02/2017); Christianity Is Not Mindless (05/02/2017); Proclaiming A New Kingdom? (04/13/2017); The Gift of Humility (02/19/2017); Servants To The Body? (01/17/2017); The Transfiguration of Christ (11/14/2016); Instruments in His Ministry? (10/07/2016)
“….”, for mature Christian believers, the relationship of Creator and created now is on the basis of faith, promise, and things that are to come. The process that appears as Christian belief is intended to manifest (make known and visible) the active presence who is GOD, and further reveals the fullness of divinity (we say, the GODhead—the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit). The transformation of sinners to become immortal, incorruptible companions to Deity is not a sudden, one-time event; what is called “salvation” is accomplished through multiple sacred operations. Included are atonement, death, forgiveness, judgment, priesthood, prophecy, rebirth, regeneration, resurrection, and sanctification. Followers of Jesus Christ all must become “born again,” “grow up again” and mature as offspring of GOD who contain divine DNA, so to speak. Inseparable aspects of the spirit makeup of GOD must be received such as faith, holiness, longsuffering, lovingkindness, oneness without sameness, person, wisdom and wrath against sin. While believers may now be spoken of as adopted through the Holy Spirit, sons and daughters of GOD, and joint-heirs with Christ, there has not yet been the full endowment of spirit gifts and substance crucial for eternal life. Believers have been given an earnest or “good-faith payment” by demonstrations of the Spirit within congregations and communities of faith. While all might not be able to display or perform in specific ways, or show themselves equally capable and mature, the gifts and enabling by GOD often may be clearly seen in the lifestyles, living routines, and service of clergy, ordinary believers, men, women, and children. Like our Savior, all Christians are to be seen as ministers, servants and agents carrying out the will of the Father. Consider again the following:
(1.) 2nd Peter 1: 2-4, King James Version (KJV): 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(2.) Mark 10: 45, KJV: 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
(3.) 2nd Corinthians 5: 4-10, KJV: 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
(4.) 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.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (5.) Romans 8: 14-17, KJV: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
No comments:
Post a Comment