Today, points are shared on the human process and works that establish Christian believers in salvation. In faith, many will speak “things that be not as if they already are,” and the sacred process is one of behaving consistently to act on and bring about what we have declared. Thus, in the same way a complex chain of action/reaction follows a divine word of promise and prophecy, a believer may utter a word of forgiveness that will require years of change and growth before it is completely displayed and fulfilled throughout all their actions and attitudes. Also, many are surprised and dismayed to find that conflict and disagreements continue to appear within the body of Christ, the church. What they have to realize is that the meaning, purpose, and value of what seems strange and unwelcome behaviors are very different than that within the world. Along with showing humility, piety, and reverence among themselves as believers, there are needs and settings that require Christians to be aggressive, critical, decisive, and practical (“wise as serpents, gentle as doves”). Correctly understood, then, salvation is not a “one-time” event, nor is it only a divine operation that miraculously appears in the blink of an eye. Salvation also means accepting and enduring judgment with correction now, continuing the exposure of error and sin as well as the faithful execution of commitment to the Gospel as a new creation through Jesus Christ. One of the fighters at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information shared) posted the following:
What constitutes a REAL Christian?
My parents run a bible study group thing where people from their church come over once a week and discuss Christian related stuff.
However, they spend a significant portion of the time bitching about certain people, pointing out their flaws, putting them down and being very judgemental.
Can they really be called Christians if they have this much disregard for what the bible teaches?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1st Corinthians 6: 1-11, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Divine Wrath Against Sin? (10/17/2017); We Are His Children (10/16/2017); Becoming Joined To GOD (10/13/2017); Transformation Not Obedience Alone (07/02/2017); Salvation Takes A Lifetime (04/06/2017); Believers Are To Love (12/07/2016); Good Christians and Church? (10/19/2016)
“Anonymous”, Christian believers are now engaged within the process of their own divine judgment, such that, when Christ will appear, they will be “clear” to join him in eternity. Our transformation to exist as immortal, incorruptible companions of divinity has already begun, and will be completed soon. In the same way life for a new born must unfold over the course of an indefinite period of time (a month, years, decades? We say, a lifetime), spiritual growth for those reborn as followers of Jesus Christ is an extended process of discovery, acquiring sacred knowledge and undergoing countless permanent changes in ones character, makeup, and spirit content that, once begun, continues for eternity. Like diamonds that are produced by heat and pressure, or gold and silver that are purged and refined as ore and rough rocks within a burning furnace, sinners must be altered through multiple sacred operations that include baptism (death and burial of ones inborn spirit, and rebirth from divine DNA, so to speak), meeting life challenges on the earth, enduring “growing pains,” and suffering.
Those who are “born again” also must “grow up again,” and become emotionally, psychologically and spiritually ripe (mature) for harvest when they will meet the Lord in the air (we say, the Advent, the Rapture, the Second Coming). To outsiders looking on, the church as a household of faith often will appear to be filled with conflict, disappointment, enmity, friction, and misunderstanding. The salvation we speak of is anchored in Jesus dying on the cross, and believers receiving atonement and propitiation for sin through his blood. Even so, for developing believers salvation also is a dynamic, interpersonal life process. Yes, there are giving, performing good works, prayer, and study of the holy writings; however, these (behind the scenes) demand edification for such competence and special skill as balance, listening, forgiving, persevering, respect, restraint, waiting, weighing, and yielding.
All Christian believers are to become vessels of divine spirit imparted from the makeup of GOD. Included are faith, forbearance, holiness, joy, longsuffering, lovingkindness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. Even so, there are numberless differences among believers: All are not the same age, gender, nationality, or race; all are not on the same level of maturity; all do not have the same duties and responsibilities. Believers are required to support one another by sharing admonition, counsel, critique, and guidance. Through practice, growth, reflection, and unselfish service, all become equally able to realize that, through Jesus Christ, they now are endowed with a fullness of divinity within (we say, oneness without sameness) that continues under the authority of the Father. Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:
(1.) Galatians 2: 8-18, King James Version (KJV): 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. 10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. 11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
(2.) Matthew 18: 15-20, KJV: 15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
There is far more to be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (3.) 2nd Peter 1: 2-12, 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. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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