Tag: spiritual. death

Articles

The Resurrection of Christ Within Us

Pete

Moving from Spiritual Death unto Newness of Life

Passing from spiritual death unto life in the Spirit is being accomplished within us the day we are given ears to hear the truth and the faith to believe.  Henceforth, we begin the process of being resurrected from the spiritual dead.

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 

Joh 5:25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 

That day is TODAY; the resurrection of the remnant of saints is ONGOING NOW; it is not a past or future static experience.  The spiritually dead the Lord is choosing, a small remnant indeed, is hearing His voice and arising to newness of life.  While these John 5 verses have an outward application and certainly apply to the billions of physically dead human beings, they most aptly are applicable NOW, in this age, for those few given the gift of faith and the requisite hearing (understanding).

Being raised up together in the heavenlies is an ongoing process of coming alive into the life of Christ from being carnally minded and dead in our sins. Paul speaks of this numerous times in his letters.

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen [already, NOW, risen = resurrected] with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him [Christ in you] from the dead. 

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, [=the better resurrection, an ongoing process] having forgiven you all trespasses; 

He is Risen!  Like all prophecies, we mistakenly only see them and the resurrection as an outward only future event versus a living and active event we are experiencing now in this age.  He is risen within you if He is come unto you.

Our resurrection from the spiritually dead is the resurrection of Jesus Christ within us.  Rather than be a static event that happens all at once it is an ongoing event as the unclean old man decreases and Christ in us increases.

2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest [i.e. resurrected] in our body. 

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, […an ongoing process of coming alive into the life of Christ..]  and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Let’s consider some more writings from Paul on death and resurrection.  We begin to see the two sides of the same topic speaking of the same one process.  Dying to our flesh and carnal mind is newness of life and is the ongoing process of our being resurrected.

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Paul does not contradict himself.  He consistently shows that dying to death (the carnal mind) is one side of the same process as being raised by Christ.

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

Paul is telling the saints they ARE RISEN (not “will be” risen) with Christ right now.  This rising is in earnest, but it is being resurrected (risen) now nonetheless.  The more we die daily (planted in the likeness of his death), the other side of that same coin is us being raised up in His likeness.  It is simply the other side of the same event and process.  Thus we have another of the myriads of witnesses to what a two-edged sword, the WORD, is doing in our lives.  Paul is not contradicting anything, and he harmonizes the truth that the rest of the Apostles and the Gospels record for our learning.

The sum of Paul’s words shows that we do not experience the fullness of the resurrection in Spirit now while we are in clay vessels.  But he is saying that he has given up things carnal men esteem so he can know Christ and die to death (the carnal mind) right now.  It is an active and living event (it IS) if we belong to Christ and our time of reformation is at hand.  We press onward and upward in hopes the Lord will complete His work in this age, even knowing He will complete it in the end for all humanity.

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made [IS] conformable unto his death;

Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

What is the Resurrection?

We need not guess who or what the resurrection to eternal life is.  Jesus Christ Himself IS THE RESURRECTION and the life.  It is not an outward or physical dynamic; our eyes should be turned inwardly.  Let’s look again at some powerful words of the Lord.

Joh 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 

Joh 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.  Believest thou this? 

Jesus Christ, among other spiritual symbols, is the WORD, The TRUTH, the WAY, the VINE, the DOOR, and the RESURRECTION.  This is because what is being resurrected is HIS WORD, HIS TRUTH, HIS WAY,  as we grow in the faith and His commandments [words] arise within us.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the raising up of His commandments.  The very commandments are His Words, which are spirit and eternal life.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life. 

We have a wonderful promise in verse 11:26.  Once Christ is raised in us (whos0ever liveth) and continues in the faith (believeth), shall never spiritually die again.

When His words take hold and rise in us, a new spiritual body, Jesus Christ, within us, is being created and matured.  Note that there are two kinds of bodies, and our purposefully marred flesh natural body of corruption is never destined to be resurrected.

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.  There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 

Our remaking is the resurrection, creating new spiritual sons and daughters made into His image and likeness, exhibiting His glory.

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

In the first half of our walk with the Lord, we remain dead in our sins abiding in what is called spiritual Sodom or Egypt.  But a time comes, the day of the Lord for every man, when we enter into the last woe, the third day in which we are being perfected as we are called up hither by the Lord.  This is how Jesus Christ is revealed within us.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 

Rev 11:11  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them [us, the two witnesses lying dead in the streets], and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 

Rev 11:12  And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 

Christ is inseparable from the Word as He is the Word made manifest to us.  Jesus Christ is the resurrection rising within us and working righteousness. This ongoing process from spiritual birth unto maturity is what IS raising us from being spiritually dead and manifests newness of life.

Mat 11:5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

So long as we abide in faith, we shall never die again, although our fleshly bodies will undoubtedly die.  That is why Christ is come, and it is the work of God within us.  We are living out the book and fulfilling the Scriptures in our appointed time.  In the latter times, this is about the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead within us, which begins our transformation into a new being.

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit [raising Christ from the dead within] that dwelleth in you.

1Co 6:14  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

The Word of God is the fire that is killing off the flesh, the old man, the lies (false prophet), the beast, and even the mind of Satan, our carnal mind.  As Christ is raised within (increased), our old man is being decreased.  Living out the Scriptures is the process of being resurrected from the spiritually dead.  However, we must know that process will never be fully completed in this age while we only have an earnest deposit of His Spirit.

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession [in fullness], unto the praise of his glory. 

2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

The longer we dwell in our day of the Lord, the more we groan for the promised fullness of the spirit to come and complete our redemption.

Rom 8:23  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. 

The resurrection from the dead is the resurrection into spirit, not a fleshly body.   We are given little to understand what this means and how this compares to physical life, yet we are told it is far more glorious.  As the Scriptures declare, our fleshly vile bodies are destined for destruction and will return to dust.  That process begins today for those the Lord has chosen.

Two Edges of the Sword

As we read the Scriptures, we always hold to some basic principles to ensure we are rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  Some fundamental tenets include these below:

  • The sum of thy Word is truth
  • No prophecy of Scripture is of its own interpretation
  • The Word is a two-edged sword of opposite sides of the same event
  • His Words speak of spiritual things, and they are Spirit
  • We learn by applying spiritual to spiritual, not looking outwardly
  • Man must live by every Word God spoke in their appointed times
  • The Lord calls things that are not now as if they are [Rom 4:17]

Many things in the Scriptures are spoken about differently from opposite sides, yet they speak of the same event and process.  Such is the case with our dying and our being resurrected.  This well-known verse from Paul is an excellent verse speaking to just one side of the same process that is raising us up with Christ.

1 Cor 15:31 I die daily, I protest by your glory, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dying to the flesh is the same as Christ within being resurrected.  Here Paul speaks from the other side of the same event.

Eph 5:14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead [i.e. be resurrected], and Christ shall give thee light. 

Another dynamic principle regarding the Word is remembering that the Word of God, Jesus Christ,  IS, WAS and WILL BE to come.  If we are the Lord’s in this age, our focus is on the IS which is the here and now.  I am constantly correcting my writing, “The Lord WILL do this, or we WILL do that”.  NO, the Lord IS doing this, and we ARE doing whatever is in discussion NOW.  It is not somewhere out there in the future, it IS.

The Lord IS come to those who are keeping those prophecies now in this age.  He will eventually come to all in their appointed time which may be in the age to come.  For some, right now, the time is at hand, it IS.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

 If we are the Lord’s, we are NOW living out this Word, and the tense of our experience is on the IS.  The Lord is come to our flesh, and we do not deny it.  I am fulfilling those prophecies written in the book right now!  This experience is not the fullness of what is promised but only in the promised down payment form.

Looking for the Glory to be Revealed:

Indeed, our resurrection is not yet come in its fullness, yet we look forward to that glorious event in great hope as John writes.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

We are being perfected now.  The process is not over, and it will never be over while we are alive in the flesh body.   Peter spoke of the living hope we have already been given while we wait for the fullness of our resurrection to come.

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Overcoming death [physical and spiritual] is only possible through the power of God raising us from the dead.  In our day of the Lord, the Word that lives within us will not fail.  We will begin to be resurrected and get overcoming over our sins.  Again only in down payment form now, but we rejoice and hope for the full attainment when we finish our race.

1Jn 2:13  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.  I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.  I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

1Jn 2:14  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.  I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

We are so blessed to our being made holy by fulfilling those prophecies and beginning to reign with Christ in His temple.  These widely mistranslated verses speak of both sides of the sword as we endure our day of the Lord and live out the prophecies.

Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  This is the first resurrection.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The second death [destruction of Satan, beast, false prophet in us] and the first resurrection are the same event, just opposite sides of the same coin.  When death [carnal mind] is destroyed in the lake of fire (death to death or aka the second death), then Christ in us is being resurrected.  Blessed and holy are those given to partake of this now in this age.  Once raised in the heaven and earth within us, Christ will reign until the last enemy is destroyed.

1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 

1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

The last enemy to be destroyed is SPIRITUAL DEATH, not physical death.  The enemies of God that keep us dead are all burned up in His consuming fire, that is His Word and His commandments.    When the carnal mind that is death is destroyed then we are fully alive with Christ.  We will see the fullness once we depart our clay vessels and receive the promised crown.

No matter where we are on the Lord’s timeline, our dying to death and being raised to new life will continue until it is completed.  We are being resurrected with Christ every day as we die every day to our carnal ways.  Rejoice, for the Lord is faithful and will finish the good work He has already started.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

Articles

Carnal Questions That Demand Answers

Pete

 

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? 

When we are first exposed to the truth that God is sovereign and is actually causing ALL THINGS, yes even our very sins; we go crazy with all kinds of carnal questions.    This is quite natural and the process of learning the truth of God’s ways takes time.  It takes time for us to grow into knowledge of the grace of God and understanding His ways.  The ways of the Lord are far far different than the ways of  the natural man and indeed we at first think the truths of God’s word as foolishness.

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

We really have no appreciation for these verses until much time has passed and we have our carnality burned out of us.

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The purpose of this post is to address a couple of those “carnal questions” as a follow-up to my post on God being responsible for evil in this world. Paul speaking of the true gospel and the salvation of all by faith thru grace was viciously rejected and scorned by the religious of his day. It has not changed my friends, these are experiences and the words of the Lord that we as God’s Elect will live in our appointed times. By preaching the salvation of all men nobody is suggesting or encouraging anyone to continue to do evil and engage in sin. Yet we like Paul, a type and shadow of all God’s Elect,  will be slandered and accused of doing just that.

Rom 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
Rom 3:6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
Rom 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
Rom 3:8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

God’s Elect will never say any such a thing about sin. It is a false accusation that will come to all of God’s Elect. What we do say is that without the intervention of Christ into our inward heavens we have no chance of obeying God in the weakness of sinful flesh. We will speak the truth that when we do fall into sin or stumble that it is the Lord working that sin in us for His good pleasure and purposes.  That is the truth so very few are given to receive.  But what do the Scriptures plainly teach.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Isa 64:8  But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

While we are still abiding in Babylon, the harlot apostate churches of men that promote another jesus we will not be aware of our sinfulness.  The fact that we are still blind, wretched and naked is far removed from our spiritual vision.  We are blind as bats until the Lord opens our eyes and causes us to see and to hear His word.  We won’t know any of this until our day of judgment arrives and we are given eyes to see the abomination that is causing desolation and our need for a Savior is made perfectly clear to us.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (You, me, the old man within all mankind)

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

While we are blind and held captive in Babylon, we will fool many that similar to us have the outside of the cup cleaned but inside are still full of dead men’s bones, walking in spiritual death and separated from God all the while claiming to know Him.  We may know him in the flesh but at this point we do not know Him in the Spirit.  Those that claim to be in the truth and teachers of the blind, are those for whom Christ saves His harshest rebuke.

Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

It is indeed by grace we are saved and not of our works or any delusion of our free will choosing God. God’s Elect will even be falsely accused of exalting themselves for merely speaking the truths that were GIVEN to them. Such is the narrow way and part of the cross we carry in our times.  We are not better than anyone, all men are sold under sin.

Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

But we do have one thing they do not have and that is the gift of faith.  This is indeed GIVEN to very few and with that gift comes the gift of spiritual ears to hear and eyes to see the truth of God’s words.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Without further ado let’s look at the questions.

Question #1 – Let’s just live it up and sin like crazy

The first question of the carnal mind is that if all men are going to be saved, why don’t we just go ahead and live it up to the fullest. Let’s eat, drink and be merry is our most immediate thought.  I can’t tell you how many times this has been asked by those that believe the Lord is going to torment most of His creation forever without end.  An obvious rebuke of such carnal mindedness is to challenge the person asking this question why do they say they love God if they don’t have an overwhelming desire to obey Him?

Luk 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

At the end of the day, the love of God has a definition and that definition is based on obedience.

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

When we ask these questions we do not understand or believe God’s plans for the ages and the purposes and function of the Elect. Yet without going into that in this post,  the primary causation we ask this carnal question in our walk is that we do not yet understand what God’s grace really is and its function.  We have yet to learn that grace is what chastens. Grace is what scourges us. Grace is the righteousness judgment of God against all our ungodliness.

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching (Chastening) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

The word translated TEACHING in Titus 2:12 is the greek word paideuo and it means TO CHASTEN. So sure when we are chastened we learn so the word teaching is not that far off, but it does obscure the real meaning and waters down the point.

G3811
ðáéäåṍù
paideuō

Total KJV Occurrences: 13

chastened, 3
1Co_11:32, 2Co_6:9, Heb_12:10

chasteneth, 2
Heb_12:6-7 (2)

chastise, 2
Luk_23:16, Luk_23:22

chasten, 1
Rev_3:19

instructing, 1
2Ti_2:25

learn, 1
1Ti_1:20

learned, 1
Act_7:22

taught, 1
Act_22:3

teaching, 1
Tit_2:12

So we learn when we are taught, and we are taught when we are chastened. That is the function and purpose of grace, it is how we are CAUSED to obey God in due time.

Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Being scourged is not fun. Yet that is what we are told the Lord does to every son He loves and receives unto Himself. We saw it above but it needs to be pounded home thru thick carnal minds.  EVERY SON God loves is scourged and that is actually a blessing because the old man must be killed for the new man to come forth.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

So when you understand all men are saved and if true faith has come to you, then judgement has fallen upon your house. You are now under grace and not the law.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

When this happens in our life, we will not take the attitude of let’s eat, drink and be merry. We will quickly learn that we indeed reap what we sow. DO NOT BE DECEIVED.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 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.

We will learn, be taught, when we are caused to sin and then God bring judgment upon us and we are scourged with great trials and afflictions.

Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you (BY GRACE) to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Grace MAKES us obey God in the appointed times.  It is how the old man is put away and the new man arises.

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Once we know this and God’s ways, we should not think it strange when these trials come.  We should count them all as joy, knowing their purpose.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

That is the purpose of the furnace, it is the purpose of the afflictions, that is the true grace of God in action. That is how the old man is decreases and the new man is increased in us. This is how the beast is destroyed by the fire that is the word of God.

Isa 48:10Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Act 14:22Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Let’s keep in mind that fire is the WORD of God.  Fire is what saves us (baptism of fire) when it work in us and burns the sin and inequity out of our hearts and minds.  We are saved BY THE FIRE, yet Babylon teaches us salvation means avoiding the fire.  All men will be purified by the fire that is God’s word in the appointed times, which is our ordained day of judgment.  When grace is poured out upon us thru faith,  the old man is not going to make it much longer.  No man or beast can stand.

1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

The beast is no match for Christ and will be destroyed by the fiery grace of God.  So we will learn to truly tremble at the word of God, knowing of His absolute sovereignty. So the carnal reasoning that we will say let’s just go ahead sin so grace may abound is flawed. That is the last thing God’s Elect will be doing or teaching to anyone. We will learn that when we sin, the Lord simply turns up the heat. The Lord will simply ratchet up the grace dial and will keep on doing it until we get it. Eventually, we will learn to fear God and will be given the faith to stop sinning. That is how it works friends and it is a long process.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

I guarantee you will not have the attitude of let’s sin so grace may abound once you are given ears to hear and eyes to see. When you understand free will is strong delusion you will be crying and sighing over all the abominations and sin committed in your spiritual house. Because you know this is against the commands of the Lord and you have the certain expectation of ongoing fiery judgment, there is no escape, we reap what we sow.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation (IE GRACE POURED OUT UPON YOU), which shall devour the (inward) adversaries (of sin and rebellion)
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

When you truly understand grace, then you will begin to be taught the fear of the Lord.  You will know that the Lord will have vengeance and you will get away with no sin.  If you sin, the dial on the furnace is simply increased.  Oh thank God for these wonderful works of God to the children of men,  they will teach you to fear God in due time.

Deu 4:10  Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

Isa 33:6  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

These verses above from Hebrews 10 are used by many that are blinded to the truth of the salvation of all men. These are used to support the lie of eternal hell but what this is speaking about is the righteous judgment of God and that is the way we are saved. Understanding that salvation is the method we are delivered of our sins, meaning we no longer commit them and are given power to rule over sin is key. God’s plan has never changed, it was always the way we are to be redeemed and remade into children of the most high God.

Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments (MUCH CHASTENING GRACE, MUCH SCOURGING OF THE OLD MAN):

It is this process of having God’s wrath poured out upon our sins and inequities, i.e. GRACE that chasten, that teaches….. that we learn the fear of the Lord. We won’t learn this until we are in the midst of God’s Elect and the chastening grace of God’s judgment is upon His house. Knowing these truths about grace will eliminate any carnal thoughts that we might as well eat, drink and be merry.  It is indeed a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Now let’s consider a second yet related question our carnal minds focus on when hearing of God’s truths.


Carnal Question #2 – Then Why Does God Find Fault

The second carnal question is why does the Lord judge us and bring punishment upon us when He is the one that is causing us to sin.  Since He is the Potter and we the clay, why does He still find fault with us when we stumble? A very good questions which demands an answer and one we best know to walk the narrow way.

This section of Romans 9 addresses this question and provides the proper answer. We are told the Lord has mercy on some and hardens the hearts of others against His ways and His word.  Why does He then find fault since nobody is resisting God’s will. God’s will is being done all the time, we truly are the works of His hands.

Rom 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

The Lord has a method to His seeming madness.  As I wrote about in the post Who Is Responsible For Evil,  our purpose in this life is to learn good and evil, that is a necessary step to become like God.

Gen 3:22  And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

When we complain and grumble to the Lord about what He is doing in our lives, we are contending with God.  He knows what He is doing and we need to have faith and to believe and know that whomsoever will wait on the Lord will not be ashamed in the end.  He will be faithful to His promises and will indeed finish the good works He has started in this age in the lives of His Elect.  We all like JOB will contend with the Lord but it is thru these very contentions that we will be judged and will learn the truth.

Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

To convert us from carnal Christians to the new man that walks in the Spirit a lot of lies have to be burned out of us.  We have to learn that the Lord really is the Lord and that we of ourselves can indeed do nothing.  This is such a pivotal verse I often cite and I do hope you are beginning to get it.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The real answer on why God finds fault is so He can bring judgment upon us.  It pleases Him to crush His sons, in the flesh and to destroy the old man and carnal nature of the first vessel made from the clay.  The Babylonian lie of the fall of mankind also is blown up by the truth of knowing and believing the Lord really is the Potter and has a two step process in store for all men.  The Lord has to cause your ears to be open to hear it.

Jer 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

Jer 18:3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Jer 18:5  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Jer 18:6  O house of Israel (God’s Elect)  cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

So Paul continues in Romans 9 and tells us the mystery of how Christ is formed in us and the old man is destroyed and the man brought forward.  This is the purpose of God finding fault.

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Lord of Heaven & Earth

The purpose of God finding fault is to bring judgment and the purpose of judgment is to teach us His ways and to reveal Himself to us and remake us so that we are partakers of His Holiness.

Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 

Flesh and blood is not entering into the kingdom of God.  Experiencing fiery grace is for our profit just as this Scripture tells us.  It must go and thus the requirement for all of us to be remade and go through the fiery judgment of God against our flesh.    During this process, we are going to learn that being Lord truly means He is the Lord of all things and most certainly the inward heavens and the earth that represent each of us lumps of clay made of the earth.

Deu_4:39  Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

Perhaps you can begin to apply these physical words in the spirit and look inside where the kingdom of God actually resides.

Isa_66:1  Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

1Ch_29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

This process of judgment starts with the house of God (the Elect or the House of Israel etc) but all men will in due time learn righteousness when judgment is fallen upon them.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

It is a good thing the Lord finds fault, otherwise we would not learn His ways.  Think about how a child in the natural learns or we learn on the job.  We learn by doing, by making mistakes and being corrected.  It is no different in the spiritual.  When we fall down and sin, the Lord brings chastening which is judgment and that comes in the form of afflictions and tribulation.

Psa 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

These judgments of the Lord bring afflictions to the old man and are necessary to destroy the beast and our carnal nature that puts, ME MYSELF and I as numero uno, all the while we claim to serve the Lord.  What will help align all Scripture is your coming to see that judgment is good, very good. It is the process by which we are changed into the likeness and image of Christ. Without it we could never learn obedience and let’s remember how we learn obedience.

Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Psa 119:7  I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

Christ, meaning His Body, the Elect;  all learn obedience by the things we suffer. This is the mystery of how Christ is formed in all men in their appointed time.  It starts with the Body of Christ filling up in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of the church.  This comes about by judgment and that is why the Lord is in the fault finding business, to teach us.  This is a great mystery, a secret that few are given the spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear yet it is right in our Bibles.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Col 1:25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Whoever said the finished works of Jesus Christ on the cross means you don’t have to suffer and die is a liar and knows not the Lord.  Anyone telling you about a rapture and that you are saved from God’s judgment is blind as a bat.

Judgment is good, very good, sweeter than honey and it is how the new man is formed and the old man is decreased in all of us.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Judgment is how we learn the fear of God and this is what causes us to obey in due season.  So God finding fault with us and bringing judgment is a very good thing.   Psalm 119 has many verses that tell of this mysterious truth.

Psa 119:39  Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

Psa 119:66  Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

Psa 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

With God’s judgment, comes afflictions and these are designed to benefit the new man.  Those wise in the ways of the Lord will come to see how the Lord works His mysteries and brings forth Christ in us thru much tribulation and afflictions of all kinds.

Psa 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Psa 119:76  Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

We may not know it now or feel joyful now in the midst of our trials and afflictions when our Loving Father brings His wrath and fury against our sins and wicked nature.  One day though we will be able to look back, once salvation has come to us and be very glad the Lord loved us enough to bring His wrath and anger against our sins. I just saw this gem over in Psalms.

Psa 90:15  Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

Which also reminds us of what the purpose of this life is all about.

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens:it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

Some of these things are hard to understand at first so please ask if you have sincere questions.  The scriptures are not broken, they tell this wonderful truth from Genesis to Revelation.

The only way to come to know the Lord is thru the process of judgment. I have written extensively on this topic but if you will just search for the phrase “know the Lord” or “know I am the Lord” you will see the context is always, 100% of the time, the old man within us, the beast that all flesh is, being judged by having the wrath of God poured out upon us.

Pressing Onward To the Highest Calling of God

So I hope you can now understand the purposes of the Lord in finding fault when we sin and stray from His ways.  Even though He is the one causing it and working that in our lives;  it is by the process of Him bringing judgment upon us that we learn His ways and become like Him, knowing good and evil.  The Lord works evil for good and that really is the mystery of how Christ is formed in us and we learn good and evil.

Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

All men will go thru this process.  The only thing that separates the Elect is that we will be judged in this life while still in fleshly bodies.  We will experience our death to the old man and carnal mind first.  We will then be in the first resurrection and will be used to bring the rest of mankind thru the process of judgment at the second resurrection.  It is a very good thing that we are judged now, it is far better than being judged later with the rest of the world.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Far greater honor to be a priest and king of the Lord and to rule and reign with Him for the Millennium Reign and then be the judges of the world and bring the knowledge of Christ to all mankind.  That is why we press onward and upward for the higher calling of God.  That is why we as God’s Elect depart from inequity and strive to not be disqualified for such a great reward.  Here are three scriptures that speak of the critical role and function given to the very few that are God’s Very Elect.

1Co 6:2  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?

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (all mankind in the end)

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Sincere comments or questions are welcome.  You can also email me at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

Your brother in Christ,  Pete