To the establishing of you according to the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrected, to our being conjoined to Him in death, burial, resurrection and our soon coming ascension or departure, which is our promised salvation.
The secret now made known to all the nations, no longer to Israel only but to all nations. What a change in direction God has taken because Israel rejected their Messiah and His offer of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, with the tribulation period that was to follow all most on its heals. (See also the study of Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; and Isaiah 52:15 in relationship to Romans 16:25 else where posted in our other study blog.)
Now we are to learn of the secret that was hidden in God about His Christ that was in the scriptures of the Psalms and Prophets of Israel. What most do not understand or see is that this is from Moses writings which include Genesis forward to the 11th chapter of Acts. For us to know the hidden things of God we must of necessity know Genesis the book of beginnings in which the principles of Gods modus operandi are shown or revealed. Again one has to be spiritually alive before these truths are made known to him as Paul teaches but sad to say most shun or just stay away from them all together because they follow the leadership of their particular denomination.
Now for the unveiling of the secret things of God.
Rom 16:25-27
Now to Him* who is able to strengthen (establish) you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages past** but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith--- to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
* Study: In Him, In Whom, and In Christ
** The long ages past takes us back before time began in Genesis 1:1 for this was in the heart of God prior to creation. There are basically two areas of mans blindness they are ignorance of God and His word and spiritual ignorance, though man is ignorant in many many areas because of his dependency on his intellectualism. See the note at the end of the God’s Plan study.
2Corinthians 5:18-21 All this is from God, who through (the means of) Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1Timothy 3:16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Hebrews 1:1-8 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past to the fathers (Israel) by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels said he at any time, “You are my Son, this day have I begotten you?” And again, “I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?” And again, when he brings in the first begotten into the world, He said, “and let all the angels of God worship him.” And of the angels he said, “Who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But to the Son He said, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.”
Secret Revealed
Romans 16:25-27
Is able to strengthen
The word here used strengthen, the KJV is power to establish and in the ASV is able to establish.
To settle or fix what is wavering, doubtful or weak; to confirm or to establish. To set and fix firmly or unalterably; to settle permanently (as to fix by concrete in bedrock).
Jude 24-25: Now to him that is able to guard (keep) you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of His glory without blemish in exceeding joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. The Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21: Now to Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 3:11-13: Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you: and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you; to the end that He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Luke 12:49-50: I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what do I desire, if it is already kindled? I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! (Note: this is not into water as some miss interpret it, put the affliction.)
Matthew 17:1-3: After six days Jesus took with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringing them up into a high mountain apart: He was transfigured before them; and His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light. Behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with him.
John 11:25-26: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes on me, though he die, yet shall he live; and whosoever lives and believeth on me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Romans 1:4: Who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; Jesus Christ our Lord.
My Gospel
This is a distinctive gospel that was given to Paul, or revealed to him only by the risen Lord from glory for our learning and understanding in the wisdom of God and to make known His will for us, that we become stewards of His Gospel of Grace which is based on better promises and the new covenant.
Daniel 2:20-23 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter."
Amos 3:6-15 Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it? "For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken; who can but prophesy?" Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt, and say, "Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressed in her midst." "They do not know how to do right," declares the LORD, "those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds." Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered." Thus says the LORD: "As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed. Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob," declares the Lord GOD, the God of hosts, "that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground. I will strike the winter house along with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end," declares the LORD.
John 15:8-23 Jesus said: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.’ Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (Romans 16:25-26) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. ‘If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.’ Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.’ But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ‘Whoever hates me hates my Father also.’”
Mark 10:29-31 Jesus said, “Verily I say to you, there is no man that has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and for the gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, ‘with persecutions;’ and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.” (Remember when you have a “but” at the start of a verse to check back to find out what that “but” is there for. It is usually found back two or four verses.)
John 12:23-28: Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say to you, ‘except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abides by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’ He that loves his life loses it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. ‘If any man serves me, let him follow me;’ and ‘where I am, there shall also my servant be’: ‘if any man serves me, him will the Father honor.’” Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour. But for this cause came I to this hour. Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
Romans 14: 7-9: For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For whether we live, we live to (in) the Lord; or whether we die, we die to (in) the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lives again, that He might be Lord of both the dead (the nature of natural man, spiritually separated form God.) and the living (in Him and He in them per John 17 and 6:31-66).
Romans 6:1-11 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory (power) of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness (Different state or qualities introduced by change or regeneration.) of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness (Of joint origin, connate, congenital, innate, implanted by birth or nature, grown together, united with or as we may say today to be conjoined.*) of his death, we shall be also in the likeness (*see above definition) of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died to sin once: (He can’t die again and those that are IN Him can’t die again either, for we are conjoined to Him.) but in that he lives, he lives to God. (Christ died one time for all of humanity from Adam to the last man, as He is the A through Z, the first and the last.) Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through (IN) Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 2:16: In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, (those not in the family union of God) according to my gospel, by (a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act: in the place of, therefore, within) Jesus Christ.
1Corinthians 15.1-4, 42 -49: Now I make known to you, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, wherein also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, except you believe in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried; and that He has been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; ….. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, the first man Adam became a living soul. (Earthy, carnal that is of the flesh, fallen into the nature of the bestial) The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (Spiritual, mans first normal state returned to.) Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. (spiritual) As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Romans 10.6-11: The righteousness which is of faith says thus; say not in thy heart, who shall ascend into heaven? (That is, to bring Christ down :) or, who shall descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) What says it? The word is nigh you, in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach: because if you shall confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and shall believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved: for with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. For the scripture says, whosoever believes on (into) Him shall not be put to shame.
1Thessalonians 4.14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that have fallen
asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
That was kept secret
1Corinthians 2:6-7 Among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Ephesians 1:3-23 (9), 3:1-7 (3): Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love: having foreordained us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: in whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him to a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in Him, I say, in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His will; to the end that we should be to the praise of His glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, - in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.…. Ephesians 3:1-7 (3): For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles, - if so be that you have heard of the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward; how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, (Israel) as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of His power.
Colossians 1:21-29 You, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, yet now has He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before Him: if so be that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you’ve heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake, which is the church; (Hebrews 10:5-7 Wherefore when He comes into the world, He said, Sacrifice and offering you would not, but a body didst you prepare [ordained] for me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me: To do Your will, O God.) whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hid for ages and generations: but now has it been manifested to His saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; whereto I labor also, striving according to His working, which works in me mightily.
Ephesians 1:7-14 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
1 Corinthians 12:27-29: Now we are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof. God has set some in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, and then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and different kinds of tongues (languages). Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? Desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I to you.
For Long Ages Past
Psalms 16:11, 21:4, 40:6, 49:4, 78:2: Psalms 16:11 Thou will show me the path of life: In your presence is fullness of joy; in your right hand there are pleasures for evermore. … 21:4 He asked life of you, you gave it him, even length of days for ever and ever..... 40:6 Sacrifice and offering you have no delight in; Mine ears have you opened: Burnt-offering and sin-offering have you not required……
49:4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp……. 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old.
Matthew 13:34-35: All these things spoke Jesus in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable spoke he nothing to them: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.
1 Peter 1:13-21 Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance: but like as He who called you is holy, be yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, you shall be holy; for I am holy. If you call on Him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear: knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, the blood of Christ: who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of times for your sake, who through Him are believers in God, that raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
1 Corinthians 2:4-10 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. We speak wisdom, among them that are full grown: yet wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to naught: but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that had been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds to our glory: which none of the rulers of this world had known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: but as it is written, “Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and which entered not into the heart of man, whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him”. But to us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, and the deep things of God.
Ephesians 1:1-14, 3:1-7, 8-12 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heaven lies in Christ: even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love: having foreordained us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: in whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him to a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in Him, in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His will; to the end that we should be to the praise of His glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: in whom we also, having heard the word of the truth, the Gospel of Your Salvation, - in whom, having also believed, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory…….3:1-12(5):For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles, - if so be that you have heard of the dispensation of that Grace of God which was given me to you-ward; how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body (Hebrews 10:5), and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel, whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of His power. To me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages has been hid in God who created all things; to the intent that now to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church (the hidden Body of Christ, family) the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in Him.
2 Timothy 1:1, 7-13 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, …… God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline. Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God; who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, but has now been manifested by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (this gospel) whereto I was appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher.
For which cause I suffer also these things: yet I am not ashamed; for I know Him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard that which I have committed unto Him against that day. Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Titus 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal; but in His own seasons manifested His word in the message, wherewith I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior; to Titus, my true child after a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Hebrews 4:13 There is no creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
Mystery now disclosed
Acts 9:5, 18:24-26, 1-4, 27-28: [see note below] Paul Who said: Who are you, Lord? I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.
(1Timothy 1:12-14 I thank Him that enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, for that He counted me faithful, appointing me to His service; though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.)
Here we’re going to do a little word study, the first word is kick: (heelwise); to recalcitrate and recalcitrant means: stubbornly resistant to guidance, or refractory (obstinate, unmanageable, difficult to melt or work, not responsive); and the next word is goad: (to prick); a point (“center”), that is, a sting (figuratively poison) or goad, prick, sting. This is a proverb which is spoken of those who through their stubbornness hurt themselves.
Thayer's Definition:
1) to kick, strike with the heel
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from adverb lax (heel wise)
Thayer's Definition:
1) a sting, as that of bees, scorpions, locusts. Since animals wound by their sting and even cause death, Paul attributes death, personified as a sting, i.e. a deadly weapon
2) an iron goad, for urging on oxen, horses and other beasts of burden
2a) hence the proverb, “to kick against the goad”, i.e. to offer vain and perilous or ruinous resistance
Part of Speech: noun neuter
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from kenteo (to prick)
Acts 18:24-26 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. Being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. (He had not received the teaching of Paul as it had not reached him.) He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Acts 18:1-4 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. He found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He (Paul) went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. (The Letter of Hebrews is this persuasion.)
Acts 18:26-28 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (As seen in verses 1-4, they had spent considerable time with Paul in their trade working together and as is the norm for Paul he shared his Gospel of Gods Grace with them.) When he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
Romans 12:2 Be not fashioned according to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
(Here Paul is telling us to pay the price to learn the mysteries in order to gain the knowledge that God requires us to have by studying to show ourselves approved onto God a good workman that will not be put to shame because of our faith in this gospel.)
Hebrews 9:27-28 Inasmuch as it is appointed to men once to die, and after this comes judgment; so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for Him, to salvation. [John 14:3; Col. 1:5; Acts 17:31; Php. 4:7; 1Thes. 4:14-16; 2 Thes. 1:5-7, 2:1] (Do you know the mystery now disclosed for our understanding? If not, why not?)
Through the Prophetic writings
Psalms. 68:33, 110:1 To him that rides upon the heaven of heavens, which are of old; Lo, he utters his voice, a mighty voice. {John 12:28}……. Yehovah said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” (Isaiah 42:6, 49:6 and related verses)
1 Kings 8:27 Will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens
cannot contain Him; how much less this house that I have built!
2 Chronicles 6:18 Will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him; how much less this house which I have built!
(There are over three hundred passages of Old Testament scripture of Christ’s arrival, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. In the Psalms alone there are fourteen or sixteen about Him.)
Acts 8:29-35, 13:37-41, 26:22-23: The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “do you understand what you are reading?” He said, “how can I, except some one shall guide me?” He besought Philip to come up and sit with him.
Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth: in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth.
The eunuch answered Philip, and said, “I pray you, of whom speaks the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other?” Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus.
Galatians 3:6-9 Even as Abram believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness. Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
Ephesians 2:20-22 So then you are no more strangers and sojourners, but are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom each several building, fitly framed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
Made known to all the nations according to the command of the eternal God
John 8:31-32, 14:5-6 Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, “if you abide in my word, then are you truly my disciples; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”…… Thomas said to him, “Lord, we know not whither you go; how know we the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by (IN) me.”
(Remember our primary preposition above:” by” here means of time, of place, or of means and the ground of the reason an act is or is not done: “in” or through.) Based on that Jesus is saying that He is the only way to the Father or we have to be “IN Him” to get to the Father!!! The mystery is that we were in Him on the cross in His body on that tree, we were buried, and resurrected in Him and even now are seated within Him at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. (1 Peter 2:24; Gal. 2:20)
Acts 13: 2, 46-48, 26:15-18 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate (sever) to me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereto I have called them.” …. Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you.” Seeing you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, “I have set you for a light of the Gentiles that you should be for salvation to the uttermost part of the earth.” As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.… Paul speaking; “I said, who are You, Lord? The Lord said I am Jesus whom you persecute. Arise, and stand upon your feet: for to this end have I appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things wherein you have seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear to you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Me.”
(Here He says “IN ME” but in John 14:6 He said “by me” He is saying the same thing in both scriptures.)
The Obedience of Faith
Many of today miss this point because they don’t divide rightly the word of truth, they preach what has been called a “blender gospel” for they make a slurry of the Old and the New and because we are all lazy, ignorant and do not know the WORD of God we swallow it all without question. Shame, no Great Shame and reproach on us because we like our parents and grandparents have allowed this thing upon ourselves. Time for an awakening to happen, judgment has started in the household of God for today is the day of your salvation.
Matthew 20:22-23 Jesus answered and said “you know not what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They say to him, “we are able.” He said to them, “my cup indeed you shall drink: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left hand, is not mine to give; but it is for them for whom it has been prepared of my Father.” (Mark10:38-40)
Luke 12:49-50 “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what do I desire, if it is already kindled? I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 11:23-25, 12:12-14 I delivered to you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he has been raised on the third day according to the scriptures. ..…. For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me.” In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, “this cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me”……. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. In one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.
Ephesians 3:1-7 I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles, - if so be that you have heard of the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward; how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel, whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of His power.
Ephesians 3:8-10 To me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages has been hid in God who created all things; to the intent that now to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Ephesians 4:4-7 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. To each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Romans 5:19 Through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the
obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous (Matt. 7:13).
Romans 6:16-18 Know you not, that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were servants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereto you were delivered; and being made free from sin, you became servants of righteousness.
(You become the spirit that you serve and obey.)
Glory through Jesus Christ
Romans 1:1-7, 20-21, 15:18-21 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the Gospel of God, which He promised afore through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh (humiliation), who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we received grace and apostleship, to obedience of faith among all the nations, for His name's sake; among whom are you also called to be Jesus Christ's: to all that are in Rome [the nations], beloved of God, called saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. …… For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: because that, knowing God, they glorified Him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. ……. I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ; yes, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation; but, as it is written, they shall see, to whom no tidings of Him came, and they who have not heard shall understand.
Romans 16:19 Your obedience is come abroad to all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise to that which is good, and simple to that which is evil.
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what communion hath light with darkness? What concord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever? What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore, “come out from among them, and be separate,” says the Lord, “touch no unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be to you a Father, and you shall be to me sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (Remember in the Old Testament where the Lord told Israel to “be you Holy for ‘I am’ Holy”, Lev. 11:44, He would not have told them to do this thing if it were impossible for them to do it! But they didn't listen to Him, as to do so required something other than works of self effort or of the flesh, it required trust in Him and His name as then known.)
1 John 5:19-21 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the evil one. We know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. My little children guard yourselves from idols. (Your Bible even your life can be an idol, just as any other thing.)
1 Timothy 6:12-16 Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereto you were called, and did confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. I charge you in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession; that you keep the commandment, without spot, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in its own times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only has immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power eternal. Amen.
4. Note to: Titus 1:1-4 vs. 2; Deu. 32:39; I Sam. 2:6; Ps. 68:19-21, 102:27; Hos. 6:2
5. Note to: Acts 18:24-26, 1-4, 27-28; 2 Tim. 1:1, 8-11 vs. 9 (Acts 9:15-16, 20:24, 22:14-15, 26:15-18, 13:2; Gal. 1:15-16)
Again the account of Apollos meeting with Aquila and Pricilla
Acts 18:24-26 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord (no knowledge of the gospel that had been revealed to Paul); and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John (the Jewish gospel as thought by Jesus and the twelve, repentance of sins, water baptism and the believing that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah of Israel and King, the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven): and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately. For they had spent considerable time with Paul and while they were working together, Paul shared with them his gospel as revealed to him by the risen Lord, as they labored. The Gospel of the Grace of God, that was not for the Jews only but for the gentiles as well.
Acts 18:1-4 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome: and Paul came unto them; and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them (it is during this time that Paul teaches them on the revelation of the Gospel of the Grace of God), and they worked together, for by their trade they were tentmakers. Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
Acts 18:27-28 And when he (Apollos) was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him: and when he was come, he helped them much that had believed through grace; for he powerfully confuted the Jews, publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. Later we see this man in 1 Corinthians chapters 1, 2 and 3 with his magnetism and charisma has many followers as we have in churches today. Many are more loyal to the man or their denomination instead of the Word of God and the Christ whom they profess to worship.
2Timothy 1:1, 8-11 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus………Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God; who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, but has now been manifested by the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, where to I was appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher.
Acts 9:10-12, 15-16 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. The Lord said to him, arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prays; and he has seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight……15-16 But the Lord said unto him, go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel to(for) me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Acts 20:24 I hold not my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God. [Eph. 2:4-10; Luke 9:23-25, 59-62]
Acts 22:14-15 He said, the God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from His mouth. For you shall be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
Acts 26:14-18 When we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecute me? it is hard for you to kick against the goad. I said, who are you, Lord? The Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. Arise, and stand upon your feet: for to this end have I appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things wherein you have seen of me, and of the things wherein I will appear to you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, separate (severe to) me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereto I have called them.
Galatians 1:15-17 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia (where Paul receives the start of the revelations of the
mysteries the finished work of the cross); and again I returned to Damascus [Mat. 16:17; 1Cor. 2:9-13; 2Cor. 4:6; Eph. 1:17-18, 3:5-10; Gal. 1:11-12]
Christ Jesus is the ancient of days the long white haired man God depicted in the pictures painted on the walls of old churches. He is the foundation of this world upon whom the earth is built. He is Almighty God and all God; He is the third person of the Godhead and the Head of God’s family the church of the living God. He is the ever revealing one and always being revealed to the hearts of seeking mankind the world over. He is all LIGHT and all TRUTH and the LIVING WAY to the living God. For He is the God of all LIVING and not the dead, those separated from Him by sin and death, for IN HIM there is NO death and NO wrath to come.
From here then we’ll move on to the spiritual day of battle that we learn the full truth and nothing but the truth that sets us free from the chains of slavery and darkness to sin and death. There is more power released in our coming into redemption then in the day that we are conceived. This is the day when the enemy of man suffers another bruised head and he and his forces of evil are made an open display of as defeated foes. In this day we have a total change of mind and the veil is removed which allows the scriptures to take on the life of the Spirit of truth. We become children of God working on learning the things of our Father to a mature person in Christ with the Spirit of Christ and holiness in us again as at the first.
All scripture is from the KJV, Weymouth New Testament, American Standard and English Standard Versions of the Bible and other sources as mentioned elsewhere.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
God’s Plan for the Good of All
Like the other papers dealing with the secrets that had been hid in God we need to have knowledge of the beginning as covered in the paper on “Genesis the Untold Story”.
All the mysteries revealed to Paul are all tied together to each other and are tied together in some way to the start of the creation story as originally given to Moses who passed it down to the sons of Israel.
Israel was warned time and time again not to get mixed up with the paganism of their neighbors, but their hardheartedness, or just plain rebellion, against the known will of God caused Israel’s scribes to bring into their writings corrupted and contaminated language (word symbols of corrupted men added to the script or picture language of the Hebrews). During their captivities and their corruption, which are seen in Baalim and Molack worship, being added to their temple worship, and mans ordinances added to those given to Moses in the Law and the Levitical laws and ordinances.
Israel willfully turned its back on their God and His first given Law which was given on tablets of stone for their learning, however they did not see the stoniness of their own hearts. Their prophets warned them over and over about these matters and they killed or imprisoned them.
When the time, of the end of these matters, was upon them they did not know it, their leadership had become so corrupt. Jesus Christ the federal head of all creation, the second Adam and of the heirship of David, exercised the rule and dominion that was first given man at creation, proving to them who He was. The One they were told to be looking for. But they chose to turn their backs on Him again, and to the offer of the Kingdom of Heaven that was promised to them, not once but three times. The third is seen with the stoning of Stephen as found in Acts chapters 6 through 8:3.
This action was foreknown by God, Who, so easily had His man in place, ready for the ministry to which He has prepared for him. This is Saul of Tarsus who is first revealed in Acts 7:58, 8:3 and 9.
Peter, the head or chief lead person of the disciples of the Lord, and the others did not have the mind set required for this change. They were blind to the change that God was about to pull off, even though Peter walks into it as found in Acts chapter 10. God is here setting Peter up for the action found in Acts chapter 22 and chapter 23 the first 11 verses. God’s plan is for the revealing of redemption through Grace that is part of the finished work of the cross of Christ Jesus, and that this is now to be opened to all mankind.
Jesus, the Christ of Yehovah El (God in man, in the flesh of sinful man.) passed through the gate, as revealed in the Psalms and the Prophets. By taking the old path way found in Jeremiah 6:16, and putting to death mans sin nature contained within this veil of flesh and thereby opening the entrance to the promised eternal life. This path required that the flesh (which contains sin) must die for man to become a divine being again. But when natural man dies his body sees decay or corruption and returns to the earth and dust from which he was taken. Jesus shows through His resurrection that with God all things spoken are possible with God and fulfills the prophecies about Him.
He was raised from a prophet to the position of High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and confirmed to be the Son of God by His resurrection. His blood seals those who are willing to take the same course as He did in order to become sons of God and heirs of the promise given to Abram, that being eternal life. This life is based on the new or refreshed promise (covenant) that had been given to Abram and caused him and Sarai to believe God wholeheartedly. This faith also caused God to change their names to reflect this faith and their bodies were regenerated or renewed which enabled them to bring forth the son of promise, Isaac.
Whereby those who would so choose of their own free will to enter, would pass into regeneration just as He (Jesus) had, then to be joined within Him (baptized into union with) by the action of the Holy Spirit, a working of God and not of man, to sit at the Fathers right hand in the heavenly place, re-establishing the ancient path way that had been revealed to Moses, but was lost through the corruption of the language. This is the gate for mans redemption through the death of the nature of the beast into which man had fallen. From which man could not escape on his own, into which he is tightly chained to death and destruction by and with his enemy, even though Christ Jesus broke the chain that held man. Many do not know that they have been set free from this bondage of sin and death. Because they are of the opinion that they have to work in some way to earn their freedom, they are under the veil of blindness which they choose to keep. They are blinded just as Israel was and is even to this day because of a hardness of heart forged in them and upon them by Satan.
Romans 16:25-27 Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith: to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.
God’s Plan
1Corinthians 2:1-16
I, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom of men but rather I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Yet among the mature (a) we do impart wisdom, although it is not wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages *for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him"--- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not [again] the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. We impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. Now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged (perceived, conclude, understand). But he that is spiritual (of the higher order, born from above, born again) judges (understands) all things, and he himself is judged (understood by) of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
* Before the ages: when the Ancient of Days (Elohim, Yehovah, Yeshua, Christ, Messiah, the Holy Spirit) it was decreed that the Son of God is the third person of the Godhead and all those who would put their faith in Him were first declared in Him, that is to be foreordained in Christ at the creation. See Genesis the Untold Story.
a. Mature: The spiritual person, one born from above (through the incarnation, passion, death of self or ego of the earthy, natural, carnal man, bestial nature, the old Adam, devils hold on man and mans task master) and the resurrection to this new life or regeneration of spiritual life (the inner man of the circumcised heart) as the seed planted that brings new life (having passed through the veil), that is identified in Christ and His incarnation and passion and ascension in us who have come to this knowledge. See ‘Redemption’ and the ‘Path to Redemption’.
Ephesians 2:14-18 For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition (the flesh of sin, which is the enmity that separates man from God, the veil), having abolished in the flesh the enmity, which is the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that He might create in Himself of the two one new man, (made up of both Jew and Gentile, with Christ in humanity again) so making peace; and might reconcile them both in one body to God through (because of this) the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: He came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh: for through (IN) Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
God’s Plan for the good of all
1 Cor. 2:1-16
Christ Crucified
Paul does not rehearse Israel’s history; accept to make a strong point for our understanding and learning. Many of today, Israel included, stay in the past or history and there by remain under the veil as shown in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, this also the place of Israel’s blindness Romans 11:25 (Eph. 4:18) and cause for the church to be lead astray by the spirit of the world along with Israel. There is not a lot of the cross of Christ or the death of Christ rehearsed in truth today, many want to push it aside. In fact many want to remove all reference to the cross and the blood out of the modern Bible all together. They have a liberal theology which Paul and the others labeled “another gospel” in their day (of which there are many types in our day). They also would remove all of the letters of Paul form the Bible if they could; many refuse to use anything of Paul’s teachings and even have said that they are heresy and warn their followers to stay away from them altogether. Which as we’ll find out is a great err and makes those people enmity to God and enemies of the Blood and Cross of Christ and His footstool.
1Corinthians 15:1-8 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you---unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (Paul considers himself to be like a premature baby born ahead of it’s time when he used the term untimely born. Paul as he was the chief or first to receive Christ or to be born again from above into new life in Christ. When Christ was revealed in him the very one whom he was persecuting when searching for the members of “the way” in his unbelief as a Pharisees Pharisee.)
Galatians 3:8-9 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abram, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (The Hebrew letter “h” means grace, so Abram found grace from and with God. In this Grace their physical bodies were refreshed or regenerated which enabled them to conceive the word and produced Isaac the son of promise.)
Romans 10:4-13 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (That is, to bring Christ down) or "‘who will descend into the abyss?'" (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (To call upon: is to take to ones self the name or sir name of the person of Yehovah, Jesus, Yeshua. As a girl or woman takes on the sir name of her husband after marriage, this is meaning of “to call upon”. To believe “in”, “into”, “through”, “with”, "in union with" these are all positional words meaning placement, and invisible unseen reality of location, now faith is the substance of a thing hoped for, a thing unseen. For we walk by faith and not by sight or the dependency on our five senses. This is to be spiritually a live, renewed or restored to our original state.)
Romans 6:3-11 Know you not, (do you not understand) that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ (to be conjoined) were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into (His) death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory (power) of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted (John 12:24) together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness (conjoined, into new life) of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed (only happens in death and bursed Satan’s head), that henceforth we should not serve (be in bondage to) sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live (spiritually quickened made alive) with Him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over Him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he lives, he lives unto God. Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through (IN) Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Spirit and of Power
1Corinthians 1:22-25 Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness; but to them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
(Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (God uses the foolish (simple) of the world to confound the wise of the world or to confound the intelligentsia of the worldly.)
1Corinthians 1:18-21 The word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning will I bring to naught. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Romans 1:4, 16-19 Who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; Jesus Christ our Lord, ------- For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith to faith: as it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested (reveals) it to them.
(See also: 1Tim 1:9-11 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, (of one who unjustly reduces free men to slavery) for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 2Thes 2:8-10 Then the lawless one (KJV and other translations have “Wicked”) will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. [More on these passages later.])
1Corinthians 15:1-10 Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, wherein also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, except you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which also I received: (Now the Gospel of our redemption and salvation.) that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he has been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (fit) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Galatians 6:14-15 Far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision anything, but a new creature.
(It is the work of God and the desire of God that all humanity come to the knowledge of the mystery hid in God, which the work of Christ’s suffering as the son of man, that is to say, as mans substitute on that tree as the cursed man, He took upon Him. It is the new creature of the inward man, of the heart, made flesh or the circumcision of the sin nature that it contained, that is the gate through which all men must enter. That death of the flesh, is the gate through which, Jesus as the son of man entered, and we as son’s of man are to enter, as well by Faith, Death to sin and Life a new in God.)
Philippians 3:8-11 Yes, verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of mine own, or that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith: that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming conformed to His death; if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
(The destroying of mans slavery to sin, evil, Christ called it the broad way, death to it is the entry to redemption and the entry into the gate from which regeneration in new life brings sanctification, the righteousness and holiness of God in Christ Jesus. Which leads to our salvation, all of which man can not gain by works of the flesh. This does place man into the Kingdom of God and His rule. It is this death of our own self sufficiency that God requires of us all. The entry through the gate and the circumcision or the breaking of His seed in us to newness of Christ’s life restored to us again.)
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified (To extinguish and subdue selfishness.) with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
(See also: Gal 5:24 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Rom 6:4-7 “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory (power) of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. We have been united with Him in death like his; we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection (and regeneration in sanctification) like His. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. [And Col. 2:11-14, 3:10-11] For one who has died has been set free from sin.” Now listen carefully to the following.)
The Power of God
Romans 15:18-21 I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ; yes, making it my aim so to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation; but, as it is written, “They shall see, to whom no tidings of Him came, and they who have not heard shall understand.” [Is. 52:15, 65:1]
Galatians 1:10-12 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ. For I make known to you, as touching the Gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
1Corinthians 4:20 The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
Mark 10:27 Jesus looking upon them said, with men it is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God.
Wisdom of God decreed before the ages
Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. (When you have passed through death into life no one can take you out of His hand.)
1Samuel 3:1-10 The child Samuel ministered to Yehovah before Eli. The word of Yehovah was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. It came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see), and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of Yehovah, where the ark of God was; that Yehovah called Samuel; and he said, Here am I. He ran to Eli, and said, here am I; you called me. He said I called not; lie down again. He went and laid down. Yehovah called yet again, Samuel. Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, here am I; you called me. He answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know Yehovah, neither was the word of Yehovah yet revealed to him. Yehovah called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, here am I; you called me. Eli perceived that Yehovah had called the child. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, and lie down: and it shall be, if He calls you, that you shall say, Speak, Yehovah; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and laid down in his place. Yehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for your servant hears.
(As the Lord said those who have ears to hear and eyes to see shall become great in the Kingdom of God. Are you one of those?)
1Corinthians 3:6-9 I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase. Now he that plants and he that waters are one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow-workers: you are God's husbandry, God's building.
(This is not to acquire wealth as the false Christendom churches preach to their shame. But is rather for our spiritual learning and increase in knowledge as a new born Child of God. It is given to those who have entered the gate with the power to witness to the Truth of the power of God and the resurrection of Christ’s Spirit in them again.)
Acts 16:14 A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed to the things which were spoken by Paul.
2Corinthians 4:7-11 We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves; we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not to despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
(This is how we are to live in the regeneration as a spiritual person given wholly over to Christ, and hid in God after passing through the gate of death, to our bestial nature.)
2Corinthians 6:1-10 Working together with Him we entreat also that you receive not the Grace of God in vain (through His Gospel) (for he said, at an acceptable time I hearkened to you, and in a day of salvation did I succor you: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of redemption): giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed; but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching, in fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in long suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
(It is the power of God that opens to us the door to our regeneration in our redemption which leads to our hope of salvation from the world of sin and vile darkness.)
2Corinthians 5:16-17 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. (from this time forward) Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer (We’re not now resting on His earthly ministry to Israel with its miracles, Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s prayer or even the four gospels. We are on the resurrection side of His death, burial, and resurrection. Now it’s a whole new ball game. These now have no validity for us. Most do not want to talk about the Lord’s passion, shed blood, the sufferings of the cross, and not even the power of His resurrection. Because it is this power that changes lives, and they do not want that. They don’t know how to handle or apply it to themselves.). Therefore, if anyone is in Christ (In Christ is a prepositional phrase that places us INTO CHRIST), he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
1Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
(Adam was the federal head of the whole human race- -“even so In Christ shall all be made alive” Most do not capitalize on it, for the rest, what the finished work of the cross has done or is for them, they have to appropriate it by faith for themselves or it does not do them any good. To only see it as a historical fact or to believe that His was Jesus the son of man or even the Son of God does not change the person that you were and still are. Just as attending church does not make you a member of God’s family. It requires an action on your part and that action is the being willing to be willing to die or to put to death totally the self-will of your vanity of nature, which is enmity to God.)
For our Glory
Psalms 8:3-6 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained; what is man, that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man, that you visited him? You have made him but little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet.
2Corinthians 4:1-7, 10 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not: we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, which shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.
2Corinthians 4:10 …. always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.
Acts 14:22 …….. exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
Matthew 11:25-26 At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you did hide these things from the wise and understanding, and do reveal them to babes: yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.
1Peter 5:10 The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after that you have suffered a little while, shall Himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.
2Peter 1:2-4 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us by His own glory and virtue; whereby He has granted to us His precious and exceeding great promises; that through these we may become partakers of the divine nature (Gods righteousness and love, which desires mans return to Him, to be free from sin by being shown His righteousness, He makes us righteous again in order to have communion with Him.) having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust (deceit).
(Now I know that many of you have been told that we are to become wealthy in this worlds riches but here, if you are listening you can hear for your self what the word is revealing to you, in plan simple language. It even tells you that it is through the deceit of men under to rule of the spirit of the world that this kind of message is sent.)
The Lord of Glory
John 17:4-5, 20-24 I glorified you on the earth, having accomplished the work which you have given me to do. Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was. …… neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that you did send me. The glory which you have given me I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you did send me, and love them, even as you love me.
Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which you have given me: for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
(What Jesus could not say at this point was that we are in Him already called.)
Freely given Us by God
1 John 2:20, 27 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all the things……..As for you, the anointing which you received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any one teach you; but as His anointing teaches you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it (He) taught you, abide in Him.
Jeremiah 31:34 they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Yehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.
[This portion of this scripture is what is taking place because of the finished work of the cross of Christ, the first portion has been placed on hold for Israel that is up to the (;) mark. When God starts the tribulation of Israel after the spiritual Body of Christ is removed then the rest of this verse well also be experienced by Israel.]
John 6:44-48 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God. Every one that has heard from the Father, and has learned, comes to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, save he that is from God, he has seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say to you, He that believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life.
John 16:13-15 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things so ever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare to you the things that are to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. All things whatsoever the Father has are mine: therefore said “I that he takes of mine, and shall declare it unto you.”
Those who are Spiritual
Romans 4:13-18 For not through the law was the promise to Abram (Abraham) or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect: for the law works wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (those in faith as Abraham was) (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) before him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be (seed here speaks of faith {Matt. 13:31-32, 17:20; Luke. 13:19} not becoming a replacement theology for Israel).
(Those who trust God, that is take Him at His Word and do not look at what the natural things about them may reveal, but in faith take God’s required action these are the heirs. They will take the step of faith and pass through the gate of requirement.)
1Corinthians 1:17-21 Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void. For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning will I bring to naught. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.
2Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
The natural man can not know them
Romans 3:9-21(18) What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understands, there is none that seek after God; they have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not, so much as one: their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit: the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.
Now we know that what things so ever the law says, it speaks to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. (This ties well with 2 Corinthians 3:3-18 when you understand that the law in any form is an outward physical operation of our own sufficiency and the operation the God requires is in an obedience from the heart and inward operation and it is His doing, it is not of us.)
Psalms 36:1-4 The transgression of the wicked says within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, that his iniquity will not be found out and be hated. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he has ceased to be wise and to do good. He devises iniquity upon his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he abhors not evil.
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of Yehovah is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 16:4-7 Yehovah has made everything for its own end; Yes, even the wicked for the day of evil. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Yehovah: Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; and by the fear of Yehovah men depart from evil. When a man's ways please Yehovah, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Proverbs 23:6-7 Eat not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire his dainties: for as he thinks within himself, so is he: eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
Proverbs 23:8 The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
Proverbs 23:9 Speak not in the hearing of a fool; for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
Colossians 3:5-11 Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things' sake becomes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: wherein we also once walked, when we lived in these things; but now do you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: lie not one to another; seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, that is being renewed to knowledge after the image of Him that created Him: where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. (Here is shown the things of the flesh of natural man that are required to be put to death. Here to is the revealing of the knowledge of Him that is our hope and calling.)
They are Spiritual Judged
Luke 23:39-43 One of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, “Are not you the Christ? Save thyself and us.” The other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? We indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss.” He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” He said to him, “Verily I say to you, Today shall you be with me in Paradise.”
(The spiritual meaning here is that the Old Testament was ended in the natural man (Israel and the lost Gentiles) that railed at Him and the New Testament is seen in the man who expressed the spiritual (those who turn in to unite with Christ) that was to be with Him in paradise. Christ having been hanging between the two.)
Romans 8:5-8 They that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(For they that remain in the flesh are enemies of God and hostile to the blood and cross of Christ having unknowingly made it a mat beneath their feet. People do this by continuing to follow false doctrine and remaining in their religious institutions and denominationalism, thereby trusting in their own sufficiency.)
Colossians 3:1-11 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For you died, and your life is hid within Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall you also with Him be manifested in glory. Put to death therefore your members (the evil nature in fallen man) which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things' sake comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: wherein you also once walked, when you lived in these things; but now do we also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: lie not one to another; seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, that is being renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him that created him: where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. (Now I know that this is a repeat but that is how we learn.)
We have the Mind of Christ
John 15:14-15 You are my friends, if you do the things which I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.
John 17:22-24, 26 Jesus speaking His great Prayer “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. ------- I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Acts 14:22b “We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God."
God’s people have their trials. It was never designed by God, when He chose His people, that they should be an untried people. They were chosen in the furnace of affliction; they were never chosen to worldly peace and earthly joy. Freedom from sickness and the pains of mortality was never promised them; but when their Lord drew up the charter of privileges, He included chastisements amongst the things to which they should inevitably be heirs. Trials are a part of our lot; they were predestinated for us in Christ’s last legacy. As surely as the stars are fashioned by His hands, and their orbits fixed by Him, so surely are our trials allotted to us: He has preordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us. Good men must never expect to escape troubles; if they do, they will be disappointed, for none of their predecessors have been without them. Mark the patience of Job; remember Abraham, for he had his trials, and by his faith under them, he became the “Father of the faithful.” Note well the biographies of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and you shall discover none of those whom God made vessels of His Grace, who were not made to pass through the fire of affliction. It is ordained of old that the cross of trouble should be engraved on every vessel of Grace, as the royal mark whereby the Lord’s vessels of honor are distinguished. But although tribulation is thus the path of God’s children, they have the comfort of knowing that their Master has traversed it before them; they have His presence and sympathy to cheer them, His grace to support them, and His and Paul’s example to teach them how to endure; and when they reach “the Kingdom of God,” it will more than make amends for the “much tribulation” through which they passed to enter it.
Author F.B. Meyer found in the public domain.
Now we’ll move on into the Will of God in wisdom revealed in our next study. God requires us to know His Will in all things pertaining to life and our godliness in sanctification given to us freely by God in His finished work of the cross. This is putting us back into our original state in creation, which makes us sons of God again in union or reunited to Christ again in us and we in Him in the regeneration.
All scripture is from the KJV, Weymouth New Testament, American Standard and English Standard Versions of the Bible.
All the mysteries revealed to Paul are all tied together to each other and are tied together in some way to the start of the creation story as originally given to Moses who passed it down to the sons of Israel.
Israel was warned time and time again not to get mixed up with the paganism of their neighbors, but their hardheartedness, or just plain rebellion, against the known will of God caused Israel’s scribes to bring into their writings corrupted and contaminated language (word symbols of corrupted men added to the script or picture language of the Hebrews). During their captivities and their corruption, which are seen in Baalim and Molack worship, being added to their temple worship, and mans ordinances added to those given to Moses in the Law and the Levitical laws and ordinances.
Israel willfully turned its back on their God and His first given Law which was given on tablets of stone for their learning, however they did not see the stoniness of their own hearts. Their prophets warned them over and over about these matters and they killed or imprisoned them.
When the time, of the end of these matters, was upon them they did not know it, their leadership had become so corrupt. Jesus Christ the federal head of all creation, the second Adam and of the heirship of David, exercised the rule and dominion that was first given man at creation, proving to them who He was. The One they were told to be looking for. But they chose to turn their backs on Him again, and to the offer of the Kingdom of Heaven that was promised to them, not once but three times. The third is seen with the stoning of Stephen as found in Acts chapters 6 through 8:3.
This action was foreknown by God, Who, so easily had His man in place, ready for the ministry to which He has prepared for him. This is Saul of Tarsus who is first revealed in Acts 7:58, 8:3 and 9.
Peter, the head or chief lead person of the disciples of the Lord, and the others did not have the mind set required for this change. They were blind to the change that God was about to pull off, even though Peter walks into it as found in Acts chapter 10. God is here setting Peter up for the action found in Acts chapter 22 and chapter 23 the first 11 verses. God’s plan is for the revealing of redemption through Grace that is part of the finished work of the cross of Christ Jesus, and that this is now to be opened to all mankind.
Jesus, the Christ of Yehovah El (God in man, in the flesh of sinful man.) passed through the gate, as revealed in the Psalms and the Prophets. By taking the old path way found in Jeremiah 6:16, and putting to death mans sin nature contained within this veil of flesh and thereby opening the entrance to the promised eternal life. This path required that the flesh (which contains sin) must die for man to become a divine being again. But when natural man dies his body sees decay or corruption and returns to the earth and dust from which he was taken. Jesus shows through His resurrection that with God all things spoken are possible with God and fulfills the prophecies about Him.
He was raised from a prophet to the position of High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and confirmed to be the Son of God by His resurrection. His blood seals those who are willing to take the same course as He did in order to become sons of God and heirs of the promise given to Abram, that being eternal life. This life is based on the new or refreshed promise (covenant) that had been given to Abram and caused him and Sarai to believe God wholeheartedly. This faith also caused God to change their names to reflect this faith and their bodies were regenerated or renewed which enabled them to bring forth the son of promise, Isaac.
Whereby those who would so choose of their own free will to enter, would pass into regeneration just as He (Jesus) had, then to be joined within Him (baptized into union with) by the action of the Holy Spirit, a working of God and not of man, to sit at the Fathers right hand in the heavenly place, re-establishing the ancient path way that had been revealed to Moses, but was lost through the corruption of the language. This is the gate for mans redemption through the death of the nature of the beast into which man had fallen. From which man could not escape on his own, into which he is tightly chained to death and destruction by and with his enemy, even though Christ Jesus broke the chain that held man. Many do not know that they have been set free from this bondage of sin and death. Because they are of the opinion that they have to work in some way to earn their freedom, they are under the veil of blindness which they choose to keep. They are blinded just as Israel was and is even to this day because of a hardness of heart forged in them and upon them by Satan.
Romans 16:25-27 Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith: to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.
God’s Plan
1Corinthians 2:1-16
I, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom of men but rather I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Yet among the mature (a) we do impart wisdom, although it is not wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages *for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him"--- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not [again] the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. We impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. Now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged (perceived, conclude, understand). But he that is spiritual (of the higher order, born from above, born again) judges (understands) all things, and he himself is judged (understood by) of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
* Before the ages: when the Ancient of Days (Elohim, Yehovah, Yeshua, Christ, Messiah, the Holy Spirit) it was decreed that the Son of God is the third person of the Godhead and all those who would put their faith in Him were first declared in Him, that is to be foreordained in Christ at the creation. See Genesis the Untold Story.
a. Mature: The spiritual person, one born from above (through the incarnation, passion, death of self or ego of the earthy, natural, carnal man, bestial nature, the old Adam, devils hold on man and mans task master) and the resurrection to this new life or regeneration of spiritual life (the inner man of the circumcised heart) as the seed planted that brings new life (having passed through the veil), that is identified in Christ and His incarnation and passion and ascension in us who have come to this knowledge. See ‘Redemption’ and the ‘Path to Redemption’.
Ephesians 2:14-18 For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition (the flesh of sin, which is the enmity that separates man from God, the veil), having abolished in the flesh the enmity, which is the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that He might create in Himself of the two one new man, (made up of both Jew and Gentile, with Christ in humanity again) so making peace; and might reconcile them both in one body to God through (because of this) the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: He came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh: for through (IN) Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
God’s Plan for the good of all
1 Cor. 2:1-16
Christ Crucified
Paul does not rehearse Israel’s history; accept to make a strong point for our understanding and learning. Many of today, Israel included, stay in the past or history and there by remain under the veil as shown in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, this also the place of Israel’s blindness Romans 11:25 (Eph. 4:18) and cause for the church to be lead astray by the spirit of the world along with Israel. There is not a lot of the cross of Christ or the death of Christ rehearsed in truth today, many want to push it aside. In fact many want to remove all reference to the cross and the blood out of the modern Bible all together. They have a liberal theology which Paul and the others labeled “another gospel” in their day (of which there are many types in our day). They also would remove all of the letters of Paul form the Bible if they could; many refuse to use anything of Paul’s teachings and even have said that they are heresy and warn their followers to stay away from them altogether. Which as we’ll find out is a great err and makes those people enmity to God and enemies of the Blood and Cross of Christ and His footstool.
1Corinthians 15:1-8 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you---unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (Paul considers himself to be like a premature baby born ahead of it’s time when he used the term untimely born. Paul as he was the chief or first to receive Christ or to be born again from above into new life in Christ. When Christ was revealed in him the very one whom he was persecuting when searching for the members of “the way” in his unbelief as a Pharisees Pharisee.)
Galatians 3:8-9 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abram, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (The Hebrew letter “h” means grace, so Abram found grace from and with God. In this Grace their physical bodies were refreshed or regenerated which enabled them to conceive the word and produced Isaac the son of promise.)
Romans 10:4-13 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (That is, to bring Christ down) or "‘who will descend into the abyss?'" (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (To call upon: is to take to ones self the name or sir name of the person of Yehovah, Jesus, Yeshua. As a girl or woman takes on the sir name of her husband after marriage, this is meaning of “to call upon”. To believe “in”, “into”, “through”, “with”, "in union with" these are all positional words meaning placement, and invisible unseen reality of location, now faith is the substance of a thing hoped for, a thing unseen. For we walk by faith and not by sight or the dependency on our five senses. This is to be spiritually a live, renewed or restored to our original state.)
Romans 6:3-11 Know you not, (do you not understand) that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ (to be conjoined) were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into (His) death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory (power) of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted (John 12:24) together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness (conjoined, into new life) of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed (only happens in death and bursed Satan’s head), that henceforth we should not serve (be in bondage to) sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live (spiritually quickened made alive) with Him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over Him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he lives, he lives unto God. Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through (IN) Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Spirit and of Power
1Corinthians 1:22-25 Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness; but to them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
(Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (God uses the foolish (simple) of the world to confound the wise of the world or to confound the intelligentsia of the worldly.)
1Corinthians 1:18-21 The word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning will I bring to naught. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Romans 1:4, 16-19 Who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; Jesus Christ our Lord, ------- For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith to faith: as it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested (reveals) it to them.
(See also: 1Tim 1:9-11 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, (of one who unjustly reduces free men to slavery) for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 2Thes 2:8-10 Then the lawless one (KJV and other translations have “Wicked”) will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. [More on these passages later.])
1Corinthians 15:1-10 Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, wherein also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, except you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which also I received: (Now the Gospel of our redemption and salvation.) that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he has been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (fit) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Galatians 6:14-15 Far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision anything, but a new creature.
(It is the work of God and the desire of God that all humanity come to the knowledge of the mystery hid in God, which the work of Christ’s suffering as the son of man, that is to say, as mans substitute on that tree as the cursed man, He took upon Him. It is the new creature of the inward man, of the heart, made flesh or the circumcision of the sin nature that it contained, that is the gate through which all men must enter. That death of the flesh, is the gate through which, Jesus as the son of man entered, and we as son’s of man are to enter, as well by Faith, Death to sin and Life a new in God.)
Philippians 3:8-11 Yes, verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of mine own, or that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith: that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming conformed to His death; if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
(The destroying of mans slavery to sin, evil, Christ called it the broad way, death to it is the entry to redemption and the entry into the gate from which regeneration in new life brings sanctification, the righteousness and holiness of God in Christ Jesus. Which leads to our salvation, all of which man can not gain by works of the flesh. This does place man into the Kingdom of God and His rule. It is this death of our own self sufficiency that God requires of us all. The entry through the gate and the circumcision or the breaking of His seed in us to newness of Christ’s life restored to us again.)
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified (To extinguish and subdue selfishness.) with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
(See also: Gal 5:24 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Rom 6:4-7 “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory (power) of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. We have been united with Him in death like his; we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection (and regeneration in sanctification) like His. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. [And Col. 2:11-14, 3:10-11] For one who has died has been set free from sin.” Now listen carefully to the following.)
The Power of God
Romans 15:18-21 I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ; yes, making it my aim so to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation; but, as it is written, “They shall see, to whom no tidings of Him came, and they who have not heard shall understand.” [Is. 52:15, 65:1]
Galatians 1:10-12 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ. For I make known to you, as touching the Gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
1Corinthians 4:20 The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
Mark 10:27 Jesus looking upon them said, with men it is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God.
Wisdom of God decreed before the ages
Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. (When you have passed through death into life no one can take you out of His hand.)
1Samuel 3:1-10 The child Samuel ministered to Yehovah before Eli. The word of Yehovah was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. It came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see), and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of Yehovah, where the ark of God was; that Yehovah called Samuel; and he said, Here am I. He ran to Eli, and said, here am I; you called me. He said I called not; lie down again. He went and laid down. Yehovah called yet again, Samuel. Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, here am I; you called me. He answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know Yehovah, neither was the word of Yehovah yet revealed to him. Yehovah called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, here am I; you called me. Eli perceived that Yehovah had called the child. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, and lie down: and it shall be, if He calls you, that you shall say, Speak, Yehovah; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and laid down in his place. Yehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for your servant hears.
(As the Lord said those who have ears to hear and eyes to see shall become great in the Kingdom of God. Are you one of those?)
1Corinthians 3:6-9 I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase. Now he that plants and he that waters are one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow-workers: you are God's husbandry, God's building.
(This is not to acquire wealth as the false Christendom churches preach to their shame. But is rather for our spiritual learning and increase in knowledge as a new born Child of God. It is given to those who have entered the gate with the power to witness to the Truth of the power of God and the resurrection of Christ’s Spirit in them again.)
Acts 16:14 A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed to the things which were spoken by Paul.
2Corinthians 4:7-11 We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves; we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not to despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
(This is how we are to live in the regeneration as a spiritual person given wholly over to Christ, and hid in God after passing through the gate of death, to our bestial nature.)
2Corinthians 6:1-10 Working together with Him we entreat also that you receive not the Grace of God in vain (through His Gospel) (for he said, at an acceptable time I hearkened to you, and in a day of salvation did I succor you: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of redemption): giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed; but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching, in fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in long suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
(It is the power of God that opens to us the door to our regeneration in our redemption which leads to our hope of salvation from the world of sin and vile darkness.)
2Corinthians 5:16-17 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. (from this time forward) Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer (We’re not now resting on His earthly ministry to Israel with its miracles, Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s prayer or even the four gospels. We are on the resurrection side of His death, burial, and resurrection. Now it’s a whole new ball game. These now have no validity for us. Most do not want to talk about the Lord’s passion, shed blood, the sufferings of the cross, and not even the power of His resurrection. Because it is this power that changes lives, and they do not want that. They don’t know how to handle or apply it to themselves.). Therefore, if anyone is in Christ (In Christ is a prepositional phrase that places us INTO CHRIST), he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
1Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
(Adam was the federal head of the whole human race- -“even so In Christ shall all be made alive” Most do not capitalize on it, for the rest, what the finished work of the cross has done or is for them, they have to appropriate it by faith for themselves or it does not do them any good. To only see it as a historical fact or to believe that His was Jesus the son of man or even the Son of God does not change the person that you were and still are. Just as attending church does not make you a member of God’s family. It requires an action on your part and that action is the being willing to be willing to die or to put to death totally the self-will of your vanity of nature, which is enmity to God.)
For our Glory
Psalms 8:3-6 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained; what is man, that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man, that you visited him? You have made him but little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet.
2Corinthians 4:1-7, 10 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not: we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, which shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.
2Corinthians 4:10 …. always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.
Acts 14:22 …….. exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
Matthew 11:25-26 At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you did hide these things from the wise and understanding, and do reveal them to babes: yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.
1Peter 5:10 The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after that you have suffered a little while, shall Himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.
2Peter 1:2-4 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us by His own glory and virtue; whereby He has granted to us His precious and exceeding great promises; that through these we may become partakers of the divine nature (Gods righteousness and love, which desires mans return to Him, to be free from sin by being shown His righteousness, He makes us righteous again in order to have communion with Him.) having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust (deceit).
(Now I know that many of you have been told that we are to become wealthy in this worlds riches but here, if you are listening you can hear for your self what the word is revealing to you, in plan simple language. It even tells you that it is through the deceit of men under to rule of the spirit of the world that this kind of message is sent.)
The Lord of Glory
John 17:4-5, 20-24 I glorified you on the earth, having accomplished the work which you have given me to do. Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was. …… neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that you did send me. The glory which you have given me I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you did send me, and love them, even as you love me.
Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which you have given me: for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
(What Jesus could not say at this point was that we are in Him already called.)
Freely given Us by God
1 John 2:20, 27 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all the things……..As for you, the anointing which you received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any one teach you; but as His anointing teaches you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it (He) taught you, abide in Him.
Jeremiah 31:34 they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Yehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.
[This portion of this scripture is what is taking place because of the finished work of the cross of Christ, the first portion has been placed on hold for Israel that is up to the (;) mark. When God starts the tribulation of Israel after the spiritual Body of Christ is removed then the rest of this verse well also be experienced by Israel.]
John 6:44-48 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God. Every one that has heard from the Father, and has learned, comes to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, save he that is from God, he has seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say to you, He that believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life.
John 16:13-15 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things so ever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare to you the things that are to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. All things whatsoever the Father has are mine: therefore said “I that he takes of mine, and shall declare it unto you.”
Those who are Spiritual
Romans 4:13-18 For not through the law was the promise to Abram (Abraham) or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect: for the law works wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (those in faith as Abraham was) (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) before him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be (seed here speaks of faith {Matt. 13:31-32, 17:20; Luke. 13:19} not becoming a replacement theology for Israel).
(Those who trust God, that is take Him at His Word and do not look at what the natural things about them may reveal, but in faith take God’s required action these are the heirs. They will take the step of faith and pass through the gate of requirement.)
1Corinthians 1:17-21 Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void. For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning will I bring to naught. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.
2Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
The natural man can not know them
Romans 3:9-21(18) What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understands, there is none that seek after God; they have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not, so much as one: their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit: the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.
Now we know that what things so ever the law says, it speaks to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. (This ties well with 2 Corinthians 3:3-18 when you understand that the law in any form is an outward physical operation of our own sufficiency and the operation the God requires is in an obedience from the heart and inward operation and it is His doing, it is not of us.)
Psalms 36:1-4 The transgression of the wicked says within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, that his iniquity will not be found out and be hated. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he has ceased to be wise and to do good. He devises iniquity upon his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he abhors not evil.
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of Yehovah is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 16:4-7 Yehovah has made everything for its own end; Yes, even the wicked for the day of evil. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Yehovah: Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; and by the fear of Yehovah men depart from evil. When a man's ways please Yehovah, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Proverbs 23:6-7 Eat not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire his dainties: for as he thinks within himself, so is he: eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
Proverbs 23:8 The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
Proverbs 23:9 Speak not in the hearing of a fool; for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
Colossians 3:5-11 Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things' sake becomes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: wherein we also once walked, when we lived in these things; but now do you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: lie not one to another; seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, that is being renewed to knowledge after the image of Him that created Him: where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. (Here is shown the things of the flesh of natural man that are required to be put to death. Here to is the revealing of the knowledge of Him that is our hope and calling.)
They are Spiritual Judged
Luke 23:39-43 One of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, “Are not you the Christ? Save thyself and us.” The other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? We indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss.” He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” He said to him, “Verily I say to you, Today shall you be with me in Paradise.”
(The spiritual meaning here is that the Old Testament was ended in the natural man (Israel and the lost Gentiles) that railed at Him and the New Testament is seen in the man who expressed the spiritual (those who turn in to unite with Christ) that was to be with Him in paradise. Christ having been hanging between the two.)
Romans 8:5-8 They that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(For they that remain in the flesh are enemies of God and hostile to the blood and cross of Christ having unknowingly made it a mat beneath their feet. People do this by continuing to follow false doctrine and remaining in their religious institutions and denominationalism, thereby trusting in their own sufficiency.)
Colossians 3:1-11 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For you died, and your life is hid within Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall you also with Him be manifested in glory. Put to death therefore your members (the evil nature in fallen man) which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things' sake comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: wherein you also once walked, when you lived in these things; but now do we also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: lie not one to another; seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, that is being renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him that created him: where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. (Now I know that this is a repeat but that is how we learn.)
We have the Mind of Christ
John 15:14-15 You are my friends, if you do the things which I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.
John 17:22-24, 26 Jesus speaking His great Prayer “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. ------- I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Acts 14:22b “We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God."
God’s people have their trials. It was never designed by God, when He chose His people, that they should be an untried people. They were chosen in the furnace of affliction; they were never chosen to worldly peace and earthly joy. Freedom from sickness and the pains of mortality was never promised them; but when their Lord drew up the charter of privileges, He included chastisements amongst the things to which they should inevitably be heirs. Trials are a part of our lot; they were predestinated for us in Christ’s last legacy. As surely as the stars are fashioned by His hands, and their orbits fixed by Him, so surely are our trials allotted to us: He has preordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us. Good men must never expect to escape troubles; if they do, they will be disappointed, for none of their predecessors have been without them. Mark the patience of Job; remember Abraham, for he had his trials, and by his faith under them, he became the “Father of the faithful.” Note well the biographies of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and you shall discover none of those whom God made vessels of His Grace, who were not made to pass through the fire of affliction. It is ordained of old that the cross of trouble should be engraved on every vessel of Grace, as the royal mark whereby the Lord’s vessels of honor are distinguished. But although tribulation is thus the path of God’s children, they have the comfort of knowing that their Master has traversed it before them; they have His presence and sympathy to cheer them, His grace to support them, and His and Paul’s example to teach them how to endure; and when they reach “the Kingdom of God,” it will more than make amends for the “much tribulation” through which they passed to enter it.
Author F.B. Meyer found in the public domain.
Now we’ll move on into the Will of God in wisdom revealed in our next study. God requires us to know His Will in all things pertaining to life and our godliness in sanctification given to us freely by God in His finished work of the cross. This is putting us back into our original state in creation, which makes us sons of God again in union or reunited to Christ again in us and we in Him in the regeneration.
All scripture is from the KJV, Weymouth New Testament, American Standard and English Standard Versions of the Bible.
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