Written by Major W. Ian Thomas
Because spiritual Christians understand how all True Life and godliness needs to be received through a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by faith, they do not try to rule over others with their own will. There is only one Teacher and Leader in the Kingdom of God – the Lord Jesus Christ. While we will try to draw others into this same Spirit-directed and Spirit-empowered Life, we know that no real progress is made until the people we are leading have entered into their own Spirit-guided relationship in intimacy with God. “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith {in God} you stand firm.” (2 Cor. 1:24)
The true “religion” of the Bible is a life of Love that must be received from God through a supernatural work of His Spirit by dependent faith. The moment you begin to realize that God is the only source of Eternal Life {His Life of Divine Love}, you are left with no option but to find God, and to Know God, and to let God manifest His Spiritual Life through your mortal body as Jesus did.
We hope you have begun to realize that Christianity is not limited to having certain orthodox beliefs. “For the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” (1 Cor. 4:20) And without this power of God working through your life, you will never experience the indwelling Life of the Lord.
The most concerted efforts devoted to studying and obeying God’s Word will never produce the “Light of Life” from Heaven. Jesus explained this same lesson to some religious men in His day: “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have Life. (Eternal-Life Emphasis added)” (John 5:39-40)
Beware, lest even as a Christian you fall into Satan’s trap! You may have tried to receive Jesus as your Savior without permitting Him to take possession of you in the mystery of godliness. You may still be seeking to be godly by submitting to external rules and regulations. But, as Paul tried to explain to the Galatians and the Hebrews, it is not possible to be made complete in Love while you are still depending on human efforts to conform yourself to a religion of laws.
Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect {complete in self-sacrificing love} by the flesh? (Gal. 3:3; Heb 7:16-19)
…For if there had been a law given which could have given life {the Kingdom-Life of Divine Love}, truly righteousness would have been by the law. (Gal. 3:21; Heb 11:7)
Next we'll look at "Life from Above"
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