We have been looking at the Divine Promises of GOD and the Word of GOD being our portion of Divine Food. For us to receive of the full benefit of a renewed spirit and how to live daily in the Spirit of Faith, we will of necessity continue on this course of study. And as has become a norm I will again draw from the well of my E-Sword program and the pen of Pastor Hoekstra's writings on the Laws inability to Sanctify the soul of mans being. And will continue to use the ESV translation.
"The Inability of the Law to Sanctify"
"This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:2-3)
"The first question here in Galatians 3 again brings to mind issues of justification. "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?" We received the Holy Spirit of GOD to dwell in our lives when we were born again, when we became children of GOD, again. This is also when the LORD declared us Justified, Righteous in His sight.
How did the Spirit come to indwell within us? Was it by our performance, attempting to live up to the Law of God, given through Moses? No, it was "by the hearing of faith." We heard the good news that Christ died for our sins. We heard the Truth that Jesus in the flesh of man by (through) His own vicarious death could forgive us of our unrighteousness.
Faith was stirred in our hearts as we considered that grand message. In simple, humble faith, we asked the LORD Christ Jesus to come into our lives, to be our personal Savior. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of GOD, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).
The next two questions apply this same biblical reasoning to sanctification. "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" To think that we can advance the process of sanctification (that is, progressive transformation unto Christlikeness) by our own human resources (that is, by the flesh) is spiritual foolishness. By so attempting we remain blind and ignorant of the revelation of the Living Life giving Word which is the LORD Christ Jesus in His resurrected and ascended power now housed within our restored spirit.
What a staggering thought! Just as we could never secure justification by our own best efforts, so it is true that we can never increase personal sanctification by our own best efforts still. Yes, "The just shall live by faith," initially and continually!"
The Divinely Inspired Word:
Jeremiah 36:1-3 "In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."
Ezekiel 1:1-3 "In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of GOD. On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the LORD was upon him there."
Zechariah 7:8-14 "And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, "Thus says the LORD of Hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart." But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the Law and the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts. "As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear," says the LORD of Hosts, "and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate."
Acts 1:15-26 "In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry." (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) "For it is written in the Book of Psalms, "'May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it'; and "'Let another take his office.' So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when He was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to His resurrection." And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, "You, LORD, Who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two You have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles."
Acts 28:23-28 "When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: "'Go to this people, and say, "You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive." For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.' Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of GOD has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen."
2Timothy 3:10-17 "You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the LORD rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from Whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. For All Scripture is breathed out by GOD and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of GOD may be complete, equipped for every good work."
Revelation 14:9-13 "Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of GOD's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of His anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name." Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of GOD and their faith in Christ Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the LORD from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"
I could travel on to Inspiration but I will leave that for another time.
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