I am looking at Wisdom and Knowledge from GODS angle as it is the most important of all. Yesterday I looked at Discernment which many confuse as judgment because they lack understanding and knowledge of GOD. Today I was going to look into Spiritual Perception but will hold off on that to look at Dullness instead as it is condemned, what drew me to this was what I stated above, the lack of understanding. But before I do I will turn again to Pastor Hoekstra and his writing on Grace. And then I will use the ESV translation with the LORDS help to look at mans Dullness and as usual when the LORD gives me utterance I will put it in.
"Living Letters of Christ"
"You are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the Living GOD, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." (2Corinthians 3:3)
"Another significant characteristic resulting from living by Grace is that we become Living letters of Christ. "You are manifestly an epistle (enjoined: to direct with emphasis as a letter) of Christ." The LORD wants to turn our lives into a "walking and talking letter of Him." He wants to make us a living explanation of Who Christ is and all that He offers. What a great opportunity this presents. As we go about our daily responsibilities, others are often "reading our lives." While they are observing us, they can actually be learning of the Truth and Love of our LORD, Christ Jesus, as He is working in and through our lives. Although this may sound like too much to hope for, the LORD declares or decrees in His word that this process can become very clear to those who are watching us: "You are manifestly [that is, "to be plainly recognized as"] an epistle of Christ."
Remember, this is what is available for all of us not only "ministers [i.e., servants] of the New Covenant" (2Corinthians 3:6). This is what happens in those who live by the Grace of GOD. We are all to be and be conscious of this fact as both servants of GOD in Christ but also our fellow man while we out His life here and Now. This is something that GOD does in us, not something we manufacture for Him. Certainly, people are involved in the process. We become fully engaged by humbly and dependently seeking after the LORD (the hidden question of Matthew 11:29 and our receiving of His yoke) who wants to work in us. Others also get involved by ministering to us. "You are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us." Paul had ministered GOD's Truth to the saints at Corinth. Yet, these Living letters of Christ were not being written by ink, as ordinary letters would be. GOD in Christ leaves and indelible make upon and in us, "You are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the Living GOD." GOD, in the Holy Spirit is at work writing the letters that our and their lives were becoming.
Notice where the LORD is inscribing these Living letters: "not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is to say, on the heart." The old covenant message of law was written on stones. The New Covenant message of Grace and Truth is written on the hearts of all who will walk in humble dependency upon GOD being restored within them (John 17's prayer is answered in stark reality within us). This heavenly work changes us from the inside out, making us Living letters, epistles of Christ!"
Dullness Condemned:
Psalm 92:5-9 and Isaiah 44:19, Ezekiel 12:2 "How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep! The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but You, O LORD, are on high forever. For behold, Your enemies, O LORD, for behold, Your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered."
Isaiah 44:18-20 "They know not, nor do they discern, for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"
Ezekiel 12:1-7 "The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place (2Corinthians 6:11-13, 14-7:1, 2-4) to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who must go into exile. In their sight dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it. In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk. You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel." And I did as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight."
Luke 12:54-57 "Jesus also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A shower is coming.' And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but Why do you not know how to interpret the present time? "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?"
John 8:39-46, 47 "They answered Jesus with, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from GOD. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did." They said to Him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God." Jesus said to them, "If GOD were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from GOD and I am here. I came not of My own accord, but HE sent Me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear (understand or perceive) to hear My words. Therefore you are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no Truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the Truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I tell the Truth, why do you not believe Me?
Whoever is of GOD hears the words of GOD. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of GOD."
Romans 3:9-18 "What then? Are we Jews (this is religious economic politically correct and not the Hebrews) any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both (elitist) Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for GOD. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of GOD before their eyes."
Hebrews 5:9-10, 11-6:8 "Being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by GOD a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
"This we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of GOD. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward GOD, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of GOD and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of GOD to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from GOD. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned."
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