WHERE TRANSCENDENT WISDOM MEETS HUMAN INTELLIGENCE
( note 1 )
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches. 1 Corinthians 2:13
We speak wisdom…. Not the wisdom of this world…. But the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: because if they knew: for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2: 6-10.
However when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth and he will show you things to come John 16:13-14
But the comforter, who is the Holy Spirit and whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things. John 14:26
You have an unction from the Holy One and you know all
things…..1John 2:20
…. the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. ” 1 John 2:27.
These Holy Scriptures are powerful and truth. The active particpation of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives is real. Make no mistake you matter to God. He loves you and wants to be actively involved in every aspect of your life for you to have a more fulfilled and complete life in and for and through Him.
What these scripture truths tell us is that we have an anointing, directly from God himself. (note 2) What was once only reserved for Priests and some Prophets before Jesus Christ came and dwelt among man as fully God and fully man is now ours (belongs to us) and is freely given to us in the here and now because of and through the new covenant (note 3) which is God’s contractual guarantee with mankind as paid for in full by Jesus Christ on the cross.
I’ve been compelled to ask myself, “What’s the significance of divine wisdom that comes to our human level of intelligence? And God through His Holy Spirit revealed to my understanding as follows: (note 4)
“The unimaginable freedom from the bondage of vain attempts to please man and God through law-keeping: Freedom from the slavery of RELIGION; i.e. to Satan. Make no mistake, Satan nourishes and flourishes in religion and in demanding adherence to keeping moral statutes and building FAITH through works (our own works) and not by grace (by God). (note 5).
We often think of the Devil only promoting evil or bad things. So how could doing good or trying to do good by following laws be bad? It’s not bad within the context of the morality of good as in good vs evil, but the evil in doing good things by adhereing to and following moral laws, or doing anything, in our own effort to please man instead of God or pleasing God through our good deeds and vain attempts to follow moral codes and laws is a vain attempt to negate, eliminates the purpose of Jesus Christ’s mission (note 6). To deny the mission of Christ is to deny Jesus and this is the Spirit of the Anti-Christ, hence the quintisential form of the Devil himself.
Trying to do good and those who are doing good through their own acts of Righteousness or good deeds (doing and adhering to Moral laws) is called Self-Righteousness. God considers Self-Righteousness just as evil as Un-Righteousness. In fact God even compares Self-Righteousness to filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6)The standards of holiness and righteousness that God demands of his children is absolutely impossible for us to attain and live by.
So how do we get right with God; i.e., how are we justified and made and become holy; i.e., sanctified? How do we become righteous? The answer is: JESUS CHRIST. Jesus said clearly that He and he alone was the only way, the truth and the life and that no one can come to God except by Him. We accept him and believe in Jesus Christ and live by faith and trust in him alone and not on our own abilities to please God.
This gives us great freedom to serve God and man without the bondage of Religion and listening to preachers and priests telling us what we should and shouldn’t do. Or following a preacher, pastor or priest as if he were some god or our idol. If becoming righteous is by keeping the law and doing good works according to the law then Jesus Christ came and died for us in vain (Galatians 2:21)
This is why God through Jesus Christ has freely given us His Holy Spirit to work in us to do God’s will; to teach us, guide us, minister to us, and the list goes on forever. We MUST listen to and learn from the Holy Spirit in order to grow and mature and become everything God wants from us. Sure the Devil can decieve believers by misguiding them and this is why we must test all with the Holy Scriptures.
For example if by asking God to lead you and you know the Holy Spirit is directing you in some area that is not giving your heart peace; i.e. your conscience is not at ease and it may be something that is contrary to the Holy scriptures then this is not of the Holy Spirit, but of the Devil. This is why the Holy Scriptures teaches us to test all spirits. (note 7 )
We DO NOT need a priest or a pastor or any “holy, religious” figure or vicar to anoint or spoon feed us as to what is and what isn’t right. WE DO NOT NEED for religious figures to give us or tell us ANYTHING that is related to what God wants for us to know, because, we have the anointing, the unction from God himself. (note 8)
Ceremonies and prayer and preaching from believers and our pastors or priests is approved in the scripture, but it IS NOT A REQUIREMENT for us to be blessed or receive “whatever” God wants us to receive ALL ranging from wisdom, knowledge, understanding, insight, guidance, power, supernatural ability to see and interpret visions and dreams and the list becomes infinite. We can get; i.e. receive freely by simply believing by faith we’ve received it when we accepted Jesus as our savior and were born again. (note 9)
I’m not advocating anti-church attendance, God forbid. We need to be in the body of Christ and listening to Godly men of God preach to us and Godly men and women of God to teach us and prophecy and exhort and correct us. But today the body of Christ has become sheep who follow this pastor or that pastor who literally becomes their own conscience. God forbid.
There are too many believers today who are caught up into the false assumption that their family or friends or family priest or pastor to can put them or has placed them into a right standing with God and to speak to and listen to what God has to say to them… THIS IS DEAD WRONG! THIS IS A LIE FROM THE PITS OF HELL!
I am not and you, believer, are not kept by the power of your pastor or mother. You are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:5)
JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY TRUE SHEPARD OF THE SHEEP. When Jesus left and returned to heaven he told his believers, “I’m going to leave you the comforter the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them that the Holy Spirit would not only comfort them but teach them in all things. St. Paul goes into detail about the Holy Spirit as our teacher. And St. Paul learned more than anyone ever did learn about Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit and NOT by some Religious Leader..
How, I wondered does this deliver us from bondage?
Again the unction from the Holy One revealed to me: The answer in short again is: JESUS CHRIST. To explain JESUS would take the universe and eternity, but he being so profoundly infinite is also so simple a child can understand. For me personally Jesus revealed to me through “the unction from the Holy One”Isaiah 61, and Luke 4:18.. After Jesus came back from the wilderness he opened the scriptures and read aloud: ” THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PREACH DELIVERANCE, TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERING OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, AT TO SET AT LIBERTY THEM THAT ARE BRUISED………
And after reading this script, Jesus closed the scroll and the people in the synagogue were amazed. But when Jesus said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your ears.” They were filled with WRATH and drug him out and tried to throw him off a cliff……
These religious church folk were filled with emotional amazement in one moment and then turned to rage when their RELIGION was threatened.
How can you and I get and keep this treasure of Divine Wisdom from God to GUIDE and DIRECT every aspect of our lives?
By being born again (John 3:16) (note 8) and asking for and believing God will give us what he has promised. Philippians 4:6 tells us not to worry but to ask and pray and give God our requests. James 1:5-6 tells us that if we lack wisdom we are to ask God and believe in faith that he will answer us. Unfortunately this is often a major stumbling block for many because it seems foolish and illogical.
I believe there are three (3) methods(note 10) based on the Trinity (primarily in the function as a witness) (note 11) that we need to grow by:
1: Reading and meditation upon the holy scriptures (The Holy Bible) using the Logos (note 12 ) (written word of God as given to His servants) 2: The Rhema (note 13) (the personal understanding given specifically to each believer as revealed from the Holy Spirit . 3: through the Spirit of Truth teaching us and talking to us in our everday lives. The Spirit of Truth is the Holy Spirit. (note 14 ) …
Yes, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit we believers are under God’s divine teaching that we may not run away from our duty, nor be led aside by treachery of our own heart. We need not only God’s Power to put us in a state of grace but to keep us in it. We receive that grace by faith; i.e., believing that God has promised us this and he’s doing that work in us. ( note 15)
Dear fellow believers, I ask our heavenly father in Jesus’ holy name that we take our anointing we’re blessed with and do the bidding of our Lord, Savior and Master as our Master did in Luke 4:62…
In closing….. I wonder what will the Holy Spirit reveal to you personally dear believer as you meditate on His word?
God Bless you,
In His Love
NOTES:
Note 1:
Transcendent Wisdom:
Wisdom that goes far beyond ordinary limits
Wisdom is basically the ‘RIGHT’ application of knowledge in everyday life.
Transcendent is somethng that goes FAR beyond ordinary limits. I use this to mean divine wisdom or the wisdom of God. I.E., supreme intelligence, such as belongs to God: Rev. vii. 12, also to Christ, exalted to God’s right hand, Rev. v. 12; the wisdom of God as evinced in forming and executing his counsels, Ro. xi. 33; with the addition of τοῦ θεοῦ, as manifested in the formation and government of the world, and to the Jews, moreover, in the Scriptures, 1 Co. i. 21; it is called πολυποίκιλος from the great variety of ways and methods by which he devised and achieved salvation through Christ, Eph. iii. 10. In the noteworthy pass. Lk. xi. 49 (where Christ ascribes to “the wisdom of God” what in the parallel, Mt. xxiii. 34, he utters himself), the words ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ εἶπεν seem to denote the wisdom of God which is operative and embodied as it were in Jesus, so that the primitive Christians, when to comfort themselves under persecution they recalled the saying of Christ, employed that formula of quotation [cf. 1 Co. i. 24, 30, etc.]; but Luke, in ignorance of this fact, took the phrase for a part of Christ’s saying. So Eusebius (h. e. 3, 32, 8), perhaps in the words of Hegesippus, calls those who had personally heard Christ οἱ αὐταῖς ἀκοαῖς τῆς ἐνθέου σοφίας ἐπακοῦσαι κατηξιωμένοι; cf. Grimm in the Stud. u. Krit. for 1853. p. 332 sqq. [For other explanations of the phenomenon, see the Comm. on Lk. l. c. Cf. Schürer, Zeitgesch. § 33, V. 1 and reff.]*
[Syn.: on the relation of σοφία to γνῶσις see γνῶσις, fin. “While σοφ. is “mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense” (Aristot. eth. Nic. 6, 7), σύνεσις and φρόνησις are both derivative and special,—applications of σοφία to details: ούν.. critical, apprehending the bearing of things, φρόν. practical, suggesting lines of action” (Bp. Lghtft. on Col. i. 9); but cf. Meyer on Col. l. c.; Schmidt, ch. 13 § 10; ch. 147 § 8. See σοφός, fin.]) (SOURCE: GREEKLEXICON)
Additional notes on Wisdom: In the old testament of the Bible the Hebrew transliteration for wisdom is: chokmah
a) skill (in war)
b) wisdom (in administration)
c) shrewdness, wisdom
d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)
e) wisdom (ethical and religious)
Applied scripture:
Exodus 31:3: And I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship ……
Samples of New Testament verses on Wisdom: Greek transliteration of wisdom is Sophia.
SOPHIA
a) the wisdom which belongs to men
1) spec. the varied knowledge of things human and divine, acquired by acuteness and experience, and summed up in maxims and proverbs
2) the science and learning
3) the act of interpreting dreams and always giving the sagest advice
4) the intelligence evinced in discovering the meaning of some mysterious number or vision
5) skill in the management of affairs
6) devout and proper prudence in intercourse with men not disciples of Christ, skill and discretion in imparting Christian truth
7) the knowledge and practice of the requisites for godly and upright living
b) supreme intelligence, such as belongs to God
1) to Christ
2) the wisdom of God as evinced in forming and executing counsels in the formation and government of the world and the scriptures
Acts 6:10: And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.
Acts 6:3: … being full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom.
Acts 7:10 …and God gave him favor and wisdom….
Luke 11:49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God….
Additional notes on wisdom as relating to Holy Scripture:
Lk. ii. 40, 52; spec. the varied knowledge of things human and divine, acquired by acuteness and experience, and summed up in maxims and proverbs, as was ἡ σοφία τοῦ Σολομῶνος, Mt. xii. 42; Lk. xi. 31; the science and learning τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, Acts vii. 22 [cf. W. 227 (213) n.; B. § 134, 6]; the art of interpreting dreams and always giving the sagest advice, Acts vii. 10; the intelligence evinced in discovering the meaning of some mysterious number or vision, Rev. xiii. 18; xvii. 9; skill in the management of affairs, Acts vi. 3; a devout and proper prudence in intercourse with men not disciples of Christ, Col. iv. 5; skill and discretion in imparting Christian truth, Col. i. 28; iii. 16; [2 Pet. iii. 15]; the knowledge and practice of the requisites for godly and upright living, Jas. i. 5; iii. 13, 17; with which σοφία ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη is put in contrast the σοφία ἐπίγειος, ψυχική, δαιμονιώδης, such ass the craftiness of envious and quarrelsome men. Jas. iii. 15, or σαρκικὴ σοφία (see σαρκικός, 1), craftiness, 2 Co. i. 12 (for the context shows that it does not differ essentially from the πανουργία of iv. 2; in Grk. writ. alsoσοφία is not infreq. used of shrewdness and cunning; cf. Passow [or L. and S.] s. v. 2); the knowledge and skill in affairs requisite for the successful defence of the Christian cause against hostile accusations, Lk. xxi. 15; an acquaintance with divine things and human duties, joined to a power of discoursing concerning them and of interpreting and applying sacred Scripture, Mt. xiii. 54; Mk. vi. 2; Acts vi. 10; the wisdom or instruction with which John the Baptist and Jesus taught men the way to obtain salvation, Mt. xi. 19; Lk. vii. 35, (on these pass. see δικαιόω, 2). In Paul’s Epp.: a knowledge of the divine plan, previously hidden, of providing salvation for men by the expiatory death of Christ, 1 Co. i. 30; ii.6; Eph. i. 8 [W. 111 (105 sq.)]; hence all the treasures of wisdom are said to be hidden in Christ, Col. ii. 3; w. the addition of θιοῦ (gen. of the author), 1 Co. i. 24; ii. 7; πνευματική, Col. i. 9; πνεῦμα σοφίας κ. ἀποκαλύψεως, Eph. i. 17; λόγος σοφίας, the ability to discourse eloquently of this wisdom, 1 Co. xii. 8; opposed to this wisdom is — the empty conceit of wisdom which men make a parade of, a knowledge more specious than real of lofty and hidden subjects: such as the theosophy of certain Jewish Christians, Col. ii. 23; the philosophy of the Greeks, 1 Co. i. 21 sq.; ii. 1; with τοῦ κόσμου added, 1 Co. i. 20; iii. 19; τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, 1 Co. ii. 6; τῶν σοφῶν, 1 Co. i. 19; ἀνθρώπων, 1 Co. ii. 5, (in each of these last pass. the word includes also the rhetorical art, such as is taught in the schools), cf. Fritzsche, Rom. vol. i. p. 67 sq.; σοφίατοῦ λόγου, the wisdom which shows itself in speaking [R. V. wisdom of words], the art of the rhetorician, 1 Co. i. 17; λόγοι (ἀνθρωπίνης [so R in vs. 4 (all txts. in 13)]) σοφίας, discourse conformed to philosophy and the art of rhetoric, 1 Co. ii. 4, 13.
Note 2:
(Greek Lexicon; greekwordstudy.com) Unction = anointing; i.e. a rubbing ; ie: to treat a surface with a substance applied by means of friction and pressure. to bring into contact with another body or surface by means of friction accompanied with pressure. to apply ointment by means of rubbing…..anything smeared on or rubbed in (referring to the OT practice and reminding of the calling or rank) the anointing, which was emblematic of the Spirit descending and abiding upon, as was afterwards the laying on of hands. . Spoken of the anointing of saints now, as holy and royal priests (1Pe 2:9), (this specific meaning occurs only in 1Jo 2:27). usually prepared by the Hebrews from oil and aromatic herbs. Anointing was the inaugural ceremony for priests (Ex. xxviii. 37; xl. 13 (15); Lev. vi. 22; Num. xxxv. 25), kings (1 S. ix. 16; x. 1; xv. 1; xvi. 3, 13), and sometimes also prophets (1 K. xix. 16 cf. Is. lxi. 1), and by it they were regarded as endued with the Holy Spirit and divine gifts (1 S. xvi. 13; Is. lxi. 1; Joseph. antt. 6, 8, 2 πρὸς τὸν Δαυΐδην— when anointed by Samuel—μεταβαίνει τὸ θεῖον καταλιπὸν Σάουλον• καὶ ὁ μὲν προφητεύειν ἤρξατο, τοῦ θείου πνεύματος εἰς αὐτὸν μετοικισαμένου); [see BB. DD. s. vv. Ointment, Anointing]. Hence in 1 Jn. ii. 20 (where ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου is so used as to imply that this χρίσμα renders them ἁγίους [cf. Westcott ad loc.]) and 27, τὸχρίσμα is used ofthe gift of the Holy Spirit, as the efficient aid in getting a knowledge of the truth; see χρίω. (Xen., Theophr.,Diod., Philo, al.; for מִשְׁחָה, Ex. xxix. 7; xxx. 25; xxxv. 14; xl. 7 (9).)*
Note 3:
covenant / ˈkʌv ə nənt / noun
a legal agreement in which someone promises to pay a person or organization an amount of money regularly → endowment ; to give a dowry (a dowry: money the wife brings to the husband in marriage, the portion given with the wife. i believe as given to me by the Holy Spirit that there is a direct tie-in with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb when the Bride (the church) is united with the Groom (Jesus) ) (Revelation 19:7). What happens is we are given a DOWRY a tremendous gift that is beyond our human ability to understand this is DOWRY is the gift of the New Covenant which is in fact JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF… In other words, we are given the promise that we’re united by faith with Christ and will actually (by faith) we will literally be united with him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb at the end of time as we know it, to enrich with property, provide permanent income, to invest with a priviledge, A property with which a person is enriched. the new covenant is the final covenant which God has made with mankind. This is covenant is: JESUS CHRIST. There were several old covenants: with Adam, (Genesis 1) Noah (Genesis 6), Abram (Gen 12), moses (Exodus 3), David (2 Samuel 7) But the new covenant which was promised thousands of years before Christ was born as man and God, was to fulfill and expand all previous covenants as perfect and complete. The absolute promise to fulfill all…(Matthew 26:26)
Jesus Christ is able, and fit, and every way qualified, to reveal the will of God to us; for it is he that came down from heavenand is in heaven. He had said (v. 12), How shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? Now here, 1. He gives them an instance of those heavenly things which he could tell them of, when he tells them of one that came down from heaven, and yet is the Son of man; is theSon of man, and yet is in heaven. If the regeneration of the soul of man is such a mystery, what then is the incarnation of the Son of God?These are divine and heavenly things indeed. We have here an intimation of Christ’s two distinct natures in one person: his divine nature, in which he came down from heaven; his human nature, in which he is the Son of man; and that union of those two, in that while he is the Son of man yet he is in heaven. 2. He gives them a proof of his ability to speak to them heavenly things, and to lead them into the arcana of the kingdom of heaven, by telling them, (1.) That he came down from heaven. The intercourse settled between God and man began above; the first motion towards it did not arise from this earth, but came down from heaven. We love him, and send to him, because he first loved us, and sent to us. Now this intimates, [1.] Christ’s divine nature. He that came down from heaven is certainly more than a mere man; he is the Lord from heaven, 1 Co. 15:47. [2.] His intimate acquaintance with the divine counsels; for, coming from the court of heaven, he had been from eternity conversant with them. [3.] The manifestation of God. Under the Old Testament God’s favours to his people are expressed by his hearing from heaven (2 Chr. 7:14),looking from heaven (Ps. 80:14), speaking from heaven (Neh. 9:13), sending from heaven, Ps. 57:3. But the New Testament shows us Godcoming down from heaven, to teach and save us. That he thusdescended is an admirable mystery, for the Godhead cannot change places, nor did he bring his body from heaven; but that he thuscondescended for our redemption is a more admirable mercy; herein he commended his love. (2.) That he is the Son of man, that Son of man spoken of by Daniel (7:13), by which the Jews always understand to be meant the Messiah. Christ, in calling himself the Son of man, shows that he is the second Adam, for the first Adam was the father of man.And of all the Old-Testament titles of the Messiah he chose to make use of this, because it was most expressive of his humility, and most agreeable to his present state of humiliation. (blueletter bible.com matthew henry commentary)
Note 4:
Please understand that each of us has a different understanding of the significance of these scriptures as the Lord leads us. I’m sharing my views of what I consider by faith to be Divine Wisdom imparted to my human mind regarding these scriptures. I ask you pray and seek divine understanding in each aspect of your life.
Note 5:
Justification by faith alone and not by works> Justification basically means to be in good standing with God. Down deep we are born with a conscience that knows right from wrong. We know we need to be right with God and without allowing and accepting to believe that Jesus Christ accomplished the impossible task of living a perfect life and was later punished by the cruel death of crucifixion for the purpose of paying the price for ALL the sins of ALL mankind. (the wages of sin is death Romans 6:23.). We can not do this by our trying to follow rules, laws and being good people who are found pleasing in the church leaders eyes. In this condition we’re as sinful and as wrong as the unrighteous people. For self-righteousness is as filthy as unrighteousness in God’s eyes. (Faith through grace and Not by works means that God sees us as good in his eyes by what Jesus Christ did for us and NOT by what we do through our religious activity to try and replace Jesus. How do we get this Justification? We get it through faith; i.e. believing in Jesus Christ and believing that it is impossible for us to be holy and right without Jesus.
Some may think I’m promoting license to do as one pleases to sin and say, “Oh I can live as I please because Jesus has saved me and I’m saved by and live by grace and not works. As St. Paul said in Romans 6:15: shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
We must know here that this subject of faith vs works is at the heart of Christianities foundation which again is Christ Jesus. Going back to the first century Christians St. Paul struggled to teach others of the need to rely on Christ and not on their own ability to keep the law and follow religion. Paul goes into great detail throughout the Bible to teach this. In Galatians Chapter 4: 22-26 he gives a brilliant (as from the anointing from the Holy Spirit) allegory of Abrahams two sons, one from a bondwoman (bondage to the law) and the other to a free woman (promise/faith) freedom from the law by God’s grace as given to us from Jesus Christ. Take note of an excerpt from, “John Bunyon’s Pilgrims Progress” introduction page 23: “Like Paul and Bunyon, (Martin) Luther spent many years in vain attempting to achieve righteousness through obedience to the law in its civil, moral and ceremonial guises. The Reformation began with his realization that is WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP, and that justification before God could be attained ONLY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.”
Note 6:
Christ’s mission is to save mankind from eternal damnation. To fulfill God’s will before the foundation of the world God planned for his son to be the perfect sacrifice to pay the price for sin. The plan was set into motion the moment Adam and Eve sinned and were banished from the Garden of Eden when God spoke this words to Satan disguised as a serpant. “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between her seed and your seed; it shall bruise your head and you will bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15. God was referring to Jesus coming to defeat Satan and his works. This was accomplished some 4,000 years later when Jesus was born by virgin birth. By becoming man and taking on sin and then dying on the cross Christ gave us our salvation from eternal damnation and separation from God. This mission is brilliantly explained by Christ himself as was foretold by the prophet Isaiah thousands of years before Christ (Isaiah 61) and was fulfilled by Christ literally in Luke 4:18: After Jesus came back from the wilderness he opened the scriptures and read aloud: ” THE SPIRIT OF THE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PREACH DELIVERANCE, TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERING OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, AT TO SET AT LIBERTY THEM THAT ARE BRUISED……… Please understand that when we try to do good things by adhereing to and following moral laws, or doing anything, in our own effort to please man instead of God or trying to please God through our good deeds and vain attempts to follow moral codes and laws is a vain attempt to eliminate the purpose of Jesus Christ’s mission..
Note 7:
That is why we are to test all spirits. PROVE ALL THINGS. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) (The revelation of the Holy Spirit sensed by our spirit must coincide with the revelation of the Holy pirit in scripture (Watchman Nee, “The Spiritual Man”)
Note 8:
The reproof which Christ gave him (the bible scholar) for his dulness and ignorance:“Art thou a master in Israel, Didaskalos—a teacher, a tutor, one who sits in Moses’s chair, and yet not only unacquainted with the doctrine of regeneration, but incapable of understanding it?’’ This word is a reproof, [1.] To those who undertake to teach others and yet are ignorant and unskilful in the word of righteousness themselves. [2.] To those that spend their time in learning and teaching notions and ceremonies in religion, niceties and criticisms in the scripture, and neglect that which is practical and tends to reform the heart and life. Two words in the reproof are very emphatic:—First, The place where his lot was cast: in Israel, where there was such great plenty of the means of knowledge, where divine revelation was. He might have learned this out of the Old Testament. Secondly, The things he was thus ignorant in: these things, these necessary things, there greatthings, these divine things; had he never read Ps. 50:5, 10; Eze. 18:31; 36:
Note 9:
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON AND THAT WHOEVER BELIEVED ON HIM WOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. John 3:16; First, Here is God’s love in giving his Son for the world (v. 16), where we have three things:—1. The great gospel mystery revealed: God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son. The love of God the Father is the original of our regeneration by the Spirit and our reconciliation by the lifting up of the Son. Note, (1.) Jesus Christ is theonly-begotten Son of God. This magnifies his love in giving him for us, in giving him to us; now know we that he loves us, when he has given his only-begotten Son for us, which expresses not only his dignity in himself, but his dearness to his Father; he was always his delight. (2.) In order to the redemption and salvation of man, it pleased God to give his only-begotten Son. He not only sent him into the world with full and ample power to negotiate a peace between heaven and earth, but hegave him, that is, he gave him up to suffer and die for us, as the great propitiation or expiatory sacrifice. It comes in here as a reason why hemust be lifted up; for so it was determined and designed by the Father, who gave him for this purpose, and prepared him a body in order to it. His enemies could not have taken him if his Father had notgiven him. Though he was not yet crucified, yet in the determinate counsel of God he was given up, Acts 2:23. Nay, further, God has given him, that is, he has made an offer of him, to all, and given him to all true believers, to all the intents and purposes of the new covenant. He has given him to be our prophet, a witness to the people, the high priest of our profession, to be our peace, to be head of the church and head over all things to the church, to be to us all we need. (3.) Herein God has commended his love to the world: God so loved the world, so really, so richly. Now his creatures shall see that he loves them, and wishes them well. He so loved the world of fallen man as he did not love that of fallen angels; see Rom. 5:8; 1 Jn. 4:10. Behold, and wonder, that the great God should love such a worthless world! That the holy God should love such a wicked world with a love of good will, when he could not look upon it with any complacency. This was a time of love indeed, Eze. 16:6, 8. The Jews vainly conceited that the Messiah should be sent only in love to their nation, and to advance them upon the ruins of their neighbours; but Christ tells them that he came in love to the whole world, Gentiles as well as Jews, 1 Jn. 2:2. Though many of the world of mankind perish, yet God’s giving his only-begotten Son was an instance of his love to the whole world, because through him there is a general offer of life and salvation made to all. It is love to the revolted rebellious province to issue out a proclamation of pardon and indemnity to all that will come in, plead it upon their knees, and return to their allegiance. So far God loved the apostate lapsed world that he sent his Son with this fair proposal, thatwhosoever believes in him, one or other, shall not perish. Salvationhas been of the Jews, but now Christ is known as salvation to the ends of the earth, a common salvation. 2. Here is the great gospel duty,and that is to believe in Jesus Christ (Whom God has thus given, givenfor us, given to us), to accept the gift, and answer the intention of the giver. We must yield an unfeigned assent and consent to the record God hath given in his word concerning his Son. God having given him to us to be our prophet, priest, and king, we must give up ourselves to be ruled, and taught, and saved by him. 3. Here is the great gospel benefit: That whosoever believes in Christ shall not perish. This he had said before, and here repeats it. It is the unspeakable happiness of all true believers, for which they are eternally indebted to Christ, (1.) That they are saved from the miseries of hell, delivered fromgoing down to the pit; they shall not perish. God has taken away their sin, they shall not die; a pardon is purchased, and so the attainder is reversed. (2.) They are entitled to the joys of heaven: they shall have everlasting life. The convicted traitor is not only pardoned, but preferred, and made a favourite, and treated as one whom the King of kings delights to honour. Out of prison he comes to reign, Eccl. 4:14. If believers, then children; and, if children, then heirs.(BLUELETTERBIBLE. COMMENT BY MATTHEW HENRY)
By believing in Jesus Christ simply stated is to be born again. There are more defined and detailed analysis:
Question: “What does it mean to be a born again Christian?”
Answer:
What does it mean to be a born again Christian? The classic passage from the Bible that answers this question is John 3:1-21. The Lord Jesus Christ is talking to Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (a ruler of the Jews). Nicodemus had come to Jesus at night. Nicodemus had questions to ask Jesus.
As Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He said, “’I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:3-7).
The phrase “born again” literally means “born from above.” Nicodemus had a real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation. New birth, being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4, 18). John 1:12,13 indicates that “born again” also carries the idea “to become children of God” through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.
The question logically comes, “Why does a person need to be born again?” The Apostle Paul inEphesians 2:1 says, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” (NKJV). To the Romans in Romans 3:23, the Apostle wrote, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So, a person needs to be born again in order to have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.
How does that come to be? Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” When one is “saved,” he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is what it means to be “born again” spiritually. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
If you have never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, will you consider the prompting of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to your heart? You need to be born again. Will you pray the prayer of repentance and become a new creation in Christ today? “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13).
If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and be born again, here is a sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. “God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness—the gift of eternal life! Amen!”
http://www.gotquestions.org/born-again.html
Note 10:
METHOD: the way, the approach to obtain an object; a way of doing anything according to a defined plan. The word method is of great importance because the way God does things is not by chance but rather a definite purpose and plan. To do > to execute > to accomplish > to fulfill > to achieve >
Note 11:
The Holy Trinity: . God the father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. In all their activities the Three are inseparably One. Everything is of the Father, everything is in the Son, everything is through the Spirit.
As a witness: There are numerous references in the Holy Scriptures where the Holy Trinity witnesses one for the other. Here are a few: God the Father was a witness to his son Jesus when Jesus was baptized: And when the people were baptized then Jesus was baptized and when the prayed the heaven opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, “this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21,22) Jesus the Son was a witness to His Father when he said, “If God were your Father, you would love me; for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.” (John 8:42) Jesus bears witness of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit of Jesus: Jesus spoke: “When the Comforter (Holy Spirit) is come, who I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father he shall testify of me.”(John 15:26,27)
In the Epistles the three Persons are constantly named together, so that in each activity of grace all three together have a share in it. God is triune; but in everything that He does, and at all times, the Three are One. This is in entire agreement with what we see in nature. A trinity is found in everything. There is the hidden, inner nature; the outward form; and the effect. It is not otherwise in the Godhead. The Father is the eternal being—I AM—the hidden foundation of all things, and fountain of all life. The Son is the outward form, the express image, the revelation of God. The Spirit is the executive power of the Godhead. The nature of the hidden unity is revealed and made known in the Son, and that is imparted to us and is experienced by us through the agency of the Spirit. In all Their activities the Three are inseparably One. The Sprinkling of Blood, and the Trinity
Andrew Murray
Note 12: :
Logos:
The primary meaning of logos is: something said; by implication a subject, topic of discourse, or reasoning.
The personified expression of God. There is one God who revealed himself through Jesus Christ His son who is His word proceeding from silence without an oral pronouncement in a transcendent manner.
Logos is a communication Logos is usually translated as “the Word” in English Bibles such as the KJV.
Hence, used of the 2nd person of the blessed Trinity, because as the word spoken manifests the invisible thought; so He manifests to us the invisible Deity and Godhead.
[As λόγος (logos 3056) is the embodiment and outward expression of the invisible thought, so the 2nd person manifests the invisible Deity, and is said to be. “God manifest in the flesh” (1Ti 3:16); “the express image of His person” (Heb 1:3); “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15).
λόγος (logos, 3056), -ου, ὁ, (λέγω), [fr. Hom. down], Sept. esp. for דָּבָר, also for אֹמֶר and מִלָּה; prop. a collecting, collection, (see λέγω), — and that, as well of those things which are put together in thought, as of those which, having been thought i. e. gathered together in the mind, are expressed in words. Accordingly, a twofold use of the term is to be distinguished: one which relates to speaking, and one which relates to thinking.
Gordon Clark (1902 – 1985), a Calvinist theologian and expert on pre-Socratic philosophy, famously translated Logos as “Logic”: “In the beginning was the Logic, and the Logic was with God and the Logic was God.” He meant to imply by this translation that the laws of logic were contained in the Bible itself and were therefore not a secular principle imposed on the Christian world view.
whereby the mind finds expression – wisdom – divine word took on human form in a person that is JESUS. Logos expresses oneself orally or in written form putting one’s thoughts into words. God and His word are the same. Personified expression of God. The independent personified expression of God.
In ordinary, non-technical Greek, logos had two overlapping meanings. One meaning referred to an instance of speaking: “sentence, saying, oration”; the other meaning was theantithesis of ergon (ἔργον) or energeia (ἐνέργεια), meaning “action” or “work”, which was commonplace. Despite the conventional translation as “word”, it is not used for a wordin the grammatical sense; instead, the term lexis (λέξις) is used. However, both logos and lexis derive from the same verb legō (λέγω), meaning “to count, tell, say, speak”.[3]Logos also means the inward intention underlying the speech act: “hypothesis, thought, grounds for belief or action.” [4]
Secondary meanings such as logic, reasoning, etc. derive from the fact that if one is capable of legein (λέγειν; infinitive of legō), i.e. speech, then intelligence and reason are assumed.
Its semantic field extends beyond “word” to notions such as “thought, speech, account, meaning, reason, proportion, principle, standard”, or “logic“. In English, the word is the root of “logic,” and of the “-ology” suffix (e.g., geology).[5]
privileges the anointing brings the Spiritual Gifts to believers. The purpose of these gifts among other things is ultimately for the purpose of enabling us to glorify God which is the entire purpose of our existence. (Isaiah 43:7)… The Spiritual Gifts are: The word of Wisdom (God given wisdom), Knowledge (Supernatural knowledge) , Faith, Healing (healing others), Miracles (performing miracles), Prophecy, Discernment (the ability to correctly discern spirits as either being from God or from Satan, speaking in different languages as a means of communicating with God in the spirit and interpreting different languages. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)…The anointing always produces the fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22-23) which is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness Faith, Meekness, and Temperance.
Note: 13:
Rhema:
My personal understanding of Rhema is: THAT WHICH IS SPOKEN BY GOD TO ME (PERSONALLY) IN REAL TIME FOR AN ACTUAL SITUATION IN MY LIFE THAT GOD NEEDS TO COMMUNICATE TO ME FROM WORDS THAT WERE SPOKEN BY HIM AND RECORDED IN WRITTEN WORDS BY GOD’S SERVANTS IN THE HOLY BIBLE. . Although I don’t give myself any religious labels I would tend to believe more with the Pentacostal believers when it comes to Rhema than I would the Evangelicals.. (see definition below from Wickapedia)
(Rhema “saying” in this context bears a different meaning than Logos “word”.) THESE WRITTEN WORDS ARE KNOWN AS LOGOS WHICH IS THE ACTUAL MANIFESTATION AND REPRESENTATION OF THE ACTUAL 2ND PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST
In other words when I read the Holy Bible I get an understanding from the written word (LOGOS) but God brings these words alive to me by uttering to me, speaking to me (RHEMA) everything regarding JESUS CHRIST and gives me an understanding of these words for me to use.
The Greek noun ῥῆμα “saying, utterance, verb, word” is analyzed as consisting of the root ἐρ-/ῥε- (er-/rhe-) “say” (confer εἴρω “I say”; ἐρῶ “I will say”) and the suffix -μα (-ma), a suffix used to form nouns from verbs. (However, according to a falsified but popular folk etymology, ῥῆμα is derived from the verb ῥέω “I flow”.)
In the New Testament, this noun is used in such instances as the following: “τὸ δὲ ῥῆμα Κυρίου μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα” “the Lord’s utterance/saying remains forever” (1 Peter 1:25). Rhema “saying” in this context bears a different meaning than Logos “word”.
[edit]Use in the New Testament
From Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, Greek word #4487. It can be found in the following New Testament passages (not exhaustive):
§ Matthew 4:4 “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (also Luke 4:4)
§ Matthew 12:36 *Matthew 12:36 “… every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it on the day of judgment…”
§ Matthew 18:16 “…by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word ( NIV- matter ) may be established.”
§ Matthew 26:75 ” Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken…” (also Mark 14:72)
§ Luke 1:38 “Be it unto me according to your word“. (NIV – “as you have said.”)
§ Luke 2:29 “according to your word” (NIV – ” as You have promised.”)
§ Luke 3:2 “…the word of God came to John son of Zechariah…”
§ Luke 5:5 “…nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” ( NIV – “because you say so” )
§ John 3.34 “For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.”
§ John 8:20
§ John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.”
§ Acts 2:14
§ Acts 6:11,13
§ Acts 10:36-37 “The word (NIV – message ) which God sent unto the children of Israel…”37 “that word, [I say,] ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea…” (NIV – omitted, “you know what has happened throughout Judea…”).
§ Acts 11:14-16
§ Acts 13:42
§ Acts 26:25
§ Romans 10:8
§ Romans 10:17-18
§ 2 Corinthians 12:4
§ 2 Corinthians 13:1
§ Ephesians 6.17 Take the helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
§ Hebrews 6:5
§ Hebrews 11:3
§ Hebrews 12:19
§ 1 Peter 1:25
§ 2 Peter 3:2
§ Jude 1:17
Differences in the interpretion of Rhema and Logos
Pentecostal and Evangelical Christians have different understandings of how Rhema should be used and understood.
Pentecostal Christians
Some Pentecostal Christians view Rhema as the voice of the Holy Spirit as he speaks to the believer at the present moment. In this sense, the Christian should be guided by the Holy Spirit as he/she is guided through inner feelings, impressions and experiences. God’s Rhema, the direct words of God to the individual, can also be imparted through the words of others, such as a preacher in a worship service, or a friend who counsels them. In this sense, God’s direct guidance can be determined by a variety of means. The test of the authenticity of a Rhema from God is simple… How does it compare to the whole of Scripture? Orthodoxy says that God will not speak a word that contradicts His written word, the Scriptures, so there is a built-in safeguard to prevent misinterpretation.
By contrast, Logos is typically used in Scripture to refer to what God has said to His people, that is, the collection of God’s sayings about Himself, His relationship with His creation and His Church. The Logos of God is true for all time and in all places. It is easy to see how this can be interpreted both as the bible (God’s Word Written) and in the Person of Jesus Christ (God’s Word in the Flesh) as seen in John’s Gospel, Chapter 1.
The Holy Spirit often uses passages in the Logos of God to create specific guidance, Rhema, for the individual. An example of the Rhema of God is to consider how several different people can read the same passage of Scripture and each sees something different. This occurs because each person is in a different place spiritually in their individual lives so God’s word to each of them in that moment of their lives is different – specific to their needs. The Logos (God’s original meaning and intention) has not changed, but the Holy Spirit has used it to speak to each according to his or her needs
[edit]Evangelical Christians
Evangelical Christians, however, have a much different understanding of rhema. Many evangelicals see rhema as being almost synonymous with logos. In other words, the specific guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit at any given time can only be discerned by the general principles laid down in the written word – the Bible. But this sort of guidance is not the same as that described above – it can only give general guidance about how the decision should be made. If we used the same example of the Christian wondering about when to start their business, the evangelical would argue that God will not give any specific guidance – it is up to the person to work it out for themselves. What God can give guidance on is on how that business should be run, and what the business actually does (Running a Brothel, for instance, would be wrong).
For evangelicals, then, the rhema is when God speaks directly to a person as they apply the Bible’s teaching to a specific subject. Some Evangelicals do not believe that the Christian may make up their own mind when there is no Biblical teaching on a situation. However, this will never come up because these Evangelicals believe that there is a biblical teaching on every situation, specific or otherwise. (Wickapedia)
The Spirit of Truth is the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ; i.e. the Spirit of Jesus the son of God given to us by God. (See Note 9, the Holy Trinity) Jesus tells us He is the Truth in John chapter 14. Jesus tells us the Spirit of Truth will guide us into all truth. This Spirit of truth gives us the direction and guideance we need to live for God the Father just as Jesus did. We will do the work that God has for us but we need to be like Jesus and we need his Holy Spirit abiding in us to be as He is. Jesus told us we would do the work he did and even greater… John 14:12… Also, I’d like to say here that the daily direction we get from the Holy Spirit is both the gifts of the Spirit referenced in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 (wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different tongues (speaking in other languages) and interpretation of languages) and is always the fruit of the Spirit referenced in Galatians 5:22 (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.). This means we have the gifts and we have additional guidance that goes into an infinite number of possibilities as God sees fit to give us to do his will in our lives and the lives of others. When we see the Holy Spirit operate in our life we will always see the fruit of the Spirit displayed in our life and the lives of others who have and walk in the Spirit.
Note 15:
Faith… And the just shall live by faith (Hebrews10:38, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Habakkuk 2:4) Next to LOVE ( a complete topic of its own) , Faith is probably the most important aspect of Christian living. Of interest we are told by God that FAITH works by LOVE..(Galatians 5;6) So Love is a prerequisite to Faith. All things hinge on this after love. Without faith it is impossible to please God.. Hebrews: 11:6…. This is how important faith is to God. How can we build our faith? By hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17) and ultimately by exercising it (James 2;17) ; i.e., like we exercise our physical body to be stronger and healthy, God ensures his children exercise their faith by placing us through trails and tribulation and temptation. God does not tempt us but allows us to be tempted. Read Luke 4:1-2. These difficult times make us stronger by building our faith..
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