All Discussion PAGE 653

Matt.6:19-21 "Treasures in heaven"

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,"

The worlds framed by the word have two aspects.(He.11:3) Unseen and the earth made to appear. Eternal will of God, Cause is mirrored by the earth (seen) the Effect are sanctified by faith, which is one. Here we have a couple of verses, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;/One Lord, one faith, one baptism,/One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. "(Ep.4:4-6) Because of it we treat these worlds as one serving as a synonym for the Father Son relationship. It is validated by this verse,"One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever." The Preacher is talking about the changeable earth where generations of man keeps shifting one after the other as a weaver's shuttle, the earth abides 'forever'. The Spirit tags this phrase 'forever' to indicate the Son. It is thus inheritance of saints in light is called new earth.(Re.21:1;Ec.1:4). This eternal inheritance as co-heirs with the Son is called treasures in heaven. "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"(Ep.1:18)

The eye of faith is not subject to ageing as the case of a natural world is, where appetites decline and senses become dull as in the case of Barzillai the Gileadite. St Paul writing to the church of Ephesus is referring to treasures laid up in heaven. All other treasures are seen so it is temporal."treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal." "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Co.4:18)

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Thank you Rainwalker. You are correct, that the same word, 'adokimos' is used in relation to 'reprobate or castaway'. And this word gives the definitions as 'failing to pass the test, unapproved, counterfeit'. So we see a number of meanings that can be given, whether a test is given & one fails it, or to the other, of one being a counterfeit.

Thus if one feels that 1 Corinthians 9:27 might be Paul indicating that if he fails to keep his body (his flesh) under subjection, that when he preaches to others, then God would cast him away; could he then just be a failure, or incur God's disapproval, or even actually be a counterfeit Christian to be relegated to a destiny with other unbelievers?

Then do verses such as Romans 1:28, 2 Timothy 3:8, or Titus 1:16 apply also to Paul if he neglected to keep his body under subjection? And if Paul is deemed to be a castaway (i.e. having lost his salvation), does this then open the door to the Lord's failure to call & appoint His primary apostle to the Gentiles? But as we know, Paul didn't let the flesh or the Devil overcome him - he remained clear in conscience & faithful to his Lord; and this power, could it have come from within, i.e. the Holy Spirit in him, Who helps those endued with the Spirit, to not only do as Paul did, but also to be confident that He will indeed keep them from falling & be presented faultless before the Throne?

It's for such questions & verses in the NT, that confirm to my heart that God makes no mistakes in calling, redeeming, justifying & sealing His children. Readers of those passages will have to satisfy their own hearts & minds as to how to understand the different word usages for 'castaway or reprobate'.

Please pray for my Licensure exam for teacher on Dec 7, 2023 result to pass it, to have courage and wisdom to face life difficulties, praying also for my son to be faithful and devoted to Jesus, and disregard worldly things around him, in Jesus name, amen.

I think we can agree to disagree about what castaway may mean, sort of like the preacher I heard explain the branches in John 15 as being works and not the believers themselves. That's how you get around the branches being burned in the fire that don't produce fruit. Again, I think it's sad that there are those who will hold to this 'doctrine' until their last breath. If I saw any inferral to it in the OT, then I might reconsider and if Jesus didn't tell those believers in the church at Sardis that, if they didn't change their ways, they risked having their names blotted out of the Book of Life. I suppose you and others surmise Christ was speaking metaphorically or something. Again, your choice. I'm just simple enough to take Him at His word and that's it. No figuring, no Greek word origin, no hemming and hawing, just take it for what it says. In the end, the eternal security issue is one that can tend to produce lame duck, no, luke warm Christians, who like the Pharisees and Saducees in Jesus' day, thought themselves impervious to correction, even by the Son of God Himself. Stay in the Word, my friend and we'll converse again down the road sometime. Thanks for your time...

God will bless you

SisterJema:

The Book of Ezekiel takes the spirit of truth to teach you, and lots of meditation.

Ezekiel 1:1 ..... and I saw VISIONS of GOD .... Keep these word at the front of you mind ....

Ephesians 4:4 ... ONE Spirit .... ONE Body ....

Ephesians 4:5 ... ONE God .... Father of ALL (creation, the four creatures).... above ALL .... through ALL ... IN YOU ALL ....

You will have to add many scriptures from the entirety of the word to see the prophecy; which is always the kingdom of God

All creation being made ONE FLESH with Christ and his Father.

A wheel within a wheel (Christ in you)

Ezekiel 1:20 Wheresoever the SPIRIT WENT, THEY WENT ...

Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit in you and CAUSE YOU to walk in my statutes, and keep my judgements an DO THEM.

John 17:22 And the glory that thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be ONE, even as we are ONE.

God Bless YOU

Hey Chris, that term castaway is the same word translated "reprobate" in other passages. Much worse than being removed from ministry or end of physical life. Why it was translated castaway, who knows.. either way, it is an "unsaved" position.

Thank you Richard. Surely the filthy garment for the new in Life will be washed by the Blood clean? So the Souls that had been slain have changed their garments already in the Gospel setting the time of the fifth seal in this part of the Revelation. The most important part is that Satan stands between the simple, repentant believer wanting salvation and God rebukes (stands) him by the Son even while we were in iniquity at the time.

The crux of the matter is that REAL miracles as well as Godly living in Christ Jesus WILL result in persecution and suffering. Such are scriptural concepts ( 2 Timothy 3:12 and other passages). The religious spirit of the Pharisees I am sure still is in operation and thus; hatred will result in true miracles as well as true salvation messages involving repentance and calling sin for what it is.

This would include preaching against ALL sin; including pride and hypocricy of individuals and society at large.

The threat against all of Satan's carefully networked aspects of society are many. Those who proclaim Christ are an economic threat; so a genuine conversion that starts to affect this system will bring imprisonment; no doubt. We see this now with the Pro Life movement; and indeed anything that gains any momentum attempting to restore traditional values. This is by no means unique to one particular political party or members of the establishment. There is economic gain to wars; like it or not by powers that be; just as there is influence by caving into popular concepts today where businesses are willing to forego economic sanity to position themselves with the world as others pull the strings.

We present Christ today; sadly often as a God of our imagination. We may have a vacuum that only God can fill but some never will seek it; and we are ALL enemies of God before salvation. Bringing the church down to the world to fill pews is backwards; we should challenge those who would follow Christ with the requirements of being a disciple and warnings of dangers of falling away for those who would glibly make a confession without counting the cost. Looking at Christ makes it clear; with the exception of the 12 Disciples He never actively sought others; but would often weed out those not willing to forsake all for Him. He had no place to lay His head; let alone a fancy building to preach in. The Son of Man came not to be served ( Mark 10:45)

I would respectively disagree here; as filthy garments vs unspotted and unwrinkled ones (see Eph. 5:27). We are responsible as believers who; upon salvation would receive white; clean garments to maintain them. This is what differentiates us from the O.T. as you brought out; now we have Christ's righteousness available to us through the Spirit; but we can allow ourselves to become tarnished from the world; flesh and the Devil. Dying to self now involves daily discipline and perseverance through trials; and for some martyrdom.

Revelation 5 I believe is symbolic of believers that need to purify themselves through martyrdom. Whether these are believers who are lukewarm and left behind certainly seems plausible to me. If it is new believers; it shows that the only real way to bear fruit at that time is through death; unlike now when we have the opportunity to do so through functions we practice largely in the corporate Body but not exclusively. There simply will not be room for compromise; and at that time as the book of Daniel indicates the saints will be overcome; unlike now when the gates of hell will NOT prevail against the church. This will be at the time when ALL nations will hate us; and kill us thinking they are doing God a favor ( John 16:2). This as I see it is likely with the Apostate church who will be the only organized religion after the Rapture; and likely this is a separate event from the martyrs who refuse the Mark of the Beast later on; after Satan goes after all the false AND true religion to get all the glory for himself; thus overthrowing the "Mystery Babylon" system.

I will agree that fear and spiritual oppression are what really cause defeat; many times fear of death and persecution. Yet it is true freedom and release and nothing to fear to die in Christ once we pass this earthly existance. Some; I feel are hidden and God will use the Tribulation to violently sift the wheat so to speak to bear fruit (Tribulum concept)

Good evening, guess some of the seals are on the mind this evening.

In Zechariah 3:1-4 Joshua was with an angel of the LORD and Satan was there to resist him. Though Jerusalem was precious in the Lord's eye, Satan looked down on Israel not able to keep the Commandments of God and thus remaining in filthy garments, yet, God rebukes Satan and changes Joshua's raiment by taking away his iniquity.

The white robes of the fifth seal were also a change of raiment for the souls that were slain for the word of God and were given rest under the alter until their fellow servants and their brethren lives were also taken.

What these Saints had battled was Satan and his angels standing up against them as they washed their filthy garments in the blood of the Lamb at Calvary. These Saints are asking how long will the Lord wait to avenge their blood on the earth. It would be likely the vengeance they are asking for is against evil spirits standing against man's salvation.

Hello, EmptyLostSoul,

I am very sorry that you are feeling as you are. I will be praying for you. God can reach you through this depression and feeling of hopeless existence. I pray that You will seek God with all that you are able to do at this time. You can seek Him. He will draw near to you if you ask Him for help and rescue. And He is able to overcome what is happening in your mind and heart. I pray that God will bring to You salvation, hope, and a fullness of knowing Him as Your God.

Seek medical help for the depression you are experiencing. Don't try to go it alone or to tough it out. There are some newer treatments available now that may help. Go see a doctor and follow up with what the doctor recommends.

So true! When Jesus returns he will reestablish his kingdom here on earth, and it will be a holy kingdom that has no end.

And wishes to you too Mark & your family at this time of Thanksgiving. You've shared a few Scriptures, which I will address.

Philippians 2:12,13. The apostle was concerned for the Church's behavior: vv 2-4 (disagreements, unloving, discord, striving & not esteeming). And of course, he gives the supreme example of the Mind of Christ in his Coming in the form of a Servant. So Paul goes on to write (v12), 'therefore as you have obeyed me in the past, not just when I'm around but now when I'm not with you, work out (put into practise/into operation) what your salvation has brought you, and do so in trembling & fear (in all diligence & seriousness)': my paraphrasing. "work out your own salvation" is the big question here. If it were to 'find your own way to God', or 'now that you are saved, make all effort to remain saved', then I don't believe that was Paul's teaching. As one Bible teacher often preached, "you have been given the gift of Salvation, now work it out in your life", i.e. 'be constantly in step with the Spirit, being humble before God, scrutinizing your life, keeping short accounts with Him; you can't add anymore to your salvation, or else it's no more of Grace but of works, so be diligent to not be slack but mindful of God's great Grace & your position in Christ'.

"His Faith". I did mean, God's Faith given to man to believe & to be exercised with. Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 12:3, are good examples - the Gift of God given to us is 'Grace AND Faith', for man's faith is incapable of apprehending the fullness of Christ's Sacrifice at the Cross for him & being exercised to please God.

1 Corinthians 9:27. A 'castaway' what Paul was referring to, was that he would be disqualified from this high calling if he was hypocritical by preaching salvation through Jesus & the power of that Risen Life, & yet be undisciplined in dealing with the appeals of his flesh. In this case, he would have failed - and maybe removed from ministry, even from earthly life itself. GBU

Good,Hadassah,

It would be helpful if you shall set it down firstly the overall structure and how it relates to the whole.Then tackle it piecemeal. May the light of the Spirit lead you.

Thank you so much for that :) .

Can anyone help me with this question please ? In Ezekiel Ch 1 we have a description of the cherubims with their four faces ( V 10 ) , why , when we get to Ch 10 V 14 , has one of the faces changed ? Any suggestions would be helpful , thanks .

Happy pre-Thanksgiving, Chris. Thanks for your response. First, if the Word declares that we should work out our faith with fear and trembling (Philip. 2:12-13), that we should not grieve the Holy Spirit who seals us unto the day of redemption and, finally, Jesus told the parables of the talents and the 10 virgins in Matthew 25 reflecting what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. Same master, same bridegroom for all the servants or virgins (in other words, no unbelievers). If eternal security is valid, then why would Paul under Spirit prompting say we have to work out our salvation? It should be a given, no work, no fear, no trembling. Right? Should read then, "Enjoy your salvation with confidence and presumption.". You're right in saying God has done it all in making a way for us to get back into relationship with Him thru His Son, Jesus. God has dealt to every man a measure of faith ( Rom. 12:3), so when you say HIS faith, I think you mean his/man's misplaced faith in himself or something other than God. Again, I stand by what the Word declares, that without faith it is impossible to please God or to do His will.

Paul states it best in 1 Cor. 9:27, when he chooses to keep his body under subjection, lest that by any means, after he has preached to others, he should become a castaway. How's that? A castaway? No way that could happen...I mean no way. He must have not been listening close enough to what the Spirit was really wanting him to say or write.

If, after all this, you and others (some very prominent in today's Christianity) choose to believe this erroneous teaching, then continue on my friend and we'll let bygones be bygones. Thanks for your time...Mark

A recurring theme in Jesus' conversations with His critics is that they are being willfully obstinate. Jesus' life and teachings align perfectly with the Scriptures these men know all too well-but they actively refuse to accept Him ( John 5:39-40). An intent to disbelieve, not a lack of knowledge, is their main problem ( John 7:17). Others have seen Jesus' miracles, and properly interpreted them as signs that He is divinely empowered ( John 3:1-2; 10:21). The men who threaten Him now, however, have proven they're opposed to God ( John 10:1-6) by crediting Jesus' miracles to Satan ( Mark 3:22).

Jesus will continue to answer in the next verse by reiterating the first of His three shepherding-related analogies from this chapter. This puts His answer in plain terms: I already told you who I was, but you're not going to listen.

Hi Bennymkje, Thanks for your explanation! Appreciate it! I'm going to try to outline the chiasm in the book of Revelation.

Hello Amasuca, Yes! the Gospel is the Good News. Spread it far and wide. :)

Zechariah 3. The angel of the LORD is Jesus

6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,

7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Dear Richard Priday,

I was wondering if you would like to post on the Mercy of God. If so let me know and I will move on to the letter "N".

The MYSTERY of God is often termed as His Transcendence. There are things concerning Him in His Being and Essential nature that we will never be able to learn, know, comprehend, or experience.

Yet, with all this MYSTERY, God has provided us with all we need in the life of his Son, in the Scriptures, and in the workings of the world to know He exists and is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

How Great is our God!

To continue.

There is the mystery of how one sin by Adam (not by Eve) could be the cause of all persons born from the seed of Adam (everyone, except Jesus) could possess a sinful nature without even sinning (from conception).

There is the mystery of how God makes a fertilized egg a living person with a physical nature, soul nature, and spiritual nature.

There is the mystery of how God everything that God does or allows brings Him glory.

There is the mystery of the plan of salvation willed before creation.

There is the mystery of how Jesus could be slain from before the foundation of the world.

There is the mystery of how God can indwell believers by the Spirit and if the Spirit is in us, then the Father and the Son indwell us also.

There is the mystery of how synapses in our mind create abstract thoughts, will, and choice.

There is the mystery of how it was that the universe first began with time, space, and physical laws such as gravity, wavelengths, magnetism, etc.

There is the mystery of how God can be everywhere at once and also in one place specifically such as upon the ark of the covenant or in the pillar of cloud and fire.

There is the mystery of how God can know everything past, present and future without using time to learn it.

There is the mystery of His sovereign power that is indominable.

There is the mystery of how God cannot change in any way, yet can act in time and space and become a human person.

There is the mystery of how God is not made of parts or components and His substance cannot be divided up into portions.

(divine simplicity)

There is the mystery of how God can be a Person and be life itself, self-existing as the God who IS, without drawing life from outside of Himself.

There is the mystery of how God is completely self-sufficient and self-satisfying. He needs nothing outside of Himself to be complete, to depend on to meet any need, any passion or emotion outside of Himself that He must receive from outside of Himself.

Getting back to my study on Who God is. I would like to follow up Majestic with:

MYSTERY

There is much mystery in God from our viewpoint. Within the Godhead, all is known about His whole being. Nothing is hidden from Him nor is He able to not know/understand all that He is.

But to us, there is more of Him that is a mystery to us than that which we know and understand of Him.

In Job 38-40,out God bring before Job a plethora of things that God knows and does that man does not have any idea about.

There is the mystery of the inner relationship and union of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

There is the mystery of how God can be three distinct persons but only One God.

There is the mystery of how He created all things ex nihilo (out of no substances) aside from His word spoken and will performed.

There is the mystery of His existence outside of the universe, time, space, and anything else but Himself. There is the mystery of what He is truly like as a Purely Spiritual Being.

There is the mystery of why He allowed for sin to enter His creation when he could have done it another way.

There is the mystery of His perfection that we cannot ever have.

There is the mystery of His infinitude that we cannot ever be. We have bounds and limits.

There is the mystery of why He must punish sin forever.

There is the mystery of how Jesus could take on a human nature and still be fully God, not in any way diminished. No other being can be come something it is not created to be. No man can become God. But God could become man.

There is mystery about how Jesus' one sacrifice is infinitely worthy and over abundantly sufficient to take away all the sin of the world.

There is the mystery of how He, being God, could take sin upon Himself to be cursed before God and take all of the wrath of the God upon Himself for sin and be able t bear it.

There is the mystery of how the Jesus was able to raise Himself from the dead.

There is the mystery of how that Holy Spirit regenerates.

Good afternoon Bennymkje, Some further thoughts. The pale horse with death (spiritual) as a rider and Hell (after this time) following within a percentage of restraint, has/will kill (spiritually) with the sword, with death, with hunger and with beasts. This horse follows the times since Christ within its restraint.

Hello Hadassah,

The Bible is the God document in which the Spirit uses an inversion mode in presenting Salvation Plan of God in terms of Alpha Omega referring Jesus Christ. Since God the Father sent his Son in human likeness which was set in God's time, the Spirit gives it as 'in the fulness of time'. His death and resurrection was also in the divine Will the Father Son relationship has to be presented in terms of mankind. So a Chiasitic structure is well suited for the purpose. "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."(Ac.1:11)

Use of numbers is another method, So 'time, times and a half" (42 weeks) refers to the period of the earthly ministry of the Son of man.

Ge 1:1 "In the beginning" is set in a reconstituted time into which earth time as well as eternal will also have to be reconciled. 'When the fulness of time was come' (Gal.4:4) refers to it. The latter days hold the other end. This Christ as the beginning and the ending every event, names of persons, places and nations shall be graded in terms of the Son. "All things were created by him, and for him:/ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Fulness of divine Will is made manifest in the Son. He is the Word become flesh. "In the beginning" therefore is placed by the Spirit in the Gospel of John.(1:1)

Thus " So the last shall be first, and the first last" to cite an example of chiasmus refers to Israel. (Matt.20:16). Afterall God blessed all families in the earth through Abraham, whose faith established the basis of the sonship. The Spirit uses the birth of Phares and Zarah, in order to teach us this point. The scarlet thread around Zarah' wrist foreshadows the Gentile nations coming into the fold after the falling of Israel. Since 2015 I have been blogging on the correct approach to the Bible, comparing spiritual with spiritual. Chiastic structure is one among many modes employed by the Spirit.

The Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's the true gospel.

Is there anywhere in this app to take notes?