Romans
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Matthew 5:18,19. Jesus was speaking about obedience to the whole Law, not to what the Pharisees taught that some Laws were less important to others. And as those under the Law, Jesus taught that the whole Law was current until "all be fulfilled" (i.e. only Jesus could keep the Law perfectly & through His death & resurrection, fulfilled the Law, removed the curse, by being made a curse on our behalf). Once that curse that the Law brought was removed by His death, we are no longer under the Law which only brought death, but now receive the blessing of Abraham, receiving God's Promises to us, not by the keeping the Law, but by obedience to the Spirit by the exercise of faith ( Galatians 3:10-14, also Romans 8:2-4).
Yes, Jesus' death fulfilled all the sacrifices that Israel had to do year-by-year, and these sacrifices looked forward to God's Perfect once-for-all Sacrifice. But only by Jesus' death could the New Covenant be ushered in, the Old had to be abolished, or else the New could not take effect (you can't have two Covenants operating simultaneously). And the Old Covenant most certainly included the Ten Commandments & every Law that was given to Israel. Those who are in Christ no longer abide by a Law that only had condemnation & death as its end, but now we can live according to the ministry of the Holy Spirit Who gives Life & Power to know & abide by all of God's Commandments.
Brother Giannis. Always glad to hear from you & receive your understanding of the Word of God. This subject of election I have temporarily laid aside, as I await GiGi's commentary on it specifically, as she continues with her subject of God's Attributes/Character which I've appreciated very much.
But since you've raised it here, and cited Romans 9:9-16 in respect of Esau & Jacob, I also referred to this Scripture in my response as you've seen. My emphasis was on the fact that God's Sovereignty in Election in this case was based wholly on His choosing the descendency of Israel, His chosen people, and NOT for the salvation of their souls: each one in Israel, along with Isaac, Jacob, Esau & all of Israel, were still responsible before God for their faith, obedience, & devotion. So, there would be many in Israel, then & now, who would be rejected by God for salvation in spite of their Election, receiving the Law & Promises. Indeed, "not all Israel which are of Israel" ( Romans 9:4-6).
I understand from what you've shared here, that you too believe in the "foreknowledge of God" in His election of those to be saved. Romans 8:29,30 and 1 Peter 1:2 particularly reveal this Truth. Now, I realize that some have 'reinterpreted' 'Foreknowledge' (Gk. prognosis) to be in relation to His Sovereign Plan without any factor affecting it (whether from man or God Himself): i.e. He simply chooses & it happens. Whereas, I believe, and please correct me if I'm mistaken, that 'Foreknowledge' in the New Testament refers to the prior knowledge of God, particularly seen in His Omniscience and Sovereign Plan. It implies God's prior knowledge of all events, all individuals, of all time, and quite often in the context of His redemptive purposes for mankind. This term is used to express the concept that God, in His infinite Wisdom, knows all things before they happen and has a predetermined plan for creation and salvation according to that knowledge. To Page 2.
Matthew 25: Verse 14
My Interpetation REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY:
"Jesus Christ is God. Is One to all the World.God's word to believe he is the only God. (Refrence one example applied to servants)
Me REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY example has applied my faith believing Jesus Christ Is God end of law unto New Testament Holy Bible - Romans 8:2 KJV"
Matthew 25 Verse 16
My Interpetation REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY:" Father and Son are one Jesus Christ is God"
Matthew 25 Verse 19
My Interpetation REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY: Says God's word is with faith to receive.
Matthew 25 Verse 20
My Respond:
God will prosper me in all labour's.
Matthew 25 Verse 21:
My Respond:
I believe this scripture helps me to be apart of West Angeles Church Cogic Cathedral. Myself identified as member.
Matthew 25 Verse 28
My Respond:
Scripture supports me to have joy on my own life away from the Christian Church
Matthew 25 Verse 29
My Respond:
Supports me to do the will of God attending Sunday Service, giving supporting West Angeles Church Cogic Cathedral, Reading my Holy Bible, prayer and fasting.
Word Spoken and Written by REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY
Nehemiah 8:10 KJV West Angeles Church Consecration Calendar
Me being a member at West Angeles Cogic Church Cathedral Los Angeles California
Nehemiah 8:10 KJV
My Respond REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY:
I believe in God's word scriptures holy bible having faith Jesus Christ death, burial, and his resurrection after the third day gives me joy Romans 8:2 to recieve and do the will of God.
Word Spoken and Written by REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY
Me being a member at West Angeles Cogic Church Cathedral Los Angeles California
Jeremiah 29:11-13 KJV
My Interpetation REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY: Jeremiah 29:Verse 11 "To find Jesus Christ is God the Father to be obedience to his Word, voice, and instructions how to live life. To keep your heart, mind, thoughts on Jesus.
God is Love ,grace, mercy concerning sinful men
To do everything the Lord tells you to do. Person of your word,Correction, and instructions obedient to his Word and voice. Not to have thoughts of evil to be obedient to God's Word and voice. Benefits and results helps you to be in the Love of God,kindhearted, lovingkindness,holiness and righteousness to yourself,Christians that is known and shown to you in your presence, sensory, reveal of evidence. This can aslo help to repentance, believe to Christian identity."
"Believing your body can be built up in God.Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life " Romans 6:23, Romans 8:2
Jeremiah 29 Verse 13
My interpetation REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY: God doing what he said he's going to do of his Word which is goodness to receive.
Word Spoken and Written by REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY
Pt. 2
God is said to have favor on Noah and Abraham. Moses, and Israel in the OT. He did so in order to use these people to serve Him and accomplish His will in history in unique ways. He delighted in them because He had chosen them to be favored. I think it is important that we do need to often remind ourselves that our blessed standing before God as His child is not because of anything we have done or decided, but because it pleased God to show His favor upon us, to select us, even before He created anything.
That is a very profound thought. God knew He would bless us with His favor because He chose us to the praise of His glory aforehand! The Scriptures often say that so-and-so found favor in God's sight. But the reality is that the person found out that God placed His favor upon them, not that they earned it in any way.
Those who are favored of God know that God is with them and that nothing can happen to them apart from His good purpose ( Romans 8:28). When we have the favor of the Lord, we rest in quiet confidence that our sins are forgiven ( Romans 4:7), we are within the plan of God ( Psalm 86:11), and that He is there for us at all times ( Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20).
When someone has the favor of God upon their life, it means they carry an endorsement from heaven. God smiles upon them and approves of their pursuits and destinies.
Psalms 5:12 says "Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." The only righteous people are those who have Christ's righteousness imputed onto them.
His goodness, compassion and lovingkindness
To have the Lord's favor means that the Lord is in accord with an individual and has shown gracious kindness towards them. When we think of someone who has the favor of God, we think of someone in whose life we see tangible evidence of God's approval.
See Pt. 3
Pt. 1
GOD'S LOVE IS THE FOUNTAIN OF HIS COMPASSION, FAVOR, GRACE AND MERCY
As we go on to discuss God's compassion, favor, grace, and mercy we can see that these all flow from His divine love. There is nothing in all of creation comparable to His divine love. It is so great, deep, faithful, and true. Believers can depend on Him to love them forever with a love that is beyond any love they can ever experience among people they know.
The reason that God extends compassion, favor, grace and mercy to His elect is precisely because of His great love that nothing can separate us from, ( Romans 8: 31-39) nor will God ever withdraw His love from His elect ( Jeremiah 31:3)! So, as elect believers we can ever rejoice that He loves us, though we are sinful, because His Son won for us the remission of our sins on the cross. Hallelujah!
I don't think we can every tire of meditating on God's love for us. Nor should we ever minimize it by focusing more on God's wrath for sin and sinners. God's nature is in perfect harmony with all of His attributes. Therefore, we should learn how to hold paradoxes such as His love and wrath. Both are equally and infinitely present in God. He does not change. But when we think about the severity of His wrath, we can remind ourselves of His magnanimous unconquerable, and eternal love for us that manifests in His faithfulness, compassions, grace, mercies and favor upon us and that these will never fail.
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed,
because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning:
great is thy faithfulness.
How lovely is this verse to the ears of forgiven sinners who believe the gospel and put their faith in Jesus Christ!
See Pt. 1
Great to see you back. It looks like you had a very enjoyable vacation in Florida and the Caribbean. I assume you made it back home safely. The Lord is good!
You are understanding correctly, and I do agree that Paul had a burning passion for their salvation as you say. If Paul truly wished for them to be anathema before God, then I would have to agree that it can be viewed as being hypocritical. My thoughts on this are that Paul was perhaps giving warning to not only those who were rejecting the gospel message, but also to those who professed to believe but, in their heart, they had no love for the Lord.
A person who does not have love in their heart for the Lord is already in a cursed state. This is not to say that they will always remain in this condition, but if they continue to reject the gospel message, Paul says let them be accursed. I think we both agree that Paul had no desire to see anyone lost or accursed. In fact, in Romans 9:3, Paul makes a very powerful statement. We know he was the apostle to the Gentiles, but he had a deep love for his fellow brethren, Jewish, Hebrew brethren. He was willing to suffer the separation from Christ throughout eternity so that they would be saved, even though that's not possible.
Brother, it is truly amazing how we can recall certain messages given many years ago. That message had to be powerful to stick with you for so long. I notice in Colossians 3:3 that it says we are dead, and the word for dead in the verb tense is Aorist which means that it has already happened in the past. Upon salvation, we died to our old self and put on Christ, so we are dead, and our life is hidden with Christ in God.
You gave a great summary passage in Romans 8:38-39. There isn't anything that can take us and separate us from the love of God. Jesus is interceding for us. The Holy Spirit is interceding for us. We are in God's mighty grip with a salvation complete and secure in Christ Jesus!
Blessings!
j'ust receive the strength from that grip. Be at peace!
Great statement!
As Brother Chris mentioned It reminds me of Romans 8:31-32, and also Jude 1:24-25.and Ephesians 3:12-17. "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence BY THE FAITH OF HIM. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT BY HIS SPIRIT in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Looking forward to 2 Corinthians.
Blessings
When you referred to us being in God's Grip & our security therein, my thoughts immediately went back to a sermon given by my pastor in the 70s, which was so dramatic in nature, that it was firmly embedded in my mind. He referred to Colossians 3:3 in his message, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God". When he came to getting his point across with this verse, he held up his right hand, then made a fist & stated that we are hidden with Christ & in Christ in there in His Palm. While still holding up his right fist, he then raised his left hand & swiftly brought it to grab onto his right fist, clenching it tightly, and asked us, 'how secure are we now? We are secure in Christ & together with Him firmly held by a loving merciful Father - there can be no safer, loving & more secure place than in such a perfect relationship with the Eternal God, designed & executed by God Himself'. Romans 8:38,39.
COGIC WORSHIP 1 Corinthians 15:3-4:Jesus Christ is God-One God only. I Worship God the Father.God of prayer.God of fasting,prayer,repentance.God that is a kingdom manifested in the world. God of eyes to see.God that answers prayer done. John 14:12-14 (Luke18:1-14- Romans 8:2)
I have faith God has eyes to see and save people also my personal ministry pertaining to do the right thing
Romans 8:5-6 reminds us to be carnally minded is death as the carnal mind wars with God and does not want to subject itself to the will of God. The minister quotes "Carnality is a manifestation of the flesh within. Every Christian's walk will manifest the mind of the flesh within or the mind of the Spirit within."
He also says "Both the carnal Christian and the carnal Christian are possessors of the same Spirit, but the carnal Christian is quenching and grieving the Spirit or does not understand the voice of the Spirit." Paul's reproof in Romans and to the Corinthians is they were not yielded to the Spirit. The yielded spirit to the Spirit will make unity within the Church.
"The spiritual Christian has his will lost in the will of God. He feels himself poor and needy, and he relies entirely on the will of God. He has crucified his flesh with the lust thereof, and the sinful nature does not influence his life. The fruit of the Spirit is evidenced in him. Galatians 5:22-24
His thought being we should not promote the flesh allowing for the easy turning by the Spirit towards his will.
Good Will to men came in the babe in the manger within.
:)
Romans 8:5-9 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. NOW IF ANY MAN HAVE NOT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST HE IS NONE OF HIS
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(Caps are mine)
The whole world is corrupt beyond easure; whether it is what is within men's hearts; or the world system; or the demonic principalities and powers controlling the affairs of men. We have made idols of popular foods; actors and actresses; musicians and our general way of life which we desire to maintain at all costs.
Proverbs 14:34 says Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Whether it is grandma or her apple pie that brings us comfort only the Lord and those in Him will live forever and things in this life are fleeting. All desires of the flesh of beauty also are temporal along with any material goods that we obsess over. The Kingdom of Heaven is more than eating and drinking ( Romans 14:17) and for some reason the Gospel quote I am having difficulty finding. The point is the Holy Spirit must take over our minds and control our bodies and souls and put to death the old mind; otherwise known as mortifying the flesh ( Romans 8:13). Or as the quote mentioned in church today stated when the demon possessed child was to be healed "Lord help me with my unbelief". ( Mark 9:23 and following verses with anecdote).
Or as the song "How Deep the Father's Love" states in the end of the third stanza. "Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers."
Those TRULY in the Lord will also recognize when the enemy is falsely accusing them of not knowing the Lord whenever a believer falls into sin or having fallen beyond redemption as another accusation. In my experience I have found that is a common way the Lord reigns me in to realize the sin that I've committed and to once again trust Him so that I am protected from the enemy's strongholds. Never try to outsmart the enemy.
Agape.
Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
With groanings which cannot be uttered. Some say that this is speaking in tongues. They say that this is "praying in the spirit." I would say to them no, you didn't catch it. It says groanings which cannot be uttered. The word uttered in the Greek means unspeakable. It's not words. The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be spoken.
Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
The word good is AGATHOS, spiritual good. Human good is KALOS. That makes a big difference because if I'm looking at it religiously, humanly, and on a horizontal physical plain, when it says, "all things work together for good," that means in the human, God's going to work things out good for me in the human and in the flesh.
But this is spiritual good. Also, please notice that it doesn't say all things are good. It says that all things are going to be worked out for the good. What's good and bad in the human, that's our judgment system. To God, everything is good because He's doing everything. And when we have things "go wrong," in God's vocabulary, that's not even in there. To Him everything is going right. Why? Because everything's going to work out according to the will of God, so that when I do pray for the Lord's will to be done, I can know because this is a promise right from God, that all things work together for the good.
Romans 9:2 - That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
He says I have great grief. The term heaviness is the word LUPE for grief. The term sorrow is the same word used for birth pains, the labor pains that a woman goes through. So, in his heart he has great grief and unceasing birth pains.
Romans 8:11 - But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Notice that he's talking about the Spirit that's dwelling in you. The only life that comes through my body that is spiritual, and it literally says in the Greek text that it is by His indwelling Spirit. It's a title! Every person that has the Spirit of Christ has the indwelling Spirit and He is the one who energizes them.
Romans 8:13 - For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Taking this along with Verse 12, notice that it's God's Spirit that puts to death the deeds of the body. And again, that has to do with separation. You're going to live! I think that is interesting. The obligations that we think we have are what other people put on us. Family, friends, jobs, whatever! And we feel obligated. The word debtor is the word for obligation. We are debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. You have no obligation to anybody other than Christ.
Romans 8:15 - For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Abba is the Aramaic word for dad or father. You see, it's by the Spirit of God in me that causes me to have a relationship with God that I can call Him my Father, not religiously, but literally. I'm adopted into His family. When I received Christ, I was adopted into the family of God. But it's by the Spirit of adoption, not by me.
Romans 7:24 - O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
First, he says "O wretched man that I am!" The word wretched means destitute. He sees himself as just a destroyed destitute person. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? He sees his body is the house that he lives in. Who's going to deliver me from this body of death? The term "body of death" is an interesting term within the Roman judicial system.
For some of the hardened criminals that committed murder, they would sentence them to serve their time with the dead body of the person that they killed strapped on their back. As it corrupted, and as it decayed, they corrupted and decayed with it. It eventually killed them.
Paul says that's what I feel like. I have died to sin. And I feel like I've got that old man, the old nature, the old life strapped on my back, reminding me and haunting me. It no longer lords it over me, but it just keeps working away, influencing and trying to get me away from the things of the Lord.
Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
The word sin has the definite article, the Sin Principle.
Romans 8:5 - For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
The word mind has to do with the frame of mind, not individual thoughts, but just the direction that our thoughts flow. The people who are not saved and are walking according to the flesh are people whose minds are always governed by the flesh, but they that are according to the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Only the Spirit of God can produce this frame of mind because we don't 100% in our thought processes think about the Lord. We've got "other things" to do! But it's the Spirit of God that gives us a frame of mind to participate with the Spiritual things of God. A non-believer doesn't have that.
I'm sorry to hear this and definitely will pray for you. Is there anything specific you would like prayers for?
Also remember, Romans 8:18 , Keep your focus on The Lord and He will comfort you.
This thought then leads me to verse 27, of the vital inseparable relationship between the Father & His Spirit Whom He has sent out into the world & especially into the lives of His children. It is God "Who searches the hearts" and it is God "Who knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit". To those who believe that God's Spirit is just a force of God would have to concede that the Spirit of God is not a mere force from God but a very real Being (Person) of God Whom God has sent forth to accomplish His Will on the Earth. His Spirit has a 'Mind', which means He holds & expresses the very same mental attributes & Will of God to fulfil God's Purposes. The Spirit is truly God in us ( John 14:16,17) & God working before others.
This can be confusing as we can somewhat understand Jesus, God's Son as walking on Earth & living a sinless life, perfectly performing the Father's Will. But when we speak of the Holy Spirit Who can't be seen, having a Mind (v27), or demonstrating intelligence ( 1 Corinthians 2:10,11); having feelings ( Ephesians 4:30); or having a Will ( 1 Corinthians 12:11), & many other Works, then our understanding of this is quite tested. Even as Jesus holds all the attributes of the Father ( Revelation 2:23, "He which searcheth the hearts & reins"), the Spirit's Mind fully aligns with God.
I am not sure I understand what is meant by
the mind of the spirit
" Romans 8:27
"And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth
what is the mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according
to the will ofGod."
I would appreciate thoughts on this scripture.
Thank you.
Pt. 2
Romans 7:18 says that no good thing dwells in humans and verse23 says that the law of sin makes humans captive to it.
Romans 8:7-8 says that the carnal (unregenerated) mind of humans are at enmity towards God, refuse to be subject to God's law, and cannot be. Verse 8 says that unregenerate man cannot please God in any way.
This is a quote from Ps. 14:1-3
Eccl. 7:20 says that there is not one human who is righteous in himself, that does not sin; nor who does good.
Is 53:6 says that all of humanity like sheep have gone astray from God.
I think I will stop quoting Scripture now since by these it is abundantly clear that because sin came into the world God created by Adam's sin and in Adam all sinned, we should view unregenerated humans as not having any ability to rectify their sinful disposition. They will inevitable freely choose to sin but are unable to choose what pleases God.
Romans 5:12-14
You said you just about lost all hope and you're going to need a miracle.
The world offers such distress.
A miracle is a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws.
There's nothing natural or scientific in our Lord.
His glory is defined by such matters!
There's nothing to big for the Lord.
Romans 8:32 reads
"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
God has already gave us his best! Anything afterwards is small.
Go to the Lord and he will give you hope.
God bless.
To your second question on Colossians 1:15, "Who (i.e. Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature". In this verse, we can't read it as 'Jesus being the first to be born (or created) of all living things'. If this was so, then the following verses ( Colossians 1:16,17) are incorrect & meaningless, for it's not possible that a first born or created being should also be the creator of other beings; nor was Jesus born/created before Adam & Eve, rather, He came onto the earthly scene only two millenia ago.
The only way that Jesus could be involved in creating, and to be "before all things" & to hold all things together, is for Him to not be made alongside the creation of humans, creatures, etc. Therefore, when we read Colossians 1:15, the word "firstborn" of every creature refers to Jesus' Rank & Rights that a firstborn would hold; and this also speaks of Jesus' preeminent position over all that He has created. As also in Romans 8:29, where Jesus is said to be "the firstborn among many brethren". Here as well, it has nothing to do with a birth, but that Jesus would be the cause (the beginning) & preeminent One of His newly formed Body, His Church, leading us into the family of God His Father.
Revelation 3:14, "..the beginning of the creation of God". Here, it speaks of Jesus as the One Who is the Originator, or the beginner of God's Creation. It certainly cannot be that Jesus was the first creation of God's creative Work; if this was so, then Jesus was created back in eternity past & everything else was created after him by God - and the other Scriptures refute this, confirming that Jesus was actually involved in creating. I realize that this verse can be confusing, but when read in line with other associated passages which tell us of Jesus' Work of creation & His Divinity, then it (and other passages) fit in well together. Hope this was helpful & others may contribute; & thanks again for those good questions.
But my thoughts turned to several Scriptures, some of which are Acts 7:55,56; Romans 8:34; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Peter 3:22, etc., that certainly do imply Jesus' Divine Power & Authority, but I can't help but read of a positional aspect to it. When the words, 'seated or standing' are given, I think most of us would immediately see this aspect of Christ's 'physical' position as well (not to say, that Jesus doesn't move about in Heaven). How would you say that we should view such verses, especially the one where Stephen full of the Holy Spirit, was steadfastly ('atenizo': eyes affixed) on this wonder seeing the Risen Lord at God's right Hand? Even in this verse, & others, do we need to apply the 'right hand' as only to that of 'power & authority' & not of position? Thanks & blessings.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. ( Luke 18:17, KJV)
One day, I walked into the living room and saw my granddaughter sitting at a child's table, pretending she was a teacher. As I walked by her, I picked up the D volume of the Britannica Junior Encyclopedia she had on her table/desk and sat on the couch. As I thumbed through its pages, I heard her getting onto one of her imaginary students when the heading DEAM caught my eye, and I started to read. One paragraph really stood out that read: "There are two kinds of daydreams which children have but adults do not: the daydream of the imaginary playmate, and the daydream of the adopted child. A child, if he has few friends to play with, may daydream that he has a playmate. Such a child may find his imaginary friend so interesting that he spends long hours in this daydream play. Another child likes to imagine that he is "special"--that he is really a prince or princess and that his parents are king and queen. Such a child then daydreams that he has been adopted, and that his real parents are royalty."
Paul said, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." ( Romans 8:15, KJV) The daydream of the adopted child?
Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ( John 14:15, KJV) The daydream of the imaginary playmate?
Brother in the highest respect I know we disagree on this you understand that the Son of God is a title. You said about huios; quote "doesn't have anything to do with somebody who is born from a woman. This is somebody who's been placed in a position of inheritance." end quote. To me that would be saying Jesus was figuratively the son of God.
The two Greek words you use huios and teknon. Huios means properly, a son by birth or adoption; Jesus was Son by birth and we as believers become figuratively a son/huios of God being adopted and heirs of the promise through the only begotten Son of God Jesus, 1 John 3:2 Romans 8:23.
Jesus was born of Mary by the Spirit of God and as Jesus grew, he knew who He was as he said in Luke 2:49 I must be about my Father's business.
We see in Luke 15:24 the prodigal son, his father told the servants his son/huios had returned, a son who was born of him and a mother. In this parable told by Jesus, the man called his other son/teknon who was born of the same father and mother. The word teknon means a child, a son, or a daughter.
In John 19:7 this is what the Jews said, they said he made himself the Son of God by saying Jesus just claimed to be the Son of God but was not, they rejected Jesus and did not believe Jesus was truly the Son of God, the Messiah, even after He was resurrected. I feel if we say Son of God is His title we also are saying Jesus is not the only begotten Son of God conceived in Mary by the Spirit of God.
1 John 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. In my understanding of this verse, if we do not acknowledge that Jesus was and is the Son of God conceived in Mary, born of the tribe of Judah a descendant of David, we denieth the Son. We must believe and confess that Jesus is the Son of God, we must believe on the name of the Son of God.
In love, God bless,
RLW
The Holy Spirit does not bear witness with our spirit that we are the "worms" of God. No, He encourages us when we are in times of weakness and trembling, and in spite of all our failure says that we are the children of God.
A remarkable thing is stated in the following verse:
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ( Romans 8:15)
The word Abba is an untranslated Aramaic word. The translators of the first English Bibles, who had great reverence for the Word of God, who believed it was indeed the Word of God, would not translate it. Abba is a very personal word that could be translated "my Daddy." We don't use this word in reference to God because of the danger of becoming overly familiar with Him. But the Spirit affirms it and causes us to realize that God is our very own Father through regeneration and by adoption.
There is an experience of salvation for the child of God that he does not have to seek. It will come, for it is impossible for the Holy Spirit to regenerate a sinner and for Christ to dwell in the heart and there not be a corresponding experience.
Do not look for an experience! Do not probe your feelings! Do not use psychoanalysis! Believe God! Take Him at His Word! Trust His faithfulness! "Let God be true, but every man a liar" ( Romans 3:4). Christ says, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" ( John 6:37). Will you come?
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. ( 1 John 5:12)
God bless.
Part 9.
Not only will the believer love those within the Christian fellowship, but there will also be a desire for those outside the fold to come to a saving knowledge of Christ. It is impossible for Christ, the One who died for sinners, to be in the heart and there not be a longing for the salvation of sinners. A sterile and frigid Christian is not likely to experience the sweetness and joy of full assurance, but a vital Christian, who knows something of the Savior's compassion, will find the joy of belonging and an abiding experience.
Conscious of Being His Child.
A consciousness that we are children of God comes to the soul and says that we are the sons of God. This is the gracious work of the Spirit of God and not the product of psychological presumption.
By this know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. ( 1 John 4:13)
This does not mean that we are conscious of the presence of the Holy Spirit, but it does mean that we are conscious of the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not speak of Himself, but He speaks of Christ:
Nevertheless, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. ( John 16:13)
Part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to make us conscious that we are the children of God.
The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. ( Romans 8:16)
There is a counterfeit humility going the rounds today, and it sounds very pious, but it does not have the ring of the genuine. Some say that we are to grovel in the dust and act like worms - this is the modern way of putting on sackcloth and ashes. It is true that we are sinners; there is no good within us, no good comes out of us, and we have nothing in which to glory save the cross of Christ.
See Part 10.