“His Good Pleasure”

[netchaplain]

True desire and work of godliness never originate from the believer’s “old man,” but always from God—through the “new man” (nature) in us, which is "created" after Christ's nature (Col 3:10; 2 Peter 1:4) and is attended, “by His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph3:16). There is the “outward man” and the “inward man” (2 Cor 4:16), e.g. “There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (1 Cor 15:44). What determines our choices in our spirit is our nature. We do what we do because we desire to do it so for us, “to will and to do of His good pleasure,” God must “work in you” to do it (Phl 2:13).

Everything the believer does originate from either the “old man” or the “new man,” which are natures from where desires originate. Through the Adamic nature (Rom 5:19) or, old man, the believer reluctantly brings forth that which is sin, and this is not that which determines what the believer is, for this is determined by his ultimate desires, which is that permanent desire to please God, especially in the face of sinful opposition (old man—flesh—Gal 5:17). The same is for the “good works” of the believer, which derive from the Spirit using the “new man.”

God brought us in while we were dominated by our old man, which is “from below” and of the Enemy (John 8:23, 44), but now are dominated by the Spirit of God (Gal 5:17).

-NC

http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

 

[gr8grace3]

NC~~Everything the believer does originate from either the “old man” or the “new man,” which are natures from where desires originate.

Love your post NC. Could you go into more detail on How the believer operates in the "new Nature?"

A believer can operate in the old or the new nature. How does the believer go about operating in the new rather than in the old nature.

I operate in my old nature more than I would like. How do I "switch" to the new nature?

 

[WIP]

This sounds a lot like what Paul was writing about in Romans 7. We are in a constant battle between our old nature and our new nature.

Thank God that we can find rest in Christ Jesus!

 

[netchaplain]

NC~~Everything the believer does originate from either the “old man” or the “new man,” which are natures from where desires originate.

Love your post NC. Could you go into more detail on How the believer operates in the "new Nature?"

A believer can operate in the old or the new nature. How does the believer go about operating in the new rather than in the old nature.

I operate in my old nature more than I would like. How do I "switch" to the new nature?

 

[netchaplain]

Hi G - Thanks for your reply! The believer cannot avoid being affected by the old nature, but is ever growing away from its outward motions, even though the inward motions will always remain to some degree. God left the old nature within for the same reason it is there in the first place--to attain total dependence on Him.

Our walk in Christ has more to do with, not so much in what we do in service for Him but more in how close we draw to Him because our fellowship with Him is more important than our worship and service in Him. The close we are to Him the more effective the rest will be.

You will often see in my posts two repeated Scriptural passages, Philippians 2:13 and Galatians 5:17, along with repetitious references concerning the continuance of the indwelling sin nature (Rom 7:17, 20) because for the Christian, sin's guilt is no longer and issue with God in our fellowship with Him, it being completely settled at regeneration (even if this is not understood or accepted by the believer), and is now a matter of growth (liberation from sin's dominion by oppressing us), to "draw" to God through being "conformed."

After regeneration, the primary issue is simply "draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you" (James 4:8), and as our time in our walk with God continues we will keep seeing (as I'm sure you already do, same for all believers) the work of God "conforming" us. The instruction concerning everything God does in our lives is in the understanding that the believer cannot conform self but must "be conformed" (Rom 8:29). Same for all godliness, i.e. justification, holiness, etc. none of which can be self-made.

The two exercises I've learned to maintain is being extra humble in pridefullness (i.e. embarrassment, humiliation, etc.) and patience on the Lord in trials (Rom 12:12), by waiting on Him to work everything out (Romans 8:28), while not allowing to be troubled (John 14:1, 27); affected by problems but not allowing them to escalate to being troublesome, and why would we allow be troublesome when exercising Romans 8:28? This is difficult to avoided in severe hardness, i.e. a death, continuous illness or pain, etc. which time will address.

 

[gr8grace3]

Hi G - Thanks for your reply! The believer cannot avoid being affected by the old nature, but is ever growing away from its outward motions, even though the inward motions will always remain to some degree. God left the old nature within for the same reason it is there in the first place--to attain total dependence on Him.



You will often see in my posts two repeated Scriptural passages, Philippians 2:13 and Galatians 5:17, along with repetitious references concerning the continuance of the indwelling sin nature (Rom 7:17, 20) because for the Christian, sin's guilt is no longer and issue with God in our fellowship with Him, it being completely settled at regeneration (even if this is not understood or accepted by the believer), and is now a matter of growth (liberation from sin's dominion by oppressing us), to "draw" to God through being "conformed."

After regeneration, the primary issue is simply "draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you" (James 4:8), and as our time in our walk with God continues we will keep seeing (as I'm sure you already do, same for all believers) the work of God "conforming" us. The instruction concerning everything God does in our lives is in the understanding that the believer cannot conform self but must "be conformed" (Rom 8:29). Same for all godliness, i.e. justification, holiness, etc. none of which can be self-made.

The two exercises I've learned to maintain is being extra humble in pridefullness (i.e. embarrassment, humiliation, etc.) and patience on the Lord in trials (Rom 12:12), by waiting on Him to work everything out (Romans 8:28), while not allowing to be troubled (John 14:1, 27); affected by problems but not allowing them to escalate to being troublesome, and why would we allow be troublesome when exercising Romans 8:28? This is difficult to avoided in severe hardness, i.e. a death, continuous illness or pain, etc. which time will address.

Amen Brother. I like it all,but I particularly like this....NC:Our walk in Christ has more to do with, not so much in what we do in service for Him but more in how close we draw to Him because our fellowship with Him is more important than our worship and service in Him. The close we are to Him the more effective the rest will be.

1 John 1:9~~If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 is staying humble and staying in fellowship with Christ.

2 Pet 3:18~~But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Live and grow in His Grace. Knowledge is bible doctrine and His Word. If the believer follows this simple plan, the new creature in Christ will operate to do His divine Good.

Always love your posts NC. God Bless you and yours.

 

[netchaplain]

Amen Brother. I like it all,but I particularly like this....NC:Our walk in Christ has more to do with, not so much in what we do in service for Him but more in how close we draw to Him because our fellowship with Him is more important than our worship and service in Him. The close we are to Him the more effective the rest will be.

1 John 1:9~~If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 is staying humble and staying in fellowship with Christ.

2 Pet 3:18~~But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Live and grow in His Grace. Knowledge is bible doctrine and His Word. If the believer follows this simple plan, the new creature in Christ will operate to do His divine Good.

Always love your posts NC. God Bless you and yours.

Good words and thanks for the complement and glad you can use the teachings I find and share.

Allow me to share this with you:

But grow in grace",.... In the gifts of grace, which, under a divine blessing, may be increased by using them: gifts neglected decrease, but stirred up and used, are improved and increase.

If you would like to see the rest of this comment from John Gill on 2 Peter 3:18 (my favorite commentator):

http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/2peter/gill/2peter3.htm

 

[gr8grace3]

Good words and thanks for the complement and glad you can use the teachings I find and share.

Allow me to share this with you:

But grow in grace",.... In the gifts of grace, which, under a divine blessing, may be increased by using them: gifts neglected decrease, but stirred up and used, are improved and increase.

If you would like to see the rest of this comment from John Gill on 2 Peter 3:18 (my favorite commentator):

http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/2peter/gill/2peter3.htm

Good stuff NC! Speaking of "grace Gifts." The believer has 40 or more grace Gifts at the moment of salvation!

http://www.gbible.org/index.php?proc=d4d&sf=rea&hl=grace gifts&did=25