Bible Study Christian Base. Our mutual and shared Foundation(!)

[Sparkey]

While considering 'Foundational Doctrines' of the Christian faith what immediately comes to mind is a parable about a man who build his castle on sand. The moral of the story is that we should use care when laying the foundation. Sand will shift is not stable and simply can not serve to withstand the upcoming storm.

But what teachings or instruction shall we base our foundation on? Yes, we know to build upon what Jesus made and that HE is not only our Rock but also our Chief cornerstone (cap stone) who ties all things together. Jesus is both our Alpha and our Omega. But what about the teachings? The doctrines of Christ that Paul speaks of. The Jews of his day were told they had no need to lay such teachings again. These were so well accepted there was no controversy. But have we lost something? Can we find a way that moves toward Restoration? I believe that the segmentation of the Church of The Christ was not the ideal nor the targeted destination envisioned by the saints of the first century. We have 'drifted' from our carefully carved position in stone. But what were those basic, foundation teachings and instructions about?

Do we have a convenient list, perhaps?

Heb_6:1-2 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

We have a list of foundation teachings

• not laying again the foundation of Repentance from Dead Works,
• and of Faith Toward God,
• of the Doctrine of Baptisms,
• and of Laying on of Hands,
• and of Resurrection of the Dead,
• and of Eternal Judgment.

We could just take one of these subject and break it off on this thread (if it becomes popular) but for now? Let's continue to look at the basics:

In other verses we see:

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;​

1Co_3:10-12​

_________________________________________________

SUMMARY STATEMENT
For the purpose of this thread about Bible Study I would like to encourage others to pick one of the above listed 'foundation' doctrines (teachings) and expound on it.

Please keep in mind that we are in a forum that does not condone argument but rather we are to build each other up in our most holy faith.
I am keenly interested in where this study might go but as yet am content to wait for such time as one or more choose to join in Jesus Name.

amen

 

[Sparkey]

By way of example, another member of CF.net may want to address one of the above foundation stones: Faith Toward God.

It may be something as easy as an observation or something that was understood after prayer. It could just be something that the Holy Spirit showed the brother or sister in Christ and we chose, "Faith Toward God," as an example. Sure, Paul wrote tons of stuff about this critical element and it could be very true that few if any of use have need for the foundation of Faith to be laid again. But, by way of example, I would like to point out that the word "Faith" can readily be translated as "Trust in God," or to coin a phrase, "God-Trust".

We may want to read an article that is more pragmatic. The following link is to an article entitled:
The 7 Habits of People who place Radical Trust in God.

1. THEY ACCEPT SUFFERING
2. THEY ACCEPT THE INEVITABILITY OF DEATH
3. THEY HAVE DAILY APPOINTMENTS WITH GOD
4. IN PRAYER, THEY LISTEN MORE THAN THEY TALK
5. THEY LIMIT DISTRACTIONS
6. THEY SUBMIT THEIR DISCERNMENT TO OTHERS
7. THEY OFFER THE LORD THEIR COMPLETE, UNHESITATING OBEDIENCE

If you are like me there are more than one of the above habits that could be better habitualized?

There are many other habits that the faithful have. Primarily and intuitively we understand that we are speaking about fidelity when we mention faithfulness. Jesus is our example of perfect faithfulness, perfect fidelity to His Father (now, ours too).

You may reply to this subject or pick one of the other foundational teachings as the Spirit moves.

 

[chessman]

Repentance from Dead Works,

Turn from a salvation of our works doctrine (which cannot save, never could, because only He has kept it perfectly), toward Christ’s and the Spirit’s salvation of us.

by how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without-blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works so that we may worship the living God!​

Hebrews 9:14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Hebrews 9:14&version=DLNT

 

[Sparkey]

Turn from a salvation of our works doctrine (which cannot save, never could, because only He has kept it perfectly), toward Christ’s and the Spirit’s salvation of us.

by how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without-blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works so that we may worship the living God!​

Hebrews 9:14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Hebrews 9:14&version=DLNT

Greetings chessman!

Thank you for that. Is your eye drawn as mine is? Because the quote you mention starts off with, "... by how much more ..." and we know that we are speaking about the Blood of Christ and how much more efficacious, how much more successful in producing the desired or intended result of Our Father in heaven. And there I am wondering, "by how much more than what?" and that intrigues me too.

so, without further adieu,

For Through The Spirit He Offered Himself Without Blemish To God
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of heifer sprinkling the ones having been defiled sanctifies for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 by how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without-blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works so that we may worship the living God!

We are instructed to compare and contrast the blood of goats and bulls (acceptable sacrifices under the law) to the sacrifice of the Blood of The Messiah, the Christ, our Savior, Jesus.

I see now, yes. Thank you again for this subject chessman! It is an excellent source of nourishment and I would encourage you in continuing your thought and spirit.

Cordially yours in Christ,
Sparrow

 

[ezrider]

not laying again the foundation of Repentance from Dead Works,

Turn from a salvation of our works doctrine (which cannot save, never could, because only He has kept it perfectly), toward Christ’s and the Spirit’s salvation of us.

by how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without-blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works so that we may worship the living God!

Repentance from "Dead Works" is repentance according the works of the law by continuing to repent and cast your sins upon the blood of Christ. This we are to move on from. The Blood of Christ covered our sins according to the Law, but is the blood of Christ required to walk according to Faith?

Two scriptures to keep in mind on repentance from dead works:

Hebrews 6:6
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

2 Corinthians 7:10
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.


This I find interesting.. godly sorrow that is not to be repented of: But the sorrow of the world, the sorrow over sin worketh death.

 

[ezrider]

by how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without-blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works so that we may worship the living God!Hebrews 9:14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Hebrews 9:14&version=DLNT

Sorry, didn't capture the verse identification when I quoted you last time.

Something to think about, because to me this is the foundational doctrine of Christ: to cleanse our conscience from dead works so that we may worship the living God.

What does it mean to cleanse our conscience from dead works? If we go about our day worrying about some sin in our life that we need to bring before the cross and repent of, then can we truly say our conscience has been cleansed from dead works? My answer to that is No. If I am lookng for sin in my life to root out and repent of, then I could not say my conscience is clear from the dead works of the law.

 

[chessman]

Is your eye drawn as mine is?

Our minds (together, you and I and all the members of His bride) are drawn toward worshiping the living God by none other than our Triune God (Father, Son and Spirit).

Since repentance from dead works is a foundational teaching (per the Christian Doctrines 101 list you and the Hebrew’s author prepared for us in the OP), then it seems to me the class has moved on into Christian Doctrines 201 and Christian Doctrines 301 (pun intended) by Chapter 9.

If the foundation layer of the Wedding Cake is repentance, then the cleansing of the body received by the oh so effective blood of Christ is the icing and the cleansing of the mind we receive by the sweet, sweet Spirit must be the decoration on the cake, no???

What’s the saying; If God is for us ...

 

[chessman]

What does it mean to cleanse our conscience from dead works?

To purify our minds just as effectively as Christ’s blood has purified/washed/cleansed our bodies.

If we go about our day worrying about some sin in our life that we need to bring before the cross and repent of, then can we truly say our conscience has been cleansed from dead works?

No.

If I am lookng for sin in my life to root out and repent of, then I could not say my conscience is clear from the dead works of the law.

Correct. Which is why the verb “cleanse/purify” is a future tense verb. But more doctrinally important for the students to comprehend is Who’s doing this verb activity (cleansing the conscience). And it ain’t us!

 

[for_his_glory]

We have a list of foundation teachings

• not laying again the foundation of Repentance from Dead Works,
• and of Faith Toward God,
• of the Doctrine of Baptisms,
• and of Laying on of Hands,
• and of Resurrection of the Dead
• and of Eternal Judgment.

Per this list it all starts with Gods grace as we first understand grace is Gods favor extended to us even though we do not deserve it. It's a gift from God that by believe in Christ Jesus who is our faith and foundation through God that we trust in Him alone. We are baptized into the living water that is the word of God as we drink of His word and thirst no more seeking out any other foundation other than Christ.

Laying on of hands as we reach out and touch others with the foundation of the Gospel that gives us hope in all the promises of God for our well being as salvation means to be whole mind, body and soul. Resurrection of the dead is the foundation of the Spiritual rebirth that we will see the kingdom of God as we are renewed by the Spirit of God that gave us His only begotten son who laid down His life that we have eternal life through Him. Our eternal judgement is based on our obedience to the will of God and not our own as we walk in all His statures as we are made righteous through Gods righteousness as our righteousness is as a filthy rag to God.

Grace, faith, obedience is the foundation laid out before us.

 

[Sparkey]

for_his_glory, Thank you for this prayerful consideration. You were not taught this by any other than the Father of All Lights and our prayers of thanks include you and the understanding that you have been given (at great price).

 

[Sparkey]

to cleanse our conscience from dead works so that we may worship the living God.

Greetings and Joy to you, ezrider!


Yes! And it is experiential, meaning that we actually get to watch as our dead works are removed from us. The promise of the One who declares, "I am a jealous God," includes bringing us to a place where we not only remove from ourselves and households all manner of implementations of sin, now only do we remove any appearance of evil, but we also wholeheartedly spit toward that which has been removed in disgust. Those things that were once idols such as our illegal drug use or our illicit sexual affairs, such things as the habitual lie and our inclination toward theft? Tangible sins such as these are not only removed from our person-hood and households but also are removed from your very heart! From the place where we have truly declared Jesus to be our Christ, our King!

Yeah! I would decidedly agree and say, "I would love to hear more of this from you, my Brother in Christ! Very much so. Of course I would expect you to continue to preach here and you know that you're welcome to open such excellence in other threads here too. Suffice it for me to say, "Thank you, ezrider, and it's been too long since we have chatted. We NN to take care of not letting that take root for it does not serve us to fail to join ourselves together especially as we see 'that day' fast approaching.

Cordially signed as your friend always,
MD Sparkes

Our minds (together, you and I and all the members of His bride) are drawn toward worshiping the living God by none other than our Triune God (Father, Son and Spirit).

Since repentance from dead works is a foundational teaching (per the Christian Doctrines 101 list you and the Hebrew’s author prepared for us in the OP), then it seems to me the class has moved on into Christian Doctrines 201 and Christian Doctrines 301 (pun intended) by Chapter 9.

If the foundation layer of the Wedding Cake is repentance, then the cleansing of the body received by the oh so effective blood of Christ is the icing and the cleansing of the mind we receive by the sweet, sweet Spirit must be the decoration on the cake, no???

What’s the saying; If God is for us ...

Greetings again, chessman!

I love the analogy of the wedding cake and your comments tie in to what others have said. It reminds me of the admonishment to not allow the Grace of God to become a thing of vanity or emptiness. God's expectation for His Son, that Jesus may have the fruit of his labor is going to be realized. We have a choice. Will it be realized in our hearts? And if so, to what extent? Let it be according to the Purpose of God as manifested in the life of our Christ, the King of kings!

!amen

(( going to take a quick trip on the motorcycle to pick up a grand-son and have him spend the night with the man who calls himself by the name of a very small, very unique byrd ))

Blessings to you and to all who come in the Name of JEsus!

 

[ezrider]

If I am lookng for sin in my life to root out and repent of, then I could not say my conscience is clear from the dead works of the law.

Correct. Which is why the verb “cleanse/purify” is a future tense verb.

chessman, could you please clarify your statement when you say this the verb to cleanse/purify is used in a future tense? Are you saying that this cleansing of our conscience hasn't happened yet and that our conscience will be made clean sometime in the future? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean by "future tense."

The whole purpose of cleansing our conscience from dead works is so that we might go on to serve the LIVING GOD. If this is to be yet in the future, then what God do we serve? If our conscience isn't cleansed yet, then do we continue to serve a DEAD GOD? If we continue to bring our works before the cross of Christ, then we continue to serve him in death. But he is not on the cross, he has risen! We are to serve him by a living Spirit.

 

[chessman]

could you please clarify your statement when you say this the verb to cleanse/purify is used in a future tense?

It’s a fact of the Text.

2511 [e]
kathariei
καθαριεῖ
will purify (Future, Indicitive, active, 3rd person)
V-FIA-3S

http://biblehub.com/interlinear/hebrews/9.htm

Are you saying that this cleansing of our conscience hasn't happened yet and that our conscience will be made clean sometime in the future?

Yes, that’s what the Text says. I’m just pointing it out.

If this is to be yet in the future, then what God do we serve?

The only God there is.

If our conscience isn't cleansed yet, then do we continue to serve a DEAD GOD?

No DEAD GOD has been mentioned, until you mentioned one.

 

[ezrider]

While considering 'Foundational Doctrines' of the Christian faith what immediately comes to mind is a parable about a man who build his castle on sand. The moral of the story is that we should use care when laying the foundation. Sand will shift is not stable and simply can not serve to withstand the upcoming storm.

But what teachings or instruction shall we base our foundation on? Yes, we know to build upon what Jesus made and that HE is not only our Rock but also our Chief cornerstone (cap stone) who ties all things together. Jesus is both our Alpha and our Omega. But what about the teachings? The doctrines of Christ that Paul speaks of. The Jews of his day were told they had no need to lay such teachings again. These were so well accepted there was no controversy. But have we lost something? Can we find a way that moves toward Restoration? I believe that the segmentation of the Church of The Christ was not the ideal nor the targeted destination envisioned by the saints of the first century. We have 'drifted' from our carefully carved position in stone. But what were those basic, foundation teachings and instructions about?

Do we have a convenient list, perhaps?

Heb_6:1-2 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

We have a list of foundation teachings

Greetings to you Sparrowhawke, it is good to chat with you again.


There is something about this that I must point out when talking about these "foundational doctrines," and that is that Paul through the Holy Spirit instructs us to LEAVE the principles doctrines so that we might go on to perfection. Well, if we must leave the principle doctrines to move on to perfection, then could we not also say that holding fast to these foundational doctrines will then prevent us from going on unto perfection?

In your OP, you made the statement that Christ is our chief cornerstone, but we must also recognize that the scripture do declare that he who was made head of the corner was also made a stone of stumbing and a rock of offense. If the head cornerstone is also the chief stumbling block, then should we also consider how that not leaving behind these principle doctrines as we are instructed to do might cause us to stumble at that stumblingstone?

 

[ezrider]

No DEAD GOD has been mentioned, until you mentioned one.

Then perhaps it should be discussed. Jesus was put to death.

 

[ezrider]

It’s a fact of the Text.

Just because it is a "fact of the Text," a historic text I might add, it does not imply a continual or eternal relevance.

Yes, that’s what the Text says. I’m just pointing it out.

Okay, but may I point out another scripture that speaks to walking with this clear conscience?

1 Peter 3:21
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:


As we are speaking of principle doctrines, baptism, and walking wiht a clean conscience freed from dead works by the resurrection from the dead.

If your concience is not clean, then to what benefit do you receive through the blood of Christ? If we can not say that the blood of Christ has cleansed our hearts and our conscience from the dead works of sin under the law even though we must continue to deal with the filth of the flesh during this existence, then we find ourselves instead using the blood of Christ as a covering for our sin according to the law.

 

[chessman]

Okay, but may I point out another scripture that speaks to walking with this clear conscience?

Sure, please do so.

A “good” conscience is not the same thing as a “purified” conscience. Two different words.

Do you confess your sins?

 

[for_his_glory]

The baptism that saves us is the living water or in another word Gods living word that when we come into a relationship with Christ through the Spiritual rebirth and drink of that water (word) we will thirst no more. Christ is our basic foundation our very cornerstone our rock and His doctrine a light unto our feet as we follow in His path and grow in all Spiritual truth as the Holy Spirit is the one who teaches us and also convicts our conscience when we start to go astray from that path.

Colossians Chapter 3 teaches since we are now dead to self (clear conscience) and have risen with Christ we need to be seeking those things from above where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father. To keep a clean conscience while being here on earth we crucify this flesh daily as we walk not after the flesh, but are led by the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:16, 17.

 

[for_his_glory]

for_his_glory, Thank you for this prayerful consideration. You were not taught this by any other than the Father of All Lights and our prayers of thanks include you and the understanding that you have been given (at great price).

Thank you Sparrowhawke. Pearls of wisdom given from the Holy Spirit as He speaks through me. I'm just a vessel God works through as I give God all the praise and glory.

 

[Sparkey]

Thank you for the comments and instruction. My grandson is here spending the night with grandpa so I'll reply in greater detail l8r.
Here's a scripture to tide us over:
1 Peter 2:2 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

And since they are free? Here is a prophecy and a prayer:
(it is the prophecy and encouragement of The KING so, there's that)
Matthew 13:12 12Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

Matthew 25:29 29For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

Mark 4:25 25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Closing with the sound of the voice of the Shulamite found in the Song of Solomon:

"If she is a wall, We will build on her a battlement of silver; But if she is a door, We will barricade her with planks of cedar."
"I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.

We join here, as those capable of providing milk for those who enjoy the Sincere Milk of the Word.
Let us become in his eyes as one who finds peace.