Growth “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/

 

[farouk]

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/

Well, exactly!

Put simply, I guess, being born again is entirely a work of God. (Though the person is made willing..)

Blessings.

 

[netchaplain]

Well, exactly!

Put simply, I guess, being born again is entirely a work of God. (Though the person is made willing..)

Blessings.

Yes! Our walk in regeneration is initiated and perpetuated by Him. This leaves us to working on yielding to be used of His Spirit as much as He causes us too.

 

[Deborah13]

The Jews put it this way, as to the two natures (souls) of man. Of coarse their 'works' theology is not ours.

The problem is that it's not so simple. The reason is that each Jewish person has two souls: one, known as the "G‑dly soul", literally a part of G‑d, which seeks only spiritual pursuits; the other, called the "animal soul", is responsible for animating our physical bodies and is the source of all worldly temptations and desires. All that we have said above about arousing a longing for G‑d and experiencing our own personal exodus from "Egypt" - worldly constraints in our worship of G‑d - is only effective for the G‑dly soul. That is the soul which is sensitive to spirituality and responsive to the sort of prayerful meditation described above. The animal soul, however, just isn't "into" these things, and is unaffected by the "exodus" - both on an individual level and, in a broader sense, with respect to the Jewish people as a whole. When the Jews actually left Egypt during historic Passover, it was likewise only their G‑dly souls and not their animal souls that were inspired. For G‑d Himself to "come down" to our level, though, no such "half-hearted" commitment would do. We had to somehow inspire and elevate even our animal souls to appreciate spirituality and G‑dliness before we would be fit to receive the Torah on Shavuot.

http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/379962/jewish/Count-and-Wave.htm

 

[netchaplain]

The problem is that it's not so simple. The reason is that each Jewish person has two souls

Hi Deb - That's interesting, but I see it as natures and not souls, and only Christians have two: "the old man" and "the new man." The unregenerate do not have the new man, or new nature.

I believe the Spirit causes us to walk more after the new man than the old (Gal 5:17), as the Father works it in us (Phl 2:13), which is all within the life of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:4).

 

[Deborah13]

Hi Deb - That's interesting, but I see it as natures and not souls, and only Christians have two: "the old man" and "the new man." The unregenerate do not have the new man, or new nature.

I believe the Spirit causes us to walk more after the new man than the old (Gal 5:17), as the Father works it in us (Phl 2:13), which is all within the life of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:4).

Yes, their description of the two souls is the same as the Christian description of the two natures. They believe that they have they soul (nature) of God.
We know that one must be born again.

Paul, said that they will be saved through jealousy of the Churches relationship with God. There are some pretty awesome ministries of Jewish men who have accepted Jesus as the Messiah. They are witnessing and having public debates with the Rabbis. I can only pray for them.

 

[netchaplain]

We know that one must be born again.

Paul, said that they will be saved through jealousy of the Churches relationship with God. There are some pretty awesome ministries of Jewish men who have accepted Jesus as the Messiah. They are witnessing and having public debates with the Rabbis. I can only pray for them.

Amen Sis!

 

[for_his_glory]

Jesus gave a parable about the old garment and old bottle which represents our old sin nature. When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior through repentance this created a new Spiritual inner man and old things are passed away (sin) and remembered no more by God and all things become new once again. You have two masters you can choose to serve as one is God and the other is self. If we have truly died to self (old garment, old bottle) and serve God then he clothes us in his robe of righteousness and we drink from the new bottle from the fountain of living water. There is no fence riding when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. You either trust him in all things or you deny him in all things. You can not put a new piece of garment on an old piece as it ruins the new garment if you cut into it. (Note: wine bottles were made from the hide of animals and if used to much the hide would wear out and split.)

Luke 5:36 and he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
Luke 5:37 and no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
Luke 5:38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
Luke 5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, the old is better.

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:14 and above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

 

[netchaplain]

Jesus gave a parable about the old garment and old bottle which represents our old sin nature. When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior through repentance this created a new Spiritual inner man and old things are passed away (sin) and remembered no more by God and all things become new once again. You have two masters you can choose to serve as one is God and the other is self. If we have truly died to self (old garment, old bottle) and serve God then he clothes us in his robe of righteousness and we drink from the new bottle from the fountain of living water. There is no fence riding when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. You either trust him in all things or you deny him in all things. You can not put a new piece of garment on an old piece as it ruins the new garment if you cut into it. (Note: wine bottles were made from the hide of animals and if used to much the hide would wear out and split.)

Luke 5:36 and he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
Luke 5:37 and no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
Luke 5:38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
Luke 5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, the old is better.

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:14 and above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Hi FHG - Very applicable instruction and Scriptural examples. This reminds me that this principle of not mixing the old and new also applies to our finality with this life, in that as a new creation we will require a new body (container--"the redemption of our body" Rom 8:23; Eph 1:14)

 

[for_his_glory]

It's only through that perfection that is Christ who works in each of us perfecting us daily that we shed this old carnal nature and grow into the new Spiritual nature that we no longer conform ourselves to this world as it is in Gods good pleasure to change us from shaming him to glorifying Him. Always remember that it is a daily process as we are being perfected daily in Gods good pleasure by His Holy Spirit working in us and through us.


Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.