How to "WALK IN THE SPIRIT"

[Jethro Bodine]

I see the work of the Spirit in many, but I know they themselves are blinded by their focus upon their own flesh and who they of themselves.

How is it that you can see when someone doesn't murder, doesn't commit adultery, doesn't steal, doesn't bear false witness, etc. when the opportunity arises to do such that they are "focus(ed) upon their own flesh and who they (are) of themselves"?

Unless they tell you themselves I think you are simply judging where you should not be judging. Let's let each individual decide between them and God if their obedience that is commanded and in line with the law and in accordance with the image of Christ is for real and by the Spirit, or just a fleshly effort at being justified (MADE righteous) by that obedience.

 

[Mitspa]

How is it that you can see when someone doesn't murder, doesn't commit adultery, doesn't steal, doesn't bear false witness, etc. when the opportunity arises to do such that they are "focus(ed) upon their own flesh and who they (are) of themselves"?

Unless they tell you themselves I think you are simply judging where you should not be judging. Let's let each individual decide between them and God if their obedience that is commanded and in line with the law and in accordance with the image of Christ is for real and by the Spirit, or just a fleshly effort at being justified (MADE righteous) by that obedience.

Alot of people dont steal but are not walking in the love of God! Alot of people dont commit adultry but it could just be because no one looks their way! lol

So not sure what you are saying? or what point you are trying to make?

No man is justified by not stealing but when he loves the theif and gives to others he fulfills all the law!

Do you see that Love is law written upon the heart of a believer? not the letter but the Spirit, for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.

No man can be justified by the law of moses. For the flesh cannot keep the letter. But when we understand we are set free from the law of moses, we are at liberty to love by the Spirit.

For he who is forgiven much, loves much!

We can hash this out point by point if you like? We can start in the Book of Romans and discuss each scripture. I know what I believe and why and can explain it to anyone who desires to know the truth? But I dont go in circles and I dont allow others to define words that the scriptures define very clearly.

 

[Mitspa]

Know ye not that the Holy Spirit dwells within you?

So much carnal religion comes from the fact that so few understand that Christ IN YOU is the hope of glory!

Religion looks for doctrines and evidence of the carnal mind to get a sense of being justified unto salvation.

God NEVER intended it to be that way? He gave us His Spirit and He is a Spirit. We who are the sons of God, walk in the Spirit. This is the revelation of the New Testament!

I see the work of the Spirit in many, but I know they themselves are blinded by their focus upon their own flesh and who they of themselves.

When one has the love of God, shed abroad in thier heart by the Holy Spirit? Religion can never satisfy again. For this is life, to be loved by God and have this witness as one walks through this vally and shadow of death.

For i will fear no evil! For His Love is always with me.

If you have never known His love? seek it with all your heart, and it will come as a flood.

The Lord told us that unless we lose our soulish, we will not be able to find our true life? This life is the Life in the Spirit.

He said unless you take up your cross and follow Me, you are not worthy of Me. Now I know religion has made this a yoke of law and religious works, but that is not the truth! What The Lord is asking us to do is to trust Him in death and in life.

FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.

when we come to the place where we can say and mean, NOT BY MY POWER NOR BY MY MIGHT BUT BY YOUR SPIRIT LORD.
then we have entered into the Kingdom of God!

The New Testament is not a new set of rules added to the old rules! It is a "spiritual" mirror of who we are IN CHRIST. as we by faith behold who Christ is in Glory, we are changed into that same Image as by the Spirit.

From faith to faith and glory to glory! All other doctrines are just vain and carnal religion of man.

 

[Mitspa]

The Lord told us that unless we lose our soulish life, we will not be able to find our true life? This life is the Life in the Spirit.

He said unless you take up your cross and follow Me, you are not worthy of Me. Now I know religion has made this a yoke of law and religious works, but that is not the truth! What The Lord is asking us to do is to trust Him in death and in life.

FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.

when we come to the place where we can say and mean, NOT BY MY POWER NOR BY MY MIGHT BUT BY YOUR SPIRIT LORD.
then we have entered into the Kingdom of God!

The New Testament is not a new set of rules added to the old rules! It is a "spiritual" mirror of who we are IN CHRIST. as we by faith behold who Christ is in Glory, we are changed into that same Image as by the Spirit.

From faith to faith and glory to glory! All other doctrines are just vain and carnal religion of man.

1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; BECAUSE AS HE IS SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.

The purpose of the New Testament is to witness to us the love of God for all those who accept His Son. The New Testament is as a spiritual mirror that reflects to us the IMAGE OF GOD in the Face of Christ. The perfect law of liberty!

If one cannot look into the scriptures and see that they are IN CHRIST they are yet in the flesh, and cannot please God.

No man can please God, no flesh will glory before Him!
Only by faith can we look to the death of Christ as our own. Only by faith and the Spirit of Life can we see that His Life is our life.

This is the New Covenant, written in His Blood. That we might be as He is.

 

[Carolyn]

Thank you Mitspa for blessing us with such gentle truth and wisdom.

 

[Mitspa]

Thank you Mitspa for blessing us with such gentle truth and wisdom.

Thank you Carolyn, and it takes a while to understand that in the Mind and Thoughts of the Father, we are actually already seated with Christ in the heavens? From faith to faith we come to see that we have in truth already been saved out of this world. "It is no longer I who live but Christ liveth in me"
The great mystery of godliness, is the rejection of self-life into His Life.

Blessings upon all who Look to Him, and may we all be conformed to His Image as by the Spirit.

 

[Mitspa]

Gal 3:2

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:3

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Gal 3:4

Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
Gal 3:5

He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Step 1: By faith we must receive the Spirit, and reckon ourselves dead to the law, and all self-efforts to earn the things of God by our own religious works!

This seems to be the hardest part for most?

The Apostle Paul spent great time and effort to teach the truth of walking in the spirit but it seems this most important truth is known by very few? Those who know this secret have power from God. Those who do know, must make up some complex doctrine as to why "God dont do that anymore".

To walk in the spirit is to walk in absolute faith in Gods Word. If God says it? it is true forever! All based upon the Person of Our Beloved Christ Jesus.

If one knows Him, and His Forgivness? Then they also know that He has bore our sickness when He bore our sin.

If you do not believe in healing? you do not believe in the His Gospel. For just as sure as a man is forgiven of all sin, death and sickness has lost its power over him as well.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

If one cannot look into the scriptures and see that they are IN CHRIST they are yet in the flesh, and cannot please God.

And this is what we see in scripture to see if we are in Christ:

"...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:22-24 NASB)

But, if we see us here in scripture, we may well not be in Christ at all:

"19...immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB)


Lack of spiritual fruit is the sign that you are in danger of hell fire:

"7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned." (Hebrews 6:7-8 NASB)



Circumcision, the putting off of the desires of the flesh, is the sign that you are in covenant with God. Just as putting off the flesh in circumcision was the sign of Abraham's righteousness and his covenant with God, so the circumcision of our fleshly nature is the sign of our righteousness and our covenant with God through our faith in the Son Promised to Abraham, Jesus Christ.


A big step of spiritual maturity for me was realizing that character is the measure of faith in Christ that counts, not ministry gifts and powers, or religious activities, or worship, but many people erroneously put their confidence in these kinds of things for their assurance of God's approval and pleasure in them.

 

[Mitspa]

And this is what we see in scripture to see if we are in Christ:

"...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:22-24 NASB)

But, if we see us here in scripture, we may well not be in Christ at all:

"19...immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB)


Lack of spiritual fruit is the sign that you are in danger of hell fire:

"7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned." (Hebrews 6:7-8 NASB)



Circumcision, the putting off of the desires of the flesh, is the sign that you are in covenant with God. Just as putting off the flesh in circumcision was the sign of Abraham's righteousness and his covenant with God, so the circumcision of our fleshly nature is the sign of our righteousness and our covenant with God through our faith in the Son Promised to Abraham, Jesus Christ.


A big step of spiritual maturity for me was realizing that character is the measure of faith in Christ that counts, not ministry gifts and powers, or religious activities, or worship, but many people erroneously put their confidence in these kinds of things for their assurance of God's approval and pleasure in them.

All these things are FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

The only answer to sin is to walk in the spirit by faith.
The law is not of faith and produces sinful desires in those who look to it.

So not sure of your point in your post? But I teach a level of holiness that no man can attain by religioin or works of flesh, but through death with Christ and to all confidence in the ability of any man. And COMPLETE surrender to the The Holy Spirit.

So it seems you are agreeing with me, that no man can keep what the law demanded by looking to the letter but by walking in the Spirit? IN FAITH!

 

[Jethro Bodine]

All these things are FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

IOW, when you walk in the way of the Spirit (love, kindness, etc.) you will not have any law standing as witness against you:

"...against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:23 NIV1984)

The only answer to sin is to walk in the spirit by faith.
The law is not of faith and produces sinful desires in those who look to it.

Upholding the law by walking in the Spirit is the NEW way to serve God (Romans 7:6), but it's still a way that upholds the requirements of the law (Romans 3:31). This is what I said, probably repeatedly, in another thread that you could not see I was saying for some reason.

So not sure of your point in your post?

This was my point:

"...character is the measure of faith in Christ that counts, not ministry gifts and powers, or religious activities, or worship, but many people erroneously put their confidence in these kinds of things for their assurance of God's approval and pleasure in them."

But I teach a level of holiness that no man can attain by religioin or works of flesh, but through death with Christ and to all confidence in the ability of any man. And COMPLETE surrender to the The Holy Spirit.

The same way to holiness I share with others. It just so happens that new way to serving God in holiness (through the way of the Spirit--kindness, joy, etc.) upholds and satisfies the requirements of the law to not covet, not steal, not commit adultery, not bear false witness, not show favoritism, help the needy, etc. and serves as validation that we are indeed walking in the Spirit and have a faith that can justify us and save us on the Day of Wrath.

So it seems you are agreeing with me, that no man can keep what the law demanded by looking to the letter but by walking in the Spirit? IN FAITH!

Bingo! This is what I've been saying all along but you were sure I was telling people to walk by the law instead of using the requirements of the law as validation that we belong to Christ and have indeed been 'loving our neighbor as ourselves' showing ourselves to have the Spirit of God.

 

[Mitspa]

IOW, when you walk in the way of the Spirit (love, kindness, etc.) you will not have any law standing as witness against you:

"...against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:23 NIV1984)




Upholding the law by walking in the Spirit is the NEW way to serve God (Romans 7:6), but it's still a way that upholds the requirements of the law (Romans 3:31). This is what I said, probably repeatedly, in another thread that you could not see I was saying for some reason.




This was my point:

"...character is the measure of faith in Christ that counts, not ministry gifts and powers, or religious activities, or worship, but many people erroneously put their confidence in these kinds of things for their assurance of God's approval and pleasure in them."




The same way to holiness I share with others. It just so happens that new way to serving God in holiness (through the way of the Spirit--kindness, joy, etc.) upholds and satisfies the requirements of the law to not covet, not steal, not commit adultery, not bear false witness, not show favoritism, help the needy, etc. and serves as validation that we are indeed walking in the Spirit and have a faith that can justify us and save us on the Day of Wrath.





Bingo! This is what I've been saying all along but you were sure I was telling people to walk by the law instead of using the requirements of the law as validation that we belong to Christ and have indeed been 'loving our neighbor as ourselves' showing ourselves to have the Spirit of God.

I am glad to better understand your postion, but I also say that the letter cannot judge the Spirit. Meaning we do not look to the written code of the law to be justified. We are in fact justified by faith and that which the letter represented is fulfilled as we walk in the love of God by the Spirit. So then we are not looking to the Law of Moses, but we are looking to Christ alone and as we behold Him apart from the law, we are conformed to His Righteous image as by the Spirit.

So then do not put the letter forward as the standard to judge the believer. But we put forth Christ and the Spirit as that which justifies a believer. The law cannot make a charge of sin nor can it justifiy but it does stand as a witness to Christ and the Holy Spirit , which is the Law written upon the heart.

Notice that when Paul dealt with those in the church who were walking contrary to truth of life in Christ, HE NEVER put them back under the law! But he always pointed them to the Spirit within them and warned them that they would be held accountable to live in the truth of Christ.

So again we make CLEAR AND EVIDENT that no one can be justified by any part of the law of moses. But we are sure that all will be accountable to the "law upon thier heart" all will give account for what they have done in Christ. They will be judged by the law of liberty!

Have they used the freedom from law to seek the lust of their flesh? Or have they loved as Christ gave commandment?

 

[Mitspa]

1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; BECAUSE AS HE IS SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.

The purpose of the New Testament is to witness to us the love of God for all those who accept His Son. The New Testament is as a spiritual mirror that reflects to us the IMAGE OF GOD in the Face of Christ. The perfect law of liberty!

If one cannot look into the scriptures and see that they are IN CHRIST they are yet in the flesh, and cannot please God.

No man can please God, no flesh will glory before Him!
Only by faith can we look to the death of Christ as our own. Only by faith and the Spirit of Life can we see that His Life is our life.

This is the New Covenant, written in His Blood. That we might be as He is.

Consider the "born-again" experience that we all receive at the point of acceptance of grace?
We are washed clean and our conscience answers to God that we are in faith. Consider the joy and peace that the Holy Spirit brings to our heart? We are loved by God, and we KNOW IT!
Then religion comes and steals away that joy? Now the burdens of legalism are laid upon us. We no longer can trust in the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, but now we are put back into the bondage of the flesh.

To walk in the Spirit is to walk in confidence of His Love, and to love others with that same love. This is the "SIMPLICITY OF CHRIST" as you have received Christ Jesus so walk ye in Him!

How did we receive Him? By grace through faith! how do we STAND? by grace through faith!

Paul warned us over and over against satans deceptions, as he deceived eve he would deceive the whole world?

"did God really say"

For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, AND YOU ARE COMPLETE IN HIM!

the term "in Him" means that one by faith has died with Him and now lives according to His Life.

Unless you lose "your" life, you cannot find His Life.

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH!

 

[Mitspa]

Do you who preach the law not hear the law?
How God hates the flesh and its efforts of religious works?
Do you not see how the pharisee was condemned? How far from God these people were?

There is only one answer given to those who look the the law of Moses? Go to His Cross and die with Him to your own righteousness.
But why will they not hear the law? Why is there heart so hard? The lie lives in them, "for ye shall not surely die"

The flesh is the "self" and soulish life. It strives to have and cannot obtain, is covets and lust and judges and condemns.
It thinks evil and rejects Gods goodness and mercy.
It power comes from the law, for strength of sin is the law.

Why is the bible two very different books to some who call themselves Christians?

I could not speak to you as Spiritual but as to carnal, as babes in Christ. For he who is spiritual sets his mind on eternal and heavenly things. He who is carnal sets his mind on earthly and temporal things.

For we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God, that we might KNOW the things FREELY GIVEN to us by God.

Here it is!

Those who are carnal cannot understand that the Kingdom of God is GIVEN to those who are as children?

For I tell you, unless you become as a child, you cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.

Those WHO RECEIVE the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness shall reign in Life with Him.

For we who have CEASED from our own WORKS , have entered into the Rest of God. THIS IS THE TRUE SABBATH!

remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Holiness is found when we stop the works of the flesh, and enter into His Good works that were ordained before the foundations of the world?

Eternal works done by those who set their minds on eternal things!

Awake to righteousness! and sin not!
Means STOP WALKING IN THE FLESH!
walk in the spirit.

 

[VirginShallConceive]

Awake to righteousness! and sin not!
Means STOP WALKING IN THE FLESH!
walk in the spirit.

Well, in my opinion, here's one way to not walk in the Spirit:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj2eEwQKmJg

 

[Mitspa]

Well, in my opinion, here's one way to not walk in the Spirit:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj2eEwQKmJg

Not sure of your video? dont really care to make any point other than what is clear in scripture.

Not sure of what "church" you attend? but I would guess that some folks have some video that or something that would find fault? I do not not look to men but to Christ, His Word and The Spirit of God.

Those who look for fault in others usally are trying to cover something up there own.

please stay on topic!

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Well, in my opinion, here's one way to not walk in the Spirit:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj2eEwQKmJg

This is why I tell people that character is the sign of the Spirit in a person, not their ministries and gifts.

The fruit of the Spirit is how a person "walks by the Spirit":

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV1984)


This is how you walk in the flesh:

"19 The acts of the sinful nature (the flesh) are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like." (Galatians 5: NIV1984)


When we walk in the Spirit being kind, self controlled, and patient, etc, we satisfy the requirements of God to not murder, not steal, not covet, etc., doing no harm to them.

 

[Mitspa]

This is why I tell people that character is the sign of the Spirit in a person, not their ministries and gifts.

The fruit of the Spirit is how a person "walks by the Spirit":

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV1984)


This is how you walk in the flesh:

"19 The acts of the sinful nature (the flesh) are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like." (Galatians 5: NIV1984)


When we walk in the Spirit being kind, self controlled, and patient, etc, we satisfy the requirements of God to not murder, not steal, not covet, etc., doing no harm to them.

Good post Jethro! I would also add that "spiritual gifts" do not make one spiritual? Like you have said "walking in the Spirit" is very different!

For the Corinthians had these gifts in abundance, yet Paul called them "children"? They acted out of order and according to the flesh, even in spiritual things.

The church was in a carnal condition and Paul was bringing correction to many issues. Yet he was not in doubt of them as he was towards the Galatians, who were turning back to law.

 

[Mitspa]

Do you who preach the law not hear the law?
How God hates the flesh and its efforts of religious works?
Do you not see how the pharisee was condemned? How far from God these people were?

There is only one answer given to those who look the the law of Moses? Go to His Cross and die with Him to your own righteousness.
But why will they not hear the law? Why is there heart so hard? The lie lives in them, "for ye shall not surely die"

The flesh is the "self" and soulish life. It strives to have and cannot obtain, is covets and lust and judges and condemns.
It thinks evil and rejects Gods goodness and mercy.
It power comes from the law, for strength of sin is the law.

Why is the bible two very different books to some who call themselves Christians?

I could not speak to you as Spiritual but as to carnal, as babes in Christ. For he who is spiritual sets his mind on eternal and heavenly things. He who is carnal sets his mind on earthly and temporal things.

For we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God, that we might KNOW the things FREELY GIVEN to us by God.

Here it is!

Those who are carnal cannot understand that the Kingdom of God is GIVEN to those who are as children?

For I tell you, unless you become as a child, you cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.

Those WHO RECEIVE the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness shall reign in Life with Him.

For we who have CEASED from our own WORKS , have entered into the Rest of God. THIS IS THE TRUE SABBATH!

remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Holiness is found when we stop the works of the flesh, and enter into His Good works that were ordained before the foundations of the world?

Eternal works done by those who set their minds on eternal things!

Awake to righteousness! and sin not!
Means STOP WALKING IN THE FLESH!
walk in the spirit.

IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION! the old things have passed away, BEHOLD ALL THINGS ARE NEW!

The "renewed" mind is not a religious mind, that is what we have been delivered from! The renewed mind is one that sees that are are indeed IN CHRIST. all that He is so are we in this world.
I think 2 Cor 3 may be the most important chapter for understanding the gospel? Having been set free from the letter we are now righteous in spirit. The flesh is nothing unless we live after the flesh. If we see that we have died with Him, we see that we live with Him. Seated with Him in the heavens.
As we behold Him, we are conformed to His Image.
When we see His Kindness and love that becomes ours, when we His strength that is also ours.
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT, IS WALKING IN THE TRUTH OF WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS.

All else is just religious nonsense.
repent and be saved from yourself!

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Good post Jethro! I would also add that "spiritual gifts" do not make one spiritual?

Only members of the Body of Christ have them, which helps explain the error of thinking they are the mark of spiritual maturity.

Like you have said "walking in the Spirit" is very different!

Spiritual character is the mark of maturing into the stature of Christ. A lot of people think spiritual giftedness is the mark of spiritual maturity and get led astray from growing up into Christ by that wind of doctrine.

For the Corinthians had these gifts in abundance, yet Paul called them "children"? They acted out of order and according to the flesh, even in spiritual things.

Even the gifts are to be governed by the greater thing--character. Pride may well be the biggest character flaw in regard to walking in a gift. It causes disorder and confusion, the very thing the Corinthians were majoring in.

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition (the pride of life--1 John 2:16) exist, there is disorder and every evil thing." (James 3:13-16 NASB emphasis and parenthesis mine)

Many Christians think our giftedness somehow reveals our wisdom and our closeness to God. That's just not true. Not true at all. Our godly behavior does that.

The church was in a carnal condition and Paul was bringing correction to many issues.

The carnal condition of jealousy and pride like James describes in the passage I just quoted:

"This wisdom (the 'wisdom' of jealousy, and the pride of what you want and do) is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic." (James 3:15 NASB)

Yet he was not in doubt of them as he was towards the Galatians, who were turning back to law.

Because only the members of the Body of Christ have the spiritual gifts. The rub comes in, though, when you consider that the gifts can be faked by unbelievers--which is especially deceitful when they have demonic activity instigating it.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The renewed mind is one that sees that are are indeed IN CHRIST. all that He is so are we in this world.

So we would all hope, anyway, lol.

The Bible speaks of 'being renewed' (2 Corinthians 4:16, Colossians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 3:18). Our hope should be that we are indeed becoming more and more like him in this world. Our gifts are what help each other in the Body to do that. But some think the gifts themselves are the goal of godliness and being like him in this world. I started out in the charismatic movement when I first got saved, so I'm familiar with this belief. It's in the mainline denom's, too, but in regard to different spiritual gifts and duties.

As we behold Him, we are conformed to His Image.

In the first few years after becoming a Christian I was in a small non-denominational Full Gospel Church. After a few years of worshiping and fellowshipping together we each had come to the realization that ecstatic worship experiences with God is not what changed us into what we wanted to be in Christ. It was knowledge (teaching, training) that did that. Nothing wrong with charismatic worship (as long as it's real) but the truth is it does little in and of itself to make us obedient to that which we are to be when we get out of church.

"...the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3:10 NIV1984)


This is why I think the church is failing in regard to our young people. The grace of dynamic national worship events are great, but you can't grow up into Christ on them alone. You have to be taught about what constitutes spiritual maturity. Experiences simply are not that maturity. The fruit of the Spirit is.