lovely
Member
I wonder if we (The church of Jesus Christ) have not noticed the shift to a more intellectual faith these days. Is this possibly a deception even of the very elect of God...this intellectual faith? It seems that we are almost collectively walking by sight, and not by the Spirit. We study the Scriptures, but it seems to be for intellectual debates, rather than the Gospel, for self-help books, apologist's essays, and money, rather than Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Where is the Holy Spirit in our lives, where are the fruits of the Spirit when we share the Word with others? Are we walking by sight, or by faith? Am I saying we should not study the Word? Nope. I am saying that we should be seeking the aid of the Spirit to apply it...this should be why we study, because we hunger and thirst after righteousness. I long to have more of that hunger and thirst. There are three things that should cause us to study the Word in this way. One, so that we may obey God and increase in His love, two so that we may shine the light of Christ to others, and three so that we may help others out of error by exposing false teachers. All should be done in the Spirit of Love and Truth.
1 Corinthians 2
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
John says that we know God, if we keep His commandments..so that in him the love of God is perfected. The point is that we are applying the Word, not just learning it for debate, knowledge, scholarly pursuits, etc. God's love is not perfected in me if I have knowledge of the Word, but no application. We are applying it so that God's love can be perfected in us...that's amazing! If I would only apply the little that I know I wonder how much of God's love would radiate from my life to my family, friends, church, and the world? This is God's wisdom, and it flows to all areas of our lives, and our world, but I miss it so much of the time.
1 John 2
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
We know that others are the brothers and sisters if they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and love one another...keeping the commands of God...all by the Spirit which has been given to us. There is not one of us good, but His goodness should be identified in us. I wonder if my husband, or my children, see this love and the Holy Spirit's grace to keep God's commands in my life?
1 John 3
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
I wonder at the church. Why do we tolerate man's wisdom, and why do we seek it...even in the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
There are a few ways we use the Word to seem wise, but it is really worldliness...it is not the work of the Holy Spirit leading us...me.
We mix in psychology (not even realizing most of these, btw.), humanism, feminism, evolution, and others isms, and call it Truth because we peppered it with a few verses of Scripture. It's really just cultural, and built into our worldviews...only if we could unlearn at a faster rate and truly be liberated by God's Truth. We must be careful. We also use the Bible out of context to support man-centered ideas of the age, and our own, and much of this is denominational divisiveness...1 Corinthians 3:1-18 This is beyond being different parts of the body, this is simply us not looking to our head for Truth...through the Holy Spirit...and holding our denominational ideas higher than the Word. This requires more unlearning on my part, and a proper esteem for the Word of God. Another thing we do, we use the Bible as a weapon, not against satan and false teachers, but against one another. I have done this with friends, my husband, and my children...yuck. If our brother is in error, or overtaken in sin, we are to restore them in a spirit of gentleness being very careful ourslves. Where are the fruits of the Spirit when I think I am right? UGH!
Galatians 6
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
These are just a few thoughts that are on my mind today, and I thought I would write them down. For me, the application is in my life is mainly as wife, mother, and daughter. I desire to obey God, and my husband, from my heart, but I fail so much of the time because I do it in my strength, and I don't walk by faith being led by the Holy Spirit. I walk by my own intellect...holding Scriptures about submission, child training, and honoring parents high, and even outwardly obeying them some of the time, but failing to have them penetrate me to the core of my heart and soul too often. It is God's desire to give us the grace to obey Him genuinely, but we must walk out our faith with fear and trembling...careful to apply His Word through faith...through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for reading, and the Lord bless you.
1 Corinthians 2
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
John says that we know God, if we keep His commandments..so that in him the love of God is perfected. The point is that we are applying the Word, not just learning it for debate, knowledge, scholarly pursuits, etc. God's love is not perfected in me if I have knowledge of the Word, but no application. We are applying it so that God's love can be perfected in us...that's amazing! If I would only apply the little that I know I wonder how much of God's love would radiate from my life to my family, friends, church, and the world? This is God's wisdom, and it flows to all areas of our lives, and our world, but I miss it so much of the time.
1 John 2
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
We know that others are the brothers and sisters if they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and love one another...keeping the commands of God...all by the Spirit which has been given to us. There is not one of us good, but His goodness should be identified in us. I wonder if my husband, or my children, see this love and the Holy Spirit's grace to keep God's commands in my life?
1 John 3
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
I wonder at the church. Why do we tolerate man's wisdom, and why do we seek it...even in the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
There are a few ways we use the Word to seem wise, but it is really worldliness...it is not the work of the Holy Spirit leading us...me.
We mix in psychology (not even realizing most of these, btw.), humanism, feminism, evolution, and others isms, and call it Truth because we peppered it with a few verses of Scripture. It's really just cultural, and built into our worldviews...only if we could unlearn at a faster rate and truly be liberated by God's Truth. We must be careful. We also use the Bible out of context to support man-centered ideas of the age, and our own, and much of this is denominational divisiveness...1 Corinthians 3:1-18 This is beyond being different parts of the body, this is simply us not looking to our head for Truth...through the Holy Spirit...and holding our denominational ideas higher than the Word. This requires more unlearning on my part, and a proper esteem for the Word of God. Another thing we do, we use the Bible as a weapon, not against satan and false teachers, but against one another. I have done this with friends, my husband, and my children...yuck. If our brother is in error, or overtaken in sin, we are to restore them in a spirit of gentleness being very careful ourslves. Where are the fruits of the Spirit when I think I am right? UGH!
Galatians 6
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
These are just a few thoughts that are on my mind today, and I thought I would write them down. For me, the application is in my life is mainly as wife, mother, and daughter. I desire to obey God, and my husband, from my heart, but I fail so much of the time because I do it in my strength, and I don't walk by faith being led by the Holy Spirit. I walk by my own intellect...holding Scriptures about submission, child training, and honoring parents high, and even outwardly obeying them some of the time, but failing to have them penetrate me to the core of my heart and soul too often. It is God's desire to give us the grace to obey Him genuinely, but we must walk out our faith with fear and trembling...careful to apply His Word through faith...through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for reading, and the Lord bless you.