Bible Study WELCOME TO AN IN DEPTH STUDY OF MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.

[GodsGrace]

As long as we are in our body we have issues, but that does not take away from the possible benefits either. Being saved is not depending on power to witness.
Repentance
Salvation
Power to witness

Stay on the wilderness side of Jordan or cross over. All Israel is saved, but some were happy short of the promised land. One is the spiritual reality, and the other is the physical type.

Tradition of the Gentiles is about as bad as traditions of the Jews at times. The one new man helps to understand.

Just because I have some insight in the mind, that does not cause my flesh to already be resurrected. I still have issues in the flesh that will require the last trump.

Without Romans 7:25 we can not know how to discuss the human flesh / spirit very much.

eddif

Eddif
I don't quite understand what Romans 7:25 has to do with any of this.
I personally am not lonely. In fact, I'd say that sometimes I feel like there's TOO MANY people around here!

However, I don't think it's right to tell a lonely person that they feel this way because they don't know God.
This is what I was getting at. I'm sure you'll agree. I was asking if you agreed to this.

Sometimes you feel God very close. And sometimes you don't feel Him at all. That doesn't mean He's not there - but in our humanity it does make us feel more alone. Although faith is not a feeling - but that's not what I'm referring to either.

Wondering

 

[Chopper]

Why would you make this assumption when they always appear on earth as MEN. While they are spirit beings, they have the capacity to transform themselves (or be transformed) into men (never women or eunuchs). Please refer to Luke 24. "The angels which kept not their first estate" took the form of men, and functioned as men (Jude 6) and are mentioned in relation to sexual sins.

The only reasons that the Bible says that there are no marriages in Heaven are (1) the Marriage of the Lamb is the only one that counts in Heaven, (2) it is a realm where spirits and "spiritual bodies" (as per 1 Cor 15) reside, and the focus is on the triune Godhead by all the residents.

I like this post of yours. There will be no need for marriage in the New Jerusalem. You;re right, the marriage of the Lamb will be the only one. I've thought of this no marriage quite a bit since my wonderful Wife died and is there in the New Jerusalem. It is my opinion that the reason for no marriage is, Love for each other will be magnified thousands of times better than before.

Since those Christians who were resurrected to life in Jesus, there will be no need for them to pro-create. The fellowship and godly love for each other will be similar to how Jesus loves. Also, in this life, the marriage bond, has for the most part been a joke. Thank God that a few Christians take marriage very seriously. They know that it is for life.

 

[brother Paul]

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it

Faith comes by hearing....

 

[Chopper]

Romans is my favorite theology Book in the Bible Romans 7 & 8 sure do bring up a lot of questions. The biggest question is whether the Apostle Paul was unsaved in chapter 7, and saved in chapter 8. A thorough study of chapter seven reveals a regenerate Paul. The battle in his mind over doing good which is what he wanted as a Christian, and doing evil because of sin dwelling in his old nature.

I have found, not only in my own life, but in others that I've counseled. In my studies to become a Christian Psychologist, I took lessons from Dr. Jay Adams. He coined the phrase "neuthetic counseling" This type of counseling zero's in on the person's potential for sin being at the root of his/her negative situation.

After studying Job's friends, and how they responded to Job's pathetic situation, in reality, that was neuthetic counseling. As a Psychologist I never go there first. What Job's friends did in making sin the main point of their counsel was not acceptable.

My friend Smaller has a great understanding of the danger of this law of sin in our members. In all of us, there seems to be a fine line between acting righteously or unrighteous. I've been asked, how can I stay on the righteous side. The answer is our DESIRES. Since we have sin lurking within our make up, we need to pay close attention of what Paul said....
Romans 7:21 "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.
7:22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
7:23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Another Romans verse is....
Romans 7:18 "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out."
There's that word desire. Our desire's will either make us or break us. I've told, especially new believers, to evaluate a desire, and ask the question, "would Jesus do this" or "would Jesus approve this?

There is so much danger in what our desire is to do. Sin is always with us and in us. Smaller has written solid Scriptural instruction on indwelling sin. Lets not be easily swayed by the evil that lurks in each of us. When something comes spontaneously with no time to think about the outcome, we need to force ourselves to decide, is this right or wrong.

 

[eddif]

Hebrews 4:12 KJV
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and isa discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Jeremiah 31:33 KJV
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

This one is harder
Revelation 17:17 KJV
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

We can suffer and still know the victory is Christ's (OT / OC martyars not complete without us).

Romans 7:25 KJV
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Let us pick on me. I talk a wonderful talk, but I still am a jerk from Mississippi. Romans 7:25 is word / two edged sword - able to divide spirit / soul / joints / marrow. The wretched man we are is not yet totally changed (work in progress). The inward parts are finally defined in Greek. (Try not to scream too loud).
Isaiah 28:11 KJV
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Not works of Law.

I physically got lightly brused and slightly cut today, so a little criticism would / will fit right in.

eddif

 

[smaller]

Romans 7:25 KJV
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Let us pick on me. I talk a wonderful talk, but I still am a jerk from Mississippi. Romans 7:25 is word / two edged sword - able to divide spirit / soul / joints / marrow. The wretched man we are is not yet totally changed (work in progress). The inward parts are finally defined in Greek. (Try not to scream too loud).
Isaiah 28:11 KJV
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Not works of Law.

I physically got lightly brused and slightly cut today, so a little criticism would / will fit right in.

eddif

I know you'd like to say more eddif, so allow me to jump in.

I might observe we TRY to contain the adverse works of the flesh (which adverse works always exist and always begin in the thought realm) precisely to avoid the very real adverse judgments of God, in the temporal arena.

And here, in this particular quest, we find a fair amount of spiritual danger. How so? If we end up claiming we have, present tense, no sin, we are not in truth. 1 John 1:8. If we turn into liars about having contrary against the spirit flesh we are liars. Gal. 5:17, 1 John 1:10. And the worst state, the last state that most "fervent religious" people land in is when they count sins to others and not to themselves. This is hypocrisy. These are very real spiritual landmines, all. And the majority of us have stepped on same with both feet, jumping up and down even.

The flesh/mind/heart is a tricky little monster. A beast, if you please.

The Spirit of God in Christ will tell anyone the truth. There are some things that are hard to hear. We all have a constant press to be only and entirely good and only entirely in Truth. But the flesh wants also to sneak it's way past the Gate guard too, as a liar. A poser. A hypocrite.

The hypocrite can not, will not see or hear of their factual state in the flesh. FIFTEEN TIMES Jesus, as recorded by Matthew, addresses the hypocrite in the harshest terms.

IF we can not hear those Words, we ARE the hypocrite.

Jesus took great pains to detail our current status in this world, as did all the prophets/Apostles. Their Words are hidden in DESTRUCTION FIRE, where no flesh man can enter in, because it means destruction to our own vile flesh.

Few will see HIS LIFE, there. They will defer to others what is meant for our own flesh. My days of pandering with religious liars past away long ago. My studies started out to see why believers were so divided. Most, yeah, even unbelievers, observe "our" hypocrisy, the hypocrisy of the church members. Posing on one hand to be the only good and the only saved, the ones with the ONLY correct jots and tittles and doctrines, yet, simultaneously, being sinners. Then I saw that "I" was the hypocrite too. And hated myself for it. We "meet" Jesus many times, in many ways along the paths of our current life. Jesus met me again, when I hated myself, and I heard, REALLY HEARD the HARD WAY, His Words in Matthew, here. Because I had fallen HEADLONG into hypocrisy.

Matthew 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Most believers will spend their days in the flesh, basking their flesh in the LOVE of God in Christ. And to those I say, for my own good, OK. Fine. You'll make it in the end, when it's over, regardless. There are however a few who will see that the path of life is hatred from God. And these are His disciples.

John 12:25
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Luke 14:26
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

And everyone who can not hear of it will say: "GULP. No thank you Jesus! I prefer to LOVE my hide!"

Hebrews 1:9
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

The INIQUITY we are to hate, is our OWN.

I am happy to HATE. Even giddy over it. Now, who wants to hate themselves and follow Jesus? Anyone? lol. There are few who care to share and break His Bread at that table. We all prefer, in the FLESH, the half baked loaf, where the gluten sticks to our teeth.

 

[ezrider]

The Spirit of God in Christ will tell anyone the truth. There are some things that are hard to hear. We all have a constant press to be only and entirely good and only entirely in Truth. But the flesh wants also to sneak it's way past the Gate guard too, as a liar. A poser. A hypocrite.

The hypocrite can not, will not see or hear of their factual state in the flesh. FIFTEEN TIMES Jesus, as recorded by Matthew, addresses the hypocrite in the harshest terms.

IF we can not hear those Words, we ARE the hypocrite.

It is not necessarily the case the we can not hear those Words, but rather HOW we HEAR those WORDS. So How do we hear those words? Lets take for example Matthew 23. When we hears the words written, do we hear them as if we were Jesus condemning the Pharisees? Or do we hear them as the Pharisee receiving the condemnation?

Matthew 23 13-17
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows 'houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?


The Words of Christ were spoken to the Pharisee, and the only way to truly hear those words as they were meant to be heard is to receive them as the Scribe and Pharisee. But if we put ourselves above the Pharisee and consider ourselves sitting in judgement over them by the words of Jesus, then we have NOT HEARD the Words spoken, but have instead sat ourselves in the seat of Moses, showing ourselves the hypocrite.


.

 

[smaller]

It is not necessarily the case the we can not hear those Words, but rather HOW we HEAR those WORDS. So How do we hear those words? Lets take for example Matthew 23. When we hears the words written, do we hear them as if we were Jesus condemning the Pharisees? Or do we hear them as the Pharisee receiving the condemnation?

Matthew 23 13-17
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows 'houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?


The Words of Christ were spoken to the Pharisee, and the only way to truly hear those words as they were meant to be heard is to receive them as the Scribe and Pharisee. But if we put ourselves above the Pharisee and consider ourselves sitting in judgement over them by the words of Jesus, then we have NOT HEARD the Words spoken, but have instead sat ourselves in the seat of Moses, showing ourselves the hypocrite.
.

I fly only one flag when it comes to the Word of God.

Luke 4:
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Selective plucking is just that.

Let's say for example, that Jesus came to you/me and said this:

Matthew 23:28
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

IF we don't hear EVERY WORD, and refuse to hear, then we ARE that hypocrite.

 

[ezrider]

I fly only one flag when it comes to the Word of God.

Luke 4:
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Selective plucking is just that.

Let's say for example, that Jesus came to you/me and said this:

Matthew 23:28
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

IF we don't hear EVERY WORD, and refuse to hear, then we ARE that hypocrite.

And like I stated, we can not hear those words except we receive them as the Scribe and Pharisee.

 

[smaller]

And like I stated, we can not hear those words except we receive them as the Scribe and Pharisee.

Every Word of God is meant for "all" of us. Luke 4:4.

 

[Malachi]

And like I stated, we can not hear those words except we receive them as the Scribe and Pharisee.

That's a rather strange statement. The scribes and Pharisees focused on the letter of the Law, but dismissed the spirit of the Law.

 

[ezrider]

That's a rather strange statement. The scribes and Pharisees focused on the letter of the Law, but dismissed the spirit of the Law.

I am not talking about what the Scribes and Pharisees did. I am talking about how you perceive yourself when you read the words printed in the scripture. When reading Matthew 23, do you see yourself as Jesus saying Woe unto to you scribes and Pharisees? Or do you receive those words as they were given to you, as one of the Scribes or Pharisees. What the Pharisees refused to do was hear the Word that was given unto them, much like those who also place themselves in the seat of Moses when they perceive themselves as saying woe unto you rather than hearing the woe unto you.

 

[Malachi]

I am not talking about what the Scribes and Pharisees did. I am talking about how you perceive yourself when you read the words printed in the scripture. When reading Matthew 23, do you see yourself as Jesus saying Woe unto to you scribes and Pharisees?

Anyone who would see himself as a scribe of Pharisee could not claim to be a genuine Christian. So if you are asking Christians whether they see themselves as scribes and Pharisees, perhaps you are addressing the wrong crowd. BTW those woes pronounced by Christ indicate that those men were destined for Hell. Christians are destined for Heaven.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Anyone who would see himself as a scribe of Pharisee could not claim to be a genuine Christian. So if you are asking Christians whether they see themselves as scribes and Pharisees, perhaps you are addressing the wrong crowd. BTW those woes pronounced by Christ indicate that those men were destined for Hell. Christians are destined for Heaven.

And may I add that it seems that these words spoken to Christians don't seem to be heard by some who claim to be Christians:

"9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NASB)

 

[eddif]

And may I add that it seems that these words spoken to Christians don't seem to be heard by some who claim to be Christians:

"9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NASB)

Does someone who has two cases of a sin (that has confessed his sin and encapsulated that sin where it does not effect his daily life or another's) is he considered one of those terrible persons?

I have been trying to see how sin is in us but not controlling us (not open to discussion by some). Some benign tumors are encapsulated and do not cause death. Other tumors will cause close tissue infection or may have
metastasis effects at a distant body part.

I am not really into all this, but Romans 1:19-20
tells me some relationship to sin might be seen in medicine.

Sometimes we pull out surgical equipment for others, that just need a checkup now and then.

Pollution, tumors, etc., all have interesting information concealed from the foundation of the earth.

eddif

 

[smaller]

I am not talking about what the Scribes and Pharisees did. I am talking about how you perceive yourself when you read the words printed in the scripture. When reading Matthew 23, do you see yourself as Jesus saying Woe unto to you scribes and Pharisees? Or do you receive those words as they were given to you, as one of the Scribes or Pharisees. What the Pharisees refused to do was hear the Word that was given unto them, much like those who also place themselves in the seat of Moses when they perceive themselves as saying woe unto you rather than hearing the woe unto you.

Every prophet of God knew, understood and practiced WOE UNTO ME in various sights. Numerous scriptural citings available.

It is actually ON that basis that we understand our NEED for His Eternal Mercy. We are placed in the seat of WOE in our own temporal flesh, with no uncertainty about it. Therefore I HEED the WOE Words of God, personally applied. To not hear them is to be a false religious pharisee or false relgious scribe.

I do hear GODS LIFE in the WOE Words. Most run from them, as is the fashion of the flesh/carnal man. And even with explanations of WHY I take great delight in the WOE Words, people in the flesh will not understand why this is so, and critically so.

When Jesus said this about His Disciples:

Matthew 10:16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

He was NOT talking about them and 'some other people.' Every Word of the above was directed to each of them, individually. Jesus even states the matters as YE, and that is PLURAL applied to the "individual."

Want to see Paul as a SHEEP in the midst of a WOLF? Wise as A SERPENT? Look and see!

2 Corinthians 12:7
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Not everyone will get this picture. Not many at all.

 

[smaller]

Here is why I take Jesus' WOE Words, His DAMNATION Words, personally. Yes, personally.

I know I have a flesh body with sin indwelling it. Romans 7:17-20.
I know I have a MIND that is attacked by lusts, prompted by sin resisting Gods Laws. Romans 7:7-13

No one has to convince me of the TRUTH of the above. I know these truths to be "self" evident. MORE evident than the documents of any man.

I know "MY SIN" is for no uncertain fact, of the devil. 1 John 3:8. I know the attacks of the adversary in my own flesh, well beyond question. I know, just as Paul knew, that "I AM" the chief of sinners. IF I could crawl any lower on the totem pole Paul SET for his own flesh and NOT usurp Paul, I would do so. But that would be arrogance. I am settled however that if it was so for Paul, then it is SO for me.

I know, for no uncertain fact, that "I" have a vile body. Phil. 3:21.
I know, for no uncertain fact that "MY" flesh is contrary to the Spirit, and against the Spirit. Gal. 5:17

No one has to convince me that the above is true. I know it from the Word and I know it from the experience of faith in FIGHTING these things.

So, what am "I" to make of the WOE Words?

I expect Jesus to be against "my sin dwelling in my flesh." I expect Jesus to be against the evil present with ME. I expect Jesus to be against and contrary to MY flesh.

And most of all, I DESIRE TO BE LIKE HIM, because of my current state. These conditions serve to push me INTO Him, not away from Him.

What was Paul's goal? To be CHANGED! Paul sought the RESURRECTION of his own VILE BODY.

I seek, likewise.

Now, take me back to Jesus' Words here:

Matthew 7:23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

What most would FEAR to hear, I see and hear the UTTER JOY that is pronounced, by those same WORDS OF LIFE.

All I have to do is look honestly, WITH WOE, upon my own vile flesh that I SEEK TO DITCH, permanently.

Few will see the freight train of Jesus rolling in from this direction. But to His Woe Words I will RUN TO, because I want HIS, GODS ETERNAL MERCY shed upon me, forever.

Gods Mercy, I take very seriously.

 

[eddif]

New word filled heart WOE
New word filled mind WOW

eddif

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I have been trying to see how sin is in us but not controlling us (not open to discussion by some).

For the Christian, sin is in us in that it comes from the desires of the flesh, not from the fundamental (new) nature of our person, our inner man, as it did before we were born again. If a Christian is being controlled by sin it shows they are still growing up into the reality of the free person Paul says they really are in Christ. For the non-Christian, slavery to sin shows exactly that--that they are still under the control of and slavery of sin.

Paul is saying to the church, victory over sin for the Christian hinges on how you see yourself. As Christians we are not really still slaves to sin. That doesn't mean we don't sin. What it means is, simply, sin no longer has authority and control over us. If it does then one of four things is true: 1) we simply are not a Christian and, therefore, really are still slaves to sin, 2) we don't know about the reality of the Christian's power over sin, 3) we don't care about the reality of the Christian's power over sin we have, or 4) we are not well trained in the Christians's power over sin and shrink back in fear and weakness in the face of battle with sin.

For the church in general (the REAL church, not the church of the world), my money's on #4. We seem to have a very profound ignorance of how to battle with the reality of sinful desires coming from our bodies (not our new inner man). Paul seems to emphasize knowing who you really have become in Christ to defeat the sinful desires of our flesh bodies. Instead of being taught that, it seems the church has resorted to rationalizing lingering, besetting sin in the church as the answer to the struggle with sin. The hyper-grace doctrines are an example of that rationalization of continued, unrepentant sin in the 'believer'. These rationalizations are what give rise to the 'not open to discussion' about sin groups within the church eddif makes note of.

 

[eddif]

Job 14:17
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

Jesus is the ultimate vessel of our sins I Peter 2:24

A shadow of things to come:
Is how bacteria can be placed in a fibrous cyst and not harm us. Our body can place a foreign object in a bag.

Our sins exist, but not to be meditated on and practiced. The temptation is to return to our sins. We have to leave the sins sewn up in what Christ did for us. Paul refers to the wretched man part of him, and the mind that continues to allow God to continue sew up the bag of our sins (secure in Christ Jesus). If we pick at the cyst with human reason we risk releasing the very things contained in the cyst. Rejoice in what Jesus has done.

I have no real medical training. I do seek to understand the issue of sin. We will enter heaven cyst free. Forgiveness, love, compassion form the fibers that seal up sin.

Boy I be done started sounding plum strange. Romans 1:19-20
Rednecks might ought not to practice medicine.

eddif