What's in your mind? The key to faith and Christian living

What's in your mind? The key to faith and Christian living.

The core of your faith and of Christian living is based upon what's in your mind. Are you operating in a mind that is renewed by the Word of God and based on the principles of spiritual wisdom and truth or are you still functioning with a darkened mind that is based upon worldly knowledge and vanity? That's quite a contrasting picture, not so. Well, let me confirm this with two contrasting scriptures in the epistle of Ephesians that says the same thing.

Eph 4:17-20  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in THE VANITY OF THEIR MIND,  (18)  Having the understanding DARKENED, being alienated from the life of God through the IGNORANCE that is in them, because of the BLINDNESS of their heart:  (19)  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  (20)  But ye have not so learned Christ;

Paul writes, but you have not so learned Christ. What is it to learn Christ? Well, if the above statement is being without Christ in edification, then what is it to learn Christ? Paul already provided the answer to this question in chapter 1:

Eph 1:17-19  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the KNOWLEDGE of him:  (18)  The eyes of your UNDERSTANDING being ENLIGHTENED; that ye MAY KNOW what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  (19)  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Fellowship and friendship are good. Praise and worship are important. Prayer and intercession are of great value. But there is something that far exceeds the scope of these activities. It is reading and studying the Word of God. To gain in knowledge of the rightly divided Word is the core of your life and strength. It increases faith, it feeds you with truth, it fills you with God's Spirit, it empowers you to walk worthy of the Lord, it's the armour to war against the enemy. Increasing in knowledge of spiritual truth is the most important, yet the most undervalued activity in most Christian's lives. Let's see what value the Bible places upon this.

The epistle of Romans is the foundation of our faith. Several times in chapters 6 to 8, Paul asks the reader if they know certain things:

• Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
• Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
• Rom 6:9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
• Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
• Rom 7:1  Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
• Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
• Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

Until you know these things, you are not educated or walking in the principles that stablish your faith and empower you to yield in obedience unto righteousness, delivering you from sin and fruitlessness, Rom 6:16-17. 

That I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead

That I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead

Php 3:7-14  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.  (8)  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,  (9)  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:  (10)  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  (11)  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  (12)  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.  (13)  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  (14)  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

What does Paul mean when he says, “attaining unto the resurrection of the dead”? What is the resurrection of the dead? Well, it might not be what you think! Paul is not talking about being raised from the dead at the rapture. No! The rapture is not the context of this passage, neither does it even fit into the truths that he is teaching the Philippians. So, let’s do some bible study to see exactly what Paul is talking about.

Manifesting true righteousness through obedience to Christ

Manifesting true righteousness through obedience to Christ

Romans 6:16 presents a profound concept: "Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." 

This verse is intriguing, and many people miss the peculiarity of it. Take a look at what it says. One is either a servant of sin, which leads to death, or a servant of obedience, which leads to righteousness. You might be persuaded to interpret the verse saying that one is either a servant of sin leading to death or a servant of righteousness leading to life. However, this interpretation is contrary to what Paul taught. Let me explain. Although Paul, as pertaining to the old covenant  said, "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them", Rom.10:5, and to the Galatians he said, "for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law", look what he said pertaining to our grace doctrine, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  (21)  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.", Gal 2:20-21. You see, Paul didn't say that you serve sin unto death or righteousness unto life; there's something else you have to obey, and its obedience. But what does that mean?

Romans 5:19 tells us: "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." 

Let's remember to keep learning our Spiritual Curriculum

Let's remember to keep learning our Spiritual Curriculum

The book of Romans lays the groundwork for our faith. First Corinthians addresses issues of immaturity and divisions within the church. Second Corinthians focuses on comfort and understanding as one learns these truths. In Galatians, Paul warns us not to foolishly try to achieve perfection through our own efforts and laws, which he also discusses in Romans chapters 7 and 8. He introduces the idea of the "new creature" in Galatians.

Ephesians reveals this new creature, which we refer to as the "new man." Paul encourages us to live in a way that reflects our calling and prepares us for spiritual battles. This isn't just about us; it's about the new man, Jesus Christ, who is in conflict with sin and the world. That's why we are told to put on the armor of God.

Philippians teaches us to work together for the faith of the Gospel, united in mind and spirit, while deepening our understanding of the Son of God. Colossians encourages us to remain steadfast in our faith and to grow in our walk with God, embodying the new man. These seven letters guide us in living out the work of faith, and the labour of love.

The letters to the Thessalonians present an example of a strong church. First Thessalonians encourages us to be patient in hope and to grow continually. Second Thessalonians reminds us not to be easily shaken or troubled, and it emphasizes the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the teaching of the Apostle Paul, outlining a path for us to follow. By studying these letters and obeying their teachings from the heart, we can grow from spiritual infants into mature sons of God, living by the Spirit and pleasing our Father as we bring glory to Christ.

See more here: https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2023/10/as-grace-believers-what-is-our-primary_14.html

That FORM of Doctrine (Part 4 - Conform)

That FORM of Doctrine (Part 4 - Conform)

Start this lesson series at with the Introduction here.

Conform (Grk: schematic) 

There is one schematic, one image that God wants you to conform to; the image of His Son!

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.

Conformation in word and deed can only occur by transformation of the mind, concerning what you believe. The problem and solution are in the mind of man.

Gal 5:19-23  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  (22)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  (23)  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

There is nothing in your flesh except sin and death. The works of the flesh is your natural state. It is the way your mind operates in its default state. Isn’t it interesting to note that what the Spirit produces in you is not called ‘works’ but rather ‘fruit’? The fruit of the spirit is NOT works. You cannot work up love, you cannot produce joy in yourself, you cannot strive for peace. These things come by the operation of the spirit which is of God, 1Cor 2:12, which is present in you through the knowledge and inspiration of the word of God.

Sanctification is not reforming the flesh. It is renewing the mind.

Sanctification is not reforming the flesh. It is renewing the mind.

A false notion about sanctification is to reform the flesh. Common expectations placed upon new believers are to conform to traditions, prescribed patterns, or programs that the church dictates, and growth is determined by how well they perform and conform in these pious works of the flesh. The fruit of this system is self-glory through achievements and admiration. It grows the outer man, the carnal nature. There is no spiritual knowledge or understanding imparted, and spiritual growth is stunted, producing nothing more than babes and children who can only function under laws. The result of this carnal immaturity is envying, and strife, and divisions.

1Co 3:1-3  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  (2)  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  (3)  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

According to Romans 6:1, if I am dead to sin, why do I sin often times?

According to Romans 6:1, if I am dead to sin, why do I sin often times?

To answer this question, let’s have a closer look at some key verses in Romans 6 to provide the necessary context. Read the following verses below taking note at what was put to death,

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Paul says, we were baptised into Christ’s death, we are buried with Him by that baptism into death, and we are planted in the likeness of His death. Now, as you read this, go ahead and pinch yourself on the arm. The pinch you felt is proof that you are still alive, right! Your body, the mortal man, is still alive and kicking, and as you rightly identified, is still sinning too. So, Paul’s statements are obviously not in reference to our mortal bodies. Well, what then was put to death? We’ll need to dig deeper.

DM#12: Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind

Doctrine of the Mysteries #12

The Roman epistle is the foundation laying epistle for the grace believer. It lays four cornerstones that will stablish the believer in ‘the faith’; and set them up to build upon this foundation with the doctrine presented in the rest of Paul’s letters.

The first cornerstone of the Romans foundation is understanding God’s righteousness opposed to the depravity of men. The second is understanding God’s free justification and grace through faith in Christ. The third is to gain knowledge of God’s dispensational wisdom and His purpose for both Israel’s prophecy program and the mysteries of the Body of Christ. In the fourth and last cornerstone, from chapter 12, Paul lays out the characteristics and outcomes of the application of his doctrine in the grace believer.

Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind 

Rom 12:1-2  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.  (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.

DM#8: Dead to the law

Doctrine of the Mysteries #8

Dead to the law

We have determined that Romans chapter 6 is an incredibly important, mile-marker chapter. It sets a strong precedent for a believer who is committed to learning and living the mystery doctrine. After telling us that through faith in the gospel of grace, we have justification and access to the grace of God, Paul immediately gets into the details of what we should know, and how we should start to think. He places a responsibility upon us to learn a few things which are intended to renew our pattern of thought, things that will help us to understand our new position in Christ, and spiritual truths that will become cornerstones within the foundation he will lay throughout Romans.

Having informed us that we are dead to sin, Paul enlightens us of our relationship with the law. There are a few surprises in store for the uninformed reader.  

Rom 6:15-17  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  (16)  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  (17)  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

SPIRITUAL LESSONS

Paul uses that statement again, “God forbid!” He is cautioning you not to think carnally. We cannot reason spiritual truth in a carnal mind. We must consider what we are being taught from our new positional stance with God, through Jesus Christ.

DM#7: Dead to sin

Doctrine of the Mysteries #7

Dead to sin

The book of Romans does not waste any time in getting a believer straight in their faith. Romans is a foundational book, and it sets the standard, going forward, for the mystery doctrine. Having come through the first five chapters that bring us to justification, delivered to us as a free gift through Christ, and by the perfect grace of God, we come to chapter 6, an incredibly important, mile-marker chapter, and it packs a proverbial punch. The first 4-verses of Romans 6 sets a strong precedent for a believer who is committed to learning and living the mystery doctrine. Let’s see what it says,

Rom 6:1-4  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  (2)  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  (3)  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  (4)  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Knowledge that will stablish you in the faith

Knowledge that will stablish you in the faith

Rom 16:25  Now to him that is of power to stablish you

1. according to my gospel,
2. and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery [doctrine], which was kept secret since the world began,  26  But now is made manifest,
3. and by the scriptures of the prophets,

…according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

The above passage is one of my favourites in all of Paul’s writings. It is essentially a very short summary of the book of Romans, but more importantly, it provides a condensed list of instructions that provide a grace believer with stability in their faith and walk. Let me briefly analyse this passage.

What is ‘the faith’ and ‘obedience of faith’

What is ‘the faith’ and ‘obedience of faith’

In the epistle of Romans, Paul lays out the foundational doctrine of the grace believer. He writes about the key elements of our faith, how to walk effectually in the faith, and what the resulting fruits of living in that faith would be. Before the dispensation of grace, Israel had to walk in obedience to the rigid letter of the Mosaic law, Exo 31:18; Exo 32:16, but now, grace believers are expected to walk in obedience to a new doctrine, not of the letter, but of the spirit, Rom 7:6, imparted into their hearts by the Word of God.

THE FAITH

The Four Cornerstones of Romans (Part 10: Walking after the Spirit)

Start this post series from the beginning, here.

The Four Cornerstones of Romans (Part 10: Walking after the Spirit)

The first half of Romans chapter 8 is the conclusion of Paul’s discourse on explaining the foundational attributes of God’s grace. There is still much to learn on grace, as this is a topic that never ends. All through Paul’s epistles we learn higher and higher levels of God’s grace. Where Romans introduces grace from a salvation point of view, as we mature in Christ and we progress further in the ‘curriculum’ of Paul’s epistles, we will discover deeper attributes of God’s grace that pertains to our calling in Christ and our purpose in the Body of Christ, not here, in this world, but in the one to come, when we have been joined to the Head and are functioning in our fullest capacity as God’s predestined plans reveals.

The Four Cornerstones of Romans (Part 8: Reckon yourselves as dead to sin)

Start this post series from the beginning, here.

The Four Cornerstones of Romans (Part 8: Reckon yourselves as dead to sin)

I’d like to summarize things in this section and bring as much clarity to Romans 6 as possible, before we move on to chapter 7. Chapter 6 is of great importance because it is firstly a foundational chapter that will provide us with stability and grounding in our Christian walk, but secondly, it provides us with the information we need to know to ensure this foundation is being laid properly in our lives.

In Romans 5, Paul has led us through the positional aspect of justification which happens when you believe in Christ through the message of the grace gospel. Justification is a verdict of righteousness and innocence declared upon us by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. It is God’s work and something that happens outside of our influence and control. We are literally transferred from the administration of Adam into the administration of Christ. When we are moved into Christ’s administration, EVERYTHING changes. It is this understanding (and faith) that we need to know and become very acquainted with. The section in this study called, “The Two Administrations”, is what I refer to here.

The Four Cornerstones of Romans (Part 5: Gaining Knowledge)

Start this post series from the beginning, here.

The Four Cornerstones of Romans (Part 5: Gaining Knowledge)

Keep in mind that this post is a small part of a greater study. To understand this part in its proper context, one must evaluate it based on the full context of the whole study.

We are advancing through the understanding of the second cornerstone of the Romans foundation. This cornerstone deals with God’s grace, and this post follows the understanding that grace starts with justification. What is justification? It is the absolute salvation of a person by the grace of God through their faith in Jesus Christ. The following verse puts justification in a perfect summary,

Rom 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

The Journey: Part 14 - Confirmation of our Spiritual Foundation

Start here at the Introduction: The Journey Begins

The Journey: Part 14 - Confirmation of our Spiritual Foundation

Having come through many of the key points in the foundational book of Romans, and having learned from Romans chapters 6 and 7, and from the lessons learned by the Corinthian and Galatian churches about the perils of living by the flesh or by the law, we are now reaching a milestone in our journey of learning to grow in spirit and maturity in Christ.

Of course, we should not press forward without ensuring that we practice the things we have learned. We need to ensure that our learning is not just head-knowledge, but that it is truly edifying the spirit of our mind, that it is becoming a lifestyle, not just a fleeting burst of revelation that is soon forgotten again.

The Journey: Part 4 - The Two Natures of a Believer in Christ

Start here at the Introduction: The Journey Begins

The Journey: Part 4 - The Two Natures of a Believer in Christ

As we progress in this journey, we need to keep two things in mind,

First, to provide us hope, strength, and passion to continue, we must know what our destination is.  We are making our way to that destination of being adopted sons of God and being glorified beyond measure in our Head, Jesus Christ. The vehicle to get us there is the Word of God, and our fuel is studying the Word so that it becomes part of us, quickening us in spirit and energizing us to growth.