This is true, and yet I felt there was a need to explain where I was coming from with that question. I asked him if I could enter into open discussion because I thought there was a lot more to it. He responded, "I agree there is much more in fact the apostle Paul uses the term the unsearchable riches of Christ."
I was a little concerned that it could be taken that because Christ gives us grace and mercy that we don't need to search out the deep things of God, beyond the basic, simple message that is preached in pulpits almost ad nauseam. Paul said, "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits."
An example of this would be the word "eternal" above. The Greek text is "aionian" and an in-depth word study is warranted here. I suggest using the NIDNTTE since Strong's is a bit limited in its explanation. I will simplify for you though. It means "age-long," "age enduring" with the idea that one is experiencing incomprehensible finite time. Eternity is expressed as an image of God's eternal nature, a parabolic representation experienced by those who know Him and are near to Him. It is present now and into the future for an unknowable amount of time, or an age. This has a significant impact on one's understanding of God's plan of salvation and His promise of inheritance in the New Heaven and New Earth. There are many teachings that could be branched off from here but suffice to say this is just a small example of the diligence required of a disciple to seek out the truth. There is more beneath the surface and so we must rightly divide the truth and "chew the cud" so-to-speak.
So when we speak of mercy and grace what can we glean from Scriptures and how might we apply that to our walk of faith? I was pondering the difference between the two. One is greater, that is grace. When mercy is needed we fall short of His full favor. Although He gives us grace even in our iniquity He desires not the need to have mercy on us but to make us prosper first in His Spirit now and second in the future promise. So we have rightly divided that there is the prerequisite work of the Spirit now which leads us to the fulfillment of His promise in the future. I'd like to now address the verse my friend cited to clarify further how the Spirit works in His children to raise us up into sons and daughter of inheritance.
"It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed." Lam 3:22
What does "consumed" mean. We know that our God is a consuming fire, as Hebrews 12 states, and that this is because all that is not of God must be burned away as both heaven and earth are shaken. In His mercy He allows us to partake of things that are not ordained by His Spirit, things that are of this world, but also things that *were* of Him but now have become corrupted with human thinking and traditions. I have been shown that the works of man's hands are evident throughout all of the world. He desires His children to remove themselves from these things, to be detached from all their desires but One. In this way they are purely devoted to His promise which is realized, consummated, *in* us by Christ Yahshua at the end of this age.
And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him. I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed *in* us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. Romans 8:17-19
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:4
The refiner's fire is an illustration of what it means to suffer with Him. The work of the Spirit is to lead us into truth so that we hang our lamps high for all who enter to see. This is not easy nor is it comfortable, but we have peace knowing it is true and right.
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? Hewbrews 12:5-7
Now there is a distinction made between those who follow the Spirit into suffering for His name sake and those who follow Him with a divided heart. We see this in the parable of the 10 virgins where the 5 foolish ones were caught by surprise, being left out in the dark behind the closed door to the wedding of the Bridegroom. We see the same in the servants who were given talents. The servant given only one went and buried his and was chastened. His talent was taken away and given to the one who brought much increase. We see it in the parable of the servants who were left in charge of the master's house. When some fell asleep and were not aware of the master's return they received few stripes, and yet others who were given to licentiousness were given many stripes.
A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers. The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests hearts. Proverbs 17:3
Look to Ezekiel 44 as an example of how the house of God has servants in the outer court who do not have access to God's most holy things, nor can they minister before Him. The priesthood can come in and out of the Holy Place, and have access to His most holy things. Those in the outer court are the spiritual milkers, as Paul might call them - those who are not spiritual (1 Corinthians 3:1-2). Yes, Paul calls those who do not grow in the deep things of God infants who are not spiritual. God wants us to be raised up into sons and daughters of inheritance, but if anyone would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of his God, by all means, they have that choice. Consider though the following passages knowing that the church is doing many of the things Israel did but in deceptively different ways. The scary thing is they don't even know they are doing anything wrong.
"Now when you tell this people all these words, they will say to you, 'For what reason has the LORD declared all this great calamity against us? And what is our iniquity, or what is our sin which we have committed against the LORD our God?' Jeremiah 16:10
"What will you say when He appoints over you-- And you yourself had taught them-- Former companions to be head over you? Will not pangs take hold of you Like a woman in childbirth? If you say in your heart, 'Why have these things happened to me?' Because of the magnitude of your iniquity your skirts have been removed and your heels have been exposed." Jeremiah 13:21
The children of Israel were harlots and they didn't even know it! They didn't even think they were doing anything wrong when they erected a golden calf and declared a feast day unto the Lord. Today idolatry is much more than a molded calf. It is the works of man's hands that are filthy rags to Him. Our deeds are as dung if they are not His explicit command. The church is just as taken by the world today as Israel was back then. Our idols seem to be good things but our desires for them separate us from God, but He will refine us.
"Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace; they are the dross of silver." Ezekiel 22:18
"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness." Malachi 3:2-3
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be *saved, yet so as through fire*. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15
The ax lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:10-12
The wheat is the church in the outer court that must be threshed (with few or many stripes?), winnowed, ground and baked into show bread. Who does this? The God-elected priesthood who will teach them the difference between the holy and the profane. (Ezekiel 44:23) They must do this continually from Sabbath to Sabbath (Sabbath rest is being in His will at all times, ceasing from your own works as God did).
Yet even this being the case the priesthood is not made perfect aside from the offerings, which are their reasonable service.
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Hebrews 11:39-40
There are many things Christians do thinking they are serving God properly in this life when I know by the Spirit that these things are holding them back from spiritual growth. Good things can be idols, especially when we don't recognize the signs of the times to know what we should do (1 Chronicles 12:32). The testimony of Yahshua is the spirit of prophesy and much as been declared in Yahweh's Word. Christ knew how to reach into a person's soul and expose their greatest hindrance from true faith, but they had to first come to Him and ask how they might be saved. His mouth is a sword that can piece even to the division of the soul and spirit. He always told those coming to Him to forsake something that they held more dear than Him. Today it might be debt, pagan holidays like Christmas and Easter, careers, even family can be an idol because we believe it is our duty to go into the world and provide for them the best life they can have, as Lot took his family into Sodom and Gomorrah only to see his wife look longingly back at that wicked place for want of the life they built and his daughters who later laid with him because they were scared of not finding husbands.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 says we need to receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. Our hearts are wicked and deceitful above all things. Men and women have convinced themselves through vain tradition that what they are doing is OK with God, yet they don't seek the truth with all they are in prayer and brokenness and like good Bereans search daily whether these things are true. I have proclaimed many things that are challenging to my brothers and sisters yet there are few who are actually seeking out whether what I have said is true or not. On the other hand, others have presented me their views and I have searched out the truth almost every time. I cannot say that it is bad that so many have closed ears because it is up to God to open hearts. It is my job to scatter seeds and to create disciples of those who show signs of growth.
I am prone to deceiving myself just like any other so I'm not proclaiming to have overcome, but I aspire to be an overcomer who rules and reigns with Him, who inherits the kingdom through His Son. It takes more than what we see in churches today. We need to pay attention to prophesies. We must speak God's language, which is parabolic, for Christ never spoke anything that wasn't a parable. His disciples understood because they had ears to hear. I pray that anyone reading this might hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Amen.
...to preach to the Gentiles the *unsearchable* riches of Christ, (*let us continue the context of the thought...*) and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was hidden in God, who created all things. His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence. Ephesians 3
I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God, the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints, to whom God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:25-27
If all we are to do is simple then why all the exhortations to dig and search out the truth?
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is *unsearchable*. Proverbs 25:2-3
His grace is to provide us what we need to grow in His Spirit, in knowledge of Him so that we may have intimacy with Him. Often times that means walking away from the things we have attached ourselves to in the world, to "fast and pray." Sometimes it means giving these things up entirely. If we have truly died to ourselves so that Christ may live in us then we can bear His fruits. So His mercy is an extension of His desire to give us His grace. His mercy is meant to reconcile us to Him and sometimes that means giving us over to the idols in our hearts, or given over to Satan for sifting.
"Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all? Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will be brought to give him an answer in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols, in order to lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel who are estranged from Me through all their idols." Ezekiel 14:2-4
Father, let us not be given to our own stubborn ways to pursue our inheritance before the appointed time. Let us have the patience and faith to hear what the Spirit says to the churches at this late hour. Help us see the idols in our hearts and lives so we can turn to You for purity and truth. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.