One thing that all who have seen the love of God that is showered upon us in Jesus Christ want, is to become pleasing to our heavenly Father. Some believe that they are already pleasing to Him, just on the basis of their believing in Jesus. But we are shown over and over again that there is a growth, a progression, a constant change from the person we were before we first heard, into the image of Jesus Christ as He is now in heaven. How does one grow in Christ?
Many believe that this growth comes by obedience to rules and laws and strictures laid down by the religious church throughout the centuries since she was born. Rules like church attendance, tithing, not drinking, not smoking or eating certain things on certain days. There are so many by all the different groups that I wonder if one could list them all. But one thing we can be sure of, none of these things are of any use against fleshly indulgence.
When we received the Holy Spirit, (if we have received,) we were given all that we needed to grow into the image of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that He would come to us, that He would not leave us alone, but that He would be with us and in us. We are spiritual being, when we become children of God. At that time, we cease to be fleshly beings, beings of this world; and by the Spirit are born again of His incorruptible seed as the spiritual children of the God who is spirit. No amount of effort placed in fleshly pursuits will cause spiritual growth. This is why many are so weak in His image, and do not reflect Him as they should.
Spirit feeds spirit, just as flesh feeds flesh. It takes physical things to maintain our flesh, (unless God intervenes, and sustains us supernaturally.) But the same is true of our spirit which is born of God. It is sustained by the Spirit, has its life in the Spirit and by the Spirit. It takes the Spirit of God to support and maintain the spirit which is born of God.
Now what might not be known is that we will not in this world be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Indeed, the flesh is destined to die, and flesh and blood will not inherit the the kingdom of God. In other words, no one will by the works of the flesh imitate Jesus nor will they become conformed to His image by the works of the flesh. So just how will we become conformed to His image, in what way?
The same Spirit that raised Him from the dead is dwelling in us. He works with and in our spirits to conform us to His image, spiritually. But most people are very weak in the Spirit, and thus are not conformed to Jesus spiritually to any great degree. Why this is does not matter here and now, only that we recognize that growth into Jesus Christ is a spiritual process, and not a physical one. If we can realize this, then we can deny the things which are of this world and seek the things which are in heaven, where Christ is, even where our lives are hidden.
More later, if the Spirit allows.
Many believe that this growth comes by obedience to rules and laws and strictures laid down by the religious church throughout the centuries since she was born. Rules like church attendance, tithing, not drinking, not smoking or eating certain things on certain days. There are so many by all the different groups that I wonder if one could list them all. But one thing we can be sure of, none of these things are of any use against fleshly indulgence.
When we received the Holy Spirit, (if we have received,) we were given all that we needed to grow into the image of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that He would come to us, that He would not leave us alone, but that He would be with us and in us. We are spiritual being, when we become children of God. At that time, we cease to be fleshly beings, beings of this world; and by the Spirit are born again of His incorruptible seed as the spiritual children of the God who is spirit. No amount of effort placed in fleshly pursuits will cause spiritual growth. This is why many are so weak in His image, and do not reflect Him as they should.
Spirit feeds spirit, just as flesh feeds flesh. It takes physical things to maintain our flesh, (unless God intervenes, and sustains us supernaturally.) But the same is true of our spirit which is born of God. It is sustained by the Spirit, has its life in the Spirit and by the Spirit. It takes the Spirit of God to support and maintain the spirit which is born of God.
Now what might not be known is that we will not in this world be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Indeed, the flesh is destined to die, and flesh and blood will not inherit the the kingdom of God. In other words, no one will by the works of the flesh imitate Jesus nor will they become conformed to His image by the works of the flesh. So just how will we become conformed to His image, in what way?
The same Spirit that raised Him from the dead is dwelling in us. He works with and in our spirits to conform us to His image, spiritually. But most people are very weak in the Spirit, and thus are not conformed to Jesus spiritually to any great degree. Why this is does not matter here and now, only that we recognize that growth into Jesus Christ is a spiritual process, and not a physical one. If we can realize this, then we can deny the things which are of this world and seek the things which are in heaven, where Christ is, even where our lives are hidden.
More later, if the Spirit allows.
