Being Saved, Being Transformed

2 Corinthians 2:14-16; 3:18

 

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are BEING SAVED and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life LEADING to life."


"But we all, with unveiled face (having turned to the Lord; having made a definitive decision to receive the Father's salvation through Him), beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are BEING TRANSFORMED into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."


When I was accepted into Texas Chiropractic College, having met that institution's REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION, I began matriculation through its curriculum. In retrospect, I knew little about the profession and even less about the school. Through their ACCREDITED curriculum, I heard what they had to offer with regard to that discipline. Upon graduation, I would have told you that I was ready to practice what I had learned. Honestly, at the time of the last professional adjustment delivered, after 19 years in practice, I understood that I was still learning how to correctly administer the discipline; how to perform in such a way as to do no harm to the patient, insurance carriers etc. Without question, the Most High was the Rock behind that understanding. My education, formal and in private practice, TRANSFORMED me from one who, even AFTER acceptance, was immature and unwise in all things in chiropractic to the image of what the public would want from a professional: to help and do no harm.


To many in Christianity, the example of my professional education and practice parallels their experiences, particularly in Christ. The truth is this: the transformation from glory to glory is as real as the home builder who lays a foundation and builds one component at a time. Jesus Christ, the Bread that came down from heaven and still comes by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, builds "line upon line and precept upon precept." Those "lines and precepts" pierce even "between soul and spirit." After the piercing, the same lines and precepts heal, and we come to know Him just as we are already known!

You can reach the writer of this blog at ngm0811gdh@gmail.com.

Tribulation And Consolation For The Sake Of Others

 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation WHICH IS EFFECTIVE FOR ENDURING THE SAME SUFFERINGS WHICH WE ALSO SUFFER. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that AS YOU ARE PARTAKERS OF THE SUFFERINGS, SO ALSO YOU WILL PARTAKE OF THE CONSOLATION.


consolation- the act of consoling (Webster's)
console- to alleviate or lessen the grief, sorrow or disappointment of (Webster's)


"We are joint heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may ALSO be glorified together (with Him)."
(Romans 8:17)


"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
(Hebrews 12:1)


Who is it that can adequately explain the sufferings of Christ to us? Or the consolation? What form will the sufferings of Christ take? Certainly we know there will be enemies that curse, hate, spitefully use and persecute. Weakness and sickness come, even death if we partake unworthily of communion with Him. He consoles by revealing Himself through the Holy Spirit alleviating the grief, sorrow and disappointment of the soul that knows Him only in part.


As the sufferings of Christ come, documented in the lives of Job, Peter and Paul, so also the consolation abounds through Christ. It is imperative that we, who are being saved, understand how important this process is for our brothers/sisters to see in us. We must be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we are comforted by God. The consolation or comfort goes hand in hand with the willingness to submit to Him. All are suffering, whether they know it or not. Most are suffering apart from Him, few with Him. Paul writes that he HOPES that we will be willing to partake of the Christ's consolation.

The writer of this blog can be reached at  ngm0811gdh@gmail.com.

Feet Made To Walk On High Hills

Habakkuk 3:17-19

 

Habakkuk was a prophet within the Old Testament, but his words ring as true today as then. He was distressed about the state of the nation of Judah. Rebellious behavior had rendered them worthy of punishment. God raised up the Chaldeans to administer that punishment. Judah is nonproductive and cut off. There is no blossom nor fruit; failed labor and no yield; the fold and the stalls are empty (there are other places Judah wants to be).


Habakkuk's response to this revelation: "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength. He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills." Must be some serious hills to walk on, the feet to which require God's creative formation. I suppose that, out of the Chaldean instrument, a remnant was produced. Habakkuk, and they, carried on in righteousness.

I am impressed that His instruments continue to this day. Now Jesus Christ is the great High Priest to administer the instrument. "I in them, and You in Me; (so) that they may be made perfect in One   (the Father and the Son), and that the world may know that You have sent Me (because of the like testimonies of those who agree with Habakkuk), and have loved them as you have loved Me; .....that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me
(John 17:23,24).


"Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."(Matthew 7:14)

But! The gate is open to all those who are willing.

Consider The Goodness And Severity Of God

Romans 11:19-23, 1 Corinthians 10:1-5, John 15:1,2

"You will say then, 'Branches were broken off that I (Gentile believers) may be grafted in.' "

Well said. Because of unbelief, they (unbelieving Israel) were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the GOODNESS and SEVERITY of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness. Otherwise YOU ALSO WILL BE CUT OFF. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again."


"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with MOST of them God was not well pleased for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness."


"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away (breaks off); and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."


The story of unbelieving Israel is documented throughout the scriptures. Before the Christ, Israel was disobedient to God. Although "baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea", most defied God's prophet to them and, subsequently, were broken off as branches of the olive tree, which is a representation of God's kingdom on earth.


Those who have received the salvation of God through Jesus Christ have been baptized into Christ and should understand that means "into His death".  Just as unbelieving Israel, if they were to discontinue their unbelief would be grafted in again to the olive tree, so should we new testament believers be not haughty but fear God. Pruning and casting off (or breaking off) are both done with a knife. Make sure you are on right side of the knife by "being even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble"(2 Peter 1:10). Neither will you be broken off!

Foolish, Weak and Base Things

 1 Corinthians 1-3; Galatians 1-3  

 

Most recently, we read that the churches of Ephesus, Colosse and Thessalonica had received accolades for their "faith in Christ and sincere love for all the saints". Even the church at Philippi Paul commended for their "progress and joy of faith" and "having always obeyed, not as in my (Paul's) presence only, but now much more in my absence".


The churches at Corinth and Galatia do not receive the same congratulations. Without condemning them because of their shortfall, Paul certainly rebukes their quarreling; the divisions amongst them based upon which disciple they are following; envy; their turning away from Him who called them in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, even to the point of "bewitching".


In both accounts, Paul reminds them (and us) that we "preach Christ crucified"; "to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified"; "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me". Our crucifixion in Christ does not happen when we receive His salvation, the opportunity begins there. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we "for His sake are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:36,37).


"Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness". To the natural man, our crucifixion in Christ is foolish, weak and base (not high or lofty). Paul knows that we must be crucified in Him so that the churches may continue to be and the natural man may follow.

Faith In Jesus Christ IS Faith In God

Ephesians 1:15,16; Colossians 1:3,4; Mark 11:22,23;

2 Thessalonians 1:3-5

 

"Therefore, I also, after I heard of your FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers......" (Ephesians 1:15,16)

"We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS and of your love for all the saints......" (Colossians 1:3,4)

I would like to examine the likelihood that the church in Ephesus, Colosse and Thessalonica had received (accepted as truth and were willing to walk in the light of) an understanding from God which graduated them, so to speak, to a place where God could continue to build. Foundation; initial floor; subsequent levels from there. Paul seemed ecstatic over what he had heard they "had".

"Have FAITH IN GOD (have the faith of God; have the God kind of faith). For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea', and does not doubt in his heart but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says" (Mark 11:22,23). The majority of the chief priests and scribes would not receive Jesus for who He is: the Christ Of God. They were unwilling to humble themselves under God's mighty hand and in His sight. The result was fruitlessness in them and those who listened to them. The mountain between them and God was intact. Could Paul be rejoicing because the churches mentioned had recognized the mountain and were speaking to it? Had he recognized that they were speaking to the mountain and doubting not, able to overcome unwillingness through Him? Did he understand that, if they wouldn't, they couldn't become all that he knew God wanted for them?

"We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, SO THAT we ourselves boast of you among all the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgement of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.......(2 Thessalonians 1:3-5).

Jesus' teachings will endure forever. They are life to those who find them. Have this faith in Him!

Love Rejoices Not In Iniquity

I Corinthians 13:4-8, Luke 14:28-30

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy;  love does not parade itself, is not puffed up (arrogant); does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; DOES NOT REJOICE IN INIQUITY, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."


Webster's Dictionary defines the word rejoice as "taking delight" (one definition of two); iniquity as "a violation of right or duty"(one definition of two). Could we say that the love of God in us takes no delight in the violation of right or duty of your brother(sister) in Christ?

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it - lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'THIS MAN BEGAN TO BUILD AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FINISH'."


"And when he (Moses) went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, 'Why are you striking your companion?' Then he (the fighter) said, 'Who made you a prince and a judge over us? DO YOU INTEND TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN?' " Exodus 2:13,14


Do you think that each statement in bold type could have been replaced with words from the Father which promote the works of His truth? This man began to build, and although I see his weakness, I will do what I can through prayer and works of faith to help him finish. Thank you, Moses, for reminding us not to fight.

Taking delight in the truth that comes forth from God's word brings His quickening, by the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ, who did all these things perfectly and completely! If you are willing to ask the Father in His name to show you how to hunger and thirst after righteousness, you shall be filled. There will be less and less room in your heart to rejoice in iniquity!