Remain Repentant for the Holiness of the Spirit of God

'Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.'

'When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.' (Matthew 3:13-17, 4:1)

'There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." ' (John 3:1-6)

'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore WE were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:1-4)

Jesus came up immediately from the water, but I think we better understand that we will be under for a while: learning how to remain repentant to the holiness of the Spirit of God, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Ordained of Old for this Condemnation

‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept unawares, who WERE BEFORE OF OLD ORDAINED TO THIS CONDEMNATION, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.'

(Jude v.3-5)

'Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.' (Jude v.8)

'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

(Romans 8:1-4)

'Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.' (Romans 8:34)

Christ that died condemns those who will not follow in the wisdom of God! There is no condemnation for those as they do. But, the spirit to walk wantonly against Christ's way is still at work, manifest is those described above. That same spirit caused men of old to separate themselves from Christ's way.

'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. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.'

(Matthew 16:24,25)

‘Sit at My Right Hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’

'While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David." He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord' saying: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make your enemies your footstool" '? 'If David then calls Him '"Lord," how is He his Son?' And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.' (Matthew 22:41-45)

We should have no problem recognizing the enemies that are outside: it is clear by what they do! What about the enemies within us? Pride, vengeance, greed will keep us from walking as Jesus also walked. If we understand and are willing to sit ourselves at Jesus right hand, He will show us how these enemies be firmly situated under our feet.

'Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, "Rabbi, Rabbi." But you, do not be called "Rabbi": for One is your teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father: for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:1-12)

At Jesus Christ's righteous right hand!

Attaining to Righteousness, EVEN the Righteousness of Faith

‘What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith: but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." '(Romans 9:30-33)

Is a person righteous because they have been born of the stock of Israel? What about those who are sympathetic to the ideal of the God of Israel? Is one righteous because they have received God's mercy and have been born again: washed by the blood of the Lamb of God?

What about those who have received the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, so that they may become witnesses to Him? The steps discussed certainly lend a form of righteousness; but unless we recognize the hope of His calling, counting it all joy when we fall into various trials, letting patience have its perfect work, so that we might perfect and complete, lacking nothing; which is our reasonable service, we won't have 'attained to the righteousness of faith'. Faith is the testimony the Lord, Jesus Christ left for us. It is what He did!

Strength to Become Weak

‘But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.' 

(Acts 1:8)

'For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves, as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? ---unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. For we can do nothing against, but for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete.'

(2 Corinthians 13:4-9)

'And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." '

(2 Corinthians 2:7-9)

We will need to receive the power that the Holy Spirit brings upon: for in order to be witnesses to Him, we need the strength to resist the temptation to rejoice only in His mercy and forgiveness, but ultimately His grace, His testimony. We need strength to become weak in Him, to persevere, for 'His strength is made perfect' there.

Every Man According to His Works

‘From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not happen unto thee." But he turned, and said unto Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." 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. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS." '

(Matthew 16:21-27)

Which works? We must recognize when the Father reveals Christ Jesus to us; employ the keys of the kingdom of heaven, binding and loosing here on earth that which has been so in heaven. As the Holy Spirit reveals the testimony of Jesus, repent when correction comes, understanding how to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. The design of your salvation is in His hands, which we are required to WORK out with fear and trembling.

Being Predestined according to His Purpose

‘In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, BEING PREDESTINED according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ SHOULD BE to the praise of His glory.' (Ephesians 1:7-12)

As Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, prophesies in proportion to his faith; we must understand that 'no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation'. Therefore we are all predestined, and should understand and persevere to the praise of His glory. Each one's inheritance is obtained as we are being the predestined of God in Christ Jesus.