Finding the True Culture of the Spirit, the Soul and the Body in Christ tr4
Finding the True Culture of the Spirit, the Soul and the Body in Christ tr4
Adapted from Pastor Chris Segun Onayinka
1 Cor 6:11
How to develop new habits and break the old ones.
One issue we sometimes come to battle with is the fact that Salvation does not mean a change of habit; and if someone get that wrong, they will keep coming out for “altar calls” all the time, as many people do; And here’s how it is, if for instance, Salvation means that everything about you will change, and habits change etc. there would be no reason for Spiritual Growth, there would be no reason for the word of God being taught, there would be no reason for any of that; It would be just to find out if you’re a Christian or not.
As we see there is so much information available in the Scripture, instructions and directions, it shows that there are things to be done, having received the Gospel.
1 Cor 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Look how he addresses it, 1 Cor 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God 11 And such were some of you...but ye are...
We should be FIRST looking at what at who WE ARE, meaning to RECOGNIZE YOUR IDENTITY.
who are you now?
Keep in mind when Paul first started how he addressed this church; The book of the 1st Corinthians is one of the most debated, particularly in what is called reformed theology; Reason being, is because it defeats a whole number of things that they teach. By the time we see that Paul was addressing things that happen with unbelievers with the saints. They came up with a theory, that it would mean that within the church we have the believers and unbelievers. But that’s ridiculous, simply because you want to endorse a theory you begin to create a new theory.
Notice: Paul [of course using an oxymoron] called the entire church in 1 Cor 3:1-3 “carnal”. “ye not carnal, and walk as mere men?” This means he was either talking to a complete set of unbelievers [which would be preposterous] or he was talking to believers [that still had lacked knowledge, “know ye not?” and exhibited old habits].
1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
Translators being scared of things he was discussing with them added their own words there; they added TO BE (future tense) to something that Paul said (in past tense) have been done in Christ Jesus “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, , with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”
Sanctified and Saints are from the same word, ἅγιος hagios.
First thing he calls them is sanctified; And if you look at all Paul’s letters, he addresses the identity of the believers first, “blessed in Christ”, “called”, “chosen” he communicates that clearly, so that when letters (epistles) are read you know he’s talking to the believers, those who have this identification in Christ.
“Called saints” - where saints mean somebody who is separated unto God, it’s who they are, they must recognize that.
Second thing he says:
1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
You can say as a Christian: I am sanctified in Christ, I am a saint in Christ, and saint, for those coming from certain denominations doesn’t mean somebody died with St Jude, St Thomas, St Bartholomew...
And then we have those that say: oh he’s not a saint though...using saint as someone who doesn’t do wrong; but you see Paul uses the word saint in Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ
… and that means saints still need to be perfected.
So the First thing is that he calls you a saint, you realize that you are a saint, in Christ; Somebody who is sanctified.
He says you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you. IDENTIFICATION
1 Cor 1:9 says “...ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
That word fellowship is “κοινωνία (koinōnia)”. n. fem. fellowship, communion, sharing, participation, -TO SHARE THE SAME IDENTITY
You share the same identity with Jesus, the Son.
When it says you are the “temple” of God, temple is like a shrine, used in the OT for a temple where God is worshiped, a place of holiness, a place where God is hollowed; he says YOU ARE.
1 Cor 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
He later asks these people: “ do you have anybody who is wise?” vs 5 to judge the smallest matters
Yet he calls everybody here saints. he highlights two things for them, you will judge the word, and you will judge angels.
And judging the world means we will not going to all file in the same line.
1 Cor 6:9,15,19 He goes on to say “know ye not that you’re righteous, and in vs 15 know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.
What comes clear is that BEING comes before WHO YOU ARE and is not a product of WHAT YOU DO.
That ought to be settled in our hearts, that who we are is not a product of what we do; rather what you should do is a product of who you are. We have to realize the BEING before the BE.
You don’t become a saint by action, rather you are to develop actions that are according to your saintly nature, saintly identification that you have in Christ.
First you REALIZE the person that you are; that is why the clause in Christ, in Him features mostly in the entire epistle; that is the reason why the letters were written.
One pastor actually said that the epistles are the believers history written ahead of time, just like EW Kenyon said that epistles are the family album, where you look out for who you are, you look out for your picture...
For Paul to be reiterating the “KNOW YE NOT...” means your diet determines a lot, the kind of things we consume.
Just like we were noticing the importance of how many times satan and devils were mentioned; and it was much less that some prayer meetings, and satan would be mentioned 20 times and Jesus would be mentioned as a finishing part of the prayer.
What do you eat? The kind of diet you feed upon is vital.
Let’s for a time look at the word “sin” since we’re talking about habits generally; although we weren’t talking about sin particularly, in as much as it was still in view.
The word “sin” (singular) used
19 times in the four Gospels, and Jesus mentioned it 15 times
1-ce in the Book of Acts
89 times in the Epistles, out of 89, 45 times (over half of word’s usage) concentrated in the book of Romans and that tells us something we’ll look at later.
12 times in the book of Hebrews
4 times in James’ epistle
15 times in 1st epistle of John
3 times in 1st and 2nd Peter.
7 times in 1st and 2nd Corinthians
2-ce in Galatians
1-ce in Ephesians
2-ce in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians (it was referring to the “antichrist” largely there)
Nobody needs to tell you what sin (without plural usage) was like in the book of Romans, it shows us that to understand it we must study the book of Romans. And it’s in that that book we have terms like λογίζομαι (logizomai) - impute; count; reckon; account...righteousness is a gift, forgiveness of sins, redemption, freely given, grace...
Let’s look at the word “sinned” also, you don’t need to be told that majority of where we have the word sinned is in the Old Testament.
“Sinned” (past tense verb of sin)
107 times “sinned” was used in the Old Testament
4 times in four Gospels
6 times in the book of Romans
4 times in 1st and 2nd Corinthians
3 times in Hebrews
3 times in 1st John
3 times in 2nd Peter
The word “sinneth” now,
15 times Old Testament
7 times in Epistles
We can see that in comparison, and since our diet is mainly in the epistles ratio is evident.
the words “sinner/sinners”
25 times in the Old Testament
44 times in New Testament (Four Gospels included;)
17 times was used by Jesus
28 times in the book of Acts and epistles
the word “sins” (plural noun, not present tense verb?)
75 times in the Old Testament
26 times in the four Gospels, 13 times used by Jesus
7 times in the book of Acts
45 times in the epistles, and 80% of those times the writer was talking about “the forgiveness of sins” or what Jesus did about sins.
That means that when I’m dealing with sinful habits, and focus on sin, I’m studying and sin I’m preparing the wrong diet. I won’t get it right from the epistles when approaching it with the wrong focus; same with the “spirit of this and the spirit of that” couldn’t have come to a conclusive study from the epistles, it was likely an outward, extracurricular studies one engaged in to come up with some of these things.
The wrong diet a lot of times contributes to the kind of struggles we face, when you are feeding on the wrong thing.
The epistles do not supply us with the knowledge of sin, they don’t, it’s not there.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Pastor acting on the drama team, and they wanted to portray someone that was to sin and lose their salvation, they couldn’t come up with anything other than one brother meeting a woman, they flirted and withdrew themselves into a room;the drama team were sure those kinds of sins will take somebody to hell...
Another drama play was developed that was called “Rumble in the Temple” but whatever sins the team was trying to portray they needed to borrow information from what could be seen on TV or in the movies… in other words taken from the world, or plainly speaking from the devil.
The point of drama plays should have been different, like the person got in trouble because he/she was not praying; but that didn’t look “devilish” enough; or even “overeating” too much food indulgence, or too much loose talking, or sleeping too much...but the best idea drama team had at that time was involving a woman… and the funny thing is, it was all male drama team. :-)
Point being it all went to rediculous lengths to simply portray somebody missed it, and that to come up with that “drama” folks would have to learn about sin from the world, not from the word.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
That word known there is γινώσκω ginōskō to be familiar with, to come to terms with; that is it took Moses (law) to come out and say and point this out.
God was dealing with men without the law of Moses, and He was imputing righteousness unto them, and He dealt with them in spite of their sin; so Moses brought the law that magnified sin.
Paul didn’t say I had not sinned, he said I had not known it; he became aware and he realized it by the law. It’s what he calls the “law of sin and death”
Gal 5:19 when Paul said “Now the works of the flesh are manifest...”in that passage he was interchanging the flesh and the law. “...ye are not under the law”...”...against such there is no law” He’s describing the works of the flesh as the works of the law. For further study on this you’d have to refer to the teaching series “In the Spirit, by the Spirit - the fruit of the spirit” Search Results for “in the spirit by the spirit” – Living Word Media ; In the Spirit by the Spirit – Fruit of the Spirit – Living Word Media
So he looks at the flesh and he gets a picture of what sin is. God was never the One who sat man down, and gave him a definition of sin. The description Paul gives here is the description of the law; because he was talking about the law.
He says .”..against such there is no law”
When Paul says “KNOW YE NOT?” it has to do with know ye not who you are in Christ?
The kind of diet you should be familiar with is the diet of WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST; we are not to be conscious of sin, That is the consciousness we ought to have, not sin in focus, but Christ. As if you would focus a camera on a specific item/article that is what you will be seeing. Feed on the right diet, and remember there is no fear in love, don’t focus on the negatives. Perfect love cast out fear.
1 Cor 15:56 “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. “ Strength here is δύναμις dunamis - self-generating power; that is the law will assist sin on it’s own.
One mistake to avoid is make sure we do not place the law in the same tandem with instructions from the Scriptures. (27:21)
Remember the law is the law of sin and death. The law will say when you do this God will do this, and the epistles will say FLEE.
When we are raising children, we must avoid certain common way of upbringing, where behind every transgression there is a just recompense of reward, how shall you escape… When you lay the law down, attach a threat or penalty to instructions IT’S THE LAW that will strengthen sin and make a good hypocrite, hiding the sin better. Just give instruction.
New Testament does not procure punishment for wrongdoing. When there is a fear of torment, perfect love (of God) is absent.
I can say Serve the Lord, and from the point of the love of God make you feel sorry for not serving the Lord; or I can make it as a law, and make you feel condemned, where you’re ready to give up altogether.
The mentality of the law will have you analyze your life when something goes wrong, oh I haven’t prayed the full hour, or I haven’t done it enough etc. Same mentality with “tithing” laws, you are threatened from the pulpit, and it’s because people don;t think. Folks said you missed one month’s tithe and the devourer is at your door, when an unbeliever goes through life without tithing and just goes on devouring other people. It’s delusion to think your financial provision miracles came because of your giving, think about it. It’s because of the fear of poverty, you will subject yourself to that kind of delusion and do what they tell you.
You don’t meet the needs of your children because they “sow” into your life.
You can train children to give because it’s good to give, you can train people to tell the truth and shame the devil.
Not that “ If you miss the church service you disconnects from the grace, and when you disconnect the hedge is broken, and then the serpent can bite...” what a bunch of baloney.
Some may refer to their past a lot, because they think their present misfortune or lack of success is somehow tied to what (they did or ) happened in the past. It’s the law of sin and death.
The law will always find fault.
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them...
The covenant was made to find fault with them.
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
It was to make all the world guilty… That’s the essence of the law. And that is in that Hebrews 8:12-13 passage he says “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”
That word “remember” μνημονεύω mnēmoneuō - it’s not referring to the things you did as unbeliever, it means I WILL NOT COUNT IT. (NOT to recall information from memory, but without necessarily the implication that persons have actually forgotten—‘to remember, to recall, to think about again.)
When you focus on the law that finds fault you will be seeing fault, you will be feeding on the wrong diet.
What are we to focus and feed on?
If today I find myself with an ungodly habit, use of my tongue, my body, my mind… I must not focus on that.
When someone says “Im struggling with sin” tell them out right they aren’t! Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
LET THE WORD OF GOD BE THE FIRST REALITY YOU WILL ACCEPT; Even when your circumstances/experiences are contrary. We are not saying you are not sinning, but you are NOT STRUGGLING. Even at our weakest level as a Christian, we still have enough power to agree with the word of God and say we are not struggling. ACCEPT THAT REALITY FIRST!
Philemon 6 It doesn’t say that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every fault...but rather that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus
That acknowledging - επίγνωσις (epignōsis) (not how much you know but what you know) - epignosis is not a once and for all word, not that you have arrived and HAVE KNOWN...Epignosis is not that I will comprehend, but coming to agreement with the thought pattern - full comprehension. The word is not used for acquiring knowledge, that’s why KJV uses ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, It will mean there is a consistent appraisal of all I (will) do in the light of these facts/truths. It’s a continuous word, not used for reservoir knowledge; recognition, something you keep looking at, appraising. “effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ” I con only be as effective a show I consistently realize and recognize what belongs to me.
Eph 1:17-23 ...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...And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Notice how he lined up what Jesus had done, and says that the eyes of your understanding would be enlightened. You mind in it’s thinking pattern always recognizes this fact; that is the superimposing thought on your mind (even as you’re taking a philosophy course in the university) would be WHAT CHRIST HATH DONE, that is not academic knowledge. That’s why we looked at Eph 3:19 last time, THE SURPASSING KNOWLEDGE, rather than saying the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge; that is the knowledge Of Christ’s love goes beyond everything you know. SUPERIMPOSING knowledge. That is in your knowledge count, this knowledge is far above everything you know. The knowledge of who you are in Christ is not a reservoir knowledge that you keep somewhere, but it’s something that you kep looking at, you keep appraising it; That’s how we can say we are not struggling with sin, we are not! Pay attention to and recognize this fact first and foremost. You can talk about it, teach about it, understand it, but not keep appraising and it will falter to the background somewhere and you will be off… Not about knowing more, but staying consistent with the things you know. It’s when we have that approach, we can say in the doctor’s office that the description of my physical body is better done in Scripture. Epignosis will have you KEEP SEEING it, your conversations are overwhelmed with it. That is how the REALIZING goes we previously covered.
Then, we talked about PUTTING ON
Eph 6:10,11, 13, 16, 17 PUT ON is a consistent word also. You keep putting on the whole armor of God… πανοπλία (panoplia) in the Greek. The question was put it on where? on what? When we were children we have likely put our underpants over our head, put the wrong thing on the wrong part, in the wrong place... So where are we to put on the shield of faith, I trust you will not bring out your Bible in front of you when we say that, sword of the spirit, start swinging your Bible...there is what to put on where, and if you recall Peter said it’s not an outward adorning (1 Pet 3:3)…
Put on, is something you will keep putting on, we said it has to do with the way you wear clothes.
Eph 4:17-24 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: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
former conversation [ - πρότερον (proteron)- previous, not present tense, something before now 1 Tim 1:13; 1 Pet 1:14 ] - Sin is in your FORMER, you are NEW MAN IN CHRIST, RECOGNIZE that sin is in your past.
All this takes place in YOUR MIND, certain things to put off, others to keep at the forefront; RECOGNITION - be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Eph 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying…
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind...
It’s in your mind you PUT OFF and PUT ON...and dress properly, in your thinking.
Whatever you expose your mind to sufficiently becomes a habit. The putting on is such that you develop a habit from it.
Feed your mind with these truths by meditation.
The knowledge of the word is not for memory, or being around when the word is taught; the major task occurs when you leave service.
When the word is being preached to you, all you are doing is getting the information of what to put on, and your wardrobe, your outfit is going to be determined by what you do after the service.
1 Pet 3:3-4 It’s good to look good, and appear presentable, but in reality, what you wear has nothing to do with your attitude, it says nothing about you.
If you are looking for friend or a life partner ( husband and wife )and go some place where people are dressed nice, carrying with their manners that is not an indicator of the person may actually be, it could all be rehearsed. Worldliness is the way your mind is cultured.
In that Peters epistle he set the stage for it 1 Pet 1:14 ...not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
Your behavioral patter must change and it starts with the way you think.
That word “fashioning” is the same word Paul used in Rom 12:2 συσχηματίζω (syschēmatizō) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…
syschēmatizō means to shape and mold after, and that is in your mind; that word is also used for the way you design clothing. Same material you will use to design and make a shirt, or pants, or something else… That is the same thing (material) a unbeliever would use, shouldn’t have your own material conformed to it.
It’s not that the devil would have you watching the TV, but how do you use it, fashioning yourself; how did you conform?
You can dress toi be attractive, and yo can dress to provoke lust… “for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” … Going for the business meting you are going to meet men, not God, so appropriate manners, attire and perfume is suitable… Man looks at the outward appearance.
It’s basically a mind-set that is the issue; why are you doing what you’re doing.
Rom 12:2 “that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” - We are treating our minds certain way so that it aligns with God’s will. When things happen, don’t first of all look at your actions but face your thought pattern primarily; your actions originated from your thought pattern. AM I RENEWING MY MIND? AM I PUTTING ON CHRIST, THE LIFE OF GOD, WHO I AM IN HIM?
What peter says in VS4 1 Pet 3:4 “...which is in the sight of God of great price...” Do I value the virtues of the Word?
You know that the longer you spend time with someone, you may not even like the person at first, but eventually things change. In the same way, for me to start valuing more the things, the virtues Christ - I will have to spend time with it.
When someone tells you they want you to come pray for them so that they may be healed, and when you get there they are binge watching TV shows, you would know that person doesn’t really want to be healed. That miracle would not happen by one confession: “I will touch the hem of his garment, and I will be made whole...” and then you go ahead and spend hours on NETFLIX or something like that...This person is not serious.
So whatever area of your life you want transformed and conformed to the will of God, you will spend time with it and you will begin to value it. If you’re not spending time with God’s word, but just coming to church to mark attendance, shout a couple of Hallelujah’s and Amen’s then go back home to resume your regular worldly activities, your mind will not be sufficiently exposed to God’s Word. Don’t think a couple or few of hours a week is enough. You will have to spend time if you want to value the virtues of God’s word!
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
That word “grieve” - λυπέω (lypeō) - means that which is not natural, I would know it’s not, In your spirit there is a nature that will not find expression until your mind aligns with the truth of God’s word; you would live as though the nature is not there; it almost seems that for some folks, sorry to say, the only response their spirit will have in their Christian walk to the voice of God is when they hear the trumpet, rapture will catch them unawares, and will be miraculous because they’ve never exposed their minds (sufficiently) to the realities of the word; they’ve never found (made) significant time and effort to value it.
The spouse will now say, you knew that’s how I am and you’ve married me like that....NO! That was your former conversation, you have a newness in Christ! And you must acknowledge that reality, not that you’re melancholic, sanguine or whatever… those are like excuses to live in the flesh. You must accept the realities of NEVER-CHANGING word about you.
RECOGNITION
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
He didn’t say be ye not hearers, BUT not hearers ONLY... deceiving your own selves.
That word deceiving - παραλογίζομαι (paralogizomai) - That ,means any action you take outside of God’s word, you are deceiving yourself, that is NOT YOU! You are not a liar, not dishonest, not a fornicator, not an adulterer not a backbiter… you have only refused to act on God’s word, which is who you are.
Deceiving your own self - that is it is not true about you. When you hear God’s word and not doing God’s word it goes contrary to who you are. But let’s see WHO YOU ARE Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
We were born of His word, The Word of God is your nature… he goes on and says “if you are a hearer of the word and not a doer” - he said such a one “is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was”
natural face is GENESIS in the Greek, where you have genealogy, that is the way he was born; So why does he look into a mirror? So that he RECOGNIZES WHO HE IS.
Your behavior can be unnatural, in VS 22 he used the word paralogizmo - that which is not true about you.
What is true is the one you see in the mirror, that is who you are.
When you smoke for instance and say I can’t do without it, if you look into the mirror you will see that YOU CAN do without it.
I Can’t Do without it is actually a lie about you, but you are born of the word of truth.
Notice the two people James “painted” a picture of Jas 1:24-25 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed :
Both,
VS 24 beholding, and
VS 25 looking...
The DIFFERENCE is in VS 24 he FORGETS the manner of man he was.
The mirror is there for us to ADJUST, and then go corrected without hair sticking out sideways all over… You change. As a figure of speech, James is saying what we see in the mirror is perfect, and so the change will be to make sure that how you look is reflective what you saw in the mirror. The mirror, the word of God is not showing you how wretched you are, but how perfect of a job Christ has done.
That mirror is the LAW OF PERFECT LIBERTY (syntax issue there), NEW CREATION IN CHRIST, is showing YOU who YOU are IN CHRIST.
VS 24 man sees it, and goes away, this going away is also in your mind; look in VS 21 ...receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls… SOUL here is thinking pattern. So how would you go away in your mind? - different kind of information is superimposed on the way you think. That one will say something like “yeah, I know the Bible says this but let’s look at reality of life”… You went with experiences and have just gone away from the word, and from who you are IN REALITY.
You can distribute vitamins or cook food and not partake of it. Do you actually feed on these things.
Difference was, this person in 24 GOES AWAY (in his mind)
VS 25 This one, “not being a forgetful hearer” looks and “continueth therein” and “does the work [word], this man shall be blessed in his deed”
Forgetting here is not memory loss, not that he can’t remember...ἐπιλανθάνομαι (epilanthanomai) Phil 3:13 uses the same word, “...forgetting those things which are behind...” it doesn’t mean memory loss, but a laying aside, not reckoning with it, because even befor that verse Paul was REMEMBERING “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee..” but it means HE DID NOT REFER TO IT, he does not act on it...
That’s the forgetful hearer, you tell us who you are in Christ, what you have what you can do, BUT in your mind, you go away and lay it aside.
You can say you are a love being, walking in love, begotten of God who is love… but someone has to offend you for us to see if you RECOGNIZE or PLAGIARIZE it really.
We can also talk about Forgiveness here… It always restores relationships, do you forgive your offender and restore relationship?
That is where you will really know what you have PUT ON in your mind, what came to your mind, what you have been feeding your mind.
How does God relate with us? - He won’t keep “rubbing it in your face” that you missed it and messed up in times past… That’s not what we do with our children when they mess up. Don’t be paralogizomai (acting beside yourself)
Forgetting means you laid it aside, not that you left the church and left the “in Christ realities” in the “Sanctuary”...
FORGETTING - Heb 13:2,16 - something you neglect; one Greek dictionary calls it something you don’t care about.
You gave those you care about then you have those you think about them a lot. If you care for the word means you will build a relationship with the word; Christian living is an aggressive approach to God’s the word, you are thinking about it.
First of all you cannot be a doer of the word without being a hearer of the word. You can’t be a doer and not a hearer, but you can be a hearer without being a doer.
I must build a relationship with the word, I must speak it, I must stay around it a lot, and we know what you stay around a lot becomes your habit, or it influences you. All of us a product of influence. I must create time with it.
So for practical things, for my spiritual exercises; how do I change my habits by and to the word.
When dealing with someone (born again now) that is dealing with an ungodly habit make sure you approach the situation correctly:
Don’t surround the person with guilt, otherwise you will defeat the person and the purpose of your relationship;
The only people New Testament brings to guilt is the unrepentant folks. Bathsheba, Samson, David don’t have recollection of their wrongs in NT.
Don’t shame them; God’s word will change them, it make take a while, don’t stress yourself, surround them with love and faith and God will get the glory only when His word works. That’s your true love walk.
1 Tim 4:7-8 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is [“that is now”], and of that which is to come.
exercise thyself rather unto godliness - there are things you should be actively doing.
Doctors will tell you there are basic things you should be doing to stay healthy; just basics. exercise, rest, stay hydrated, etc...
That’s what James was saying, just do the basics, look into a mirror, hear, do the word - basics.
When you find yourself with some some strange habit, it came in the place of some spiritual basic exercise that you have either neglected, stopped building, or disregarded all together. There’s never a vacuum.
Feed on the word,
pray in tongues,
meditate on the word...
The major things in Christianity are the basics.
The question will be, HOW OFTEN DO I PRACTICE LOOKING AT THE WORD?
Prov 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.
That word HEALTH is actually medicine.
You tell yourself, OK, what time should I create for the word? - and the Bible says Day and Night… I will Spend time in the Morning and at night in the Word. Practical exercises.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
We see that PUT ON all over the place.
One minister said, do you know what the difference is between a person in James 1:24 and a person in James 1:25? - Quality Decision! One of them DECIDED to continue to look...
That’s the FIRST THING - DECISION. You will sit down and decide, how often or how much do I want to feed on God’s word? And then make a decision.
It’s not that after some meeting you will be on steroids; you will sit down for an hour in the morning, during the afternoon spend 30 minuets, you will set yourself up for an hour at night and spend time in the word. It will be like you taking a tithe of your time every day and spend it in word and prayer. Get it right in the basics.
Eph 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Putting away - If I put on things in my mind, where do I put things away? - In my mind! Don’t focus on action yet, it all starts with thoughts, mind, decisions… Jesus said it starts from looking in the heart; you can hate and kill somebody in your mind, undress somebody in your mind.
Some people even wish that some ministry would die out, because they have left that ministry. And how later can you obey the Master and pray for laborers when in your mind instead of restoring you are annulling the ministry(-ies)?
You will need to consciously reprogram your mind, so that "getting back at people" revenge culture you've absorbed from the movies doesn't prevail, it is not from God.
You PUT AWAY those things in your mind first!
The word Putting Away there - ἀποτίθημι apotithēmi - it doesn’t mean to throw away, it actually means to lay aside; like i would neutralize the thought in my mind.
Eph 4:22 Put it off
Col 3:8 Put off
Heb 12:1 Lay aside
Jas 1:21 Lay apart
1 Pet 2:1 Laying aside
Every time it talks about behavior, it says you lay it aside. You lay it aside in your mind; it means you will be looking at it, but you are not going to consider it.
Jas 1:19 Slow to speak slow to wrath, don’t swiftly react, don’t decide instantly, generally speaking.
This way you will not have to later regret the things you say and do... Practice James 1:19, put it on, be looking at the word, speak God’s word over yourself, I am slow to speak, I'm slow to wrath...
That is who you are in Christ.
Meditate on it, it is your nature in Christ
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
That means I will consciously watch what I say. Confess it over yourself and say, I DO NOT ALLOW CORRUPT Communication to proceed out of my mouth! I Don’t allow it! I will not allow It! I’m not allowing it!
If you say that often you won’t use uncomely words again, you will not say things unsuitable for a Child of God.
This area of your life, words and communication, is not something to take lightly or ignore; You will work in God’s word - I’m slow to speak, I’m slow to wrath...
James 3:2 says if you can bridle your tongue, your will bridle your entire body.
NOTE THIS: ALL THE CHANGE YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE - YOU START WITH YOUR WORDS!
Program your life this way, by your words, speaking God’s word, looking into a mirror of God’s word and adjusting accordingly.
Use your words, faith has never lost a battle.
Program your mind with what you say
Let the words you hear in the church meetings reprogram your mind,
Let the words you read on the pages of Scripture train your words with God’s word.
Make a practical decision and an effort to put on the kind of attitude that should be in your life, do it in your words first;
Start with your words and it will show up in the way that you actions.
How do I not become a forgetful hearer? - I will put those same images and pictures from Scriptures about who I am in Christ in my mind, by my words and will see it in my actions …
I won’t be lying or exaggerating with that mindset.
Remember, even as you are speaking God’s word you may still slip up and exaggerate, BUT DON’T GIVE UP, IT DOESN’T CHANGE WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST!
Keep putting on, keep putting on, That’s what the word says… gradually you will see that attitude go away.
YOU MUST NEVER GIVE UP! because you want to glorify God.
It’s not about you, it doesn’t change who you are in Christ, but YOU WANT THE WORD OF GOD TO WORK in your life, because it works
Another quick point to note from the Bible is about COMPANY too...
1 Cor 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. SIMPLE THINGS.
What kind of friends do you keep around you?
1 Cor 6:18 says you should FLEE FROM FORNICATION. And we know fornication is not a spirit or a pathogen virus flying all over the place, fornication is something that happens between people; so flee will refer to people. You flee by fleeing people.
2 Tim 2:22 Flee youthful lusts
1 Tim 6:5, 11 withdraw, flee...
So when you see ungodly influence around you, don’t be foolish and say “no weapon formed against me will prosper...” It already formed and it will prosper if you don’t stay away from it. Stay Away from it!
Gen 39:7-12 Potiphar’s wife came at Joseph daily, and he stayed away, and fled...we shouldn’t be learning that woman’s persistence and endurance, that she didn’t give up… but that Joseph’s attitude and example.
As Christians we should screen what is around us. What to watch, what to listen to, who we keep around, certain discussions and suggestions etc... If you don’t it will begin to form your thoughts/mind and actions will follow; don’t deceive yourself, withdraw yourself…
1 Cor 5
2 Thes 3
Rom 16:17 Paul says withdraw, avoid… It’s a conscious effort. And Paul here is not referring to unbelievers, there are some believers with ungodly influence in your life… Gossip, envy, backbiting around you corrupt good manners. Take it away from you.
Keep godly influence around your heart.
Prov 4:23 Guard your heart aggressively, faithfully, daily (diligence).
“guard” - נָצַר (nā·ṣǎr) - means to observe it, means I must regularly observe what enters my environment, my heart… The things you say in your unguarded moments is what entered your heart; when people get you angry and you say something, it means it was there...it’s not those things you say when “worship music” is playing but the ones slip out unconsciously when something is going wrong. It shouldn’t be fear or anxiety, it ought not to be anger or cursing… if so, it means it has entered your heart at an unguarded point of time.
During the times of challenges go back to the basics, go back to the things you’ve read, listened to, have done when you started building spiritual strength and grow spiritually. Flush those things out with the word of God, listen, read, pray, meditate… in couple of weeks you would have dealt with that challenge in your mind/heart.
It’s a faith fight
Guard your heart
Check your words before they form thoughts
Check your thoughts before they become actions
If you allow the thought to stay longer it will become action.
You are the one that will guard your heart with all diligence.
If there’s one Christian attitude everybody (James, Paul, Peter..) teaches around when it comes to Christian conduct - it is SELF CONTROL.
Self control - Ability to delay immediate gratification for a more noble purpose.
Practice controlling your appetite in some natural things, it has to do with discipline
All things are lawful, not all things expedient and I WILL NOT BE BROUGHT UNDER THE POWER OF ANY.
Your forming habits will come out of your daily exercises.
From the recognition that you have in Christ and attitudes you’ve adorned your minds with, they are going to happen in your daily practices.
Prov 25: 28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit Is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Rule - מַעְצָר (mǎʿ·ṣār) - restraint. control, self control.
Practice self control on normal regular things… sleep, food, entertainment, time with friends (not monastic now, just draw back a bit for a bit) , sex for those that are married; just delay gratification…
Exercise control over things you normally do.
Don’t give up on yourself, no matter how you rise of fall on these habits, don’t give up on yourself.
FAITH WINS ALL THE TIME!
You’re a New Creature in Christ Jesus
God has loved you
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
1 Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Exercise yourself in faith, no matter what it looks like, faith in God’s word always wins; it could take you a long-drawn battle but you know THE WORD WORKS!
I WIN HERE, I AM WHAT THE WORD SAYS I AM, I WALK IN VICTORY, GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED as His word will always glorify Him.
I put His word in my heart, I put His word on my mind, my lips, I put his word to work in that area; and
I AM more than conqueror through him that loved me. I will not give up! Faith is yet to lose one battle.
That goes for any area of our lives.
I AM more than conqueror through him that loved me. I will not give up! Faith is yet to lose one battle.
I'm what the word says I am
I'm a new creature in Christ
I'm a workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good works and I walk in them; even if you fell into the sin again, you get up again;
You must never give up!
God will be glorified. God will be glorified because you want to glorify Him.
Never give up
And like we said earlier if you are Pastor, if you are a spouse, if you are a parent, If you are a friend - don't surround your close ones with guilt, it never helps them.
Just keep speaking God's word, don't surround your members with guilt.
Dealing with people sometimes people will do things but we should not be found putting people to shame. because we want to raise spiritual stalwarts that have experience and have new ones.
So you keep putting out the word, you keep telling them who they are in Christ, you keep building a new Consciousness in them, the same thing for you!
You will never outgrow what you say and what you think. change what you say, change what you think and start having the victor’s thinking, a victor's coat, a victor's confession.
That I'm out of that habit, I'm out of this in the name of Jesus, I don't struggle with this in the name of Jesus, I don't struggle with lying, exaggeration, I don't struggle with masturbation, I don't struggle with anger;
I am more than conqueror. It may take a while but we win!
Before you made that confession you were in victory, during, you are in Victory, when you fell, when you fail and slip up you are still a victor.
You can experience it in reality in your daily life as you put it in your words and in your world.
You are a victor
you are a winner
you are more than a conqueror
God did not make you a sinner
He did not make incomplete new creature
You are complete in Hm
You are a new creature created unto good works;
Old things are passed away all things have become new!
Hallelujah! you are a New man which is after God created in righteousness and true holiness
As He is so are you in this world
Sin has no dominion over you
You are more than a conqueror!
You are more than a conqueror!
They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh and the lust and the affections thereof
We are born of the spirit
We can walk in the spirit
Hallelujah!
New habits emerge Because we have control over our Behavior
We have control over our thoughts
We have control over where we go
We have control over the friends we keep
We are on top!
Sin is yet to drown a Christian because the sin of the whole world was put on Jesus
Sin is yet to drown a Christian because a Believer is a winner and that is who you are!