In the Tabernacle picture the dividing line or “Spiritual Divide” which separates the natural man from the spiritual man is found centered over the “Door” of the Tabernacle, the “Kalumma”, or “First Vail”. Only those who have passed beyond this vail, having made a full consecration of themselves, having entered into Covenant relationship with the Father; a covenant by sacrifice (Psa 50:5) are permitted beyond this point. Henceforth all such are considered prospective members of the body of Christ, and of the Royal Priesthood, and as recalled only the sacrificing priests were permitted in the Tabernacle, the Levites typifying believers in general (those not fully consecrated) were not permitted to enter or to even look inside the Tabernacle.
Despite what most professing Christians have been taught to believe only the fully consecrated, those who have passed beyond the First Vail have been begotten to a “new nature”, a spirit nature, but of course this new nature is only in its embryonic state at the present time, the new creature possesses only the “new mind”, spirit or will at present, not the new body. Like the gestation period in which a fetus is natured and developed within the womb so too the new creature needs to be natured and developed first before it is to receive its new body and be born a spirit being. The “Holy”, which represents the School of Christ, would in essence be considered the “womb”, where the new creature is being developed.
The “new mind” is unique to the spirit begotten “new creature”, alone; it is not something which is given to every professed believer, only to those who have fully consecrated themselves and have experienced a change of natures. Thus such are the only ones in possession of the Holy Spirit, for the “new mind” IS the spirit or will of God in us, the Holy Spirit, and so only such are able to receive the things of the spirit of God which they without (whether believer or not) can neither receive nor understand,
“For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit (the mind or will) of the man which is in him? Even so no man knows the mind of God save he who has the spirit (or mind) of God. Now we have received, not the spirit (the mind) of the world, but the Spirit (the mind or will) which is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God… For “Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind (the spirit) of Christ.” (1 Cor 2:11, 12, 16)
The natural man, (which includes not only non-believers, but believers alike those located in the “courtyard condition”, those not fully consecrated), receive not the things of the Spirit of God (the mind of God), for they are foolishness (incomprehensible) to him; nor can he know (accept) them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:14)
Why? Because such are carnally (fleshly) minded, that is to say they still retain their own minds, their own wills.
One of the most common mistakes made by believers is the idea that all believers are automatically begotten of the spirit and receive the Holy Spirit immediately upon a confession of faith in the Lord; however a through comparison of all related scripture on the subject contradicts this thought. According to the teachings of the Scriptures, until one takes the “Second Step” of a full consecration and enters into covenant arrangement with the Father they remain a “natural man” human, earthly, and as such are limited to what the natural man is capable of accepting and comprehending.
The only way in which one could comprehend spiritual things is if one were spiritually minded, in possession of the mind or spirit of God, and the only way in which one can receive this mind or spirit of God is if they have experienced a change of nature from that of the earthly or human nature to that of the spirit nature.
NOTE: it is not the natural or earthly man whom the Lord imparts his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, it is the “new creature”, the spirit begotten. And the only way in which the Scriptures teach that one can become a new creature, begotten of the spirit is by surrendering themselves entirely to God through Christ, which consists in following in the Master’s footsteps, fully consecrating one’s self and entering into covenant relationship with the Father.
As was stated above no amount of faith or justification changes ones nature. The human nature and the spirit nature are separate and distinct natures. The spiritual divide which separates the natural man from the spiritual man is unbreakable regardless of how much faith one may possess.
Continued with next post.
