Infants to—>growth—>to unity of the Faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man, unto the measure and statue of the fullness of Christ

[VictoryinJesus]

Infants to—>growth—>to unity of the Faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man, unto the measure and statue of the fullness of Christ
^One mind, One body, One voice, One Head, One purpose from infants in Christ—to grows up in Him “edifying itself”; the body in Him that it be made whole and joined of all its members.


Looking at (1 Corinthians 3:1-10) in this thread:
Now we have received,
Not the spirit of the world,
But the Spirit who is from God,
So that we may know the things freely given to us by God
Which things we also speak,
Not in words taught by human wisdom,
But in those taught by spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

But he who is spiritual appraises all things yet he himself is appraised by no one.

for who has known the mind of the LORD, that he (the LORD) will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ?

…let this mind be in you that was in Christ. That you speak the same things in Christ…that there be no divisions among you…perfectly joined together in the same mind, and same judgment.

Is Christ divided?

Philippians 4:7-10 And the peace of God, (the mind of Christ) which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [8] Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. [9] Those things, which you have both learned (of Him), and received of Him), and heard (of Him), and seen in me (the life I now live, I live in Christ); do: and the God of peace shall be with you. [10] But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein you were also careful, but you lacked opportunity. (Highlighted “opportunity” because it comes up later in (1 Corinthians 3:1-10) “servants through whom you know believed even as the LORD gave opportunity to each one.

And I, brothers, could not speak to you as spiritual men, but as men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
^is this a slight towards them, a superiority statement of put down to hold over their heads as “what I am, you are not” “what I eat of the meat, is not for you but the milk instead?” Is it a put down or edification towards infants in Christ? Even in …are you not yet fleshly? Is it to nurture as a father, or the care of as a mother would care for her own suckling babes in Christ; that they progress from milk…growing, growth …toward solid food?

Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Continued…

 

[VictoryinJesus]

And I, brothers, could not speak to you as spiritual men, but as men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.

And he sit a child in the midst…you must become as one of these little ones. Warnings to not harm those infants in Christ. Not to harm those babes in Christ. If one harms an infant in Christ it would be better if a stone be tied to his neck and he be cast into the sea.

I gave you milk to drink,
Not solid food, for you were not yet able (to receive it) indeed.
Even now you are not able.
For you are fleshly.
^Jesus Christ spoke with the same patience, love and mercy as unto “infants in Christ” “as unto men still fleshly” when He spoke to His disciples. Telling them he had so much more to tell them but they could not yet bear or endure it. Multiple times speaking to them about not yet able to bear. Then they give the example of what he speaks in rivalry and jealousy… was Jesus destroying His disciples or condemning them as being “infants” or as “fleshly men”? Or desiring that they be able to bear all things?
Could this have been said to His disciples; infants in Christ, as fleshly men not yet able to bear the solid food? “for since there is Jealousy, and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”
But the Spirit of God doesn’t leave them there…growing and increasing the Faith to maturity to where now we may even have disbelief that they ever would be considered “infants in Christ” or “in need of milk” or “walking as mere fleshly men”… where Christ could have easily said the same to them (and to me he did) And I, brothers, could not speak to you as spiritual men, but as men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
Continued…

 

[VictoryinJesus]

“for since there is Jealousy, and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”

Is Jealousy, and strife among you, are you not fleshly, walking as mere men? Given an example in (1 Corinthians 3:1-10)…I think so in taking a look at it.

For when one says, “I am of Paul,”
And another,
“I am Apollos,”
Are you not mere men?
What then is Apollos?
And what is Paul?

Servants through whom you believed even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.

What about the divisions on the board. Is it able to bear? We say our denomination or where we belong grows us to bear …saying this is to bear solid food…where we belong as right theology. But what of those debates, and venomous debates over: denominations within religion: Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Protestantism, Baptists, Methodist, Lutheran, Mormon, Jehovah Witnesses, …many more.

Premillennialism.
Amillennialism.

Who is Joseph Smith?
Who is Luther?
Who is Ellen White?
Who is Charles Taze Russell?
Who is the pope?

I am of the woman?
I am of the man?
I am of the Jew.
I am of the Gentiles.

Are any of the above: Servants through whom you believed even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.

But are any of the above what is able to bear? When it produces division among the body and strife, and debate and jealousy? Is it not yet fleshly, infancy, walking as mere men where this could be said of all the denominations. And I, brothers, could not speak to you as spiritual men, but as men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.

squabbles of before or after, up or down, spiritual or literal, inside or out, over which denomination holds the key to —able to bear—grown up in Him going from infant to Christ —having the solid food …but instead through the strife, jealousy and lack of care for one another… all fleshly infancy is exposed?

 

[VictoryinJesus]

I planted,
Apollos watered,
but God was causing the growth.

(causing the growth)
God was causing the growth. Just like God was causing the growth in the Disciples. (Which is seen, yes?) who are those men that fought over who was greatest among them, who are those men that struggled with jealousy, strife and as not yet able to bear? Going from disconnected and worrisome Jesus Christ asking them “how long must I bear you?” Or “do you not yet understand what I am telling you?” To…what just happened these men are able to endure!

Ephesians 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
From infants—> framed together growth—>to unity of the Faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man, unto the measure and statue of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 2:22 In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything
But God who causes, the growth.
Infants to maturity, fitted together, joined together.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one,
But each receives his own reward according to his own labor.
Be it fleshly, walking as mere men (denomination and division and jealousy and strife: not yet able to bear)
Or walking in Christ (the mind of Christ, as One, able to bear).

Whether sown in flesh
Or spirit
As God gives the opportunity, for growth?

For we are God’s
Fellow workers
YOU are God’s field. (Cultivated)
YOU are God’s building.

God’s Building, for growth. (Edify) (building itself up, is building up of one another in love.)
^just like in a marriage two can have bitter jealousy and strife and debate over not wanting a partner (fellow worker) to grow or mature, but in doing so the whole marriage is destroyed. Is this not destroying —sabotaging—your own self? Or two in a marriage can tend to one another and support, love and desire the best growth for one another and in return both are made strong and prosperous in a union doesn’t destroy itself. Does life teach us this? No debate, no lie, no squabble…clearly if a body works against itself the whole body is destroyed of itself.


Doesn’t life teach us this? Even in jobs? Where if the workers are divided…nobody feels well or able; destroying the work from the inside by its own members but instead against one another. Sabotaging the whole. A rumor …spitefulness…wanting to send a wave through that causes a breakdown where the whole comes apart. As a worker isn’t this spite to sabotage yourself in the end?

But what of a job where others support, grow, nurture, help one another despite who is better or who does more or contributes more wanting the whole healthy…who wins? In realizing rumors or gossip will tank all —everything —in the end?

Does God give wisdom on how to be not like the world and bear together as one body…or is God’s wisdom how to not survive in a denomination through torn apart, tearing apart itself through jealousy, strife, debate, gossip, high-minded teaching of to whom belongs “solid food” in regards to which denomination belongs this “solid food”. How can it be a denomination when the denomination is the very thing that divides and is called fleshly infancy of who belongs to whom?

A house divided…it falls.
which House you are, God’s House.
So where comes division in the House of God? What is …fleshly, walking as mere men?

 

[amadeus]

I planted,
Apollos watered,
but God was causing the growth.

(causing the growth)
God was causing the growth. Just like God was causing the growth in the Disciples. (Which is seen, yes?) who are those men that fought over who was greatest among them, who are those men that struggled with jealousy, strife and as not yet able to bear? Going from disconnected and worrisome Jesus Christ asking them “how long must I bear you?” Or “do you not yet understand what I am telling you?” To…what just happened these men are able to endure!

Ephesians 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
From infants—> framed together growth—>to unity of the Faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man, unto the measure and statue of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 2:22 In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything
But God who causes, the growth.
Infants to maturity, fitted together, joined together.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one,
But each receives his own reward according to his own labor.
Be it fleshly, walking as mere men (denomination and division and jealousy and strife: not yet able to bear)
Or walking in Christ (the mind of Christ, as One, able to bear).

Whether sown in flesh
Or spirit
As God gives the opportunity, for growth?

For we are God’s
Fellow workers
YOU are God’s field. (Cultivated)
YOU are God’s building.

God’s Building, for growth. (Edify) (building itself up, is building up of one another in love.)
^just like in a marriage two can have bitter jealousy and strife and debate over not wanting a partner (fellow worker) to grow or mature, but in doing so the whole marriage is destroyed. Is this not destroying —sabotaging—your own self? Or two in a marriage can tend to one another and support, love and desire the best growth for one another and in return both are made strong and prosperous in a union doesn’t destroy itself. Does life teach us this? No debate, no lie, no squabble…clearly if a body works against itself the whole body is destroyed of itself.


Doesn’t life teach us this? Even in jobs? Where if the workers are divided…nobody feels well or able; destroying the work from the inside by its own members but instead against one another. Sabotaging the whole. A rumor …spitefulness…wanting to send a wave through that causes a breakdown where the whole comes apart. As a worker isn’t this spite to sabotage yourself in the end?

But what of a job where others support, grow, nurture, help one another despite who is better or who does more or contributes more wanting the whole healthy…who wins? In realizing rumors or gossip will tank all —everything —in the end?

Does God give wisdom on how to be not like the world and bear together as one body…or is God’s wisdom how to not survive in a denomination through torn apart, tearing apart itself through jealousy, strife, debate, gossip, high-minded teaching of to whom belongs “solid food” in regards to which denomination belongs this “solid food”. How can it be a denomination when the denomination is the very thing that divides and is called fleshly infancy of who belongs to whom?

A house divided…it falls.
which House you are, God’s House.
So where comes division in the House of God? What is …fleshly, walking as mere men?

How long does one grow in the flesh? It is certainly for a limited time to a limited size.

In the Spirit, what is the limit? Since for God there is no limit, no boundary except according to His own will and/or Word that should be our limit. Actually, in most [all?] cases, we only go so far because of our own shortcomings or lack of trust in Him. We limit not only ourselves, but, I believe, we limit God. We should we wanting to continue to grow in Him and toward Him for so long as we have time and ability.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

How long does one grow in the flesh? It is certainly for a limited time to a limited size.

In the Spirit, what is the limit? Since for God there is no limit, no boundary except according to His own will and/or Word that should be our limit. Actually, in most [all?] cases, we only go so far because of our own shortcomings or lack of trust in Him. We limit not only ourselves, but, I believe, we limit God. We should we wanting to continue to grow in Him and toward Him for so long as we have time and ability.

That is what stands out to me in my own struggles of what prevents … envy or begrudging another receiving what I want to claim for my own body. In opposition of another receiving, in return in opposition of my own body. thinking of Stephen and the Grace given to Paul. Considering if Stephen full of the Spirit, would then complain bitterly unto God that it wasn’t fair for Paul to be chosen …since Stephen was the one full of the Spirit at that place of the stoning. Paul refers back to this place as his (Saul’s)destroying of the body of Christ. That may sound horrible but only saying I can relate to a hunger and interference, opposing the very One who can satisfy the hunger (through His Feeding of the body, for growth).

 

[Eternally Grateful]

The gospel (how we are saved/born again/freed from the penaltyu of sin so we can live eternally with Christ) is non negotiable.. there is not more than one gospel. Paul said if anyone teaches a different gospel he is to be damned.

the rest of the topics are not so stringent, they have nothing to do with salvation.. Sadly, we think our church is right and everyone else is wrong. so we stop debate and start to attack the other.. when we should agree where we agree, and agree to disagree where we do not..