Led by the Spirit

[Episkopos]

Rather than Jesus hiding His people from the truth...he seeks to bring us into the light.

Rather than protecting us from a holy God, Jesus seeks to reconcile us with Him.

Rather than have us be exempt from judgment, Jesus wants to prepare us to meet the God who will judge us all righteously.

But many will say...I don't want a Jesus to prepare me to be judged...I want a Jesus who will allow me to avoid judgment for my continual sinning.

And there is one of those...but he's just not the real Jesus Christ.

 

[amadeus]

I saw this video once on facebook that sought...very mistakenly...to present how Jesus presents His advocacy of His followers before God. In the video it has certain non-believers being sent to hell no matter what they did...which is false to begin with.

Then it has another sinner come up to be judged...and Jesus steps in to say "this one is mine and I cover all his sins" ...another glaring error. As in...this one has diplomatic immunity and God cannot judge righteously in this case.

Now the advocacy of Jesus subject is raised up specifically in this verse.

1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

People mistake that Jesus will do this on judgment day for those who claim the blood for themselves. But John wrote that so that we don't sin...and who's going to sin on or after judgment day?

So then this advocacy is for right now.

We are in training towards the full stature of Christ. IF we sin along the way...Jesus (who is the author and finisher of our faith) will step in and restore us to the race of faith so that we can continue to move forward in our training.

People who are in the race of faith need a chance to err and get back to the race. So we have grace from God in both power and patience so that we get things right. Jesus restores us to a spiritual walk when we fall back into walking according to the flesh.

But this advocacy is not a free pass to not be judged by our own works on judgment day.

The advocacy is to help send us into a life that will indeed pass the judgment of God on that day. There will be no advocate to hide behind when ALL things are revealed. All the hidden things will come to light. And all people will receive for their works.

Maranatha!

So simple but too complicated for a closed mind and heart. Give God the glory!

 

[Episkopos]

Romans 8:5-8
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.


Well, we are chasing after one or the other.


We are to move with the Spirit....even if we are not IN the Spirit. We pray and meditate on His words...and God can speak to us in this way. We are following after Christ and the Spirit. Not before...so that we get ahead of God. And not too long after...or else the situation has changed and we are out of synch with God. (although it is never too late to do righteousness).

When we are led by the Spirit we operate in the spiritual gifts. But this depends on how closely we follow. If we are exercising the gifts we will be more aware of the moving of the Spirit. But once we are operating from God's guidance...these will become more commonplace.

God says...draw near to Me and I will draw near to you.

So really that is the crux of being led by the Spirit and following AFTER the Spirit.

 

[marks]

One of the biggest dangers of being led by the Spirit is that a person's self-love...ego, pride are lifted up WITH the experience of God. When we self-evaluate our own faithfulness in a positive manner...rather than just seeing we are poor servants..we fall into a trap.

The fruit can show the tree.

If you become prideful, were you actually with God?

Think Isaiah, I saw the LORD . . . I am undone!!

Think Peter, Depart from me, a sinful man!

True fellowship with God results in humility.

When we see He, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. Do you see Him?

Greater knowledge and understanding of God produces humilty in us, and renews us.

Much love!

 

[Philip James]

The New Covenant is not an automatic salvation...it has to be walked out. But we begin the new life with a new level of understanding and a new motivation. As such we should be doing much better than the people around us.

Now that is truly an orthodox catholic statement!


Peace be with you!

 

[Episkopos]

Now that is truly an orthodox catholic statement!


Peace be with you!

Many people have been conditioned to believe that before Luther "the first 1,500 years of the church age" ...all was heresy. This appears more true to them than that Luther, because of the printing press, was permitted to spread a populist misinterpretation of Paul. The great delusion as it were. That before Luther no one understood Paul....God, or the bible.