The Crucified Life

[Episkopos]

Pure nonsense. Again with the Gnostic claims.

We do not live in the crucifixion. We live in the resurrection.

Yet again your preaching salvation by works.

There is no spiritual understanding in your statements. We need to walk in both the death and life of Jesus to walk in Him. It's not a choice. Like when you get married for better or for worse...it's not a choice of one or the other. But as so many theorists you only want what seems easy and what serves your own wants.

But this is not God or anything close to the truth.

Colossians 1:28 New International Version (NIV)
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

It does not say perfect. It says mature.

Perfection is a goal but one we cannot obtain until the rapture.

The distinction between this passage and Matthew is that Matthew was still Old Testament. This is new testament.

You like to hide behind misinterpreted verses and selected translations in order to escape the truth.

But we are to be perfect as God is perfect. (that is a bible verse) Not mature as God is mature.

The truth is that perfect means pure...without spot or wrinkle...in God's very image. Just as we were created...but now perfected by being IN Christ.

So then our maturity is to be in HIS purity. We have this treasure in earthen vessels (This is also in the bible)

BTW

The word for perfect is teleos...the perfection of Christ we have when we abide in Him.

Colossians 1:28 King James Version (KJV)
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

When we are IN Jesus Christ we partake of His life, His perfection, His grace, His love....etc...

The keyword in the above verse is not the word "perfect"...but the little word "in". Perfection is just one benefit to being "in" Christ. Such a glory.

 

[faithfulness]

The spiritual conundrum! We want to have more frienship...but for the sake of love we need to let go of people. So we let go in order to obtain. We give up our lives in order to find them.

Can you say...paradox!

When I signed by faith on the line that is dotted, without reading the fine print, I eventually came to understand the agreement of terms in the New Covenant. And began to understand that we have a sneaky God. A God who pulls the rug right out from underneath you, so it seems. Yep. We have a wonderful God, and His Works just get more wonderfuler, when we see that we can’t crucify ourselves; when we find ourselves ‘nailed’ by the brother'friend God chose. Our flesh’self says, whaaat? Our soul says, Oh, this is that, and our spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

“it is only as we allow our lives to be taken from us...that we receive His divine life to be lived through us.”

 

[stunnedbygrace]

When I signed by faith on the line that is dotted, without reading the fine print, I eventually came to understand the agreement of terms in the New Covenant. And began to understand that we have a sneaky God. A God who pulls the rug right out from underneath you, so it seems. Yep. We have a wonderful God, and His Works just get more wonderfuler, when we see that we can’t crucify ourselves; when we find ourselves ‘nailed’ by the brother'friend God chose. Our flesh’self says, whaaat? Our soul says, Oh, this is that, and our spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

“it is only as we allow our lives to be taken from us...that we receive His divine life to be lived through us.”

My gosh, when you finally do speak, you thrill me every time.

 

[Episkopos]

When I signed by faith on the line that is dotted, without reading the fine print, I eventually came to understand the agreement of terms in the New Covenant. And began to understand that we have a sneaky God. A God who pulls the rug right out from underneath you, so it seems. Yep. We have a wonderful God, and His Works just get more wonderfuler, when we see that we can’t crucify ourselves; when we find ourselves ‘nailed’ by the brother'friend God chose. Our flesh’self says, whaaat? Our soul says, Oh, this is that, and our spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

“it is only as we allow our lives to be taken from us...that we receive His divine life to be lived through us.”

AMEN! A sneaky God...yes...but to our benefit! What a wonderful God we serve! He wants more for us than we ever could want for ourselves...because we are ignorant of His great riches. His purpose is better than our wildest imaginations!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

And how about the shock when we find ourselves thanking Him for a person who has been completely awful and despicable to us? How odd to have love for that person course through us and that we find ourselves not only thanking Him for them but pleading for them with tears! It makes no sense. Its too wonderful to comprehend.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

And how about the shock when we find ourselves thanking Him for a person who has been completely awful and despicable to us? How odd to have love for that person course through us and that we find ourselves not only thanking Him for them but pleading for them with tears! It makes no sense. Its too wonderful to comprehend.

It's like where a man once said that Joseph's brothers could never have done so much good for him by loving him as they did by hating him. Yet its true...

 

[stunnedbygrace]

So you end up loving an enemy because they were a...tool in His hand to bring you to such riches! How could you then hate them?? Oh how wonderfully bizarre His ways seem!

 

[faithfulness]

And how about the shock when we find ourselves thanking Him for a person who has been completely awful and despicable to us? How odd to have love for that person course through us and that we find ourselves not only thanking Him for them but pleading for them with tears! It makes no sense. Its too wonderful to comprehend.

Yes! Been there done that. With groanings that cannot be expressed in words. That can only be His love.

 

[Episkopos]

It's like where a man once said that Joseph's brothers could never have done so much good for him by loving him as they did by hating him. Yet its true...

What man means for evil God uses for good! ALL things work together for the good of they who are the called in Him. Only an all-powerful God can do that...and a loving God.

Yet we mourn for those who must oppose us and hate us for the truths' sake. These are already gnashing their teeth at His beloved because of pride and jealousy. These resist the cross of Christ even while claiming to be saved by it.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

What man means for evil God uses for good! ALL things work together for the good of they who are the called in Him.Only an all-powerful God can do that...and a loving God.

Yet we mourn for those who must oppose us and hate us for the truths' sake. These are already gnashing their teeth at His beloved because of pride and jealousy. These resist the cross of Christ even while claiming to be saved by it.

Ah...I'm remembering you saying now about how it was known that Abels sacrifice was acceptable to God - because the fire came down. And how Cain hated Abel then because his own sacrifice was not accepted...pride and jealousy.

Oh if they only KNEW!

 

[Episkopos]

OK I'm going to go far on this....and some will hate me for it.

But there are two kinds of people that miss the walk of Christ because of the cross. The weepers and the gnashers. (my words)

The gnashers are usually men...and the weepers are usually women...not always...but normally.

Look at all the hard hearted people that would hate this thread. Won't most of these be men? Then there are those who will feel sad that they cannot give up their lives to be lived through by Christ. These will be in tears. Are most of these not women?

But my message to all of us...even they who weep and gnash at this...we are all in this together. We are members one of another.

We who experience more are not better people..it's not about us. God is watching to see what we will do. So we are all as actors on a stage. To one actor He gives favour and gifts. Should we be angry or upset at this? No...we should rejoice that God is at work in our midst.

We will all be judged AGAINST what we have been given. To whom much is given, more is required. So God is fair. Let's each look to ourselves and take our own responsibilities very seriously...soberly. Let's be more mature in our outlook and attitude.

This race ain't over yet. What will our attitude be?

Let US walk in the light of the Lord...together.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

How could we be angry or upset at favor or a gift given to one of us when it is a gift for all of us??! How could we pout when we are so busy trying to take all the gifts in??!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

If God gives you a gift to give to me...why on earth would that make me angry? It would be ridiculous!

 

[Episkopos]

How could we be angry or upset at favor or a gift given to one of us when it is a gift for all of us??! How could we pout when we are so busy trying to take all the gifts in??!

This is a heavenly reasoning. But the devil's reasoning is...how dare you! How dare you know more than me! How dare you testify of something that makes me look like I don't know anything! How dare you be happy when I am miserable!

That's when the accusations start. The devil has all believers working for him who are not yet crucified to themselves and their old ways of thinking. Like a person with a disease who spreads disease to others.

It is a grave (or a grace) error to trust your own judgment BEFORE the cross has done it's sorting out work in us.

 

[faithfulness]

This is a heavenly reasoning. But the devil's reasoning is...how dare you! How dare you know more than me! How dare you testify of something that makes me look like I don't know anything! How dare you be happy when I am miserable!

Ouch!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I have SO enjoyed spending this morning with you guys! I love that we can sometimes share all He's given us with each other. It seems its rare, but its like He hides us for a brief time together, shutting the mouths of lions briefly so we can just encourage and be encouraged.

 

[Episkopos]

I have SO enjoyed spending this morning with you guys! I love that we can sometimes share all He's given us with each other. It seems its rare, but its like He hides us for a brief time together, shutting the mouths of lions briefly so we can just encourage and be encouraged.

I think it's the word .."crucified"...a deadly peril for the flesh. As in...I thought Jesus was crucified instead of me???

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I think it's the word .."crucified"...a deadly peril for the flesh. As in...I thought Jesus was crucified instead of me???

I KNOW it's the word "crucified." A man will wear himself out trying to find his life while holding onto his life. He will refuse to give up his life until he is completely convinced that it has no worth.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

And the ways we try to not die first to find our life are...legion. We are clever in our panic and each of us can get pretty creative when our life depends on it!

 

[Episkopos]

He will refuse to give up his life until he is completely convinced that it has no worth.

This is so sad but true. We only want to give to God those things that we don't want...our sins...anything filthy. But anything good we want to keep for ourselves. Truly pathetic.

That is until we learn to live through Christ. Then we can suffer for His way and His will...and rejoice in that suffering.