Some time ago, a believer came to me with the dilemma of waiting for a visible sign of spiritual growth. Desiring to be a spiritual being more than anything, this believer was caught in the throes of God’s time element. The flesh was seeking to find the deliverance so needed at this time, but it was obvious that God was dealing with him on an entirely different level of understanding. This unknown factor of God’s dealings in a believer’s life
is controlled by times and a calendar known only to God. I explained to this hungry heart that the receiving of free gifts (salvation, healing, baptism in the Holy Ghost, the nine gifts of the Spirit, etc.) could be received at any time by meeting God’s conditions, but the growth in our oneness with Christ was totally
controlled by the Father’s time element.
The World Is A Schoolhouse:
Paul says, in Galatians 4:2, that the son is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father. The son, growing into this knowledge of sonship, is totally
dependent on the Father for the conclusion of the schooling. This schooling is severe, often painful, and greatly misunderstood by the believer. This misunderstanding of God’s dealings, or ignorance of His eternal plan, only tends to prolong the time element. Many believers quit God during this time,feeling
that the Lord has forsaken them. Oh, the great need for the ministry to have a revelation of these dealings in the believer’s life, so that men today might have a Gospel conducive to the workings of God in individual lives! The believer I
was dealing with seemed to be encouraged that, in His time, God would bring about His own will. We are living in an era when men are specializing in demanding God to do things. Many programs of man-made religion are in operation today, premised on the theory
that spiritual life can be received by
“following these simple rules,” or by
“reading this book,” or by “coming to this meeting.” Such mortal advice gratifies the flesh but eventually ends in frustration because, in the spiritual life, the Father reserves the right to determine the schooling and time of graduation. Thus,
the time element becomes of great
significance. Carnal people always resist God’s time element because they want to get eternity and its questions settled so they can enjoy earthly life.
Levels of Growth:
God is not just interested in His sons settling down to earthly living. A babe might have a degree of such motivation, but the Father will fill the lacking knowledge with grace.
A son will be expected to be less earthly, and God will give less grace. Mature believers (those who have crucified the flesh and brought its motivations under subjection to the spiritual man) will know they are pilgrims, strangers, and sojourners on earth. No spiritual believer will question the time element of God’s
dealings in his life, because he does not analyze time according to the earthly.
is controlled by times and a calendar known only to God. I explained to this hungry heart that the receiving of free gifts (salvation, healing, baptism in the Holy Ghost, the nine gifts of the Spirit, etc.) could be received at any time by meeting God’s conditions, but the growth in our oneness with Christ was totally
controlled by the Father’s time element.
The World Is A Schoolhouse:
Paul says, in Galatians 4:2, that the son is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father. The son, growing into this knowledge of sonship, is totally
dependent on the Father for the conclusion of the schooling. This schooling is severe, often painful, and greatly misunderstood by the believer. This misunderstanding of God’s dealings, or ignorance of His eternal plan, only tends to prolong the time element. Many believers quit God during this time,feeling
that the Lord has forsaken them. Oh, the great need for the ministry to have a revelation of these dealings in the believer’s life, so that men today might have a Gospel conducive to the workings of God in individual lives! The believer I
was dealing with seemed to be encouraged that, in His time, God would bring about His own will. We are living in an era when men are specializing in demanding God to do things. Many programs of man-made religion are in operation today, premised on the theory
that spiritual life can be received by
“following these simple rules,” or by
“reading this book,” or by “coming to this meeting.” Such mortal advice gratifies the flesh but eventually ends in frustration because, in the spiritual life, the Father reserves the right to determine the schooling and time of graduation. Thus,
the time element becomes of great
significance. Carnal people always resist God’s time element because they want to get eternity and its questions settled so they can enjoy earthly life.
Levels of Growth:
God is not just interested in His sons settling down to earthly living. A babe might have a degree of such motivation, but the Father will fill the lacking knowledge with grace.
A son will be expected to be less earthly, and God will give less grace. Mature believers (those who have crucified the flesh and brought its motivations under subjection to the spiritual man) will know they are pilgrims, strangers, and sojourners on earth. No spiritual believer will question the time element of God’s
dealings in his life, because he does not analyze time according to the earthly.
