willingness towards adjustment

[jiggyfly]

The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. (Galatians 3:25 NIV)

Sometimes revelation will bring to us the fact that things have been but tentative, provisional.... As Paul puts it: "a schoolmaster," to bring us toChrist, to lead us to Christ. The test for Saul of Tarsus is as to whether he will adjust to the light of the fact that, while he has been right, up to a point, that was only intended to lead him to something else. The Lord, in His sovereignty, allows us to come into something which is only tentative, but not in His final and full thought. That should lead us to a certain point, and at that given point something else is coming in. At that point a revelation will be given us which will make us say, "Well, that has served its purpose, but it has come to an end now, unto the greater fullness." It depends upon whether we cling to the thing that we say the Lord led us to and make it the final thing, when the Lord only meant that to lead us to another thing. So often in looking back upon a thing that has been used of God, and perhaps blessed of God, people say, "Well, if that is the case then we should cling to that way, should stay with that, or in that." Not necessarily. For Paul the challenge was whether now, with the fuller revelation in the light of which he saw that this first thing while not wrong was only provisional, he was prepared to leave that and come on into the fullness and adjust to the fuller revelation.

In all these connections you see that it is a matter of obedience to the heavenly vision, because this obedience to the heavenly vision is marked by cost. There is a price attached. In every case mentioned we see there was a cost. It meant that a price had to be paid, or, in other words, it meant that difficulties had to be faced. There would be a great deal of misunderstanding, a great deal of having to go on alone. Others who had not seen would not be able to follow on. There would be loneliness, misunderstanding, and in many other ways difficulties would arise in relation to obedience to the heavenly vision.

By T. Austin-Sparks from: That Which Was From The Beginning - Chapter 3

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

I think a key to learning is acknowledging the fact that we don't know. Those who think they know are are not open to ideas that challenge their worldview; so the spirit cannot teach them. Those who don't know are willing to learn; and the spirit is able to teach these. Even when we know a great deal, the path to greatness, or perhaps great learning, is to have an attitude of not knowing, or a willingness to confront the possibility that we really don't know. Because after all, we really don't know anything. The willingness to confront the fact that we don't know can be unnerving. But to truly learn, it is required because it is part of the equation that says a person must lose his life to gain it.

One of my favorite verses that highlights this:

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. John 9:41​

 

[Angelina]

I like what Austin wrote in this article...He speaks of coming to a place of understanding our present state in light of the law. Then moving onward past that place and grasping a hold of a new way of living which is by faith in Jesus Christ. How difficult it must be for our Hebrew brethren to grasp a hold of this revelation without having a divine encounter as Paul did on the road to Damascus. This is not an easy transition as some may not want to lose that sense of security that comes from being under a tutor. We, as gentile believers are very blessed given that we were not raised under the law with all it's various statutes, ordinances and ceremonies. In that sense then, we have no excuse, following something that points us to the one who justifies us by faith, when he who justifies by faith has already come... He has also not left any of us to walk alone either but has given us a tutor in the form of the Holy Spirit, John 14:26, John 16:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 who will be with us forever. John 14:16.

Shalom!!!

 

[jiggyfly]

Thanks Herose and Angelina, I thought it was good too, I also think we will see need to adjust our thinking more frequently in the days to come than we have in days past.

I agree with both of you and that the Jews thought they had all the knowledge needed but Jesus said they were blind. They thought that the scriptures contained life and refused to have their thinking corrected and resisted the giver of life that the scriptures pointed to. We see that many came trying to judaize the new covenant believers , preaching that the need to be circumcised, keep the law and the feasts. They struggled letting go of the old and embracing the new. It is a walk of/in HolySpirit.