Thursday, February 23, 2017

1888 Glad Tidings : Insight #8 February 25, 2017

INSIGHT #8 FEBRUARY 25, 2017
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First Quarter 2017 Adult Sabbath School Lesson
"The Holy Spirit and The Gitfts of the Spirit"
February 25, 2017


As this week's lesson identifies, the fruits of the Spirit are not the same as the gifts of the spirit. All men may bear as equally and as fully as another the fruits of the Spirit, but not all men receive of the same gifts. The Spirit is "dividing to every man severally as He will" "to profit withal" (1 Cor. 12:11,7).
 
There is also a difference between talents and the gifts of the Spirit. A man may have talents, but he may not have the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit are only present in an individual when the Spirit is present in that individual, because the gifts of the Spirit are the "manifestation of the Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:7). These gifts were given to benefit the church of God – the body of Christ. But the body of Christ "is not one member, but many" (1 Cor. 12:14). Therefore, because the gifts are "to profit withal", we see that there is an obligation upon the individual to permit the Spirit to abide in him and manifest His gifts through him.
 
That being the case, every member is personally responsible for the unity of the church, because the gifts of the Spirit are given for the "edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:12). All true members of the body of Christ will manifest the gift of the Spirit because "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man" (1 Cor. 12:7), "every man" being every member of the body of Christ. But they will not manifest them for selfish, self-exalting purposes, but in a way which will be to serve the good of others and to benefit the body as a whole. 
 
Connect 1 Corinthians 12:29 with Ephesians 4:11. "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers."
 
Notice here that the Apostle has arranged the gifts of the Spirit in an apparent "hierarchical order". While it is true that our God is a God of order, He does not despise the "small things" (Zech. 4:10). Those in responsible positions must always "let this mind be in [them] which was also in Christ Jesus" that esteemed others better than Himself (Phil. 2:3-5). "The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary" (1 Cor. 12:21,22).
 
"God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). An individual does not receive any particular gift through any merit of their own. They are the gifts of the "Spirit of grace" (Heb. 10:29). He distributes the gifts "as He will" (1 Cor. 12:11), i.e. according to what He sees best for the accomplishment of God's purposes. It has nothing to do with one individual being more "special" than another. The bestowal of one gift, or more, is the bestowal of a sacred responsibility and not to be taken lightly, and neither is it to be used according to our own will.
 
Considering that the gifts of the Spirit are given to the members of the church for the "edifying of itself in love", and that love "vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up... seeketh not her own" (Eph 4:16; 1 Cor. 13:4,5), then we can see that the true gifts of the Holy Spirit can never be used for self-exaltation. For it is "the same God that worketh all in all" and that God that works in all is "love" (1 Cor. 12:6; 1 John 4:8).
 
And "this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments" (1 John 5:3). When the gifts of the Spirit are truly appreciated as God intends, and exercisedas God intends, then Christ can present "to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but... holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27).
 
To this end, then, should the ministry be of every member of the body: "till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." While the members themselves remain unsanctified, the church itself will never be sanctified. Therefore, there is a grand obligation upon all teachers, pastors and evangelists to ensure that they themselves follow the counsel of their own Prophet and aquaint themselves with the message that "invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God" (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 91).
 
What unites a church is unity of truth. Presently we are "children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Eph. 4:14). Now, more than ever, should we speak "the truth in love" that we all "may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ" (Eph 4:15).
 
But what is the truth? Jesus is "the truth" (John 14:6). Can we say with Apostle Paul, "We see Jesus" (Heb. 2:9)? or need we say with the Greeks, "We wouldsee Jesus," (John 12:21) because we have not seen Him? Do we see Jesus in the church today, or do we see confusion? What is it that we hear? The words of John the Baptist, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world"? or, "Lo, here is Christ," and another "Lo, there is Christ" and "Behold, He is in the desert"!? But what saith the voice of God in our generations?
 
"The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world" (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 91, emphasis supplied).
 
Unity comes through the truth – the truth as it is in Jesus, for He is "the truth". And it is the Spirit that will "guide us into all truth" (John 16:13); therefore, He will guide us into Christ! When Jesus "ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men" (Eph. 4:8). These gifts are the gifts of His Spirit: "unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ" (Eph. 4:7). To what measure has Christ been given to every one of us? "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). What then are the gifts of the Spirit? The manifestations of Jesus Christ, who has been given unto us, for "[the Spirit] shall receive of mine and show it unto you" (John 16:14,15).
 
Therefore, only as we receive Christ can we truly receive the gifts of the Spirit. Only as Christ and His own righteousness (right-doing) is manifested in us will the gifts of the Spirit be manifested in us, for it is God that "worketh all in all" (1 Corinthians 12:6). And only when we have received Christ in His fulness will we reach the full potential of the manifestation of the gift individually imparted to us; and therefore only when we as individual members of the body have received Christ in His fulness, which is "all the fulness of God" (Eph. 3:19) – "for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead boldily" (Col. 2:9) – only then will we all come "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). In other words, only when God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and every single thing which pertains to them as members of the Godhead, are abiding in each one of us individually and we in them, and they are manifesting themselves in our lives, then and only then, will "the whole body [be] fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth" (Eph. 4:16), because the purpose of God is that the church is to be nothing less than the "fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph 1:23).
 
Think of this. Our beloved church might be the "fulness of Him that filleth all in all". What does this mean? It means the centre of the universe. The centre of dominion, of glory, of power. Not of man, but of God Himself. This is why God will bring heaven down to earth and dwell with us here forever. Because he has given us everything. We were lost in sin. Like Adam, we would run away from Him and so He did everything to convince us of His love – He gave us everything. He packaged Himself and all that pertains to Him into His Son and then sent Him to this earth to become perfectly united with the human race; thus uniting Himself and all that pertains to Him to the human race. Everything is in Christ, and if we are in Christ, then we have everything – "everything" in God's definition of the word.
 
Can you understand this? No? Then get off your comfortable pew and study the Bible for yourself, and then you will be able to contribute your part to the body of Christ. What part, you say? Nothing less than the fulness of God Himself. Do you have that to contribute? No? Then you had better get your priorities in life right and find Jesus Christ and hide in Him; because that is the only place you will ever find it and the only way you will ever contribute to your church's prosperity. And don't think your minister can supply what you don't provide.

~Camron and Heladia Schofield

http://www.1888msc.org/article/486/resources/sabbath-school-insights/2017-quarter-1-jan-mar/insight-8-february-25-2017

Friday, February 17, 2017

"The Holy Spirit and The Fruit of the Spirit"

.INSIGHT #7 FEBRUARY 18, 2017
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First Quarter 2017 Adult Sabbath School Lesson
"The Holy Spirit and The Fruit of the Spirit"
February 18, 2017

 
This lesson provides a wonderful opportunity to study God's agape love. To start with, we know that God is love  (1 John 4:8, 16). Thus, God's agape love is not just an aspect of His character but represents who He is completely and all other facets of His character including forgiveness, justice, and mercy, flow from His agape love.

Notice in our memory text (Gal. 5:22, 23) that the fruit of the Spirit is in the singular. God's agape love is the first fruit of the Spirit and becomes the basis for all the other fruits of the Spirit. All fruits are simply ramifications of God's agape love in our lives.
 
We see in Sunday's lesson that the fruit of the Spirit is not something we achieve by human effort. Looking at John 15:1-11, we see that it is not a works program. Verses 4 and 5 tell us that "no branch can bear fruit by itself" and "apart from me you can do nothing". We cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit for that is the work of the Spirit. We are told in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit as counsellor will teach us all things and remind us of everything that Jesus has said and done—His birth, life, death and resurrection. In other words, He is there to point us to Christ and His sacrifice so that we may believe that we have been given the free gift of salvation and through our faith response abide in Christ. Jesus promises us in verse 4 that when we abide in Him (by faith), He will abide in us thus allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives thereby strengthening the branches' (believers') connection with the vine. Abiding in Christ, the less we will see of self and the more we will see of Christ so that He is able through the Holy Spirit to produce fruit in our lives from God's agape love. The fruit is proof of our new birth in Christ, that the Holy Spirit is working in us and through faith (the faith of Jesus) we have come to know God.
 
God's agape love is the opposite of human love. Our human love is self-centered and seeks reciprocity/response and is thus conditional whereas agape is selfless and unconditional. We see in Romans 5:6- 8 that "Christ died for the ungodly" and that "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us". Thus God takes the initiative, loved us when we were sinners and with Christ dying the second death as us/for us saved humanity. Another contrast is that human love is changeable whereas God's love is changeless. Scripture reminds us of this repeatedly, for example:
 
  1. Jeremiah 31:3 "I have loved you with an everlasting love."
  2. Several texts (including 1 Chronicles 16:34, 2 Chronicles 5:13, Psalms 107:1, Jeremiah 33:11) show us "His love endures forever".
  3. 1 Corinthians 13:8 "Agape never fails"
It is through Christ's righteousness and by faith (the faith of Jesus) that we abide in Christ and are able to receive agape as the first fruit of the Holy Spirit. Thus agape is also the fruit of genuine righteousness by faith. Faith and agape are inseparable which is made clear in God's word such as the following texts:
 
  1. Galatians 5:6 – "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love (agape)."
  2. Ephesians 1:15 – "I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints."
  3. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 – "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
  4. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 – "because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the agape of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth."
The primary purpose of the first fruit of the Holy Spirit, God's agape love, is to reflect His character in our lives. All the other fruits become evidence of this. The agape reproduced in us through the Holy Spirit is the essence of Christianity. As we are told in Colossians 3:14 "and above all these things put on agape, which is the bond of perfection." Covered by Christ's robe of righteousness, God's last day people will reflect the unconditional love of God. As we see in Matthew 5:44, only then can we love without discrimination including those who hate and persecute us. This extends to forgiveness as shown in Colossians 3:13 for we are to forgive even as Christ has forgiven us not because we deserved it but because of His unconditional agape love for each and every one of us. As we are told in Ephesians 5:32 "Be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Thus, a willingness to forgive is evidence of God's agape love working in our lives through the Holy Spirit. This can only come from God because our sinful human nature tells us that we have been hurt, wronged, deceived and that forgiveness of the other party is not deserved—but neither do we deserve the forgiveness Christ has already bestowed upon us and that in a nutshell for me encapsulates the beauty of God's unconditional agape love. Because when we do forgive, we are able to experience the freedom, peace and joy that God is wanting to share with us and are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives so we may reflect the character of Christ.
 
God's agape love is a central theme in the most precious message given to us in 1888 by Waggoner and Jones. It is when we see the depths of His love and the sacrifice on the cross that hearts and lives are changed. When we abide in Christ, agape will unite Christians together (Col. 2:2). The greatest evidence of the third angel's message at work in our lives is love toward each other. As John 13:34 and 35 says "A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." As we see in 2 Corinthians 5, "The love of Christ compels us (vs. 14) and if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new (vs. 17). Then we are able to say (Gal. 2:20) – "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."
 
May all of us echo Paul's words and allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in our lives reflecting God's agape love.
 
~ John and Monica Campbell


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Wednesday, February 08, 2017

1888 Glad Tidings : Insight #6 February 11, 2017

INSIGHT #6 FEBRUARY 11, 2017
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First Quarter 2017 Adult Sabbath School Lesson
"The Holy Spirit and Living a Holy Life"
February 11, 2017

 

What is required to be Holy?
 
As a college student was perusing the course catalog for his school, he noticed that beside the description for certain classes the word prerequisite was written. Curious, he looked more closely and noted that beside a particular class, a list of lower level classes was marked with an asterisk. Puzzled, the student figured perhaps it meant that he should take the required classes (the classes marked with asterisks) before he took that particular class. His conclusion, however, wasn't quite correct as that is not the definition of the word prerequisite. Of course, the prefix "pre" means before, and "requisite" does mean requirement. Thus, a requirement is something which is needed in regards to a condition or quality. What the catalog was saying was this: a student taking this class would need the knowledge and or skill set taught in the pre-required classes. Yet, requirements are not always about something that can be personally achieved or acquired.
 
Typically we speak of requirements in terms of fulfilling, not doing. To fulfill means to satisfy; to satisfy is to meet the requirements. Twenty pilots were selected to fly Vostok 1 (the first spaceship to orbit the earth). The final choices for the first launch were made based on the pilots' performance in training, as well as their physical characteristics. Since space was at a premium in the small Vostok cockpit, the pilots chosen needed to be of small stature. Advantageous to the Soviets was Yuri Gagarin because he was 1.57 meters (5 ft 2 in). So, they chose him, as he met the size requirement, and would fit the small cockpit. While Gagarin's height was his advantage, it was not something he could acquire or achieve, it was his by genetic inheritance.
 
The Lord has told us to be holy, but it is not something we can acquire or achieve on our own, nor is it ours by genetic inheritance. We read from the Apostle Peter in I Peter 1:14-16,
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
 
What is holy or holiness, and how do we meet this requirement? According to Romans 7:12, the law is holy. Therefore we could make the case that holiness has something to do with the law. And of course we can note throughout scripture that various writers have emphasized keeping the law as a requirement. But, what does keeping the law mean? Is it something we do? Or is it a requirement that can be fulfilled, and then we move on to something else? Contrary to our focus on doing, both Paul, and Christ speak time and again of the commandments as something to be fulfilled. Here are some examples from the books of Romans, Galatians, and lastly from Matthew.
 
"That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:4).
 
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). (The love referred to is Agape-- the self-denying, putting others first, gift from God found in I Cor. 13. So here's a thought, if the Law is Holy, and love is the fulfilling of it, then conversely, Love is the fulfilling of holiness.)
 
Continuing on, we are to, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8). "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14).
 
And lastly, Jesus Christ Himself has said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17).
 
According to Paul, whom Christ Himself taught through His Spirit, there is a difference between the doing of the law and the fulfilling of the law. Paul intentionally used each phrase to make an important distinction between two different ways of defining Christian behavior in relation to the law. So, when Paul refers positively to Christian observance of the law he never describes it as "doing the law." He reserves that phrase to refer solely to the misguided behavior of those who are living under the law and are trying to earn God's approval by "doing" what the law commands.
 
Paul is not implying that those who have received salvation in Christ do not obey. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul is saying they "fulfill" the law. He means that true Christian behavior is much more than the outward obedience of just "doing" the law; it is the fulfillment of the law of Love. Paul uses the word fulfill because it goes far beyond just "doing." This type of obedience is rooted in Jesus' positive fulfillment of His Father's requirements (see Matt. 5:17) through the power of the Spirit (John 5:19, 30). This is not an abandonment of the law, nor is it a reduction of the law to sentimental human love based on feelings. Instead, Agape-love is 'the way' through which the believer experiences the real intent and meaning of the whole law!
 
Ellen White also sees the Law as a requirement. And, she is clear on how we can fulfill that requirement. She says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:3-5). Righteousness is obedience to the law. The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner's account. Christ's righteousness is accepted in place of man's failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to a greater light. He can say with rejoicing, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7). {1SM 367.1}
 
Only those who live by faith, attain the righteousness required to be holy as God is Holy. This holiness is not something the believer can achieve or acquire. It is not something genetic inheritance gives us. It can however be blocked by seeking after our own way/things (I Corinthians 13:5, Philippians 2:21, Isaiah 53:6). Holiness is the result of the grace (power) of God working in the believer's heart through the Lord's indwelling Holy Spirit. It is of grace, that it might be through faith, being activated by agape-love which purifies the soul. And thus filled with God's Spirit, we fulfill God's will toward others from the heart.

~Raul Diaz

http://www.1888msc.org/article/484/resources/sabbath-school-insights/2017-quarter-1-jan-mar/insight-6-february-11-2017

Thursday, February 02, 2017

The Baptism and Filling of the Holy Spirit"

 INSIGHT #5 FEBRUARY 4, 2017
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First Quarter 2017 Adult Sabbath School Lesson
"The Baptism and Filling of the Holy Spirit"
February 4, 2017

 
          "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.   And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."  Gal.5:16-25 (NKJV).
 
          The "walking" in the Spirit that Paul describes in Galatians 5 is synonymous with the experience of being filled with – or being baptized with – the Holy Spirit.  When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  When you are baptized with the Holy Spirit, you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  A significant aspect of the 1888 message is the clarity that Jones and Waggoner brought to living in the Spirit (i.e. walking, filled, baptized with the Spirit) versus, living in the flesh.  Notice the clarity and encouragement and success that the Christian can enjoy when we properly understand the differences between walking in the flesh versus the Spirit.
 
            "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: for these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."

            "If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law;" because "as many as are led of the Spirit of God; they are the sons of God." As sons of God, these have the mind of the Spirit, the mind of Christ; and so with the mind they "serve the law of God." Accordingly, whosoever is led of the Spirit of God, and thus has the mind of Christ, fulfill the law; because, by that Spirit, there is shed abroad in the heart the love of God, which, in itself, is the fulfilling of the law, in whomsoever has it.

            On the other hand, whomsoever is led of the flesh, and so has the mind of the flesh, does the works of the flesh, and so serves the law of sin.

           And the two ways, the way of the Spirit and the way of the flesh, are always open before every man. As certainly as the flesh is there, it "lusteth against the Spirit;" and as certainly as the Spirit is there, it "lusteth against the flesh." Whosoever is led of the flesh cannot do the good that he would; he serves the law of sin, and so is under the law. But whosoever is "led of the Spirit is not under the law."

            And every man is always free to choose which shall be his way—the way of the Spirit, or the way of the flesh. "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Rom. 8:13.

            Note that, in the text of Galatians now under consideration, and its kindred texts in Romans and also in Colossians, it is stated in words, and constantly held in view, that the flesh, in its true, fleshly, sinful nature, is still present with him who has the Spirit of God; and that this flesh is warring against the Spirit.

           That is, when a man is converted, and is thus brought under the power of the spirit of God, he is not so delivered from the flesh that he is actually separated from it, with its tendencies and desires, so that, by the flesh, he is no more tempted, and that with it he has no more contest. No; that same degenerate, sinful flesh is there, with its same tendencies and desires. But the individual is no longer subject to them. He is delivered from subjection to the flesh, with its tendencies and desires, and is now subject to the Spirit. He is now subject to a power that conquers, and brings under, crucifies, and keeps under, the flesh, sinful as it is, with all its affections and lusts. Therefore, it is written that "ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body." "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Col. 3:5. Note that all these things are there in the flesh and would live and reign if the flesh were to rule. But since the flesh itself is brought into subjection to the power of God, through the Spirit, all these evil things are killed at the root, and thus prevented from appearing in the life.

           And now this man, though he is thus delivered, is not delivered from A CONTEST: he is not put into a condition where he has no fighting to do with the flesh. There is a fight still to be carried on; and it is not a make-believe fight; it is not the fighting of a phantom. Here is the man of 1 Cor. 9:26, 27: "So fight I, not as one that beateth the air." What does he fight? What does he beat? Read: "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

           Thus, in the battle that the Christian fights, is his body, is the flesh, with its affections and lusts. The body is to be, by the Christian, kept under, and brought into subjection, by the new power of the Spirit of God, to which he is now subject, and to which he became subject when delivered from the power of the flesh and the law of sin.

            This is made yet more expressive by the fuller rendering of the Greek word translated "keep under," in 1 Cor. 9:27: "I keep under my body." It means literally, "to strike under the eyes, hit and beat the face black and blue." Accordingly, Conybeare and Howson translate this passage thus: "I fight not as the pugilist who strikes out against the air; but I bruise my body and force it into bondage."

            Thus the seventh of Romans shows the man subject to the power of the flesh and the law of sin that is in the members, but longing for deliverance. The ninth of first Corinthians shows the flesh subject to the man through the new power of the Spirit of God. In the seventh of Romans, the flesh is ruling, and the man is under. In the ninth chapter of Corinthians, the man is ruling, and the flesh is under.

           And this blessed reversal of things is wrought in conversion. By conversion the man is put in possession of the power of God, so that, by that power, he is made ruler over the flesh, with all its affections and lusts; and, through the Spirit, he crucifies the flesh with the affections and lusts, in his fighting "the good fight of faith."

           Men are not saved by being delivered utterly from the flesh; but by receiving power to conquer and rule over all the evil tendencies and the desires of the flesh. Men do not develop character (in fact, they never could) by being delivered into a realm of no temptation; but, by receiving power, in the field of temptation exactly where they are, to conquer all the temptation.

           If men were to be saved by being delivered utterly from the flesh just as it is, then Jesus need never have come to the world. If men were to be saved by being delivered from all temptation, and set in a realm of no temptation, then Jesus need not have come into the world. But never, by any such deliverance as that, could man have developed character. Therefore, instead of trying to save men by delivering them utterly from the flesh, just where they were, Jesus came to the world, and put himself IN THE FLESH, just where men are; and met that flesh, JUST AS IT IS, with all its tendencies and desires; and by the divine power which he brought by faith, he "conquered sin in the flesh," and thus brought to all mankind that divine faith which brings the divine power to man to deliver him from the power of the flesh and the law of sin, just where he is, and to give him assured dominion over the flesh, just as it is.

           Instead of Jesus' trying to save men in a way in which they would be limp and characterless, by setting them in a realm of no temptation, he came to man, just where man is, in the midst of all his temptations. Jesus came in the very flesh such as man has; and in that flesh, he met all the temptations known to that flesh, and conquered every one of them; and by that conquest brought victory to every soul in the world. Bless his name. {September 18, 1900 ATJ, ARSH}
 
AMEN – thank the Lord for His most precious message!

~Bob Hunsaker

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