Note: I’m developing this blog differently from what my previous blog said. Since II Corinthians 3:12-18 issues from verses 1-11, consider the meaning of verses 1-11.
First, in verses 1-3:
Second, in verses 4-6:
Third, verses 7-9:
Fourth, verses 10-11:
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We often qualify the term Christian, as:
In a literal sense, the nomenclature remains unnecessary. Either we are, or we are NOT, a Christian. Either we belong to Jesus, or we don’t. In a relative sense, however, all believers are in different stages of faith, with:
II Corinthians 3:1-18, like Acts 11:26, recognizes only the term Christian, with no qualifying words. Since verses 12-18 in II Corinthians issue from verses 1-11, consider the meaning of verses 12-18. End Part I ◊No higher birth exists than being born again by the Holy Spirit John 3:5.
◊No higher rank exists than being Christ’s witnesses to our generation Acts 1:8 ◊No greater privilege exists as forgiven mortals than being a temple of God I Corinthians 6:19—personally, creating a congregation of temples of God I Corinthians 3:16. The question relating to all those “No higher things….” Is always: do we have a lifestyle equal to our birth, rank and privilege? Can we demonstrate rather than merely promise that Jesus can build better marriages in us than unsaved people have? Or demonstrate rather than merely promise Jesus forgives sinners by forgiving offenders their offenses? Christ has a glory he wants revealed in his people:
A glory expressed even:
For if Christ’s message is revealed in Christ’s spirit, the:
Unbelievers may not discern the differences in doctrines. The unerringly discern the difference between disconnect or correlation between our Promises and our Behavior. Just thinking. Love you all. V Well known in Israel as Teacher—Mark 12:32, Luke 22:11, John 3:2 and 13:14 as examples, Jesus interfaced with many people. They often came with:
Consider Nicodemus in John 3:1-2. He came, giving Jesus the highest praise possible:
Only to discover, for the first time, a breakthrough:
Consider the Rich Young ruler:
Only to discover:
Consider Simon Peter who, in Matthew 16:21-23,
Either idea foreign to Simon’s theology and Christ’s exalted station. Only to discover himself:
Summary: Be careful what we say when coming to Christ. Never assume:
And lots of other inquiries receiving strange, new responses from the Singularly ORIGINAL Christ of God. Always remember: Jesus rose from the dead to prove his personal conquest of death. Then ascended into Heaven, from which he will one day return to earth TO MAKE his believers HEIRS of his victory.
Therefore, our life will be:
Where we live forever
In perfect bodies
Wearing white robes
Where we:
in an ecstasy that SOARS! It’s a life:
And SO MUCH MORE than tongue can say, pen can write or mind can fathom. We’ll have to be there. We’ll want to be there. We don’t want to MISS a single experience it offers. And we must PREPARE for Heaven by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior from our sins and Lord of our lives. Fini In this world, we:
“Man born of woman” is indeed of few days and full of trouble” Job 14:1. Nevertheless, we have within us what’s denied every other form of life:
That’s why, though we historically, and presently, see that humanity dies while:
Christians hope in confidence that:
Friends, I don’t believe the words in this series of blogs have ever seen the light of day. They’re from a message I wrote years ago and filed for future use. I found it while looking for something else. Hooray for serendipity!
Please read Job 14:1-2, 10, 14 and Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 as introduction to this blog. Then be thankful that the book Revelation, not Ecclesiastes, is the last book of the Bible. As Billy Graham said the day a Senator asked him if he were an Optimist or a Pessimistic. He was an Optimist because “he believed the last chapter of Revelation.” Job spoke from pain that tormented his brain. Solomon from a lifetime of at least tasting every desire, only to discover they left his life full of gravel, grinding his soul away. All the while unsuccessfully longing for the spiritual values he had once known as essential to him. At least Job, some 1200 years before Solomon, declared his intention to “wait for renewal”, while Solomon lost his former faith in God. Both men carefully surveyed their historic life and contemplated a future life. And decided: since this life had often been problematical, and as often disappointing, would the NEXT be an improvement? End Part I Summarizing and concluding this brief series.
First, any use of the intellect to exalt the human ego above God’s Word:
Second, Satan cleverly deceives intellectuals by assuring them they:
BECAUSE:
Third, and you need to read Isaiah 11:2-3a to understand that Isaiah predicted Christ as the fulfillment of which he wrote. Jesus personified the ONE way that God accepts the validity of pursuing knowledge:
That guarantees the wisdom Paul declares we naturally possess by the Holy Spirit’s direction, I Corinthians 2:1-16. A wisdom that anchors our life in the Past, Gears it to the Present and Focuses it on the Future. And all made possible by God in Christ. Our education:
HAVE NO impact on that Life. God originated it in the Past, now sustains it daily and Perfects it in the Future. Fini Looking past some interesting points of reference, see the example of Simon Peter to Christ’s instructions in Luke 5:1-11. Jesus:
Simon saw two faults with that instruction:
Then, completely overcoming his ego, and proving that the 7-9 month Early Judean Ministry has convinced Simon of Christ’s authority, he concluded, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets” 5:5. Had Eve replied to Satan-via-serpent as Simon-to-Jesus, she would have said to the tempter:
Because no better reason exists to obey God than HE SAYS SO! From Simon Peter we learn what Eve should have taught us, but didn’t. If God says it:
God rules by his word, not
Not fooled by the devil, as she claimed, Eve became his ally, believing his lie that acquiring enough knowledge would allow her to improve her status from mortal to goddess. Instead, she became only a knowledgeable SINNER:
Obviously, God shredded her deceived explanation into a useless excuse. A man named George Fabyan once said we can’t ever lose by too much knowledge. Woman Who Smashed Codes, p. 24. Yes, we can. A little knowledge, deprived of God’s word, corrupts. A great knowledge minus his word corrupts entirely. Surely the perfect example is baseless organic evolution spouted as science now accepted by unconverted minds as Fact. Since their common consent led:
How can our MINDS NOW,
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