Sunday, March 30, 2014

The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God

Galatians 5:2-6, 7-12, 13-15, 16-24, 25-26 Behold, I Paul say to you, that if you be circumcised (Galatians 2:3-5; this is, and was the standard for all of ancient Israel, as a means of distinguishing a Hebrew from a Gentile. And because God knew mans lack of proper hygiene, until after the appointed time of Jesus' appearance as Christ for of humanity.), Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law (the Law of Moses). Christ is become of no effect to you, whoever of you are (seeking to be) justified by the law; you are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love. 
Here Paul tells us that for Faith to work it requires His Love to be residing within us as a law, and God's intended righteousness is connected to this law (as seen in Romans 5:21, 9:30, 1Corinthians 1:30, Philippians 3:9 (8-12), which we find in Daniel 9:24 and Jeremiah 31:31-37.)

You did run well; who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion comes not of Him that called you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he be. And I, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offense of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off which trouble you. For, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, in this; You shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another.
Here Paul is warning us, this warning is not often heard or heeded by those caught in and by mans contrived Religion, as a house built on sand, divided and set apart against itself. As those who take great liberties, bite and devour one another and thereby consume one another. But before he does this he tells us that he no longer preaches circumcision as a stand of practice, because the cross has a way of doing what the Law could not accomplish by practice of man.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit (God's rule and God's own Love), and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Paul here is explaining that Religion is but one of mans own lusts). For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would (this is based on the same argument as recorded by him in Romans 7:7-14, 8:5-8, which has caused much to do by those without Christ). But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you again, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with it's many affections and lusts (natural man loves or craves the darkness of Religion as it is a hindering force that keeps man from God's Light, Truth and wisdom found in Christ).

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.     





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