Hearing By The Word Of CHRIST?
"...your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on The Power Of GOD." 1 Corinthians 2:5.
"For this is The Message Which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;..." 1 John 3:11.
Fellow: signifying sharing in/partaking of.
Fallow: Ploughed but left unsown, Uncultivated; Undeveloped, not applied to improving nor developing.
-ship: suffix forming nouns denoting quality or condition.
Fellowship or fallowship, of which do you partake?
Fellowship in Truth is communion with one another, a sharing in common as Scripture States is so. Being complete, comforted, like - minded, unity in The SPIRIT in The Bond Of Peace. "
There is One Body And One SPIRIT, just as also you were Called in One Hope of your Calling; One LORD, One Faith, One Baptism, One GOD And FATHER Of All WHO Is Over All And Through All And In All." Ephesians 4:4-6.
ONE in all respects, and in all aspects ONE.
..."Sanctify them In The Truth; THY Word Is Truth..." John 17:17.
If there is any division in The Body then you cannot be partaking of fellowship in Truth. Scripture; GODS Word; GODS Truth; States that this is so. One Body consisting of the many cannot be divided and still be One Body standing firm in The Truth, whom, come what may will not fall ( Luke 6:46-49 ). And nothing but The Truth is required so that you may inherit The Promise. And what is not of The Truth is a lie.
All The Words Spoken By our LORD And SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, Given HIM From The FATHER: The Message Of Truth - The Gospel, is our standard, one of two ways by which we measure and know to whether we are believing in and so walking in The Truth, or, if we are believing a lie and walking the broad way that leads to destruction ( Matthew 7:7-29 ). And The HOLY SPIRIT Is HE WHO Gives us All Understanding. GOD Has Provided for all our needs in respect to The Knowledge Of The Truth. And it is only by faith that we will aquire The Truth, so none can hold onto any excuses at The Last Day.
"For HIS Eyes are upon the ways of a man, And HE Sees all his steps. There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. For HE does not need to consider a man further, that he should go before GOD in Judgement. HE Breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and sets others in their place. Therefore HE Knows their works, And HE Overthrows them in the night, And they are Crushed. HE Strikes them like the wicked in a public place, because they turned aside from following HIM, and had no regard for any of HIS Ways; So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to HIM, And that HE might Hear the cry of the afflicted - When HE keeps quiet, who then can condemn? And when HE Hides HIS Face, who then can behold HIM, that is, in regard to both nation and man? - So that godless men should not rule, Nor be snares of the people." Job 34:21-30.
'And JESUS Cried out and Said, "He who believes in ME does not believe in ME, but in HIM WHO Sent ME. And he who beholds ME beholds The ONE WHO Sent ME. I have Come As Light Into the world, that everyone who believes in ME may not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears MY Sayings, and does not keep them, I do not Judge him; for I did not Come to Judge the world, but to Save the world. He who rejects ME, and does not receive MY Sayings, has ONE WHO Judges him; The Word I Spoke is What Will Judge him at The Last Day. For I did not Speak on MY Own Initiative, but The FATHER HIMSELF WHO Sent ME Has Given ME Commandment, What to Say, and What to Speak. And I Know that HIS Commandment Is Eternal Life; therefore The Things I Speak, I Speak just as The FATHER Has Told ME." John 12:44-50.
And if GOD The SON Spoke not on HIS Own Initiative, but Spoke just as The FATHER Told HIM, who then is any man to speak from himself, to darken counsel with words without Knowledge, to interpret Scripture by his own understanding and in doing so contrary to The Teaching Of The Gospel? By GOD'S Word we shall stand and stand firm if we receive; To both hear and obey. As by disobedience to GOD'S Word the disobedient shall fall and fall greatly (1 Corinthians 10:1-14, Colossians 3:5-11, Galatians 5:19-21, Jude :4-5 ). And The Commandment Is to love, and This Commandment Is Eternal Life. There can be no darkness in The Light,
"The one who says he is in The Light and yet hates his Brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his Brother abides in The Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his Brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes." 1 John 2:9-11.
"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14.
"The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgement and sober Spirit for the purpose of prayer ( John 9:31 ). Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has Received a special Gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of The Manifold Grace Of GOD. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, The Utterances Of GOD ( Psalm 119:11 ); whoever serves, let him do so as by The Strength Which GOD Supplies; so that in all things GOD may be Glorified through JESUS CHRIST, To WHOM Belongs The Glory And Dominion Forever And Ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:7-11.
"How Great Is THY Goodness, Which THOU Hast Stored Up for those who fear THEE, Which THOU Hast Wrought for those who take refuge in THEE, before the sons of men. THOU Dost Hide them in the secret place Of THY Prescence from the conspiracies of man; THOU Dost Keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues." Psalm 31:19-20.
But By The HOLY SPIRIT Of Promise WHO Is Given in our hearts as a Pledge of our Inheritance, with a view to ( looking to ) Redemption Of Possession; only through faith in The LORD JESUS CHRIST, By WHOM ( GOD The HOLY SPIRIT ) and in WHOM ( GOD The SON ) we are Sealed, through faith; believing in The Message Of Truth - The Gospel, the perishable cannot hope to put on The Imperishable, though the invitation is for all, and GOD Desires that all believe in coming to The Knowledge Of The Truth. And so it is to Walk By The SPIRIT, not according to ( in a manner corresponding to ) the flesh.
...'As I Live!' Decares The LORD GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?' Ezekiel 33:11.
"But do not let this fact escape your notice, Beloved, that with The LORD one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The LORD is not slow about HIS Promise, as some count slowness, but Is Patient Toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:8-9.
All are One only in The LORD JESUS CHRIST, and The MOST HIGH, ALMIGHTY GOD HIMSELF Says, that all can only Receive The Promise in CHRIST JESUS through JESUS CHRIST,
"I AM The Way And The Truth And The Life; no one comes to The FATHER but through ME" John 14:6.
"And this is The Promise Which HE HIMSELF Made to us; Eternal Life" 1 John 2:25.
"And HE Came and Preached Peace to you who were far away, and Peace to those who were near; for through HIM we both (Jew and Gentile) have our access in One SPIRIT To The FATHER. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of GODS Household, having been built up on The Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF Being The Corner stone, In WHOM The Whole Building, being fitted together is Growing into a Holy Temple In The LORD; In WHOM you also are being Built together into A Dwelling Of GOD In The SPIRIT." Ephesians 2:17-22.
Verse 18 of Ephesians chapter 2 is the incumbency; faith in The LORD JESUS CHRIST; working through love, thus and only thus are we Cleansed from all sin,
"for through HIM we both (Jew and Gentile) have our access in One SPIRIT To The FATHER."
Verse 19,
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of GODS Household,"
is only true to those who are true of what is Written in verse 20,
"having been built up on The Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF Being The Corner stone,"
and as such are the ones who are growing into what is Written of in verses 21-22,
"In WHOM The Whole Building, being fitted together is Growing into a Holy Temple In The LORD; In WHOM you also are being Built together into A Dwelling Of GOD In The SPIRIT."
This is Truth, and it is only The Truth that sets us free from The Law of sin and death. The Way in The Truth is The Life, and This Is The LORD JESUS CHRIST. Everything pertaining to GOD Is In HIM Alone. HE Is our Everything.
"According to The Grace Of GOD Which was Given to me, as a wise master builder i laid a Foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than The One Which Is Laid, Which Is JESUS CHRIST." 1 Corinthians 3:10-11.
"What Was From The Beginning, What we have heard, What we have seen with our eyes, What we beheld and our hands handled, concerning The WORD Of Life - and The Life was Manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you The ETERNAL LIFE, Which Was With The FATHER and was Manifested to us - what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with The FATHER, and with HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. And this is The Message we have heard From HIM and announce to you, that GOD Is LIGHT, and in HIM there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with HIM and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice The Truth; but if we walk in The Light as HE HIMSELF Is In The Light, we have fellowship with one another, and The Blood Of JESUS HIS SON Cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and The Truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, HE Is Faithful And Righteous to Forgive us our sins and to Cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make HIM a liar, and HIS WORD is not in us." 1 John 1:1-10.
From verse six of 1 John 1, five ifs'... 'If' being the subordinating; authoritative, determining word.
And verses 3 & 7 of 1 John 1 tell us all that through that which the Apostles Of our LORD JESUS CHRIST know, they impart, so that we ourselves by practising the said same things; believing in their words, Which Are GOD'S Words, we too may have fellowship with them; and this is fellowship with The FATHER And with HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, and in this means walking in The Light as GOD Is, by this alone means fellowship, and by this The Blood Of JESUS CHRIST Cleanses us from all sin.
Many, even born again Christians, believe and talk about The Truth without The Knowledge Of The Truth. And many will believe and state to any who will hear, 'All are Saved By Grace through faith in The LORD JESUS CHRIST, and through faith in The LORD JESUS CHRIST you cannot possibly forfeit Salvation '. And quite rightly so. And this we know, only because GOD Tells us so in HIS Infallible Word. All thanks and praise be to GOD.
But it is to understand what Truly means, 'faith in The LORD JESUS CHRIST', and that The Message we have had from the beginning is to love. And this Knowledge, even, The Ability for us to do so Will only, even, Can only ever Come By The Work Of The HOLY SPIRIT Through The faith that is in JESUS CHRIST.
"A slave will not be instructed by words alone; For though he understands there will be no response." Proverbs 29:19.
"This Is MY Commandment, that you love one another, just as I Have Loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are MY friends, if you do what I Command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I Have Called you friends, for All Things I Have Heard From MY FATHER I Have Made Known to you. You did not choose ME, but I Chose you, And Appointed you, that you should go and bear Fruit, and that your Fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of The FATHER In MY Name, HE Will Give to you. This I Command you, that you love one another..." John 15:12-17.
"We know love by this, that HE Laid Down HIS Life For us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren." 1 John 3:16.
"The one who says, "i have come to know HIM," and does not keep HIS Commandments, is a liar, and The Truth is not in him; but whoever keeps HIS Word, in him The Love Of GOD has Truly been Perfected. By this we know that we are in HIM: the one who says he abides in HIM ought himself to walk in The same Manner as HE Walked." 1 John 2:4-6.
Written in Matthew chapter 5, verses 44-45, are The Words Of The LORD JESUS CHRIST, Given HIM From The FATHER, Saying to all who hear, "But I Say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your FATHER WHO Is In Heaven;..." and in verse 48, "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your Heavenly FATHER Is Perfect."
As The Scriptures Tell us, the one who abides in JESUS CHRIST ought himself to walk in The same Manner as JESUS CHRIST Walked, loving those who, to the flesh and in the 'strength' of the flesh are unlovable, even our enemies. GOD Loves the sinner yet hates the sin. If this were not so then how does The Scripture Say, that HE HIMSELF, The LORD JESUS CHRIST, Is,
"The Propitiation for our sins ( The Conciliation; That Which overcomes the hostility of sin); and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." 1 John 2:2.
"For GOD So Loved the world, that HE Gave HIS Only Begotten SON, that whoever believes in HIM should not perish, but have Everlasting Life..." John 3:16.
This is the perfection we are Commanded to attain to; GODS Love Perfected in us. By this we will know that we are not illegitimate children but children of GOD;
"we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the Brethren..." 1 John 3:14.
GOD'S Love having been Perfected in us. "By this we know that we love the children Of GOD, when we love GOD and observe HIS Commandments" 1 John 5:2.
And to attain to this love is by nothing of the flesh whatsoever. "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on The SPIRIT Is Life and Peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward GOD; for it does not subject itself to The Law Of GOD, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please GOD." Romans 8:6-8.
It is The Sanctifying Work Of The HOLY SPIRIT, Which HE Works only through our faith in JESUS CHRIST, and this, that we may obey JESUS CHRIST and be Sprinkled With HIS Blood (1 Peter 1:2 ). Apart from faith we cannot obey!
Some will interpret 2 Timothy 2:13, ..."If we are faithless, HE Remains Faithful; for HE Cannot deny HIMSELF.", as meaning, understanding from such Scripture as Ephesians 1:13-14, and 2 Corinthians 2:5, as being that once in CHRIST JESUS we are Sealed By The HOLY SPIRIT, so no matter how we walk we shall receive The Promise. But this Scripture is a warning to us, and also a Blessing. We have Forgivness of sins through repentance. Apart from repentance there can be no forgivness of sins. Scripture cannot contradict Scripture, this is impossible. It is our understanding of The Scriptures that can be wrong, and not The Scripture Itself.
"But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing From WHOM you have learned; and that from childhood you have known The Sacred Writings Which Are Able To Give you The Wisdom That Leads To Salvation Through faith Which Is In CHRIST JESUS. All Scripture Is Inspired By GOD And Profitable For Teaching, For Reproof, For Correction, For Training In Righteousness; that the man Of GOD may be Adequate, Equipped for every Good Work." 2 Timothy 3:13-17.
Verse 15 of 2 Timothy 3, ..."and that from childhood you have known The Sacred Writings Which Are Able To Give you The Wisdom That Leads To Salvation Through faith Which Is In CHRIST JESUS."
The faithless cannot know this, because it is only through The faith In CHRIST JESUS, true faith, that we obtain this Knowledge, Taught By The HOLY SPIRIT ( 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 ).
"But By HIS Doing ( The FATHER'S ) you are in CHRIST JESUS, WHO Became To us Wisdom From GOD, And Righteousness And Sanctification, And Redemption, that, just as It Is Written, " Let him who boasts, boast in The LORD." 1 Corinthians 1:30-31.
2 Timothy 2:13 must be taken, must be understood in context with the preceeding and proceeding verses. All are Saved By Grace Through faith JESUS CHRIST ( Ephesians 2 ).
"You therefore, my son, be strong in The Grace That Is In CHRIST JESUS ( Psalm 23 ). And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of CHRIST JESUS. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life ( 1 John 2:15-17 ), so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules ( 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ). The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive the share of his crops ( James 5:7-11 ). Consider what i say, for The LORD Will Give you Understanding In Everything ( 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, Romans 8:5-11, John 6:63, Matthew 11:25-30 ). Remember JESUS CHRIST, Risen from the dead, Descendant of David, According To my Gospel ( Galatians 1:6-12 ), for Which i suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but The Word Of GOD is not imprisoned. For this reason i endure all things for the sake of those who are Chosen, that they also may obtain The Salvation Which Is In CHRIST JESUS and With It Eternal Glory ( Colossians 1 ). It Is A Trustworthy Statement: For if we died with HIM, we shall also Live with HIM ( 1 Peter 4:1-2, Romans 6, Romans 8:12-14 ); If we endure, we shall also reign with HIM ( Hebrews 12:1-15 ); If we deny HIM, HE also Will Deny us ( Matthew 10:32-33 , John 12:48); If we are faithless, HE Remains Faithful; for HE cannot deny HIMSELF ( Jonah 2:8, Colossians 3:5-11, Hebrews 11:1-2 & v6 ). Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in The Presence Of GOD not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved To GOD as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately The Word Of Truth." ( Ephesians 5:15-17, Hebrews 10:26-39, 2 Peter 2, John 17:17 ). 2 Timothy 2:1-15.
2 Timothy 2:14, ..."Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in The Presence Of GOD not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers."
'...What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify The Faithfulness Of GOD, will it? May it never be! Rather, let GOD Be Found True, though every man be found a liar, As It Is Written, "That thou mightest be Justified in thy Words, and mightest prevail when thou art Judged."... Romans 3:3-4.
To 'wrangle' about words is not of The faith, it is contrary to it. To argue about words of Scripture; Their Meaning, can be nothing of what means to walk By The SPIRIT, HE WHO Gives All Understanding, but means that we are merely walking in a manner corresponding to the flesh; obstinate contests; self-willed, headstrong struggles, to call into question what another says, solely, impurely, for the reason and desire of being recognised before others; a desire from selfish roots for the reason of self glorification, rather than a desire for The Knowledge Of The Truth and GOD to be Glorified in all their living, that many may see and be Saved, which, however it is argued for reason of doing so, is wrong. And it will lead to the ruin of the hearers; the subversion of those also of The faith.
It is that serious, and we know it is so serious because The GOD Breathed Word; The Scriptures, Tells us so. If one man states one thing and another man has a different interpretation for a same piece of Scripture, and neither will move from their standpoint, or even 'agreeing to disagree', then are they not walking like mere men? And The Scripture Speaks,
"But he who boasts, let him boast In The LORD. For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom The LORD Commends." 2 Corinthians 10:17-18.
GOD Alone Is True. Man can only ever be and is always wrong. When a man speaks The Truth it is only because It has been Given him From GOD.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but The SPIRIT WHO Is From GOD, that we might know The Things Freely Given To us By GOD, Which Things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in Those Taught By The SPIRIT, Combining Spiritual Thoughts with Spiritual Words... 1 Corinthians 2:12-13. Spiritual with Spritual, and not fleshly with Spiritual nor vice versa.
By The HOLY SPIRIT Alone Is Given to any The Knowledge of all Spiritual matters, and this, Freely Given By GOD through The faith that is in CHRIST JESUS, thus, "we might know The Things Freely Given To us By GOD", and by no other means.
"It Is The SPIRIT WHO Gives Life; the flesh profits nothing; The Words that I Have Spoken To you Are Spirit And Are Life." John 6:63.
"...But a natural man does not accept The Things Of The SPIRIT Of GOD; for They are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are Spiritually Appraised. But he who is Spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man... "1 Corinthians 2:14-15.
No one and no one can assess the worth of another, nor is to assess the value of another. To do so is not of The faith,to do so is contrary to Scripture and is to judge with an air of superiority, fleshly judgement of the one for whom CHRIST also suffered and died for,
"Do not judge lest you you be Judged. "For in the way you judge, you will be Judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be Measured To you. "And why do you look at the speck that is in your Brothers eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your Brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your Brother's eye." Matthew 7:1-5.
"...He who believes in The SON has Eternal Life; but he who does not obey The SON shall not see Life, but The Wrath Of GOD Abides on him." John 3:36.
"I urge you therefore, Brethren, By The Mercies Of GOD, to present your bodies a living and Holy sacrifice, acceptable to GOD, which is your Spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what The Will Of GOD Is, That Which Is Good And Acceptable And Perfect. For through The Grace Given to me i say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgement, as GOD Has Allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are One Body In CHRIST, and individually Members one of another. And since we have Gifts that differ according to The Grace Given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if Prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is Good. Be devoted to one another in Brotherly love; give preference to one another in honour; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in Spirit, serving The LORD; rejoicing in Hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the Saints, practising hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is Right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, Beloved, but leave room for The Wrath Of GOD, for It Is Written, "Vengeance Is MINE, I Will Repay," Says The LORD. "But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so you will heap burning coals upon his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with Good." Romans 12.
"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing By The Word Of CHRIST." Romans 10:17.
