Obedience Of Faith = Humility.
Obedience Of Faith = Humility.
And HE Said To HIS Disciples, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come! "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. "Be on your guard! If your Brother sins, rebuke ( reprove, admonish ) him; and if he repents ( thinks differently, reconsiders to feel moral compunction, changes his mind ), forgive him ( let go of; keep no longer; disregard his trespass ). "And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him." ... Luke 17:1-4.
As The LORD Says, and Written here, if one sins, and we see, we have a duty to show the trespass, Be on your guard! Be attentive; devote thought and effort; pay attention to yourselves. And just as Paul wrote in his exhortation of Timothy,
...In pointing out these things to the Brethren, you will be a good servant Of CHRIST JESUS, Nourished on The Words Of The faith and Of The Sound Doctrine Which you have been following. But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since It holds Promise for the present life and for The Life To Come. It Is A Trustworthy Statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for This we labour and strive, because we have fixed our hope on The Living GOD, WHO Is The SAVIOUR Of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but in speech, conduct, Love, faith, purity, show yourself an example to those who believe. Until i come, give attention to the reading, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect The Spiritual Gift within you, Which was bestowed upon you through Prophetic Utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains with These Things; be in Them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and your teaching; persevere in These Things; for as you do this you will insure Salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. 1 Timothy 4:6-16.
Whatever the sin may be, the deeds of the flesh, false teaching, whatever the sin may be, all sin is of the flesh and all sin is rebellion to Divine Authority; and when it is seen we have a duty before GOD to show it. We all have a duty as watchmen of The New Covenant, to look out for the interests of others, in Love, in Holiness Of The Truth, to guard Through The HOLY SPIRIT WHO Indwells us This Treasure Which has been Entrusted To us. And no one of us is above reproach when in what we may do may be being a cause of blame or discredit to The Way In Truth.
And when any may be in error, to be shown the error there is, as Christians, The Particular Manner in which we each are to do this; as Of CHRIST; for the purpose of godliness. And how we may do this depends upon humility; it depends on what, or rather, WHO is in our heart; and thus By The Meekness And Gentleness Of CHRIST; and yet with The Authority Of GOD whilst no man believing the authority is anything to do with himself: Humility in knowing your place.
We are to 'wash one another's feet' ( John 13:5-20 ) ..."For I Gave you An Example that you also should do As I Did To you... ..."If you know these things, you are Blessed if you do them. v15 & v17.
Pride goes before Destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. Proverbs 16:18
Before Destruction the heart of a man is haughty, But humility before honour. Proverbs 18:12
Whether the one who is shown his error will then cast aspersions at the one who shows it to him, and you do not win your Brother, or Sister, it is not to fear this, though for GOD you will feel it. For when doing right, it is right and proper for us to suffer in a manner worthy of JESUS CHRIST, if GOD So Wills it.
...But if when you do what is right and suffer you patiently endure it, this finds favour with GOD. For you have been called for this purpose, since CHRIST also Suffered For you, leaving you An Example for you to follow in HIS Steps, WHO commited no sin, nor was any deceit found in HIS Mouth; and while being reviled, HE did not revile in return; while Suffering, HE uttered no threats, but kept entrusting HIMSELF To HIM WHO Judges Righteously; and HE HIMSELF Bore our sins In HIS Body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to Righteousness; for By HIS Wounds you were Healed... 1 Peter 2:20b-24.
O GOD, It Is THOU WHO Dost Know my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from THEE. May those who wait for THEE not be ashamed through me, O LORD GOD Of Hosts; May those who seek THEE not be dishonoured through me, O GOD Of Israel, because for THY Sake i have borne reproach; Dishonour has covered my face. I have become estranged from my Brothers, And an alien to my mother's sons. For zeal for THY House has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach THEE have fallen on me. When i wept in my soul with fasting, It became my reproach. When i made sackcloth my clothing, i became a byword to them. Those who sit in the gate talk about me, And i am the song of drunkards. Psalm 69:5-12.
GOD Knows the heart, so GOD Knows your thoughts and intentions in how and why you have spoken, whether that be in Truth or in error. In your humility GOD Will honour you, as through your pride GOD Will Oppose you.
The Apostle Paul knew his place, he knew his wretchedness ( Romans 7:24-25 ). This Hebrew of Hebrews of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin, as to the righteousness which is in The Law, found blameless, knew the sinner he was ( 1 Timothy 1:15-17 ) and see how he always gives the thanks and the praise and The Glory to GOD. He was both a humble man and a great man Of GOD. He could not have been the latter apart from being the former; he kept The faith.
Now i, Paul, myself urge you By The Meekness And Gentleness Of CHRIST - i who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! I ask that when i am present i may not be bold with the confidence with which i propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war ( we are not to fight, contend ) according to the flesh, for The Weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but Divinely Powerful for the Destruction of fortresses. Destroying speculations ( reasoning, imaginations hostile to The faith ) and every lofty ( high, elevated ) thing raised up ( exalted with pride ) against The Knoweldge Of GOD, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of CHRIST ( 1 John 4:13-17 ), and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is Complete. 2 Corinthians 10:1-6.
And as The Scriptures Speak in another place; Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are Spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one anothers burdens, and thus fulfill The Law Of CHRIST. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself... Galatians 6:1-3.
We all have a choice, free-will whether to obey GOD or not to obey GOD; but in The Will Of GOD we do not have a choice, but rather, we are obligated to obedience ( Romans 8:12-14, Galatians 5:16-18 ). For The Will Of GOD Is our Sanctification that we may share HIS Holiness; and for This we endure discipline, ( Hebrews 12 ), whoever GOD May Choose to use.
...'But you have come to Mount Zion and to The City Of The Living GOD, The Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to The General Assembly And Church Of The First-Born who are enrolled In Heaven, And To GOD, The Judge Of All, And to the spirits of Righteous men Made Perfect, and to JESUS, The Mediator Of A New Covenant, And to The Sprinkled Blood, Which Speaks better than the blood of Abel...'
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead ( deprive of power, put to death) to immorality, impurity, passion ( inordinate affection, depraved passion ), evil desire, and greed ( covetousness ), which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that The Wrath Of GOD Will Come Upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its practices... Colossians 3:5-9.
..."For rebellion is as the sin of divination ( of nations, of false prophets; 2 Corinthians 2:17 ), And insubordination ( stubbornness, arrogance, presumption ) is as iniquity ( wickedness, exerting oneself in vain thus coming to and benefiting nought ) and idolatry... 1 Samuel 15:23a.
And how easy it is too that we may cause another to stumble, and not even realise that we have done so.
If the one who misses the mark, who errs, who wanders from The Narrow Path of uprightness and Truth, when rebuked shall revile ( assail with contemptuous language, speak abusively ) to the one who has attempted to restore him by way of reasoning in showing him his error, then this one has, through pride, arrogance, haughtiness, refused to listen, refused to hear; is being insubordinate and ultimately refusing to be reconciled to GOD.
If he then goes away and thinks on it and in his heart reasons and acknowledges that he has strayed, was indeed in the wrong, and falls before GOD asking forgivness, yet does not go back to his Brother whom he reviled, to make peace with him and say, 'I repent', is he right before GOD?
The answer is undoubtedly no. Has he considered his actions toward his Brother and how he may have hurt him, and how, by his response to the rebuke he may have caused his Brother to stumble in the thoughts and feelings of his own heart, and which may be there, festering? Indeed, in doing this has he not in his coming before GOD in seeking repentance, seeking Forgivness, thought only of himself and not of his Brother? To do this is not sorrow according to GOD producing repentance to Salvation, but is worldly sorrow leading to death.
Humility will be aware of this, just as will be that because of Love he will seek to be reconciled with his Brother. This then would be true repentance in the matter. Free from the deeds of the flesh, truly humble before GOD.
..."You have heard that the ancients were Told, 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court ( subject to Judgement ).' "But I Say To you that everyone who is angry with his Brother without cause shall be guilty before the court ( subject to Judgement ); and whoever shall say to his Brother, 'Raca' ( a term of vilification, reproach, meaning empty headed; worthless ), shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool', shall be guilty ( worthy of punishment ) into the fiery hell. "If therefore you are presenting your offering at The Altar ( now, in The New Covenant, Romans 12:1-2 ), and there remember that your Brother has something against you, leave your offering there before The Altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your Brother, and then come and present your offering. "Make friends quickly with your opponent at Law while you are with him on the way, in order that you opponent may not deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. "Truly I Say To you, you shall not come out of there, until you have paid up the last penny." Matthew 5:21-26.
It is only by making that Brother aware that he has indeed repented that the one who admonished him will be free in his own heart to keep it no longer, to let go of it, to completely disregard it; to forgive him. "Be on your guard! If your Brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him..."
The conditional element of Forgivness is to repent; if true repentance is sought then we know we have Forgivness of sins; GOD Says that it is so ( 1 John 1:9 ). And in this instance, between the Brother or Sister concerned, made known to them.
Given this, before GOD and man if one does not truly repent how then is it at all possible to have Forgiveness of sins? ..."Not everyone who says to ME, 'LORD, LORD,' will enter The Kingdom Of Heaven; but he who does The Will Of MY FATHER WHO Is In Heaven. "Many will say to ME on That Day, 'LORD, LORD, did we not Prophesy In YOUR Name, and In YOUR Name cast out demons, and In YOUR Name perform many Miracles?" "And then I Will Declare To them, 'I never Knew you; Depart from ME, you who practice lawlessness.'... Matthew 7:21-23.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that Grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6:1-2.
Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to The LORD; Assuredly, he will not go unpunished. By lovingkindness ( goodness, kindness, faithfulness ) and Truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of The LORD one keeps away from evil. Proverbs 16:5-6.
...And The LORD'S bond-servants must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps GOD May Grant them repentance leading to The Knowledge Of The Truth, and they may come to their senses from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:24-26.
Only The LORD Sets the captives Free! ( Psalm 146, Isaiah 61 ). And this is The Glorious Gospel Of The Blessed GOD; Delivered From the penalty of sin, Freed from the deeds of the flesh; imitators of CHRIST; Conformed to HIS Image, By Grace through faith; in humbling ourselves attaining to The Humility Of CHRIST; The True Knowledge Of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
..."Truly I Say Yo you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter The Kingdom Of Heaven. "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in The Kingdom Of Heaven. "And whoever receives one such child in MY Name Receives ME; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in ME to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea. "Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!... Matthew 18:3-7.
...And the Apostles said to The LORD, "Increase our faith!" And The LORD Said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you... Luke 17:5-6.
Here The LORD Is Speaking of obedience. Here Written is of when the Apostles asked The LORD to add more faith to their faith, and The LORD then begins to Speak To them of obedience,
..."But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down to eat'? "But will he not say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat, and clothe yourself and serve me until I have eaten and drunk: and afterward you will eat and drink'? "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? "So you too, when you do all the things which are Commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done that which we ought to have done.'" Luke 17:7-10.
This is how we ought to be mindful of ourselves, of just who and what we are In CHRIST JESUS; servants. We are brands plucked from the fire, sinners Saved By The Grace Of GOD through faith in The LORD JESUS CHRIST. And faith means to believe and to believe means obedience of The faith, to The Preserving Of the soul. The one who live thus, this one shall never perish.
"Blessed are the gentle ( humble, meek ), for they shall Inherit the earth... Matthew 5:5.
The LORD HIMSELF Came To Serve And Give HIS Life A Ransom for many, and we are to follow HIS Example; be imitators of HIM. Do any believe that we have this Knowledge in heart and mind when we speak, act and determine ourselves to others who it is we are In CHRIST? Yes, GOD'S Word Tells us, But as many as received HIM, To them HE Gave The Right To Become children Of GOD, To those who believe in HIS Name, who were Born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but Of GOD. John 1:12-13.
But this in no way goes that it will automaticaly apply to us no matter how we may walk, how we may conduct ourselves, does it? Of course not. By our words we shall be Justified and by our words we shall be Condemned, and we are to speak In CHRIST In The Sight Of GOD. It Is GOD Alone WHO Is Just And The Justifier Of the one who has faith in JESUS; HIS Work. "This Is The Work Of GOD, that you believe in HIM WHOM HE Has Sent." John 6:29.
This is where many of us will stumble, presuming rather than paying attention to ourselves, being mindful of how we walk, examining ourselves to see if indeed JESUS CHRIST is in us, or if we fail the test. It is all too easy to boast to another of our identity in CHRIST JESUS, yet to have lost sight of The Narrow Path and to have forgotten our First Love. We should not be arrogant in our boasting in determining this ourselves; 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.
Such presumption is sin,
The Law Of The LORD Is Perfect, Restoring the soul; The Testimony Of The LORD Is Sure, Making wise the simple. The Precepts Of The LORD Are Right, rejoicing the heart; The Commandment Of The LORD Is Pure, Enlightening the eyes. The fear of The LORD Is clean, enduring forever; The Judgements Of The LORD Are True; They Are Righteous Altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, By Them THY servant Is Warned; in keeping them there is Great Reward. Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back THY servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then i shall be blameless, And i shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in THY Sight, O LORD, my Rock And my Redeemer. Psalm 19:7-14.
Humility will know this, to be aware of this. Job, in The LORD'S Dealings with him, knew at the end that which he did not understand before, "I know that THOU Canst Do All Things, And that no Purpose Of THINE can be thwarted. 'Who is this who hides counsel without Knowledge?' "Therefore i have declared that which i did not understand, Things To Wonderful for me, Which i did not know." 'Hear, now, and I Will Speak; I Will Ask thee, and do thou instruct ME.' ( 38:1-3 ). "I have heard of THEE by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees THEE; Therefore i retract, And i repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:2-6.
And then, what did GOD Say To Eliphaz the Temanite and of his two friends, of all their words in the matter with Job? "MY Wrath Is Kindled Against you And Against your two friends, because you have not spoken of ME what is Right as MY servant Job has... 42:7.
Job was humbled, and in Job's humility The LORD Accepted him. The LORD Called Job, 'MY servant.' And in his humility Job prayed for his friends, who had been no comfort to Job throughout his trial, and we are told, And The LORD Restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and The LORD Increased all that Job had twofold... ...And The LORD Blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning... 42:10 & v12.
Do not complain ( grudge not, with grief ), Bretheren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be Judged; behold, The Judge Is Standing Right At The Door. As an example, Brethren, of suffering and patience, take the Prophets who spoke In The Name Of The LORD. Behold, we count those Blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of The LORD'S Dealings, that The LORD Is Full Of Compassion And Merciful. James 5:9-11.
We all need to remember, this humility, this ability to obey is not natural to us, but Spiritually acquired, it is Of GOD. As Paul said of himself, For i know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good not... Romans 7:18.
But we desire, and GOD Gives, and as obedient children GOD Will Fulfill in us to Completion.
The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgement and sober for the purpose of prayer ( John 9:31 ). Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another ( Romans 13:10 ), because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another, without complaint. As each one has Received A Gift, employ It in serving one another, as good stewards of The Manifold Grace Of GOD. Whoever speaks, as it were, The Utterances Of GOD; whoever serves, 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.
Beloved, do not be suprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the Sufferings Of CHRIST, keep on rejoicing; so that also at The Revelation Of HIS Glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for The Name Of CHRIST, you are Blessed, because The SPIRIT Of Glory And Of GOD Rests Upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but In That Name let him Glorify GOD. For it is time for Judgement to begin with The Household Of GOD; and if with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey The Gospel Of GOD? And if it is with difficulty that the Righteous Is Saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, let those also who suffer According To The Will Of GOD entrust their souls to A Faithful CREATOR in doing what is right... 1 Peter 4:7-19.
..."So you too, when you do all The Things Which Are Commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done that which we ought to have done." Luke 17:10.
Obedience of faith is of the same rank, is evenly proportioned or balanced with, is alike in value, is, equals; Humility.
