Pillars of Christian Growth
Pillars of Christian’s Growth
Three Pillars of Christian Spiritual and Physical Growth: Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding
Part I- In the beginning
In the beginning, when God made time available after He created the universe in His space and the Earth in particular, by utterance, He made everything exist. Through His word, He filled the Earth with His creations, and His breath gives life to a three-dimensional image He created using His hands, a man, Adam, from the dust of the Earth. He created Him, and through His Spirit, he became a living soul. God’s breath gave Adam time to live in His space and enjoy the garden. God let Adam administer the Garden of Eden, a perfect place for a perfect man, a paradise where everything is complete and perfect. Complete with milk and honey. Perfect for him to dwell in, and the kingdom that God created before God formed the first man, Adam. God formed him with the hands of the Almighty. That is how essential man is to God.
God entrusted the two kingdoms: The animals, plants, and vegetables kingdom. Adam was created with a superficial intelligence; he gave all these creations their names. They live in a time when wolves don’t prey on the lambs, a lion does not fatten a calf, and the cow and the bear graze together. In contrast, their young live together, the lion eats dry grains like an ox, snakes do not harm the kids even they stretch their hand on them, and the mountains are untouched and continue to give fresh air and habitat to other God’s creations.
When God created Adam, he planned to multiply the Earth with living souls, which must be subdued to not overpopulate the Earth. When the time came that Adam needed a companion to help take care of the garden, God put Adam to sleep, and from his body, God took one of his ribs, and Eve came into existence and became part of Adam’s life; God blessed them, and they became one. The garden is God’s first place with human beings, and Adam’s fellowship with Him is with gladness. We can feel God’s delight in seeing His Love bore a happy life. God, who knows everything, even the things to come, never interfered with every decision we made and even the circumstances of that decision. He left everything to His creations, the responsibility for our actions, but in the end, we know that God cannot let us always abuse our free will to do things against His will. When He said do not do that, do not do it, but aside from that, do whatever you want to do and feel blessed about it, for God will never stop His children from doing good deeds.
No matter how much we see the brightness and wonderful life that surrounds us, if we are not aware of the presence of those who live in the dark waiting for victims to stop the flow of light, that will lead us to fall into the pit of entrapment where gnashing, wailing and weeping combined is the worst pain that someone will ever experience because of its eternal nature. Adam’s failure to stay in the light brought us into this situation from generation to generation as if we are in everlasting condemnation and will only end up when God said, “Enough is enough, and I will bring the human back into one both male and female, and they will live together as one; no religion and no possession, no evil thoughts that will exist, no pain and no gain, no struggle to seek Him.” God will bring forth His Spirit present as we inhale and exhale the Spirit of nature, which is one of God’s attributes.
Part II- Knowledge of Dust
The dust of the Earth has no signs of submitting or relinquishing its powers to the inhabitants of the Earth. So, the habits of humanity will never change, and they will always surrender to the energy of money, power, and lust. Our consciousness and skills are only second when choosing the brightest part of who we are. Our weaknesses to temptations are the most profound fall to our sinful life, and they unveil our wickedness and joy of temporary victory.
We can only learn the purpose of life through our reasoning and experience and God’s gift of wisdom. When we find who we are, we let go of our fleshly condition, and once we are enlightened, we will no longer be victims of ignorance. We will walk and talk not dictated by our corrupted mind and body but fresh and alive, renewed by the Spirit, a light bearer. We will convince those who are full of fear, rebuke those who are full of sin and hatred, and we will encourage those who are full of doubt.
The Holy Spirit will lead us after we fully understand the reason for our existence. Our free will sometimes leads us to make wrong choices, decisions, and actions. We let our emotions be more significant than our thoughts. Our minds can easily be corrupted by what we hear, see, and feel. Our soul must constantly communicate with God through praise and worship to avoid this situation.
Through the wisdom of God, we can help others move from their ignorance to the reality and potentiality of their existence. With the gift of revelation, we can help others become enlightened. We get revelation through vision when we wake up in the early morning, in our dreams, in the signs and wonders of nature, and when we fellowship with others.
“We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves. We should please his neighbor for his own good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on Me.” (Romans 15:1-3)
When God created, He used His word, and everything existed. And when He created man, He said, “Let us make man in our image and likeness,” he used His hands to form man and gave life by breathing to His nostrils, and man became a living soul. In this work of God, He revealed that man is a soul clothed with skin as a vessel and became a living soul when He breathed on it. Was the soul started with a dead soul? If God concealed this thing, who are we to question it? “For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.” (Psalm 103:14). Isaiah 55 8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
We can expound our knowledge through experience but cannot claim that it is what it is. When we talk about the power of dust, we can come up with many ideas, but the truth is not there, for the truth can only be found in the written word of God. “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.” “And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the Earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the Earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt.” Exodus 8:16–19
“And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the kiln and let Moses throw them in the air at Pharaoh’s sight. It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and it turned to boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” Exodus 9:8-9. Boil came upon all the Egyptians. Dust really can be harmful. We are talking about any dust; it can go into your eyes, you can inhale and clog your nostrils, and it may eventually go into your lungs. It is so tiny, yet it can be used against a human being as a weapon.
As technology advances, we have high-end vacuums and air filters to eliminate dust. Still, we cannot eliminate dust; they come back quickly. After cleaning the house and dusting our furniture using super dust cleaners, you will see the dust again in seconds. Dust contains mixtures of hair, fibers, bacteria, dust mites, human skin cells, and many more. When we talk about dust, we can go back to the seven days of creation; the question could be why dust already exists. Does God create dust before humanity? Or God created something that turned into dust. Does it have something to do with Ezekiel 18:4: “Behold, all souls are mine; the father’s soul as well as the son’s soul is mine: the soul who sins shall die.” The Scripture supported the soul that sin; in Ecclesiastes 12:7 ESV, “And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
Part III— Knowledge in Reincarnation
Reincarnation is the belief that a person’s soul begins life in a new body after a cycle of deaths and rebirths. It differs from the biblical teaching of resurrection, which refers to an event at the end of this age when those who trust in Jesus are brought into a new life with new bodies that will live forever. With this definition in mind, the one verse that may lead to an understanding that Jesus taught or believed in Reincarnation can be found in Matthew 11.
While he was preaching in Galilee, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John the Baptist and said to them, “If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come” (Matthew 11:14). Jesus also made direct reference to an Old Testament prophecy by Prophet Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” Many Jewish religious leaders believed and taught that Elijah would return before the coming of the Messiah and anticipated during the time of Jesus.
In John 1:21, The priest from Jerusalem approached John and asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” No one would ever answer if you are a reincarnation or not. Reincarnation differs from resurrection. In Reincarnation, you do not know anything about your past, while our belief in resurrection is the same body to be risen. So John doesn’t lie; he doesn’t know. So, up to this time, it remains a mystery whether John the Baptist is the Reincarnated Prophet Elijah or not.
When the angel Gabriel speaks upon Zechariah about the birth of his Son John and the life and ministry that John will have, as written, “he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” Luke 1:17. Jesus’ words saying that John is Elijah and John said that he isn’t, it is not in conflict at all. Whom are you going to believe when both do not lie?
It only proved that the belief in Reincarnation existed at that time. We do not need to compare the similarities between John the Baptist and Prophet Elijah in appearance and works ministry— (2 Kings 1:8 with Matthew 3:4), Their message on repentance— (1 Kings 18:21 with Luke 3:3), and both have power and both anointed Prophet. Elijah has to come as any other man who has to die to enter the kingdom of God, and favoritism is not God’s nature. Jesus said, “I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and we cannot quarrel about His written word.
Elijah was taken up in a Chariot and Horse of Fire; his body was never found, but that does not mean he is still physically alive. Chariot of Fire is believed to be a metaphor and may also mean a ravaging fire that can damage the body and disintegrate flesh, while the Horse of Fire could mean the speed and strength of the fire, like a wildfire. We should have an open mind and deal less with controversies about God’s word so the work of the Son will not be in vain. Elijah did not die; many embraced this notion, and some interpreted the event as a miracle.
Part IV— Knowledge to be Born to Die
Whether pro-life or pro-choice, the letter of the laws or gift of grace distractors against the good workers, and Reincarnation and resurrection play in the minds of people and develop confusion if they will not submit to God’s truth. Job says, “Death is a sure thing—man is born to die.” Job 3:11—”Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not give up the spirit when I came out of the belly?” does this tell us that it is better not to be born and die? Psalms 90:10 reminds us that “the length of our days is seventy years—or eighty if we have the strength” (NIV); due to the disobedience of the Jews, the age limit was given to them. During Noah’s time, God’s grace gave the sons of God and daughters of men 120 years before the deluge that wiped out the human race, except for Noah’s righteousness and household, which continued God’s purpose to humanity. God’s grace through Jesus Christ is very open, like a blank check; it could be earlier than 70 for some or later than 120. If you look at it this way, it’s been thousands of years, and human lives still exist. “The writer to the Hebrews says it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
Job asked God, “But when people die, their strength is gone. They breathe their last, and then where are they? (Job 14:10) King Solomon stated in Ecclesiastes 9, “Here is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.” 5 “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward because the memory of them is forgotten.” 6 “Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.”
Part V—Knowledge of Forgiveness
Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of sin, which is a well-planned and coordinated teaching in Christianity based on the last supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples during the last few days of his freedom here on Earth. Jesus told his disciples the New Covenant as it is written in Matthew 26:28, “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus deals with the world’s sins and offers his life to forgive all.
The New Testament makes it very clear in Hebrews 9:22 – “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.” If we will not stop here and continue our study and base it on what Paul said in Romans 15, Accept One Another—”…3For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.” ‘For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.’ ‘Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you harmony with one another in Christ Jesus”—Romans 15:3-5 Berean Study Bible
So, what was written in the Old which is consistent with the New is in the teachings of the Tanach; as we have learned, Paul is very well versed with the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) or will not write what he wrote in Romans 15. Learned Christians insist that the absolute need for a blood sacrifice is rooted in the Torah, and used as proof is Leviticus 17:11: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.”
The apostle Paul declares: “Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, and by him, everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which the law of Moses could not justify you.” (Acts 13:38-39).
I will leave this up to those who want to pursue the studies based on Leviticus 17:11 and see what enlightenment will give you. If Paul diverged this part of the truth as he said that “we are not under the law but under grace,” pray that a personal revelation is upon you. Jesus and His Apostles live under the laws of the Old Covenant, and there is no doubt in many minds about their obedience to the Old Testament.
Part VI – Understanding Awareness
God put us under one umbrella. The umbrella of Love covers us neither from the sun’s heat nor gets soaked from the rain. Love comes in many ways. He is pleased when we do good things and disciplines us when we do wrong. He gets angry when we disobey Him, but He will never hate us. God is very patient and waiting for our repentance, but He will never reject us when we come to Him and ask for help. He is always there to help us; He always answers our requests on His time and in His ways; it is not how slow He comes back to us for an answer but how our patience is being measured.
He wants us to love one another, to bless one after the other. God will give us what we gave others. When we take care of others, He will take care of us. When we are happy doing those things, God is more than happy because that is the way He wants us to be, to be like Him. It is not only physical things that are needed to do the work, but also spiritual things. Adam was formed in God’s image and likeness; God created all Adam may need and enjoy with His Love and kindness. Adam, who was given the breath of life directly from God and had the opportunity to fellowship with God face to face, then what more could Adam have missed in paradise when he had it all?
Disobedience comes into play due to the hidden knowledge of man and not their unawareness of evil’s presence. God was there with him, and he had all the time to seek advice and talk to Him directly. Our all-knowing God will not lie to tell him the existence that will cause death, and even if He had plans for humanity to expand, He will tell no lie. God gave Adam the free will to name His creations, and there is no doubt that Adam exercised that will. Maybe Adam became too comfortable that he thought everything was under control, and what he did know then was that he was not fully equipped yet with the armor of God that would prevent or delay the deception.
VII – Understanding Salvation
At that time, Adam was and is the only begotten Son of God (which means to Father or produce as offspring). Something is begotten when it’s been generated by procreation— in other words, it’s been fathered. A somewhat old-fashioned adjective, begotten, is the verb beget’s past participle, which means to Father or produce as offspring. Vocabulary (https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/begotten)
John 3:16 is one of the most popular and most often quoted bible verses focusing on our salvation: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Our salvation is a gift from God, and the Bible is very clear about it. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this, and it is a gift from God.’ ‘Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT). We cannot take advantage of God’s grace as we abuse the free will that God has given us. Salvation is a process of redemption. It cleanses us of our sins and removes any foreign spirit in our body that made us imperfect. Salvation is regarded as a wall to prevent any toxic attack on our freedom from sin. Sharing our personal experiences is one of many ways to return the favor that God has given us. Through sharing, they might accept the Son to stay in their lives so that the old man will flee and the new man will be born. In John 4:38- 42, a woman’s life changed after she met Jesus, and she told others about her encounter, and they believed.
When we testify about the goodness of God and the Son, the people who hear our testimony will be enlightened through us. The word of God becomes the way for them to know God. The water they drink will become living water, the water of salvation. Through us, they will never be thirsty again. They do not need to go anywhere to worship God but to the place or mountain of their choice. Jesus told the woman that it didn’t matter whether she worshipped the Father on the mountain or in Jerusalem. The time has already come for worshipping God not about location but how we worship the Father. The Father seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and truth.
When we plant the seed about God’s righteousness, purpose, and will, the process of enjoying the gift of salvation begins. We have a saying: I planted the seed, cooked it myself, and others enjoyed it. It means accepting the calling of God to spread His word, and we become the bridge of their relationship with God. You become part of them, receiving the saving grace of God. From death for lack of knowledge to life of knowing the Spirit that gives life. When we are saved, our sins are washed away; our sins which had defiled us are forgiven. We are rescued and freed from the force of sin through the power of the Holy Spirit. The sin that kept us captive for a long time will end under our feet. It will be our choice of how to manage our new life without sin. It could be a struggle, but faith, hope, and Love can manage that for us. Do not let sin escape our grip and start its evil work again. We should never forget that we are God’s children, and no one can snatch us from Him, but we should always be on guard.
Once we are saved, we will always be saved! Salvation guarantees eternal security. It doesn’t mean that being saved is the same thing as salvation. Saved is our standing after regeneration; salvation refers to possessing divine inheritance. Salvation is God’s work, and His sovereign power can wash out our sins, renew our Spirit, and reform our bodies. We can feel that we are new every morning we wake up. If we do not feel that way, we must talk to Him before sleeping. We can compare ourselves before we sleep and when we wake up, and in between confessions, we need to see and feel the difference. Is that the way it feels when the body is resurrected? Refresh and rejuvenate. Since in the flesh, it feels sinless for a second and back to being a sinner again for hours till we sleep again, and the cycle goes on and on like a spinning wheel that goes around and around.
God’s mercy is the source of grace; none of these will be available to us without the primary source, Love. Love is the greatest gift among others that we receive from the Father. As the Father is merciful to the sons (us), He saved us not from our righteous work but from His Love. His grace washed out our sins, and through the work of the Holy Spirit, we become a new man with renewed Spirit. This renewal of mind, body, and Spirit transforms us into a new creation, born from above, and our Spirit becomes the Spirit that will allow us to see the kingdom of God. Prophet Ezekiel said from the word of God, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” “And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:26–27; “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:26.
When salvation is an act of God, it is guaranteed that it is secured, and we have to do nothing but be faithful to Him. We must avoid offending Him, obey His will, and work with His plan to be with Him forever. We might not even know that we are offending God by not examining the lifestyle of those using His word for their own benefit. We must be mindful that God can also be using them for us to hear the word, but the responsibility lies on our shoulders. It is our responsibility to do what we think is correct if we are called to do such a thing.
Many preachers are good entertainers also. They will manipulate our emotions, and we consider their response a blessing. We should not fall for this because sometimes it is just full entertainment, a show that will lead our focus to His talent rather than make us feel good, blessed, and satisfied to hear the word of God. It takes away the glory of God’s word and replaces it with a show. We have to follow the attitude of the Bereans that according to the Book of Acts, when they received the word of God being preached and with readiness in mind and habit when they got home, they searched the scriptures to see whether they heard were true”. In addition to our knowledge, they do not search for only one day but daily, and many believe it is the result.
When our senses dictate our soul, it is already given as it is our nature to listen to ourselves. However, sometimes, the substance of the preaching is not able to reach the understanding of the human brain because our total submission is to the world of entertainment. The Preacher will entertain us with their talents, and they give joy to our soul than our Spirit. We must be mindful of faith leaders who are interested in their advancement in life and not the members’ spiritual growth. We see preachers only interested in knowing or getting easy access to our pockets. They use their talents to get into people’s minds and souls so they can maintain their lavish lives.
Jude mentioned, “These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves and flatter others to get what they want.” Jude also tells us: “But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. They told you that in the last times, there would be scoffers whose purpose in life was to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them” Jude 1:17-19
For God to act on our salvation, we have to defend the faith that God entrusted to us, and that some ungodly people made their way to churches wearing sheep clothing, and inside, they are goats. They say that God’s grace allows them to live in abundance. For example, some claim that God told them to buy jets to reach places and live in mansions. And many of us fall through these lies.
Jude even compares these people to animals doing things with their instinct or whatever their instinct tells them. We do not have to worry because they do this for their destruction. Be alert; they will divide or confuse us with our fellow workers. When these ungodly people fellowship with us, we must be aware that there are dangers for our faith to be attacked. We must be aware that when they open their mouths, we must also start to open our mouths to rebuke them.
Now that we are aware of the act of God about salvation, we need to act on our part to receive the saving grace that He said in the Gospel of John: “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 (NKJV) There is a hidden message in this word of God that was revealed to others but not to all. Those who got the revelation should act accordingly. Spread the Love, and we will be glad we did. Due to our faith and acceptance of God’s only Son, we are saved. Once we are saved, we are always be saved “38-39For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39: We must remember that the God who gave the gift of salvation is the same God that saved us and that God will keep us because He wants us to be with Him through eternity. He is the only God and no one else besides Him.
John 3:16-17 is the center of our salvation, and maybe we have already heard more than enough that God sent the Son to die on the cross for our sins. Is that how we want to pass on to the generation about our God? How could you justify when the Bible can prove that God disagreed and punished those who made sacrificial offerings for their children? But then again, those who lack understanding and are quick to judge may ask why God asked Abraham to sacrifice his Son Isaac. Concerning God, Abraham followed God, but when the sacrificial act was going to be carried out, a messenger from God stopped Abraham. God’s power intervened, and a ram was sacrificed instead. Abraham was called the friend of God.
God sent His chosen Son not to die, but the world might be saved through him. Does God want the Son to die on the cross, to suffer, and to be humiliated? Is that the way to redeem us for our sins? Or is there something else we should know or must not know? When we seek the truth, the truth will free us from doubt, confusion, and lack of understanding. Jesus Himself said in John 10: 17-18, “For this reason, the Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:17-18. It is a voluntary act of the Son of God. God has all the power to stop it but will not transgress the authority He has given the Son. The Father respects the will of the Son.
Jesus said if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, go in and out, and find pasture.” We can say life will go on and on. It can be an up and down, but everyone who believes in Him shall not be lost. No principalities in the heavenly realm can snatch anyone from Him because the gate of protection was already open for those who believe in the Son. The arms of the Lord are our refuge and will protect us all the way through. The Lord watches us as we come and go, both now and forever. Wherever we go and whatever we do, we will be blessed. Ref: Jeremiah 37:4, Psalm 37:4, Psalm 121:8, Deuteronomy 28:6.
Once we are saved, we are saved. And it cannot be undone. We don’t lose our salvation, but for those after accepting the assurance of salvation, then return to the old ways and lose it, then being saved is just the sense that controls our soul or emotional feelings and not the Spirit that gives life. It is stated in John 3:15 that “whoever believes in Jesus Christ will “have eternal life, not eternal soul or immortal soul.” The promise of eternal life will never be in error as it is written in the Bible that what we believe is free from error. It is harder to understand that salvation can be lost than a guarantee of eternal security. It is ours once we have it, and God never wants it back. God wants everyone to be saved and fully understand the truth of His word. There is only one God, one way to salvation, one true deliverer, and one life source.
Understand why God can’t take back what He gave because of His nature. God is Love, His nature, and the Giver of life. It is also necessary for us to understand that death is the end of our physical life here on Earth. It is not because God allows it, but our sin makes it happen. The wages of sin is death. We believe that Jesus conquered death, and why do people still die? The simple answer to this is that we are sinners. Our human nature makes us vulnerable to sin. Paul said we all sinned and are short of the glory of God, and we need a savior, and God by nature is the Giver of salvation. Psalms referred to God as the Savior of man. “I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me, there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11).
Part VIII- Understanding Faith
When God created a three-dimensional lifeless being using the dust of the Earth, the lifeless being received the breath of life and became a living soul. This creation can enlighten us about what happened during the sixth day of creation. It could lead to a significant disagreement among religious denominations. One side may say only Adam was created by God’s hand, but some doctrinal views say other humankind was mentioned apart from Adam. It means humankind existed, but how? Were they created and not formed?
Our generation is entirely of conflict; some rely only on what others believe is true. Many believe that the words were coming from the mouths of the churchmen or sometimes addressed as men of God. They stop seeking the truth; whatever they hear is what they believe; they pass it on to the next person. Our generation has more accessible access to many different opinions through digital technology that may lead to developing their own opinion. And somehow may lead to their own interpretation.
Aside from hearing from various church leaders whose understanding differs from one understanding to another, we might ask ourselves why using the same Bible leads them to different interpretations. Some denominations do not believe in the Trinity. Some do not believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and some believe in Oneness, but they keep only one thing, and almost all agree on tithes.
Why would other denominations criticize others’ doctrinal views and be ready for a fight to prove that they have a better understanding of the Scriptures? Somehow, this argument is being discussed in the presence of church members who are not mature enough to deal with conflicts and whose faith is still in danger of collapse. This issue results in some walking away who don’t want to get involved. Eventually, it sometimes becomes a heated argument. What difference does it make to have different versions of the Bible, which is supposed to be the living word of God that believers should respect? One Bible, among thousands of different versions, should not hinder us from seeking the truth nor allow our minds to end up corrupted.
The Scriptures is a love letter to us from God. It is our treasure that we should take care of and protect it from false claims. When we read the Bible, we may hear God talking to our soul; when we meditate on His word, we may experience joy in our hearts. If you do not feel any of these, maybe the Bible is not meant for your faith. We have to focus our attention on God and ignore distractions. Our relationship with God is like the Father and the Sons. And to others as brothers, sisters, and mothers.
Religion, if you lack awareness, may lead to being controlled your life by others. Religion will not save us; it’s our faith, belief, and relationship with the LORD Almighty and the Lordship of the Son, and with the help of the Holy Spirit who made us partakers of God’s divine nature, our assurance of life to eternity. Some religions will take us away from the truth, and some treat us as their property. It is difficult to say, but that is how it looks nowadays. Religion has become a big business, and business has competition. Why? Because it brings money to the congregation, and few call it an organization.
Corruptions went inside the church and spread like wildfire without fear to the Giver of Life. Does a new version of the Bible mean new books to sell? Is the new version more truthful? If that is the issue, what are we going to believe now? Will it be the new version against the old version of the Bible? Will that lead to people against people? God is good all the time, but there are consequences to every act if the motive is evil!
A person of faith is compared to someone with similar but distinct beliefs. Like Jesus when He said, I and the Father are one. It is not confusing at all when adequately explained, but if someone believes that Jesus is all and all and disregards the Father, then it is a different situation. Faith in this nature needs a careful examination and explanation so that no one can grasp a wrong idea that may lead to a broken interpretation of the truth. Our belief system must be revisited, especially when we have only inherited the doctrine our parents believed in. It isn’t easy to embrace new teachings when rooted in the old. The advice we can get is to compare what is to believe means and what is faith.
According to the Bible, Hebrews 11: 1,” Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith links us with God and becomes our only hope to provide for all our needs. We believe His word is accurate; there is no other God besides Him. While developing a great relationship with Him, we must practice humility. Believing and being submissive to Him means recognizing His power can never be measured. His Love is more significant than anyone from heaven to Earth. He created the universe in His space and time on the planet Earth. By faith, He created it all and believed that He did.
With the assurance of things hoped for, by faith, we will eventually see and touch it and believe that we will enjoy it more than we did not. Our experience will never be experienced by those who do not know Him and those who do not want to listen that God exists, and indeed, they will miss the reward of eternal life. God’s Love is immeasurable, and His purpose for all humans is to be like Him and His will to be with Him. He did not make it difficult for us to understand. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Anyone who approaches God must have faith that God exists, and the reward is worth finding Him.”
Faith and belief are two distinct words, but they are one destination when we describe our attitude toward God. Faith is our commitment to the invisible God, and belief relies on God’s manifestation of His power. It might be through the Prophets who interpret the visions experienced by the kings of things to come and the sacramental offering to be done by a priest. These are the three anointed people of the ancient times. This belief has been a secret for a long time but was revealed in due time and is now known to us, making it, not a secret anymore while a mystery remains as it is.
Faith remains a mystery; belief could be a secret that has lost its real meaning once revealed. Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. It is no longer a secret. We must be careful to treat a secret as a secret and a mystery as a mystery, and we cannot interchange it, or we will lose the true meaning of what we hope for. Faith in God involves what we hope for, something we are still waiting for, something that will be visible to our naked eyes, our citizenship to the new heaven and new Earth. The King of kings will be seated on the earthly throne of David and will be ruled by His Saints. While believing in God is what we seek, it is something we may already have done, something that God has done as a learning example for us in this generation. According to the word of God, we believe in things we can and cannot do.
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. When the secret is revealed, the responsibility belongs to us, but if it is not, the secret still belongs to God. It confirms that believing has been made known through His living word. We believe the Bible is a progressive word of God that has updated itself to the present time. Faith needs confidence and endurance that God has control of His creations and includes but is not limited to our imagination. Belief involves commitment and action, which can also involve physical and spiritual factors. Faith is trust in God’s word to be accurate, while belief coordinates our confidence with our attitude. By faith, there will be judgment to come, and I believe that God is the Judge. We believe in the coming of the Alpha and the Omega—The Almighty One.
Praising God is an act of faith, and He is everywhere, and all-knowing God is a belief that we are confident is accurate. In a sensual example of faith and belief, just looking at the sky, by the feeling of the breeze, we can claim to believe that it is going to rain. One time, with my experience with the elder of the church, she testified the power of faith by stopping the rain; at that time, there was an urgency to deliver the food to an event, and a co-church member witnessed this claim. We may believe it or not; it is our choice. It could be factual, or it could be a creation of the mind.
We can wrongfully be judged as arrogant by claiming that our God is the most fantastic provider of our needs. They misjudge my confidence to be arrogant, which is a big difference! By this example, we can determine what faith can do and what believing can achieve. God is a Spirit, and faith is the unseen work of our Spirit that can only be noticeable in the way we walk by faith and not by sight. We can hear the voice of God by reading the Bible; we can hear it, but we cannot see it, which is faith at its highest. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Some may have doubts, but they are those who have unmeasured faith. Faithful hearers of the words are also doers of His truth.
God is a Spirit, and we worship Him through Spirit. Our admiration and faithfulness will not come back to us void. Faith can move mountains of doubt; if there is doubt, we can counter it by watering the seeds planted in us. Our faith will grow with power and confidence to fight the good fight of faith. We can see the rain falls and where it is heading, and we believe that the sun strengthens our bodies. We also believe that what comes up must come down. We believe that the absence of knowledge is ignorance; thus, ignorance can cause us to fall into deception and temptation. Faith in God will convince us to admire and know Him better. When we seek Him, we will find Him through His word, which is no longer a secret in our generation. His mystery will dictate that knowing the secret he revealed will help us to be a stronghold of faith, and the mystery will remain untouchable until we meet Him face to face.
Faith and belief are two words in one. He is in us, and we are in Him. The moon and the sun are two different creations of God. Both have the same function, which is similar to each other: to give lights. However, in general, it was created for the good of His creations, including the great benefit that humans could enjoy. We all have faith. Some may have different faiths from one another, and some may have the same faith. Faith varies from faith to faith. By faith, we can say that God will bless those who bless you. Do we believe it? It will generate a profound or intense response and the follow-up question of why because that is what God said! Faith and belief go well together, and that’s the fact we know about God.
When we talk about faith, we also talk about desire with great expectations that will happen. Faith is part of our hope, and though faith can stand by itself, hope plays an essential role in our faith. It adds to our steadfastness and strengthens our willingness to wait for the things to come. Hope alone is not sufficient without faith. Faith is the foundation of hope. It gives us the purpose for us to be strong. Let’s say we hope the tree in our backyard bears much fruit next harvest. Hoping to have much harvest gives no assurance, while faith according to what is written has the assurance of things hoped for— Hebrew 11:1
Part IX—Wisdom of Love
Jesus replied when asked which of the most important commandments were. “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31(NLT)
Faith, hope, and Love belong to godly living. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be guided to be truthful, honorable, courageous, forgiving, admirable, and kind. These values define humankind’s relationship with God and reflect Himself in us. Paul identified that Love is the greatest and the most essential virtue among the three. 1 Corinthians 13:13 The letter addressed young Corinthian believers living in darkness practicing immorality, disunited in faith and ignorance of the word of God, which inspired Paul to write the letter to correct their ungodly practices.
Love is among the fruits of the Spirit and was/is number one for a reason. We couldn’t live our lives without Love from God. There are no chances to survive on this troubled Earth. Love introduces us to God. He is, and He was, and He will love us no matter our misjudgment. He will never leave us nor forsake us. That is His faithful promise, our assurance that we are holding up to this time, but we must also understand we must be faithful and hopeful to please Him.
Love has many splendors, and only Love from God has luster or brilliance and conquers all. Love that can be trusted forever, humble and patient. Love is kind and not prideful, prudent and not judgmental, happy for the success of others, and not envy. Love is respect not only to oneself but to others too, slow to anger and quick to forgive, giving credit where credit is due, and not claiming one’s work for one’s benefit or advancement. Love can be conditional for the salvation of humankind. Love rejoices the truth of God and rejects evilness. Faith and hope will never falter when covered with the Love of God. We should always put God first in the center of this journey. God’s Love is the foundation of our existence.
God is Love, and His mercy and grace are the good things that ever happen to humanity. Without His Love, we are nothing and remain dust of the Earth. Without Love, there is no redemption; without Love, there is no hope of forgiveness. John says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for Love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God because God is Love.” 1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)
Faith and hope are defined in the dictionary as follows: Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing or a belief not based on proof, and Hope is an optimistic attitude of mind based on an expectation or desire. Faith says it is so now, and hope says it could happen in the future. Ref: Huffpost.com
Philippians 4:7-9 tells us: “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
Let us rejoice and be glad that the Love of God for humanity will never come to pass that easily unless we go deeper into sin that will never be forgiven.
Thank you, LORD, of all creations, for a life full of joy and adventures. Thank you for your Son Jesus, who showed us Love the same as you do. Please help us be like you, your Love, and your care, and help us be more vigorous in defending the kingdom you have entrusted upon us. Please help us in this journey. Without you, we are nothing, but with you, we are more significant than any attacker we could imagine.
Thank you, Father, in Jesus our 2nd and last Adam, and thank you, Holy Spirit, for the joy of being in me. Amen
