RENEWING THE MIND – IV (The Gospel - 2)

WBS.141

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

RENEWING THE MIND – IV

THE GOSPEL - 2

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Romans 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of IAUE.

The problem with humanity is that it is incapable of obeying the will of IAUE.  

Two things in particular had to be done for man that he could not do for himself,

in order to be able to respond favorably to the will of IAUE.

1. The issue of sins must be resolved.  (“The soul that sins shall surely die.”)
2. The quality of righteousness must be restored to man.

Last week we discussed how the issue of sins was resolved in the sacrifice of Yahushua.

Now that man’s sins have been removed as a barrier to a restored relationship with IAUE, there is only one thing that is lacking to complete the reconciliation, and that is righteousness.  Righteousness is a quality or condition that exists in a sinless environment; because it is the nature of always being right; and right is measured by the nature of IAUE as manifested by the will of IAUE. 

Abraham’s faith in IAUE and in the promise of His coming deliverer was “reckoned” unto Abraham for righteousness (Romans 4:3).  It was a down payment IAUE made on his behalf for the real thing that was to come; but Abraham was not, in fact, righteous.  Today, by faith in the shed blood of the sacrifice of Yahushua and belief that he was raised from the dead, man can be born-again by the power of IAUE and placed into the spiritual body of Messiah.  In Messiah, we are clothed with HIS righteousness, thus completing the prerequisites for relationship and fellowship with IAUE.  

So, from last week’s study, we can understand why Yahushua ordered repentance to be preached in his name.  Through repentance, the two barriers to relationship and fellowship with IAUE are resolved.  However, Yahushua ordered TWO things to be preached in his name.

Luke 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Messiah to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

For far too long the church has understood this to mean repentance and forgiveness of sins…and then conveniently decided that repentance was not really necessary.  As a result, preachers and teachers and individual believers for decades, if not for centuries, have been telling people they need to ask Yahushua to forgive them of their sins; and if they do, they will be “saved.”  The fact is, they do not have to ask Yahushua to forgive them of anything.  He already paid the price for their sins.  Forgiveness is a done deal. It does not require obtaining a receipt for it to be real. Mankind’s sins are already forgiven.  To tell someone they must ask to be forgiven is to misrepresent the facts and to dishonor the love of IAUE.   

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Messiah died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But IAUE commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

By forgiving man of his acts of rebellion against His authority (sins) without condition, IAUE “commends His love to us.”  That means IAUE demonstrated that He loves man.  He does not stand with a whip in hand looking to avenge every sin we commit.  He loves us. He proved it by paying a severe price for our forgiveness; something we did not even ask or desire Him to do.  He did it on His own initiative because He loves us.

Forgiveness of sins, however only removes a barrier…one that man put up between himself and IAUE; that is, man’s rebellion against the will of IAUE and His right to rule.  Forgiveness is incomplete in itself to make possible the objective of our deliverance:  the freedom to do the will of IAUE.  It is for this reason that the Master ordered that remission of sins be preached in his name.

If I am only forgiven of the sins that hold my life in bondage; how does that make it any easier for me to obey IAUE?  How does that enable me to terminate my disobedience, especially when I am bound by certain behaviors, attitudes, actions, etc.?  Remission of sins is freedom from the power of sins which IAUE has already forgiven. 

Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of IAUE is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of IAUE.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Yahushua was anointed to break the power of sin and death, to destroy the works of the devil.  He was anointed to deliver the poor, heal the sorrowful, free those in bondage, heal the blind and liberate man from the works of the devil.  Was it just words, or did he actually do it?

Matthew 4:23 And Yahushua went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Matthew 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Matthew 9:35 And Yahushua went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power (literally, “authority”) against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Daily, Messiah ministered to all that came to him.  He cast out demons that held their life in bondage, healed them of sicknesses and diseases that disabled their lives.  He set them free; and he even gave the authority to do the same to his disciples who walked with him, as well as to his disciples who would believe on him after his resurrection.  Towards the end of the life and ministry of the apostle Paul, he declares this:

Romans 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of IAUE; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Messiah.

Most believers, today, did not respond to a message that was confirmed with signs and wonders; nor have they witnessed to others, providing them with signs and wonders to confirm what they are saying. They have never witnessed nor experienced the miraculous deliverance that accompanies the gospel when it is properly presented.  Most of the church, today, believes a message that has never been confirmed by a demonstration of the power of IAUE; and yet, it was regarded by Messiah and the early apostles and disciples as a necessary and intrinsic part of preaching the gospel.  Signs and wonders confirm the preaching of the gospel.  If they are absent, the correct gospel message has not been preached.

The disciples of Messiah, today, do not tend to experience this mighty deliverance.  They do not experience freedom from the bondage of sin.  They continue to sin as though they have little power over it in their lives.  Why is this?  It is because remission of sins was not preached to them.  They answered to a message of forgiveness of sins, only.  They do not know that freedom from the power of sin, which includes freedom from the bondage to evil spirits, healing of all sickness and all disease, even deliverance from poverty, are all-inclusive provisions of our redemption in Messiah.  If repentance and remission of sins were preached as Yahushua commanded, the church would be a vibrant supernatural force of righteousness in the earth that continues to destroy the works of the devil in peoples’ lives, just as did the early church in the book of Acts.  A true understanding that ALL authority both in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Yahushua Messiah would avail the disciple of the freedom from anything that would dare to interfere with his/her obedience to the will of IAUE.

Have you ever heard the old illustration of a relative’s passing who leaves a fortune to you in his will?  Let’s add to that picture that you were one who rejected your family, and walked away.  A rift existed between you and your family…which was your doing.  You took offense at something and walked away.  However, in the will, it is declared that your relative forgave you and does not hold your rebellion and rejection of him against you. The offense that prevented you from partaking of your family’s inheritance has been removed. You benefit from his forgiveness insofar as it removed the barrier to you being placed in his will as a beneficiary. You do not benefit from the fortune bequeathed to you, however, if you do not know about it; and if you are unaware that you have been forgiven.  Additionally, you do not benefit from it if you are told of it, but you do not believe it is true, or if you refuse to act upon it as a fact, or if you simply reject his forgiveness because you choose to remain offended. So, too, is remission of sins.  Though forgiveness of sins does not need to be acted upon as it is something that has been done for man without condition; remission of sins is not realized, it is not experienced, until it is believed and acted upon as an intrinsic element of what was accomplished for us in the shed blood of Messiah.

We have been too long without a proper presentation of the gospel.  Believing and receiving what we have never before been told requires renewing the mind.  IAUE did not sacrifice His son to provide an incomplete redemption for mankind. 

Repentance and Remission of sins are to be preached in the name of Yahushua…and yet, this is NOT the gospel.  Next week, we will discuss what the gospel actually is; and why preaching repentance and remission of sins was commanded to be preached alongside the gospel.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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RENEWING THE MIND – III (The Gospel - 1)

WBS.140

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

RENEWING THE MIND – III

THE GOSPEL - 1

…..

Romans 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of IAUE.

The central focus of the message of the New Testament is doing the will of IAUE. 

The church, today, has supplanted that message with “receiving forgiveness and

going to Heaven when we die.”  Christians, today, live their entire lives without having

any concept that they were born to do the will of IAUE; and since man who is born of

the seed of man is incapable of doing His will; we were born again to make it possible;

and thus fulfill the purpose for which we were created.

Let me ask you a question.  When you “came to Messiah” in response to the message presented to you, did the preacher or witness of the Master ever explain what it meant to be saved; or did they simply say if you do or say or pray what they were suggesting you WOULD be saved?  Over the past half-century, I have listened to many different preachers and teachers and individuals, both in person and on television or radio, presenting their version of the gospel to others; and being “saved” has always been presented as what you will be IF you do, or say, or pray their desired action/response.  This leaves the one who responds to believe that being saved means whatever was the objective of the message preached to them.  For example:

1. Your sins will be forgiven and Yahushua will come to live within your heart.
2. You will not go to Hell, but to Heaven, when you die, and you will live with Elohim for eternity.
3. You will be forgiven, and you will have a glorious future with Elohim forever and ever.

Would it surprise you that NONE of these results is what it means to be “saved?

Saved:  (“sozo,” pronounced “soad’zo”) – This Greek word means “to keep safe,” “to rescue from danger,” “to be delivered.”   It refers to being saved…rescued…delivered from something that threatens your safety.  

If the preacher ended his message by saying, “If you pray this prayer with me, you will be rescued,” it would leave an entirely different concept in the mind of the person responding to his message.  The listener would wonder from what he needed to be delivered or rescued.  Most people do not think in terms of their lives being endangered by something.  

Christians often joke around with each other and ask, “Are you saved, brother?”  The answer they expect to hear is that the person acknowledges he is going to Heaven when he dies.  This word “saved” has become a cliché that has taken on its own religious meaning and has become detached from all Scriptural relevance.  Picture that same question being asked, “Are you delivered, brother?”  Asked that way, the brother would wonder if he was implying if he had a demon. “Are you rescued, brother?”  Asked that way, the brother would wonder if he means being rescued from Hell’s fire; and it would detach all thoughts of his “salvation” from the idea of that glorious future in Heaven.

[In order to detach this word from its religious tradition, we will more accurately call it “being delivered” in order to allow the reader to gain a better insight from its use in Scripture.  The Scripture teaches us that the traditions of men render the word of IAUE of no effect. (Mark 7:13)]

Luke 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Messiah to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Here is the Master’s own commission to his disciples regarding what they were to preach. It involved two things: repentance and remission of sins.  Repentance is generally NOT preached today. It is too distasteful; and preachers consider it too offensive a message to preach to the lost.  In the mind of contemporary preachers, they are able to get their intended results much easier if they don’t try to convince people they need to repent.  After all, that would suggest they are “bad” people; and we wouldn’t want to give them the impression we think they are bad people. They are just uninformed and need to be told the “good news.” This is called being a man-pleaser.  

Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or IAUE? or do I seek to please men?  for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Messiah.

When I have heard preachers tell people that they need to repent, it is without any explanation of what repentance means, or what the object of their repentance should be; and it is spoken in such soft terms as not to carry much weight or significance to the person’s ability to be “saved.”  Simple lip-service will suffice.  It is made a part of the “magic prayer,”  “I repent of my sins…”  Done!  In one phrase, the person deals with all that is wrong with his life.  How honestly do you think anyone can actually turn from a lifetime of rebellion with a single sentence of five words?

Repentance entails much more than turning from the bad things we recognize we have done.  Most people would not even scrape the surface of all that is in their lives that IAUE regards as sin. No, repentance is not turning away from bad things.  It is not even turning away from “the flesh” (Most people would not even know what that means.)  The heart of repentance is turning away from the right to exercise self-rule…turning away from one’s refusal to come under the authority of the will of IAUE.  The problem with humanity is that it is incapable of obeying the will of IAUE.  (We have explained this in detail in prior postings.) Two things in particular had to be done for man that he could not do for himself, in order to be able to respond favorably to the will of IAUE.

1. The issue of sins must be resolved.  The soul that sins shall surely die.
2. The quality of righteousness must be restored to man.

We have discussed at great length this matter of sins.  What are they?  Are they the things we have done for which we feel guilty?  Are they bad things as perceived by the social values or moral standard of the current age?  No. Sin, by definition, is disobedience to the will of IAUE.  That man is a sinner means he is a rebel against the authority of IAUE.  He prefers to exercise his own will over that of his Creator. In truth, man without Messiah cannot know and do the will of IAUE because His will is spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of IAUE: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Because repentance is NOT being preached in Messiah’s name, today, the church is still filled with disobedience to the will of IAUE.  Men and women who call themselves believers are chasing their own dreams, objectives, appetites, interests; never even considering to ask what is the will of IAUE for their lives from moment to moment or from day to day. They do not even give a thought to the horror of their continued rebellion against IAUE and Yahushua.  Why is this?  It is because, for the most part, they have stopped doing things they consider to be bad. They have become good (or at least, better) in their own eyes. They have never reflected on the totality of their lives as being bad before IAUE because they resist His will.

This rebellion in man had to be dealt a death blow.  It was a condition that required deliverance from the condition that made obedience impossible.  That condition was spiritual death. Sin (disobedience to the will of IAUE) was merely a symptom of the condition. Man not only had to have the penalty-price paid for his disobedience, he had to be made alive before IAUE.

John 3: 3 Yahushua answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of IAUE.

5 Yahushua answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of IAUE.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Messiah, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Messiah was offered as a sinless lamb (a man who had not disobeyed the will of IAUE) to be a sacrifice in the place of man who fully deserves the sentence of condemnation and death. Through his sacrifice, the penalty for man’s sins was paid in full.  Mankind is now forgiven.  The ministry of reconciliation is a message to declare to the world that IAUE no longer holds their sins against them (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).  The sins of all mankind are all forgiven…now...before any man even accepts what Messiah has done for him…even if he rejects what Messiah has done for him.  He is forgiven.  The price has been paid. This is the release of the consequence of their rebellion to IAUE.  

By trusting in the blood of Messiah and embracing what IAUE has done for him through His son, man is born again.  He becomes spiritually alive and can now, for the first time in his life, discern the will of IAUE for his life.

Forgiveness of sins does not free man from the sins that still hold his life in bondage.  Being “born again” does not free him from the bondage of sins. That is where “remission of sins” comes in to the gospel message.  Preachers err in telling people that they must ask Yahushua to forgive them of their sins.  He died to accomplish that.  That is already a fact.  No one needs to ask for what has already been given to them.  They need only be told it is has already occurred. Forgiving his disobediences was the act of reconciliation IAUE took to open the door for man to return to Him.  He removed the barrier of offense between man and Himself.

Remission of sins is not forgiveness of sins.  A great old hymn contains the lyric, “He breaks the power of cancelled sins.  He sets the prisoner free.” All mankind is walking around with cancelled sins; but they are not free from their sins.  Not even after coming to Messiah and becoming a believer do many/most not experience freedom from specific areas of disobedience in their lives.  Sin still exercises dominion over them.  Remission of sins is freedom from the power of sins; and it is an absolutely intrinsic element of the gospel; but because it is not preached, it is not realized by many.  Many believers are still in need of being “delivered.”

We will continue this discussion in our next post.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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RENEWING THE MIND – II (The Will of IAUE)

WBS.139

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

RENEWING THE MIND – II

THE WILL OF IAUE

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Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of IAUE, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto IAUE, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of IAUE.

Knowing and doing the will of IAUE is our purpose in life.  It is why we were created; and it is what Messiah’s life and death was intended to restore to us.  If we are not actively involved with the Holy Spirit to transform our lives by renewing our minds, we WILL conform to this present evil age; and we will fail both our Creator and our Master.  This is what life in Messiah all boils down to…a new life form on the earth that does the will of IAUE. 

*  *  *  *  *

Our first order of business after becoming a “living sacrifice” is to understand what that means.  We can say “I have presented my body to IAUE as a living sacrifice,” but if we do not understand the ramifications of that comment, it is without any value either to IAUE or to ourselves. 

So, what is a living sacrifice?  To answer that question, we first must ask, what is a sacrifice?  A sacrifice is something that is killed.  It is often something that is killed in the place of another, a substitute for that which should have been killed. A sacrifice always is something that dies.  Now, that appears to create a conflict with the idea of a “living” sacrifice?  What does it mean for our bodies to be a living sacrifice?  It means that we are dead to our own bodies.  We offer our bodies unto IAUE for Him to use as He pleases, and we relinquish our right to use it for our own purposes.  We understand that we have as much right to our bodies, now, as does a dead man.

This is a transfer of “wills.”  The soul of man is his mind, will and emotion.  With his mind, he thinks, contemplates, evaluates, considers.  With his emotions, he feels.  With his will, he chooses what he will and will not do in his body.  A living sacrifice is a transfer of the will that controls those decisions.

Does a dead man (imagine a corpse lying on a slab in the morgue) have any concern over how cold it is in the room?  How hot it is in the room?  What he wears, where he lives, what he does, how much money he has?  No, No, No, No, No and No.  Why not?  It is because HE IS DEAD.  Nothing matters any more.  This is exactly how we should feel, not just about our physical bodies, but also about our entire life after becoming a disciple of Yahushua.  Our lives should be utterly abandoned to IAUE’s purposes.

So, the first step toward renewing the mind is to have the right kind of body.  If we are not purposed to renew a mind that is resident within a living sacrifice, we are not going to succeed at fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.

Like “The Lists” which we have discussed in the early part of this blog (See WBS.006, June 2, 2013), it might be best just to stop right here to give time to process what we have already said.  Really, how many people do you know that profess to be believers/disciples would willingly offer the total right and control over their bodies to IAUE?  How readily would you?  And yet…Paul says this is our “reasonable service of worship.” How can we properly presume to worship IAUE at all if we deny Him that which is reasonable?  He EXPECTS this of us.

Step #1, therefore, is to begin by offering our bodies a living sacrifice to IAUE, so He may use it, live in it, walk in it, talk in it, do as He pleases in and to and through it.

Step #2 is to recognize the purpose for renewing the mind; and that is that we might be able to PROVE the will of IAUE, that it is good, perfect and acceptable.  How do we prove the will of IAUE?  We do so by obeying it and seeing the fruit of our obedience.  We believe in His will; speak and do His will; and in so doing, we participate in the miraculous outflow of His love and power toward all men.

For example:  Mark 16:17-18 says that the believer would cast out demons, would speak in tongues, and would heal the sick.  Are these things happening in your life?  Do you believe it is the will of IAUE?  If you do, and it isn’t happening…your mind needs to be renewed so that the good and perfect and acceptable will of IAUE may be “proven” (demonstrated/revealed) through your living sacrifice.

Most believers today have entered “the faith” through a false message; or at the very least, an incomplete message. Enticed with the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Heaven when they die; new believers will eventually confront the original message of the gospel (“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”); and for most, that message is met with a serious lack of appreciation and willingness to comply.  Why bother if I have already secured a place in Heaven?  They are not introduced to IAUE properly; and they are not instructed that it is our created purpose to do IAUE’s will.  They are still permitted to entertain that there is nothing wrong with pursuing and doing their own will.

The first time the will of IAUE is mentioned in the New Testament, it says this:

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Master, Master shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

This passage, as you well know, goes on to say that many will rely on having done miracles and wondrous deeds in the name of Yahushua as an appeal to the Master to reconsider their entrance to the kingdom of heaven; but his reply will be:  “I never knew you. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.” (Matt 7:23) Were these evil people? No.  Remember when the disciples forbade someone from casting out demons in Yahushua’s name because he was not travelling as a part of their group?  Messiah told them not to forbid him because one doing miracles in his name will not readily speak evil of him (Mark 9:38-39). The people in this verse above were doing good deeds in Yahushua’s name.  The problem was, they were not doing it in obedience to the will of IAUE.  They were pursuing their own will; and that simply is NOT permitted in the Kingdom of Heaven.

In his old age, the apostle Peter explained to the believers:

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Messiah hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of IAUE.

Peter uses Yahushua as our example.  When he “suffered for us in the flesh,” Peter was referring to the brutal treatment Messiah received when he was beaten before his impaling, and his subsequent death on the stake…his “sacrifice.”  The one who has died has ceased from sin.  Following this example, we are to live as dead to our own bodies that the will of IAUE may be the guiding direction of the rest of our “time in the flesh.”   Paul tells us that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Rom 8:18).

Paul told the disciples in Ephesus:

Ephesians 5: 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of IAUE is.

Understanding and doing the will of IAUE permeates Paul’s writings.  It was also the focus of Yahushua’s life on earth.

John 4:34 Yahushua saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O IAUE.

Yahushua was utterly dedicated to doing the will of IAUE, never permitting his own will from being exercised.  When we become his disciple, he is in us and we are in him.  Do you think he is going to want to do his Father’s will any less once he is inside of us?

The central focus of the message of the New Testament is doing the will of IAUE.  The church, today, has supplanted that message with “receiving forgiveness and going to Heaven when we die.”  Christians, today, live their entire lives without having any concept that they were born to do the will of IAUE; and since man who is born of the seed of man is incapable of doing His will; we were born again to make it possible; and thus fulfill the purpose for which we were created.

Next week we will take up the corruption in the contemporary gospel message.  If we are going to renew our minds; we must begin at the beginning.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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RENEWING THE MIND - I

WBS.138

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

RENEWING THE MIND - I

…..

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of IAUE, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto IAUE, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of IAUE.

Today, we embark on a new study.  My objective in this study is not to renew your minds.  That is something YOU are required to do (“I beseech YOU therefore brethren…that…YE be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”).  It is singularly YOUR responsibility; and it IS a responsibility.  This is no suggestion made by Paul.  It is an apostolic appeal made by the Holy Spirit through the apostle.  We are each, individually, required to renew our minds. [My purpose in writing this blog is to help facilitate your growth in discipleship to Yahushua Messiah.  As I have said many times before, I cannot give you revelation.  That is the job of the Holy Spirit. I can only provide you with the raw materials to take to Him to ask Him to reveal the truth to you.]

If you have been reading this blog from the very beginning, you will know that throughout every study we have done, no matter what the subject matter, I have made it clear that the underlying purpose of absolutely everything in the Scriptures is to help facilitate our obedience to the will of IAUE.  It is the very purpose of our design in creation; and until we dedicate our bodies as “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1) unto the performance of this purpose, we will miss out on the actual purpose of redemption in Yahushua Messiah.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of IAUE.

Let’s take a closer look at the various elements of this verse.

1.  Be not conformed to this world.  This command indicates that conformity to the world is a problem for us.  It is not something that is a problem for some and not a problem for others.  So, what actually is conformity to this world?  “Conformity” is mimicking the pattern of something. It is complying with the expectations and standards of an existing system or way of doing things.  That standard is “this world.”  More specifically, it is the manner in which every aspect of life on this planet is directed to behave and think. That includes its social norms, its education, arts, sciences, governments, music, business, traditions, etc.  The world (‘aion”) embodies every element of life as men and women have forged their lives alienated from fellowship with IAUE, with only their own self-absorbed morals and values to guide them.  Paul uses the term “aion” to refer to the current expression of the world as defined by its prevailing culture.  In other words, and more specifically, “going along with the times.”

The Holy Spirit does not want us, as disciples, to be a part of the masses that are inadvertently working collectively to degrade human society.  The Scriptures teach a doctrine referred to as “the depravity of man.”  In this concept (which I believe to be absolutely correct), mankind is depraved.  That means, spiritually-speaking, man is as bad off as he can be; however, he is not as bad as he can be.  Given the right circumstances or environment, however, and man readily descends into being as bad as he can be BECAUSE of the nature of depravity within him.  Let me illustrate what I mean.

The classic book, The Lord of the Flies, is about a bunch of school boys that are shipwrecked on an island.  Without the presence of an adult representing a restraining authority over them, the boys’ depraved nature facilitated their rapid descent into chaos, even unto murder and cannibalism.  The moment an adult reenters the scene, the boys drop their hand-made weapons, and act like little boys again.  Their depravity was placed in check; and they ceased being as bad as they could be. 

Using this example, we can see that one of the reasons why Paul commands us not to be conformed to the world is so our lives can be salt and light to the current culture…salt, to preserve the culture and prevent its natural descent into expressing more and more the depravity of man; and light, to show it the life it can have; to send forth the savor of righteousness to a world in darkness.  When we remain conformed to this present age; we are as much a part of the problem as those without Messiah are.  “…Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  IAUE forbid!...” (Romans 6:1-2)

2. be ye transformed.  The apostle tells us that we need to be “transformed.”  This word (“metamorphoo”) means “to change into another form.”  It is the word from which we get the English word “metamorphosis” which describes the change of a caterpillar into a butterfly.  We are not to live our lives in such a way that we can be confused as being one of those who are conformed to the present evil age.  We are to live as a different form of life, for indeed, we ARE a different form of life.  “If any man be in Messiah Yahushua, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Remember, also, the words Paul spoke just a few chapters earlier. “…as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)

3.  by the renewing of your mind.  How does this transformation, this changing into a different form of life happen?  It comes by renewing our mind.  This word (“anakainosis”) means “to renovate, to change for the better.”  It is derived from a root word that means “to grow up.”  So, this is a process.  The end result has already been accomplished by Messiah; and all the tools necessary to make it a reality have already been provided to us in our redemption by the death and resurrection of Messiah.  We need merely to apply it to our lives and allow it to change us into his image; but it requires our active and relentless participation.

There is a very important element to this process that has escaped the notice of most believers; and that is that changing the way we think, necessarily changes the image on the inside of us as to what we expect to happen in and through our lives to others.  If we embrace the way the world thinks, we will always get the world’s results.  When we come to think the way our Master thinks, we will begin to get his results, instead.

4.  that ye may prove...  To “prove” (“dokimazo”) something, is to test or examine it to see that it is genuine.  The Scripture teaches us that to know to do good and not do it, is sin (James 4:17); however, many believers are content to sit in church or go to bible studies and learn things that they never implement into their lives.  They are satisfied just to know the information.  They do not allow the Scripture to transform them.  If it does not change them, it is worthless to them, and it is especially worthless to the world around them.  

5.  what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of IAUE.  Here we have the reason why we are not to be conformed to the world.  This is the purpose of being transformed.  It is the objective of renewing our minds.  It is that we might know the will of IAUE, and understand in the knowing that it is good, acceptable and perfect.  The main problem believers have with the will of IAUE is that their minds are not trained to understand, by contrast with the way the current age thinks and works, that His will is the only one that is good, acceptable and perfect.  So often, when believers must make a decision in their life, they pray to know IAUE’s will; but they do not pray to know His will with the objective of doing it, necessarily.  They want to know what His will is so they can compare it with their other options.  The option that seems best to them, or the least embarrassing to them, or the least difficult to them, is often the one they choose.  They would like for the will of IAUE to be that sweeter option; but more often than not, it is their own will they choose. By this, they demonstrate that IAUE does not have the right to rule their lives.  Even if they choose IAUE’s will, they are no longer able to do His will.  They are now doing their own will; for their will has approved of the will of IAUE.  Until we are cast upon His will, such that there are no other options we regard as available; it is impossible to do His will.  The moment we judge that it is the better or best option available, we have lost the chance to do His will. This is why we must be renewed in our thinking.  We have an abundance of worldly programming in our minds that must be eliminated; so we can learn how to think with the thoughts of IAUE; and understand the nature of His will as our ultimate purpose and our chiefest joy.

Knowing and doing the will of IAUE is our purpose in life.  It is why we were created; and it is what Messiah’s life and death was intended to restore to us.  If we are not actively involved with the Holy Spirit to transform our lives by renewing our minds, we WILL conform to this present evil age; and we will fail both our Creator and our Master.  This is what life in Messiah all boils down to…a new life form on the earth that does the will of IAUE.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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