RENEWING THE MIND – XXI (What is Man? - 1)

WBS.158

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

RENEWING THE MIND – XXI

WHAT IS MAN? - 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.

Though we have discussed this somewhat during our series on the Kingdom Heart, the Holy Spirit has been telling me that we need to delve once more into this topic.

Psalm 8:3  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

A study of astronomy is a sure-fired way to bring you to this question.  “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”  We live our lives on a planet that is miniscule compared to the sun in the center of our solar system; and yet our solar system is not even recognizable when viewing an image of our galaxy.  All of the stars that we view in the night sky can hardly be recognized when viewing an image of our galaxy; and yet our Milky Way galaxy is but one of millions, if not billions, of entire galaxies that make up the known universe.  If you could box up all of the galaxies in our universe in a single confined space, you would hardly notice it in an image of our universe, as there is far more unoccupied space than there is space occupied by heavenly bodies.

      

Our solar system as seen in its place within our galaxy,                 

Our entire night sky.  Everything you have

ever been able to see.                                                                              

                                                                                                            

Every light in this picture is a galaxy.

Most of them are much larger than our own Milky Way.

A consciousness of how small we are in the scope of the created universe is utterly humbling.  I am reminded of a quote I read many years ago:  “A mountain shames a mole hole until they are both viewed from the stars.”

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Elohim moved upon the face of the waters.

Despite the theorists who imagine our universe emerged from a “big bang” which hurled masses of debris across the universe that eventually formed the heavenly bodies we now recognize as planets, suns, black holes, galaxies, etc., the Scripture says that IAUE created earth first, and the “heaven” about the earth (literally the sky and atmosphere that surrounded the earth).  It was three days later that IAUE created the sun, moon and stars for signs and for seasons.  Then three days after that, after IAUE had completed the support network of plants and animals upon the earth, IAUE made man; then He rested from His works.  What does that tell you?  It tells you that all of creation was made for the purpose of supporting man.  Man was the purpose of creation.  There would be no universe, no galaxies, no stars, no planets, no moons were it not for man.  They exist exclusively to minister to man.

Genesis 1:26 And Elohim said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So Elohim created man in his own image, in the image of Elohim created he him; male and female created he them.

Here we begin to see what IAUE is doing.  When all had been created and was in place, IAUE created man in His image and after His likeness.  Literally, that means He made us to look like Him in appearance; and He gave us the ability to grow up to become like Him in his nature and character and personal attributes.  IAUE did not make us like the animals.  We are not just the highest member of the food chain.  Man was given dominion over every living creature on the planet to subdue them and to rule over them.

Once we understand that the entire universe was created for man; we then can understand that man was created for IAUE.  We can look at the night sky and not feel small.  We can look at the heavens and be in awe that it all exists for us, for signs and for seasons.  The entire universe was made by our Creator to serve us.  Understanding this elevates our own awareness of how important we are to the heart of IAUE.  Every day, every moment we do not live for and unto IAUE is a day that we live beneath the dignity of our creation; and it is a day or moment that we fail to experience the fullness of His purpose for our lives. 

Psalm 8 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than Elohim, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

When IAUE created man, He created him to be ever so slightly less than Himself.  In other words, no seraphim, cherubim, angels, Satan or demons are of a higher order of being than man.  Man is subordinate to nothing but his Creator; and to insure His man was related to appropriately by the rest of His creation, He “crowned him with glory and honour.”  Literally, this means he “surrounded man with nobility and the esteem that is accorded nobility.”  If you will, picture in your mind movies you may have seen where a nobleman walks among the people.  They bow their head and genuflect as he passes by, and they dare not look upon him as he passes for they are not worthy to look face to face with him.  That is how ALL of creation relates to IAUE’s man…as long as IAUE’s man is walking in the stature and purpose of his design.  Look at this:

Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living Elohim, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Revelation 5:11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,

Myriads of myriads is literally ten thousands times ten thousand.  10,000 X 10,000 is one hundred million (100,000,000); and that is just one myriad. This verse says there are myriads of myriads (untold multiples of this number). This verse adds that upon that number there are still thousands of thousands (which is multiples of one million). Why am I pointing out this astounding host of angels?

Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

This innumerable company of angels, every last one of them, is assigned to take care of us who are the disciples of Messiah.  If we can grasp this idea, it will renew our minds as to our worth in the eyes of IAUE. These billions of angels, wielding the power and instruction of IAUE, beings who are not worthy to look upon us face to face, are serving us every minute of every day.  We are the sons and daughters of the Most High; and all of creation was formed to serve us. 

The unimaginable size of the universe with its countless galaxies is just one testimony to the love IAUE has for His man.  You might say it is His “over-the-top” gift to us (much in the same way that we desire to shower those we love with gifts that express how deeply and greatly we love them; but we are limited in what we are able to do.  IAUE is not so limited.).  His love for man knows no limit; and He proved that by sacrificing His own son to redeem man unto Himself after we had lost our way; and He gave to us the ministry of reconciliation to let man know that He has opened the way back to His heart.

What is man that IAUE is mindful of him?  The answer is: Man is the darling of the heart of IAUE.  Nothing would exist apart from IAUE were it not for his purpose in creating man to be the object of His love.  Once we grasp this truth, how could we not aspire to obey His every word? 

Next week we will answer this question, “What is man?” from a more analytical perspective.

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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 – XX (The Will of IAUE -3 - The Calling of the Believer)

WBS.157

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

RENEWING THE MIND – XX

THE WILL OF IAUE – 3

THE CALLING OF THE BELIEVER

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.

Once man recognizes he has been redeemed by the blood of Yahushua, embraces deliverance from the power and consequence of sin, man can see that he has been liberated unto the freedom of doing the will of IAUE all the days of his life.  Alternatively, he can refuse such wondrous salvation and persist in doing his own will.

Today, I want to address one of the “sacred cows” of contemporary Christianity.  If we do not get this mindset corrected (renew our minds), we will never successfully serve our Master.

Most of the failures, weakness and ineffectiveness of the modern church can be attributed to the false gospel to which its members have responded.  Anyone who has been a long-time reader of this blog will know that we have addressed this problem repeatedly.  The contemporary “Christian” gospel has been reduced to a “magic prayer” of accepting “Jesus” into your hearts, asking him to forgive you of your sins, and then rejoicing in the fact that you just acquired your ticket to heaven. They are like the illustration made in last week’s blog of the man who exits his jail cell but still has his hands in cuffs behind his back.  He is free…but then, he is not free; because he leaves his cell with the intention of using his hands to serve himself, not the Master.  The Kingdom has not come near them because the power of the Kingdom was not a function of the presentation of the gospel message.  They have responded to the wisdom of man’s words and not in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power to demonstrate the authority of the Kingdom that commands their repentance and obedience.  Consequently, they have no consciousness of the fear of IAUE; nor of their duty to lay down their lives in humble service to the Master.

Millions of professing Christians are just like that handcuffed man.  They believe they have entered a spiritual bless-me club.  They have been told that Messiah came to give them life and that more abundantly (John 10:10).  To them, that can only mean that Messiah came to raise their estate, their quality of life, in this world…to give them a better life (which usually equates to more money; because money is what buys a better life in this world.)

I remember as a young boy, there were some “new” evangelism tools that spread through the church in America.  One method used a question to open the door of conversation to share “the gospel.”  It began by asking, “Do you have life at its best?”  I remember the first person I asked that question.  I was 16 years old.  The man’s name was “Hank.”  He was probably around 23 years old.  He lived near the church I attended and was living in that city engaged in some sort of social work program.  I asked him, “Do you have life at its best?”  He replied, “Do you?”  And that pretty much ended the conversation.

Another method that was introduced back then that took hold so well that it still forms the basis for most preaching today was, “The Four Spiritual Laws.”   Here is a quote taken directly from a website that explains these four spiritual laws:

The first of the Four Spiritual Laws is, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 10:10 gives us the reason that Jesus came, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

The second of the Four Spiritual Laws is, "Humanity is tainted by sin and is therefore separated from God. As a result, we cannot know God's wonderful plan for our lives."

The third of the Four Spiritual Laws is, "Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin. Through Jesus Christ, we can have our sins forgiven and restore a right relationship with God."

The Fourth of the Four Spiritual Laws is, "We must place our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to receive the gift of salvation and know God's wonderful plan for our lives."

This “evangel” begins with a lie and carries that lie through the presentation unto the very end.  This insidious message has permeated the church throughout America and festers like a boil making the whole church sick and useless to the world around it.  What am I saying? I am saying that IAUE does NOT have a wonderful plan for our lives. Instead, IAUE has a wonderful plan, and OUR lives are to fit into His plan, and not the other way around.  The “4-Spiritual Laws” directs man’s heart to a selfish ambition and goal and uses IAUE to achieve it.  The true gospel directs man’s heart to IAUE and empties him of himself in order to serve the Creator to achieve His objectives.

Listen to the testimony of those whose lives achieved the notice of IAUE as successful servants to His plan.

Hebrews 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Christians are constantly being told they need to find out what their calling is.  Believers are walking around all the time wondering what they are called to do.  Recently, I listened to a popular minister all week long on his television broadcast telling his audience they need to find out what the will of IAUE is for their life; and by that he meant the objective or goal of their life…their purpose…their calling. This “will of IAUE” was represented to be what would bring them the greatest joy as well as material blessing. They would have life at its best if they only knew what IAUE was calling them to do; then devote themselves to achieving that purpose. This is a misdirection of our true purpose which is to take our eyes off of what we want for ourselves and serve IAUE.

I have a friend who for the nearly two decades I have known him has been focused on trying to make come to pass a ministry he has believed all this time was what IAUE had called him to do.  Consequently, he has taken no joy in doing the work that IAUE actually has had him doing all these years.  He has been unhappy and unfulfilled because he has failed to comprehend obedience to the will of IAUE for each day.  His head is in the clouds focused on some future fulfillment of a dream…a dream which likely will never come to pass until such time as he learns to take joy in doing today what he is “called” to do by IAUE, today.  He has been endeavoring by the arm of the flesh to bring to pass the fulfillment of some spiritual calling.  It doesn’t work that way.  You cannot arrive at a spiritual destination without obeying IAUE’s will today and finding joy in your obedience to Him no matter how menial the task or how seemingly unrelated to the ultimate objective today’s duty must appear.

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of IAUE in Messiah Yahushua.

Paul identifies a “high calling,” or an “upward calling” that is upon all disciples.  It is “THE” high calling of IAUE in Messiah Yahushua…not “A” high calling.  What is that high calling?  He stated it a few verses earlier.

Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Messiah Yahushua my Master: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Messiah,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Messiah, the righteousness which is of IAUE by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Most Christians would look at these verses and say, “This is not what I signed up for.  I signed up for a wonderful plan and life at its best.  I did not sign up for suffering and loss and death.”  The reason they would answer this way is because they have yet to respond to the TRUE gospel.

We are special to IAUE; but we are not special to man.  IAUE can speak through a donkey if He chooses to do so. We are replaceable in the earth. I remember Kathryn Kuhlman, the well known and loved healing minister of the late 1900’s often testified that IAUE approached two men with the healing ministry before He approached her with it.  The men turned it down.

This is your calling, disciple of Yahushua Messiah:

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (disobedience to the will of IAUE).

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

James 1: 22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

We are to DO what we read in the Scriptures to do; not just amass knowledge. We are commanded to do what the Scriptures instruct us to do.  If we receive a specific direction from the voice of the Holy Spirit for the moment or for the day; then we are to do that; but lacking a specific word from the Spirit; we are to give ourselves to doing what we already know to do in the Scripture.  That is our calling.  To fail to do so is to deceive our selves.

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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 – XIX (The Will of IAUE 2 - The Purpose of Redemption)

WBS.156

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

RENEWING THE MIND – XIX

THE WILL OF IAUE – 2

THE PURPOSE OF REDEMPTION

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.

Freedom from sin does not equate to true liberty.  This is where the renewing of the mind becomes important.  True liberty can only be found within the will of IAUE.  Most Christians never learn this fact. They have not come to understand that doing their own will keeps them in the jail cell.  They give lip service to making Yahushua their Master; but it is only lip service. Their hearts are far from obedience to the will of another.

Last week we saw how Messiah died to take upon himself the sins of the world.  He paid the decreed penalty for that sin and thereby redeemed man from the prison the Scripture refers to as bondage to sin.  Now think what that actually means.  If man is freed from bondage to sin, and sin is disobedience to the will of IAUE; then the only way man’s freedom may be manifested and experienced in his life is by casting himself entirely upon the doing of the will of IAUE.  Anything other than that is to remain in the practice of sin, the practice of disobedience to the will of IAUE. 

It would serve us well to remember that the very foundation of this series of lessons is to act upon Paul’s command in Romans 12:1-2.  Specifically, that is to offer our bodies as living sacrifices unto IAUE, renew our minds, and come to comprehend the good and acceptable and perfect will of IAUE.  Why are we to do that?  Is it so we can teach others what the will of IAUE is; or is it to DO the will of IAUE now that we know and understand what that is?  It is to do the will of IAUE.

There is a very strong movement growing within the church that is spawned of Satan.  That is the doctrine that we are to live in obedience to the law, the Torah; also referred to as the Law of Moses.  The objective of this teaching is to prevent the redeemed from experiencing the liberty and abundant life that is only found in obedience to the will of IAUE.  It is to thwart the purpose of redemption.

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Messiah hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Everywhere Paul went to preach the good news of Messiah’s appearing and to declare the coming of the Kingdom of IAUE, there were men called the Judaizers who followed after him to insist that believing in Yahushua was important but they should also be obedient to the Law of Moses.  This message, though propagated by men who very likely meant well, served to keep the redeemed in the prison cell.  This message especially affected the believers in the region of Galatia; unto whom Paul wrote in severe language warning them that they were NOT to be entangled with the “yoke of bondage” any longer.  They were not to live under the Law.  Paul said that to do so would make Messiah of no affect to them because their lives would no longer be reliant upon the grace of IAUE, which is the power IAUE gives that enables the redeemed to do His will.

What is the danger of obedience to the Law?  Obedience to the law is an act of the will of man.  Man chooses to obey the law in the same way he chooses to drive within the speed limit, or does not shoplift, or does not kill.  They are acts empowered by the flesh; and anything done in the flesh is an act of aggression against the Kingdom of IAUE because it offers up a challenging authority to the authority of IAUE:  Your will versus His will.  The redeemed must leave their own will in the jail cell, walk out of their jail cell in bodies that have been offered as living sacrifices to IAUE, and allow the will of IAUE to have preeminence in every aspect of their life.  Failure to do so is like this image of the inmate walking out of his prison; but his hands are still handcuffed behind his back.   He is not going to experience freedom.  He will miss out on the purpose of redemption.  His life will not be lived in joy; and his mind will constantly be bringing him back to things of this world that his flesh loves.

1 Peter 4:2  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.

Yahushua demonstrated this to us so we could comprehend it.  His entire life, he was a living sacrifice.  When it says he suffered for us in the flesh, this does not refer exclusively to the sufferings related to his stripes, wounds, and impaling. It refers to the fact he never permitted his own flesh a mouthpiece.  He never gave the flesh a chance to be expressed in his life.  He did not come to do his own will; but rather he was purposed to do the will of his Father.  He never pursued his own will.  Look at the testimony of Scripture.

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

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 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

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.

9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O IAUE. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

We are fooling ourselves if we think we can partake of the benefits of Messiah’s sacrifice and yet not embrace the purpose of redemption he purchased with his own blood.  What makes a disciple any different from those who have yet to step out of their opened jail cells, if he is still doing his own will…which is the very definition of sin (not doing IAUE’s will)…which is to remain in the yoke of bondage to sin (see Galatians 3-5).

The word “salvation” is one of those “religious” words the church throws around glibly; everyone assuming they possess it, and challenging the world to receive it as a free gift from IAUE.  In all of the New Testament there is only one place where that word is actually defined.  I would dare say that not one in ten thousand believers have ever comprehended it.  This definition is contained in the prophecy of Zacharias after announcing that his and Elizabeth’s child shall be named, John.

Luke 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

68 Blessed be IAUE Elohim of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Master to prepare his ways;

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our Elohim; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

In v. 68, Zacharias prophesies and declares that IAUE has visited and “redeemed” His people.  Redemption is the first step.  Without it, there can be no salvation.  We have already seen that redemption is the removal of sin along with its penalty.  It is the wiping clean the slate of all of man’s disobedience to IAUE; and also removing the consequences of sin in man’s life.

In v. 69, he said that IAUE has raised up “an horn of salvation.”  A horn, in the Scriptures refers to a kingdom.  A horn of oil would be “raised up” and poured upon the head of a man to anoint him as king; thus a reference to a horn in the Scriptures meant the kingdom of the one being anointed to reign.  Zacharias is saying in this verse that IAUE has personally anointed the King that shall sit upon the throne of David. [It is interesting to note that the word “salvation” used in the Hebrew text throughout the Old Testament, is “Yahushua,” the actual name of His Son, our Messiah.  IAUE revealed the name of the Messiah repeatedly throughout the Old Testament.]

In v. 74-75, he defines the nature of the salvation that will define the kingdom of Messiah.  Because of the redemption he has purchased through his own blood, his subjects are delivered from their enemies in order that they might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.  This, very simply stated, means they man has been rescued from all that prevented him from doing the will of IAUE.  Now, because of the redemption, man is expected to serve IAUE in holiness and righteousness from that day forth, forever.  The need for man to be rescued was their bondage, their enslavement to disobedience to IAUE.  The jail cell doors have all been opened.  The only thing remaining is for man to “repent and believe the gospel.”  Repentance is the embracing of the will of IAUE and the forsaking of his own will.

In v. 77, we learn something extremely important.   Man learns of this salvation through the remission (freedom from the power) of sin.  Forgiveness of sins is not salvation. It is only the lamp that illumines the existence and availability of salvation. Being set free from not only the penalty of sin, but also the power that sin has over a life is what brings man to the knowledge of salvation, not the experience of salvation.  Once man recognizes he has been redeemed by the blood of Yahushua, embraces deliverance from the power and consequence of sin, man can see that he has been liberated unto the freedom of doing the will of IAUE all the days of his life.  Alternatively, he can refuse such wondrous salvation and persist in doing his own will.

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.

Mark 1:15 …The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of IAUE is at hand: repent ye, and believe 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 – XVIII (The Will of IAUE - 1 - Redemption)

WBS.155

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

RENEWING THE MIND – XVIII

THE WILL OF IAUE - 1

REDEMPTION

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.

Today, we begin to look at another important subject upon which our minds need to be renewed.  Our purpose in the study of Renewing the Mind is to reshape our thinking upon the issues that are the most foundational to our ability to be spiritually minded; and thus come to comprehend the will of IAUE.  If we think wrongly upon the basics, we cannot build a house that will stand against the winds of adversity (see Matthew 7:24-27). 

First, I want to define the term “Redemption.”  You may not be old enough to remember this; but there was a time when people, generally housewives, would religiously collect trading stamps that were given with every purchase they made in retail stores (S&H stamps, Gold Bond stamps, etc.).  They would place the stamps in “stamp books” that were designed for that purpose.  The eventual purpose of this was to accumulate the requisite number of completed books then trade them for some needed object like a toaster, plate ware, silverware, etc.  There was a facility in which all of these objects were held, called a redemption center.  They remained there until they were ransomed.  They were “redeemed” when the correct purchase price was paid for them. 

The word “redeemed” most commonly used throughout the Old Testament is “padah,” which means to ransom, or redeem by paying a price.  The word used in the New Testament is “exagorazo,” which means to pay the price to ransom from the power or authority of another; and “lytroo,” which means to release/liberate upon payment of ransom.  Both the Old Testament and New Testament words convey the same concept.  We have been kidnapped from our intended state of existence and held ransom, unable to free ourselves.  A ransom had to be made to free us.

Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Yahushua: for he shall save his people from their sins.

This verse in Matthew is from the dream given to Joseph by the angel of IAUE assuring him of Mary’s virtue and letting him know that she is the “virgin” of Isaiah 7:14, who would conceive and bear a son; or, in other words, she is pregnant with the Messiah. The angel told him that the reason he was to call the child, Yahushua was because “he shall save his people from their sins.”  

Galatians 4: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, Elohim sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Yahushua Messiah to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Christians often sing in their Sunday morning “worship” services, “Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the lamb; redeemed, redeemed, his child and forever I am.”  They sing this jubilantly, thinking that Messiah has paid the price to give them an eternity in Heaven when they die.  This is not at all what being redeemed means.  Being redeemed means that a price has been paid to free you from your current state of affairs; ransomed from a slavery which you were utterly powerless to control. 

What was that slavery?  It was slavery to sin.  Remember, sin is not the bad things you have done (or are doing); it is missing the mark of obedience to the will of IAUE.  Sin isn’t just killing someone, or committing adultery; it is also wearing the green shirt when IAUE told you to wear the blue shirt.  It is studying your bible for an hour when IAUE told you to go do your shopping. Wearing a green shirt or studying the Scriptures are not “bad things” unless they are not the will of IAUE, then it becomes sin.  We will never understand what it is to be redeemed until we can grasp the true meaning of sin.  Sin is rebellion against the will of IAUE, whether intentional or done in ignorance. IAUE’s will is everything.  It is the very purpose of our existence.  Man was created to know and to do His will.  It is imperative that man recognize this; and that he understands that there is either obedience to the will of IAUE, or there is enslavement to sin.  

Thanks to Adam’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden, man is born into slavery.  The seed of man passes from generation to generation a nature that is alienated from the original righteous condition of Adam; leaving man a servant of sin…a servant of disobedience to the will of IAUE. 

There are only two ways of rescuing man from this condition.  The first is to change man’s nature from disobedient to righteous.  That is not possible; because once righteousness has been forfeited, it can never be restored.  It is like a person once having had a sexual relationship can no longer be a virgin.  Virginity cannot be restored.  The person has lost the condition that made him/her a virgin.

The second is to pay the penalty for man’s sin, thus taking away his sin.  A man may commit a crime and go to jail.  Once enduring the term of his sentence, he is freed from jail; but his identity is still that he is a criminal.  Only when his sentence is transferred to another can he ever be free of his identity as a criminal.  Messiah took our sins upon himself and paid our penalty for our sin.  He became identified with our iniquity and disobedience to IAUE.

John 1:29  The next day John seeth Yahushua coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of IAUE, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Yahushua did much more than just bring forgiveness of sins to man.  He removed sin from man.  The Scripture says that IAUE is no longer taking account of man’s disobedience because of the payment made by His son; and has given to Yahushua’s disciples the ministry of reconciliation. They are to announce to mankind that they are free to come back to IAUE and be restored to a condition that is capable of doing His will.

Have you ever seen a dog that was restrained in his movements by a gate or a fence, and when the gate or fence was eventually removed, the dog still would not go past the point where he was formerly restrained from going?  The gate or fence is still in the dog’s mind.  His restraint is still part of his identity.  It is like Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail in Acts 16.  After IAUE shook the jail and opened all the doors and released all the chains from every prisoner, no one left.  No one escaped.  They were all still in their jail cells.  Their only restraint was their own choice not to leave their incarceration.  This is the condition of man, today.  His sins have been forgiven.  Nothing he has done or is currently doing is being reckoned unto him as something requiring a penalty to be paid (2 Corinthians 5:19). The jail door is open and the chains have been released. The authority to hold him there has been broken. The price for all his disobediences has already been remitted.   That is what it means to be redeemed. The problem is, man either does not know it, or does not believe it.

Even though he may learn that Yahushua took his sins upon himself and shed his blood to pay the penalty/price for his sins, his mind still enjoys sin.  Disobedience to IAUE’s will means doing his own will…doing what he wants to do.  His choices are not determined by someone else, and he likes that.  He is unaware that disobedience simply brings him under the control of a different master.

Freedom from sin does not equate to true liberty.  This is where the renewing of the mind becomes important.  True liberty can only be found within the will of IAUE.  Most Christians never learn this fact. They have not come to understand that doing their own will keeps them in the jail cell.  They give lip service to making Yahushua their Master; but it is only lip service. Their hearts are far from obedience to the will of another.

So, we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb, by the sacrifice of Yahushua.  The price was paid in full to free us from the redemption center where we have been waiting helplessly for someone to free us from that dark environment.  We must walk out of our holding cells and embrace the freedom that has been purchased on our behalf.  Redemption is a fact.  It has been accomplished; but we must act upon it with faith, believing it has been accomplished.  If that faith does not bring us unto obedience to the will of IAUE, it will leave us no more free than the dog that still imagines the gate or fence that is no longer there.

The will of IAUE is everything to man.

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

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