PLEASE CHOOSE TO BE CHOSEN
THE ONLY EFFORTLESS WAY TO SWIM---IS TO FLOAT

A person or person's find themselves, for whatever reason, awash in a body of water. There is a need of endurance to sustain your life until you can reach the shore or be rescued. Panic can set in, or undue concern can take control. The person begins to exert effort. With each passing moment the effort becomes more vigorous, and frantic, to the point of thrashing and flailing out in order to stay afloat. The shear chaos of their effort soon pulls them under. The effort to stay alive becomes the cause of losing what they are trying to save, which is their life. Had they considered the built-in properties of buoyancy and displacement already at work for them, and just relaxed, floated, and allowed the living currents of water to propel them, they would have remained afloat, thus saving their life. If they continued to struggle they would soon exhaust themselves and life would be lost.

Sometime after life has gone out of the body, these natural properties cause the body to rise to the surface without help, and influence from an outside source. The person at this point after death, has put out no effort, but at this point, the body is lifeless.

So is the person in the natural realm of this life, awash in the drowning sea of humanity, all as a result of the effort put forth to save their own lives from being swallowed up in oblivion. However, all the self-effort, of struggling, or devising schemes to save themselves, is of no avail. When by faith they give up the self-effort and struggle to save themselves from eternal death and allow the Holy Spirit of adoption to give New Life to their spirit's, as well as their mortal bodies, then the reality of redemption and salvation become an experience for them . The hope born, of eternity will come in this realm of life, as well.

John Bunyon wrote in his timeless classic, Pilgrims Progress , of his character named Christian, mired in the slew of des-pond, and of his efforts to arrive at the other side. All of his efforts were of no avail. When he gave up struggling and allowed, Help, to lift him out, then his salvation and his deliverance were accomplished. So is the resurrection to Newness of Life accom-plished for the true believer.

As was alluded to earlier, the importance of words and the importance of knowing the meaning and usage of words is of prime importance in communicating the idea or thought that one wants to convey. The Apostle Paul was a grand-master under the guiding hand of God the Holy Spirit, in selecting the right word's to convey the meaning God wanted to convey. 1Cor. 2: 1-16. And of course the content of his message, was the mystery of God's so great Salvation. In the realm of grace through faith, in the person of Jesus Christ, Paul took the classical Greek words of his day and through the exalted mental wisdom of God, took the words that false teachers and philosophers were using and impregnated them with a new life quality. Just as Jesus had raised the Law to a higher level, so he did with the words selected to convey the truth of the Gospel. He emphasized, that his approach was not to use the flowery, sophisticated language of the intellectual, but rather to speak in common terms of the common person. However, everything was with-in the Spiritual Wisdom of God, centered in the Word and Work of the cross.

Let us consider in this portion, some observations and musings, as we have tried to state them in the following Word's: Saint, Faith, Faithfulness, Grace, Peace, Hope, Abound, Abundance, Super-Abundance, Overflowed, Lavished, Pre-destined, Pre-determined, Fore-knowledge, Fore-knew. All are used in such a way as to raise the idea or thought of the original words to a higher level of meaning than was in them as they were being used by the classical world of thought around them. They were invested with higher meaning, on a higher level of thought. By this usage they could bring forth all the height, depth, breadth, and width of the superior wisdom and knowledge of God, embodied in the Gospel. The Gospel is spoken of as the all-encompassing store-house, where-in resides all that God's eternal purpose, and Will, intended to convey, in the summing up the, All Things in Christ.

God's intentions were always for the very best that He could do for His creation, and what it would ultimately be when it is all summed up in Christ. Eph. 1: 8b-10, "In all wisdom and insight he made known to us the mystery of His Will, according to His kind intentions which He purposed in Him, with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is the summing up of all things in Christ, things in heavens and things upon the earth.

Embodied in this portion of Scripture is everything we have touched on. However, there is much more that we didn't touch on, including more pertaining to this age we are in, and leading up to the next most important event to come to pass. This event, is His deliverance of all believers of this church age, from the wrath to come. 1Thes. 1: 9-10 "For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, Who delivers us from the wrath to come." This event spoken of by the Apostles and Prophets, as the Apostasy, or falling away, or the Great Departure, from this earth. 2Thes. 2: 1-7, I won't quote it all here but take note of the context, and its meaning. There has been a tendency in some copies of manuscripts, scholars tell us, for the translators to inserta paraphrase,and, or, interpretation, to the word, Apostasy. The word contains the idea of, falling away, leaving off from, a departure from one place to another destination. And so the idea I believe, the writer is conveying is, that the man of sin, the antichrist, the great world ruler, won't make his appearance until the departure of the church takes place first, and this event is spoken of as the Day of The Lord. This Departure, will include all the host of the redeemed, both the living and the dead in Christ at the time. 1Thes. 4: 13-18. Then will come His visitation of Wrath upon the earth, in destruction and restoration to its condition before sin made its ugly mark upon it. Also, the final and complete redemption of Israel as a believing nation, to take their rightful place as the head of all nations. Then there will be an establishment of an earthly kingdom with the seat of government to be in Jerusalem. For the first time in the history of the world, there will be one world rule of this planet under Christ the King, administering justice under the governmental rule, the fulfillment of God's kind intentions for this planet from the beginning.

That isn't all, there is more to come after that. Do you want to be included? Then consider the in-depth meaning of all that has been said, and by faith become one of His Truly Chosen Ones. True Faith in the Living Lord of Life, will make it so for You. He is Jesus, the resurrected redeemer to the, "Saints and Faithful Ones in Christ Jesus". The word, Saint was a common word, used extensively in the religions and philosophical schools of different thought of the day.

In the classical use, it designated an adherent to a religion, philosophy, or persuasion of one kind or another. It designated the person as one who stuck closely to the beliefs and practices of the particular teaching. They were recognized as, 'Set Apart Ones' identified with the cult or sect.

The Gospel had come into the region. Many people had abandoned the old false ways of these false god's, and their diabolical teaching and practices. As is always the case before very long, phonies came in professing to be believers in Jesus Christ, but who brought along their old ways and beliefs. This leavening, was disrupting the quietude, and stability of the assemblies and it was for this reason that Paul felt compelled to write these letters to the churches. Not only was this to correct the errors that were creeping in, but also to leave an orderly documentation of the True Precepts of the Christian Faith.

Paul does not denounce anyone by name, but in the use of the term, Saint and Faithful Ones in Christ, He is making a distinction between the true believer, (the ones who believed from the heart). The ones who had a definite change of character, from with-in, and not just outward show. This change of character is the result of the Lord Jesus Christ, taking up residence in His New Temple, the body of the believers, and raising them to Newness of Life. These are always in contrast to the counterfeit, the ones who profess but don't possess, New Life, Eternal Life.

Here is the distinction of the Faithful Ones from the ones who held onto many and varied other beliefs, and didn't come out and be separate. It designates the person, who under the nurturing and wooing of the Holy Spirit, accepted God's assessment against themselves, and willingly admitted the realization that, truly, just as God had said, they were dead in trespasses and sins. They accepted themselves to be, just as God had declared them to be, 'Helplessly, Hopeless. It went on to designate, that this person had willingly abandoned any reliance on themselves. They deferred to the death of Jesus, made sin as their representative, entered into His death, By Faith, Vicariously, and no longer put any trust in their own natural, fleshly, ability, to make themselves acceptable to God. From the point of believing, they wholly relied on their New Lord and Savior, to be their very life source. Everything of the old way of living according to the dictates of themselves or the world systems, was abandoned, and their dependence to be what God wanted them to be, was wholly anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, "The Justified One , shall live by Faith."

By abiding in Him, He would make them presentable unto a Holy, Righteous, Heavenly Father. These are they, that he qualifies as faithful ones. Believers, who go on in the true faith, not allowing it to be mixed with a spurious doctrine. These are and were the true Saints and The Faithful Saint of God.

GRACE; Grace is the one word in Paul's vocabulary that expresses for him the Character, and Attributes of God, and encompasses the Super-abounding, Love, Mercy and Gratuitous Gifts of God. To Paul, the Lavish out-pouring of God's Grace, resulted in providing everything that was required to satisfy the just requirements of His Holy Law and its commands, which is necessary for mankind to fulfill. Paul's assessment of the immeasurability of God's Grace is expressed throughout his letters to the churches. Rom. 11: 33, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His Ways! ver. 36, "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."

Rom. 4: 25-5:2, "Who was delivered up because of our trans-gressions and was raised again for our justification. Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained our introduction by faith into this Grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God."

Rom 5: 17, "Those who receive the abundance of grace, the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ." ver. 20, "And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased (Abounds) grace abounded all the more." ver. 21, "That as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Eph. 1:5, "He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intentions of His Will, to the praise of the glory of His Grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace, which he Lavished upon us." Eph. 2: 8, "For by Grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God."

Titus, 2: 11, "For the Grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men."
And so we see there is no measuring the unmerited favor of God in the believers behalf, by our Grace bestowing God. The word expresses all that God in essence is , and all that He has awarded we believers with in Jesus Christ. But it must be received by faith, in order to enjoy the benefits of His so great salvation.

To the Apostles the term, Logos, expresses all the embodiment of God in Jesus Christ, told out, expressed in flesh and blood reality. And to the Apostle John, it was truly significant, as the final and complete expression of the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and David. It seems that to John the word contains, all that was in the mind of God, all that was in the heart of God, and that He wanted His creation to know of Him. All was made manifest in the Person of His Son, who is the Living expression of His father told out; in His, Life, and Death, and Resurrection, Ascension, and the Gift of His Spirit, to all believers.

John 1: 1-5, "In the beginning was the Word, (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word (Logos) was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it."

John 1: 14, "And the Word (Logos) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of Grace and Truth."

1John 1: 1-4, "He that was from the beginning, Who we have heard, who we have seen with our eyes, who we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life--and the Life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifest to us,--He, Who we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete."

Faith is the little intangible, but it is the instrument given to us, which is also included in the in-exhaustible, all-encompassing, benevolent, Grace of God. When the gift of faith is exercised it amounts to a complete abandonment of all reliance on any good that sinful mankind might think that he has in himself. It is the taking of ones-self out of ones own keeping, and then relying wholly and completely on the Lord Jesus Christ, for Him to provide everything for a full and abundant life, with no more condemnation or judgment. Through the gift of Himself, (Jesus) the believer has been created anew.

The Spirit that God is; the Spirit who has manifest Himself in the world from the beginning, is the one and only life-giving Spirit in the Universe. His prime characteristics or attribute are Life and Love, from which all others are generated. He is the Lord of the Universe and the source of everything that is Holy. It has always been His kind intention, that His creation be energized and made alive with His Holy Life. It is toward this end that God has worked everything together for good in behalf of those, who will accept His love, and exercise it in His behalf in return. It is never a worked out, holy, righteousness, that we gain acceptance by, but it must be His Life, by faith, in behalf of the One, God the Father sent. It was He, who was invested with the authority and supernatural power to put down all worldly, unholy, ungodly rule of this natural creation, and institute and inaugurate a New Spirit of Life into the world. The Holy Spirit, is Holy; and Has been endeavoring to convince the world of mankind of this four two thousand years. He has been trying to convince mankind to receive Him as such. He will provide him with a life, the same life, that we have seen God manifest in His Son, Jesus Christ. All of this effort to convince mankind, and awaken mankind to an awareness of himself and his need of salvation is the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

The wonder, and the proof of it was manifest so wonderfully and graphically in the Person of Jesus Christ in life, but most revealing, and declarative of all, in His resurrection. He has been offering Himself to all ever since, to believe, and receive, and experience, and enjoy, for now in this life and in eternity. Only Faith can avail anyone of New Life in Him. True Faith is the Substance of this Person becoming living Substance to any and all who will accept Him, as such.

All other approaches to obtaining a holy life are counterfeit, substitutes, self-produced, and cannot raise you to the heights necessary to make you acceptable to a holy, righteous God. Any idea that leads mankind to thinking they can improve on self, through self-effort, is a false-hood. This too must be accepted by faith, for it is the very Word of God. Titus 2: 11-15, "For the Grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every Lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you." Titus, 3: 4-7, "But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy , by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His Grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

PEACE: The very words denotes a situation of strife, enmity, animosity, and estrangement, where there is need of Arbitration, Reconciliation, and a cessation of hostility, has been brought about. All of that is what the word peace implies. An arbiter, and umpire, a reconciler has appeared on the scene where there has been conflict, and Peace has been brought to the situation, by removing the obstacle, or barrier, or point of misunderstanding, that was the cause of the dissension, and strife in the first place. John 14: 26-27, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with You; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."

John 16: 33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." Eph. 2: 13-18, "But now in Christ Jesus you who were formerly far off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He, Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make both groups into one new man thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to you who were near, for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father."

Col. 1; 19-20, "FOR IT WAS THE FATHERS GOOD PLEASURE FOR ALL THE FULLNESS TO DWELL IN HIM, AND THROUGH HIM TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS TO HIMSELF HAVING MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS; THROUGH HIM, I SAY, WHETHER THINGS ON EARTH OR THINGS IN HEAVEN."

Col. 3: 15, "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which your were called in one body; and be thankful."

Because the grace of God is so lavishly poured out, it overflows everything. Faith is then given a living quality. When exercised in behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ and the work of Hs cross, all barriers of condemnation and judgment are blotted out. Jesus Christ takes up residence and establishes Himself as the peace maker, the arbiter, the umpire in the innermost parts of the believer. Now having peace established between God and man, and between man and God, this peace is great enough so it should apply between man and man, also. When the fullness of His peace and love has been entered into, a hope is born and an anticipation of everything from here on into eternity, being better. Not only better but just as it should have been, and now it has become so for the believer, who now has and maintains an abiding, living relation-ship with The Lord Jesus Christ, by faith. This is an exact assess-ment of the expression of Paul in his letter to the Romans, 4: 25-5: 5, " Him who delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we exult in tribulation, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance; proven character; and proven character, Hope, and hope does not disappoint; the Love of God has been poured out with-in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Rom. 8: 22-26, "For we know the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. and not only this, but we also ourselves, groan with-in ourselves, waiting eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of the body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

1Thes. 5: 8-9 "But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Heb. 6: 17-20, "In the same way God, desiring ever more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath; in order that by two unchange-able things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters with-in the vail, where Jesus has entered as a fore-runner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

Everyone of these words that are used to convey unto the believer the character and work of the Lord Jesus Christ; provide an accumulation of the attributes of God that are shown to be embodied in the Son. " All the fullness of God , dwelt in Him." As the gift of God to the world, He is the embodiment of all these gifts in the believer. When the Holy Spirit came, He came to take all these characteristics of Jesus and make them real to the believer. John,16: 13-15, "But when He the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall; glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said, that He takes of Mine, and shall disclose it to you."

Paul then enlightens us to the realization that this is what the Holy Spirit will produce in the true believer, which are none other than an expression of all that Jesus has given us in Himself. Gal. 5: 22, "But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control, against such there is no Law."

The next two verses are very important, and in the light of the way in which Paul words the realization of His own experience in Chap. 6: 14-16, I believe verses, 5:24-25, could better be translated thus; " The flesh of those that are Christ's, has been crucified with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Is this not in accordance with the context of what Paul says in 6: 14, "But may it never be that I should boast, except in the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world." Paul had no part in bringing any of it about, it was all done for him and he received it in Jesus Christ as a gift, by Faitht. Can it be any different with us?

Can it not be seen, in the light of this, that here-in lies the foundation upon which he could write to the church's ; "There is nothing lacking, you have at your disposal, everything that is contained in God's treasure house, and it has all been awarded to us, in it's entirety, in the Person of Jesus Christ and His so great Salvation." The big question before the professing believers is; "Have you received Him in all His fullness, with all of His gifts, to know and enjoy Him and His life to the fullest? Or do you only know all of this just in the abstract, just as a teaching of Him, just another of the philosophies of the world?

He, is real, living reality, and can be known as such. Faith, makes the real things of God in Jesus Christ, become real to the true believer. God, the Father has done His part! God the Son has done His part! God the Holy Spirit has been at work all through the church age, doing His Part! Your part and My part is to believe in Him, and receive Him, with all that He brings with Him! THE ABUNDANCE OF NEW LIFE!

The great mystery, hidden to mankind from before the ages past--is no mystery any longer. it is unveiled to the believer--which is Christ in You the Hope of glory: Colossians 1: 25-2: 3.

It is very striking to contemplate, and then to realize that from the very outset, mankind has chosen not to follow God's direction of the way He intended mankind to live his life. And yet mankind has always devised one way or another where-by he could be identified with the name of God, but always according to his own reasoning. Throughout the revealed Word , God has always shown us that only those who bear identification with Him, are they who have accepted Him, and His Way for them, always based on Faith, "True Faith". New Life producing Faith. The enlightenment is this. Just because you call yourself by a particular name, that doesn't necessarily make you that. Both Jesus and the Apostles were confronted with this dilemma of mankind. John 8: 39, "They answered and said to Him, 'Abraham is our father. 'Jesus said to them, 'If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham." And we all know by now, the deeds of Abraham that were equated to him as righteousness, was his Faith in the Word of God that resulted in his acts of obedience. His Faith, in the Covenant promises of God, was counted to him as righteousness.

Paul when confronted with the claim of his fellow-countrymen answered in this manner. Rom. 4: 5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness." Rom. 4: 9, "Faith was reckoned to Abraham as Righteousness." Rom. 2: 28-29, "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is circumcision that which is out-ward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by t he letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God."

Paul was evidently basing his conclusion on the recorded Word. Deut. 10: 14-17, " Be-hold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heaven, the earth and all that is in it. Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day. Circumcise then your heart, and stiffen your neck no more. For the Lord your God is a the God of god's and the Lord of Lord's, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who does not show partiality nor take a bribe."

Deut. 30: 5-6, "And the Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it: and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your father. Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise Your heart and the heart of your descendants, to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live.

Col. 2: 9-14, "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and he is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And when you were dead in your trans-gressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."

And so we see it has always been God's identification with His people based on the heart condition, and not primarily based on the mark placed on the flesh. Was there a true heart change, performed by God upon the one exercising faith, or was the individual depending on his natural heritage to gain acceptance?

It is now all the more so, for those calling themselves Christian, or claiming to have a relationship with the true God through some ill conceived religion of their own imagination. Just because you take the name of God upon you, doesn't make you one of His, now, any more than it did in the days of the flood when man called themselves then by the name of God. Only Noah was counted righteous because of his faith, and it resulted in obedience to God's Word. So it is with the people calling themselves Christian. Just because they want to be identified with the One who is proclaimed to be the Savior of the world, doesn't make it so; wishful thinking doesn't make it so.. So Paul expounds this truth in his endeavor to refute the false teaching of his day, as he wrote to the church of Colossae. Col. 2: 6-14, "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the traditions of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And when you were dead in your transgressions and the un-circumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having for given us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."

From the inception of the transgression into the race of mankind, and the nature of mankind being corrupted, and the two reigning monarchs, sin and death, taking control away from mankind, God has been revealing, that the flesh has been ruled out of having any acceptance with Him. The clearest and most in depth portrait of it is given in the complete setting aside of the product of the flesh of Abraham and Sarah. The rejection of the flesh is magnified throughout the record of the people chosen of God to bear His name, Israel. Because they didn't walk according to the faith of their father Abraham; (the instrument of death), the Law was given to awaken all mankind to the utter-weakness of the flesh. Only that which was according to God's promise, has any lasting value. The greatest revelation came to light in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Then the Holy Spirit came back into the world to make alive all who would believe and receive the gift of life in Jesus Christ. In Him the natural, physical and fleshly man is completely set aside, both in Him in Life, and in Him in death. In death He took our judgment, of death in the flesh upon Himself, removed it completely through burial, and in our behalf brought into being a new creation of mankind. John 5: 24, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My words, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself."

John, 6: 62-63, "What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing; the words I have spoken to you are Spirit and are Life."

In order for the work of God in redemption to be wholly completed, the sinful flesh of the race of Adam had to be nullified, subjected to death. And for that to happen, the prophesy as it was expressed by Caiaphas, must be fulfilled. John 11; 49-52, "But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them. 'You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish,' Now this he did not say on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad."

It was necessary in the Holy judgment of God, that the domination of the flesh over the race of mankind, with its inclination toward evil, be brought to conclusion. Under the judgment of death, pronounced in the beginning, all who would receive this judgment of God by faith, could enter into a new life, a Life acceptable to Him, for it would only come from Him, the source of all life. This Jesus provided for us, just as though He were us.

That is was necessary for all to accept for themselves and realize a New Spirit led Life, is taught by the apostles for we who were to follow. Once again consider Paul and his awareness of this reality, 1Cor. 6: 17," But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one Spirit with Him."

2Cor. 2:14-16, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one and aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Chap. 3: 17, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

Because mankind has been so prone to believe a lie before he will believe the truth, the philosophies of men have prevailed over the truths of God. Consequently the deceitfulness of a depraved mentality has caused him to put more emphasis on the physical and material wants and needs, before he does his spiritual needs. In fact he has confused the Spirit of God with the spirit of man. While under its willful tendencies, mankind is always laying claim, that after all, his intentions are right, and he's only trying to do what he thinks God wants him to do, even if its wrong. Consequently he calls good evil, and evil, good. As a result he does everything he can to pacify and appease the desire of the natural man. Mankind just can't seem to be able to consider, that the flesh is his own worst enemy, and he is a slave to it. All the accumulation of ideas have jelled into the passivity of our day. For example, the humanitarian thought of the new age, movement. The creature comforts are of first importance. Everyone should just be left to do whatever it is that feels good to them, regardless of the degradation, their actions or ideas, might drag the society to or regardless of the reproach it might bring upon us in the eyes of the rest of the world, say nothing of how we appear in the eyes of God.

The very thought of Jesus and the apostles stating that the flesh profits nothing is repugnant to them. Here is where the truth of the Law of God written on the heart of men comes to light. The thrust of the degraded self will of man is causing him to make excuses for himself and his actions, knowing them to be wrong, but at the same time, accusing others or circumstances, but always shunning the blame himself. Then when all else fails, and his action come home to roost, as a last resort, he blames God. This is the spirit of the age that is most prevalent in our society today. If it isn't an out-right accusation toward God, then it is for God letting certain calamities to befall him, and blaming God for not intervening as he, man, thinks He should have. You hear prominent people in prominent positions, both secular and religious, saying, "God gave me a will, therefore should he not expect me to exercise it ? On the other hand, "God made me this way, should I not then be just what He has made me ? All of which is a lie, and the result of the deceitfulness of the sinful nature. Mankind, doesn't seem to be able to bear the thought of suffering a little in the flesh, when it comes to the need of depriving the natural man of it ungodly tendencies, and yet he will under-go great pain and suffering, as a result of appeasing the appetites of the natural man. He doesn't seem to be able to see and recognize these inclinations as being ungodly, and call them what they are, UNGODLY.

The greatest and most important, dilemma, mankind faces is this, "Face death at any point in time, with all it's pain and suffering, judgment and condemnation, and uncertainty, facing a dark oblivion, or accept the death of Jesus, to sin, in our behalf, as your death, and be born of a new hope, in the here-after, and a life of strength and quality of character now, of which He is the source. There is no greater peace, that mankind can know than this. Heb. 9: 27-28, "And in as much as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment; so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, not to bear sin; to those who eagerly await Him, for Salvation."

It remains for mankind to determine for himself, which he will face. The one Jesus died in your behalf now, and accept His death as Your death, and allow the Holy Spirit to make the benefits of it real to you, in what remains for you of this life, or refuse and take your punishment later. Because of the hope born in the heart, be-come one of His, who eagerly awaits His return. At that time He will provide all believers with the completion of His redemptive work. He will provide you with a glorified body as well as Spirit. Paul's understanding of the transition that has taken place as a result of God's judicial decree, of providing justification by faith, for all is astounding. Eph, 2: 11-13, "Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called,"Uncircumcision,' by the so called, ' Circumcision,' which is performed in the flesh by human hands, remember that you were at time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Paul's admonition to the believers to consider their intention, as well as their activities, in what they perceive to be service to God, needs to be reconsidered very carefully in these last days, that you might determine what it is you are giving your efforts to. Are your efforts motivated by the Spirit of God, and is what is being produced by your efforts, Spirit of God produced? Or are you just involved in building material things, on the only foundation that can be laid, or has been laid?

1Cor. 3: 10-17, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man builds upon the foundation, with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as by fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is Holy, and that is what you are."

In order to justify his efforts, mankind has been prone to divide up the material for building, into two categories. He is deceived into thinking that gold, silver, and precious stones, will withstand the fire, and therefore he will receive a reward. But he is deceived on two counts. First, the building of God is a Spiritual Temple, and therefore only Spirit produced work goes into building it. conditions that will prevail at the time of the trial.

2Peter, 3: 9-15, "The Lord is not slow about His promises, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness. Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning and the elements will melt with intense heat. But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him wrote to You."

Rom 15: 13, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Rom. 16: 25-27, "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past; but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been known by all the nations, leading to the obedience of Faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be Glory for ever. Amen."

Bird of Paridise-Flowers Grow Large in Hawaii

Sum and Substance