Thursday, August 7, 2014

Living Simplicity In This Life


For our boasting is this:
the testimony of our conscience that we
conducted ourselves in the world
in the simplicity and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God,
and more abundantly toward you.
For we are not writing any other thing
to you than what you read or understand.
Now I trust you will understand,
even to the end (as also you have understood
us and part), that we are your post as you also
 are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1:12 -- 14

     Paul the apostle faced prejudice, and yet throughout all his trials he was constantly joyful and had consolation in the testimony of his conscience.  Paul knew that he was a sinner and then he could only rejoice in glory and Jesus Christ.  Furthermore, Paul as a believer that his rejoicing in glory was in the inward consciousness of being really what he professed.  We must notice this fact: Paul conducted himself in simplicity; and so often we, especially today, try to have all the success in the trappings of this world when we are actually called to live a simple life.  Paul also lived by godly sincerity and this would mean that he did not live by worldly wisdom or wisdom of his flesh.  Paul makes notion for the Corinthians and for us and that we live by the grace of God.  Paul also makes mention that they were doing exactly what they had written and spoken about and he hopes that they understand when you wrote or spoke.  In the last day when the Lord Jesus Christ returns for His church and all of the brothers and sisters, the bride of Christ join Him for eternity we will experience redemption and salvation.
            I got called away to take someone to a clinic about 40 miles one way so I had to stop so this blog is late.

By knowledge a person hears the word of God, and also reads the word of God so a Christian grows in their faith. But, this is where problems enter into our lives and that is that we begin to think that thinking is of the first importance; but this is not true; it is life that is of the first importance.  Thinking is not the beginning of our natural or spiritual life, rather Christian thinking means that were thinking on the basis of things, not thinking in pious terms.  This was a problem with the Corinthian church and is a problem in many churches existing today whereby they think more of pious terms, doing certain acts, or speak in some unknown gibberish tongue and all they have done is stepped aside in regards to the basis of things.  There are often many experiences that or write in the life of God is in the air, but here is where a problem exists that there has been no thinking on the basis of thing, therefore when circumstances arise, there is confusion.  Christians need to think along Christian lines and know where to place our personal and individual experiences.  Yes we must exercise ourselves intellectually as well as spiritually but we are not to place the intellectual thinking above spiritual thinking.  On the day of the Lord which is the Last Day, a day for the church that is reading to enter into living eternally with God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit, that is with the Godhead.  Those who are called to be leaders in the church as was Paul may then have the right to boast, that is, when we see those who have heard us, and see how we lived out the gospel in our lives and have become Authentic Christians, then there is reason to boast.  Redemption: the great facts of Christian faith that stands outside of Christianity that has not only to do with man's experience of salvation, but with the basis of his thinking.  Paul had reminded the Corinthian Christians that redemption, the very revelation of redemption, stands upon this fact that Jesus Christ's came to this earth that by means of His death on the cross He might put the whole human race on a redemptive basis.  By this act upon the cross, this redemptive act, this made it possible for every man to get into perfect communion with God.  Why do they not do so?  Let us be reminded as Paul reminded the Corinthian church that the work on the cross by Jesus Christ finished all the work that God the Father had given Him to do.  What was finished?  The redemption of the world!  Therefore men are not going to be redeemed, they are redeemed.  I don't go a huff and say this writer has fallen prey to Arminianism whereby man by his own at can save himself: this is not the meaning of redemption of the world.  Jesus Christ died upon the cross and that salvation by means of the cross was not the salvation of individual men and women, the whole human race was put on the basis of redemption.  The key word here is "basis."  And this we will build upon salute you can come to a clear understanding of what it means that by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross human race was put on the basis of redemption.  By the redemptive power of Jesus Christ's dying upon the cross, His resurrection, and ascension into heaven makes a way for even the meanest of men to be presented perfect in Christ.  Not just those who have maybe done some small sin, or even lived a moral life who will be saved: no if we understand that our beginning of Christian thinking we then can think of any kind of man have been presented to Jesus Christ perfect in Him.
            The next blogs will build upon this thinking for Paul said to the Corinthians that he had preached to them and taught them and was trusting that they would understand what was preached and understood.  And that they would hold to the very end, the last day would Jesus Christ come to stand in the knowledge and thinking and know that they were really redeemed on the basis of Redemption by the work of Jesus Christ upon the cross.
                       
The Gospel to me is simply irresistible.
Being the man I am, being full of lust and pride
and envy and malice and hatred and false good,
and all accumulated exaggerated misery -- to me
the Gospel of the grace of God, and the Redemption
of Christ, and the regeneration and sanctification
of the Holy Ghost, that Gospel is to me simply irresistible,
and I cannot understand why it is not equally irresistible
to every mortal man of women.
                                       Blaise Pascal, (born June 19, 1623)
You may have had a similar question: do not fear our study of Scripture will ease your fears!

Read and study God's Word daily

Richard L. Crumb

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