A Dichotomy?

In this post I want to share some ponderings of mine concerning the declarations of scripture that pertain to the believer and sometimes appear to be contradictory.

I first acknowledge and assert that I am convinced that there are no such contradictions in God's perfect and Holy word and that the difficulty lies in my lack of clarity and diligence.

Specifically, what I am referring to are particular statements that speak of "completed", "past tense" acts of God on behalf of the Christian which seem to stand in contrast to other statements that speak of these same acts as contingent on the believers actions.

For instance, Paul speaks of us as having been (past tense) crucified with Christ in various places in his letters: "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Rom.6:6) And: "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Gal.5:24) Also: "I am crucified with Christ...." (Gal.2:20)

But then, we have statements that Paul gives as his own testimony that speak of him "dying daily" and believers are exhorted to:
"...mortify the deeds of the body..." (Rom.8:13) And to: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;....." (Col.3:5) Then, just a few verses below this statement he again asserts a completed act: "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:" (Col.3:9-10)

So, what am I then? Have I been crucified with Christ, put on the new man, been translated from darkness to light or am I laboring to attain these things?

The answer is YES to both!

I see in these declarations, "already and not yet" statements. What I mean is, we have described for us in scripture our "position" and our "walk", our "standing" and our "experience". That is, we are a completed work in Christ, yet we are striving to "walk" and "experience" these God wrought attributes in our earthly pilgrimage.
(Consider Paul's desire to "experience" the resurrection life in his earthly walk, Phil.3:10-11)

They are not automatically active. I think of some examples: "....work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil.2:12-13) There is a concurrence or confluence here that is going on between the working of God and the desire and efforts of the quickened, no longer dead in sins believer. God calls us to "fight the good fight of faith" and to "work out" what He has "worked in"! If it hasn't first been worked in it can't be worked out. As I heard someone say in the past: "You have to have a garden before you can work it out." God has given us an abundant "garden" of spiritual enablement and fruit!

Also note: (Phil.3:10-15) Here, Paul speaks in one verse of not having attained perfection and then shortly thereafter speaks of being perfect. Again, "walk" and "position".

There are many examples and illustrations of this in the epistles and I am reminded of another that we have been looking at in our Sunday night Bible study. It is found in 2Peter 1:3,5-7. Peter declares in verse 3 that: "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" then he goes on to exhort his readers to: ".....add to your faith virtue......"

Therefore, I am again confronted with a statement of God's "past tense" empowering and completed work and the Christian's responsibility to "walk" in it by faith.

Paul says in Romans 8:9, "....Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." And he reveals to us in Galatians 5:22-23 the fruit of the indwelling Spirit. This fruit includes "temperance" which Peter says in the above mentioned passage that we need to "add to faith"!

So, this begs the question, if we are believers, who are indwelt by the Spirit, who is the source of this attribute, then why isn't it just there when we get up in the morning?

How many times have I wished that were so! But, it is certain, that this is not whats best according to God's purposes for His children. He has ordained that we "feel" the "experience" of sanctificaton in this earthly journey, even though in Christ, we are fully sanctified.(1Cor.1:2/6:11/Heb.10:14) We are allowed to struggle in the fight and by this struggle we are driven to the word and prayer and to the acknowledgement of our need of other believers.

Yes, it is hard, but it is also good, and is evidently doing something for us that the instant experience of these attributes would not accomplish.

I will admit that many times I have desired more power, more faith, etc.,etc. But, I must now acknowledge the correction that the word has given me in Peter's second epistle: "According as his divine power hat given unto us ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness,...."

We have been told plainly that we have everything we need to live unto God and now I need to heed the words of Paul in Galatians 5:25, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

Your observations please!

"Service with a Smile"

Only Our Duty

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.



In the parable of a good servant, Jesus said: “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Lk. 17:10)

Human nature, being what it is, demands recognition, even if its deeds are evil. This is a marked defining line between the carnal and the spiritual. The carnal nature of man starves for self-glorification, while the heaven born spiritual nature strives to glorify God and the Lord Jesus Christ. One who must constantly be fed recognition to continue in the way of righteousness steals that which does not belong to him. All real glory belongs to God; “self” must be lost in giving glory to God. Honest obedience to the Word and the will of God is done with the thought of “it’s only our duty, for only He is worthy.” The believer gives himself to faithful service so that the Master might be glorified and find no more motivation than love for duty.

If one’s life is spent in the service of the Lord and Master, it is merely spent in doing his just duties. Duty to the Father demands no special acknowledgments. Doing one’s duty is expected of faithful servants. To serve as a living sacrifice that is acceptable unto God is no more and no less than the believer’s reasonable service. (Rom. 12:1) Not to do so is to be unreasonable, and it is to be an evil servant. To do what is commanded is to do one’s duty. Perhaps the atmosphere in the assembly of saints would change if “serving hidden personal agendas” would change to the fulfilling of one’s duty unto the LORD. Being king of the mountain is so insignificant in the shadow of the King of kings upon Mt. Zion. There is only one King in the kingdom.

Duty can either be slavery in the darkest of dungeons because of the lustful pride of the heart, or it can be a celebration of joys because of the love of the heart for the Master. Burdens become menial tasks when yoked with heavenly love. Duty is a matter of the heart! The greater love one has for the King of kings, the greater celebration of joys he has for every opportunity to faithfully complete his duty in fullness of glory to the LORD! Duty with honor is always the mark of a good and faithful servant. To some, “duty” is a harsh demanding word; but for those in love with Jesus, it is a blessed opportunity.


This Pastor's comments confronted me again with a dose of reality with regards to who we are, whose we are, and how we got there!

Prayer Changes Us

The Power And Purpose Of Prayer

We've been taught that prayer changes things. In view of God's sovereignty, what is the role of prayer in a Christian's life?

First of all, we need to establish that it is the sovereign God who not only invites us but commands us to pray. Prayer is a duty, and as we perform that duty, one thing for sure is going to be changed, and that is us. To live a life of prayer is to live a life of obedience to God.

Also, we must understand that there is more to prayer than intercession and supplication. When the disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray,” they saw a connection between the power of Jesus and the impact of his ministry and the time he spent in prayer. Obviously, the Son of God felt that prayer was a very valuable enterprise because he gave himself to it so deeply and passionately. But I was surprised that he answered the question by saying, “Here’s how you ought to pray,” and gave them the Lord’s Prayer. I would have expected Jesus to answer that question a different way: “You want to know how to pray? Read the Psalms,” because there you see inspired prayer. The Spirit himself, who helps us to pray, inspired the prayers that are recorded in the Psalms. When I read the Psalms, I read intercession and I read supplication, but overwhelmingly what I read is a preoccupation with adoration, with thanksgiving, and with confession. Take those elements of prayer, and what happens to a person who learns how to adore God? That person is changed. What happens to a person who learns how to express his gratitude to God? That person will now become more and more aware of the hand of Providence in his life and will grow in his sense of gratitude toward God. What happens to the person who spends time confessing his sins? He keeps in front of his mind the holiness of God and the necessity of keeping short accounts with God.

But can our requests change God’s sovereign plan? Of course not. When God sovereignly declares that he is going to do something, all of the prayers in the world aren’t going to change God’s mind. But God not only ordains ends, he also ordains means to those ends, and part of the process he uses to bring his sovereign will to pass are the prayers of his people. And so we are to pray.

©1996 by
R.C. Sproul. Used by permission of Tyndale.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. ©1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

"...Christ who is our Life..."

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
(Col.3:1-4)

GOOD NEWS! GLAD TIDINGS! THE GOSPEL!

Because He lives, I live also!

In the beginning....

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
(Gen.2:7)

But then....

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Rom.5:12)

Mankind was plunged into darkness and alienation from the life of God! (Eph.4:18)

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."
(John 1:4-5,10)

Therefore, is there any hope of life?

Jesus says: "It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Mat.4:4)

and when questioned concerning the requirements to attain unto eternal life He responds: "....but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." (Mat.19:17)

But we know, for the children of Adam, these words serve to dash our hopes!

"And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death."
(Rom.7:10)
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Rom.3:20)

But God, who is rich in mercy..... HOPE RESTORED!

by... the "promise of life which is in Christ Jesus," and the bringing to light life and immortality through the gospel.
(2Tim.1:1,10)

by the revelation of another law.... "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Rom.8:2)

we have been.... "begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," (1Pet.1:3)

Our gaze is now drawn and directed to Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, by our "schoolmaster".

"For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." (Psa.36:9)

The "life" has come...."I am the resurrection and the life:.../"I am the way, the truth, and the life:..../Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also." (John 11:25,14:6,19)

"For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;"(1John1:2)

We no longer abide in death--we abide in the life and light of the Son and He abides in us!

"For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." (Rom.14:8)

We are His Holy dwelling place...."....for ye are the temple of the living God;..."(2Cor.6:16)

and..."He that hath the Son hath life;" (1John 5:12)

Behold, old things have passed away: Self- preservation has passed away: "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." (John 12:25)
"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself,...." (Acts 20:24)
"...and they loved not heir lives unto the death."
(Rev. 12:11)

So then we must confess with Paul...."I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."(Gal.2:20)

We are a "new creation", a people who live by the Spirit..."But he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit." (1Cor.6:17)
"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Gal.5:25)

and we can say with confidence..."For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
(Phil.1:21)

We have been given boldness to enter into the Holiest of all! How?

"By a new and living way,..." (Heb.10:20)

and also, we have been given the glorious privilege of testifying to this "Life".

"Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life."
(Acts 5:20)
"Holding forth the word of life;...." (Phil.2:16)

Truly, God has spoken to us and made plain that: "In him we live, and move, and have our being;"!

The Genuine Article

Jesus speaks of an attribute of His disciples that would set them apart as truly being His followers.
This attribute would be their sacrificial love for one another.
This is that "family resemblence" that cannot be mimicked or counterfeited by Satan like most other religious "doings" because he knows nothing about it.

This is supernatural, an indwelling of the Spirit of Christ, that makes Christianity shine above all of man's religious practice and devotion.

This must be the foundation of true faith, that is, "faith that worketh by love."

This is the first thing to fall by the wayside or to be absent when dead orthodoxy takes over.

This is the characteristic of biblical Christianity that Satan cannot abide!

If such love is missing then all our efforts are certainly paltry imitations at best.

As Paul writes:

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. (cold,dead noise)
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (empty religious motions)
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." (charity without charity)
(1Cor.13:1-3)

Such a love makes evident and plain that a radical transformation has taken place. All the religious ceremony and intellect in the world cannot compare to this!