Ever Closer

[WordSword]

“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you” (Jas 4:8). The next most important issue after regeneration (being saved) is spiritual growth in the Lord Jesus (Eph 4:15), so that we will be most used of God to encourage the saved and draw the lost. In our rebirth, God saves our life; in our walk, God “conforms” our lifestyle! Believers are united with God in redemption, and are brought closer all the time in their fellowship with Him. All who have been reborn continue to draw closer to God, and this is seen in their walk!

Union with God has to do with being saved, and fellowship has to do with growth from that union; and according to Scripture all who have been saved are unceasingly receiving from God enablement to “will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phl 2:13). Thankfully, everything God does in His Son for those who are and will be His, is permanent; a truth without which no adequate growth in Christ (not related to just being in Christ) can suffice for lasting encouragement—especially in the trials!

Granted, there are often scriptural passages that appear to present opposing doctrine to this truth, but this is just part of the difficult-to-understand portions of the Word of God (which are usually growth-related)—for the purpose of encouraging continued and increased study and research where most of the Christian growth truths are contained—within the Pauline Epistles.

A believer can and should desire a growing fellowship with God, but the nearness of it will accord with the level of application in learning to know, understand and apply the Christian growth truths within the NT. It also stands to reason that the closer the fellowship, the greater is our patience when enduring trials, and the more God is glorified.

The most significant position a believer can maintain for growing in Christ is fellowship with the saints in the Word and worship, which could never be overstated!

May “the Father of spirits” ever give us to “be in subjection” to Him (Heb 12:9)!



Blessed be God!

 

[prophecy_uk]

Wordsword: “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you” (Jas 4:8).



What kind of a wordsword, does not know the word well enough to show/know, that to turn our laughter into mourning is first taught in Ecclesiastes ?


Yes, the heart of the wise go to the house of mourning, and fools go to the house of mirth...


Ecclesiastes 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.



The sadness then made the heart better, even Jesus did teach this ( but said unto some it is given to know these mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and to others it is not given)


Matthew 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Just as in the first covenant times, when Ecclesiastes was told, nobody of Israel was given a heart to perceive with....

Deuteronomy 29:4 Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.



Now see, that is more honest, to not forget the preparation God has given, of all these words of testimony.

Here is the first to know, and believe in, if God gives us to believe.

The poor ( in spirit) are blessed, and those hungering for this righteousness of Christ ( His word) and blessed on a narrow path of persecution, and suffering, ( these are the sufferings of Christ and the narrow way) and when men revile you, and do not agree to you, as they reviled the prophets.

Now, when men speak well of you, they did so to the false prophets, when rich you do not know how poor you really are ( destined for poverty in destruction) and your love of life is your consolation before you lose your soul, and not hungering for the words of righteousness, means you shall never have them, ( Christ/everlasting life, to dwell in us who is the Word)


Notice it now, if we laugh now, we shall mourn and weep, and that is why we were exhorted to mourn, not as we can then draw near to God, but as we never draw near until we are called by God to do so ( in all that is testified)


Luke 6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.




Wordsword: " The next most important issue after regeneration (being saved) is spiritual growth in the Lord Jesus (Eph 4:15)


It is the unity of the faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, is of a perfect man, that is the measure of the fulness of Christ.

From this faith, and unity, we be no more children ( we be men and put away childish things to know the Lord, even as we are known) They give wind of doctrine and sleight of men, in cunning craftiness they lie in wait to deceive.

But we speak the truth in love, and this is growing up to Him in all things ( we are then in the unity of the faith)

Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:


Speaking of the stature of the fulness of Christ? In Christ dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily....


Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.


And, we are COMPLETE IN HIM ( where is the growing mentioned when we have faith?)

In Christ we are circumcised, to put off the body of the sins of the flesh, or we never were born again/regenerated..


Colossians 2: 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:


Now we know and see, that God needs to grant us, to be strengthened with might by Hos Spirit in us, for Christ to dwell in our hearts by faith ( It is the faith of Christ needed, not ours) then we are rooted and grounded in love, which then we know the love of Christ, as that is to be filled with all the fulness of God ( this is Christ formed/grown in us or nothing is in us)



Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

 

[WordSword]

Wordsword: “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you” (Jas 4:8).

What kind of a wordsword, does not know the word well enough to show/know, that to turn our laughter into mourning is first taught in Ecclesiastes ?

Yes, the heart of the wise go to the house of mourning, and fools go to the house of mirth...

Hi, and thanks for you reply and comments! Amen! Sorrow will bring one who is in the Book of Life to the Lord Jesus, but send the heart of the unbeliever far from Him; and all believers in Christ live in repentance (Rom 2:4).

 

[prophecy_uk]

Wordsword: "Hi, and thanks for you reply and comments! Amen! Sorrow will bring one who is in the Book of Life to the Lord Jesus, but send the heart of the unbeliever far from Him; and all believers in Christ live in repentance (Rom 2:4)."


I did not know you wanted an in depth look at Romans 2, well here we go.

Nobody escapes the judgment of God, O man.

Despising the forbearance and longsuffering of the Lord, is when any man ( whether they label themselves a believer or not) retains a hard heart, as that heart is the impenitent one, and one that has treasure on earth, but not so much in Heaven.

Then God renders to every man according to their deeds ( whether they think, or say they are a believer or not a believer)

The contentious do not obey the truth ( that is why they are on the forums for years, all different nicknames, multiple accounts, and contend for strife)

But the ones who do well, seek for eternal life, ( but the self seeking do evil and seek to turn the truth of God into a lie/unholiness)

It seems there is no respect of persons with God, regarding the book of life, they are fortunate if they do not have their names blotted out of the book of life.



Romans 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Deuteronomy 29:20 The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven.



Continuing, the doers of the law shall be justified ( not the hearers only) and they which show the work of the law written in their heart ( this is the new covenant of God giving a soft heart of flesh to perceive with to keep all His ways that are righteousness/love, which works no ill to your neighbour)



Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another