Where did you acquire your knowledge of scriptural truth? How do we press on into spiritual maturity? What is the foundation of truth?
The primary doctrine for the Christian congregation is all about Jesus Christ. Why Christ came, who sent him and with what purpose?
It was John the Baptist who came preaching repentance. John was sent forth by God to introduce us to the one who would baptize us with holy spirit. This was God’s means for salvation for us! John helped get ready God’s people to understand God’s will and purpose. Luke 2:25-34
Hebrews 6:1-3… For this reason, now that we have left the primary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying a foundation again, namely, repentance from dead works, and faith toward God, the teaching on baptisms and the laying on of the hands, the resurrection of the dead and everlasting judgment. And this we will do if God indeed permits.
The apostle Paul just named out six points that have become the foundation of truth for the Christian congregation. If we cannot understand these six points of teaching, then how are we going to be able to move into spiritual maturity as respects truth?
- Repentance from dead works:
- Faith toward God:
- Teaching on baptisms: Teachings on Baptisms – Spirit
- Laying on of the hands:
- Resurrection of the dead: The Resurrection of the Dead
- The everlasting judgment:
You can hyperlink into these six foundations of truths now if you like or follow up later.
From where did you learn about Jesus Christ the foundation of truth?
What is the truth about our maturity?
The word of truth is found in the Bible it is where you learned about Jesus Christ. God has caused you to know his means for salvation.
You learned why Christ came, you learned who sent him, you should have learned the purpose of his coming. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave you the message of the New Covenant, it is the good news about God’s kingdom the means of salvation by God.
James 1:16-21…Do not be misled, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father of the [celestial] lights, and with him there is not a variation of the turning of the shadow. 18 Because he willed it (G1014), he brought us forth by the word of truth, for us to be certain first fruits (G536) of his creatures. 19 Know this, my beloved brothers. Every man must be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath; 20 for man’s wrath does not work out God’s righteousness. 21 Hence put away all filthiness and that superfluous thing, badness, and accept with mildness the implanting of the word which is able to save YOUR souls.
What does God’s word tell us? How do we press on to maturity?
For us to press on into maturity we have to understand first that we are speaking about something spiritual. The spiritual maturity has to do with a greater understanding of God’s purpose as respects his kingdom and accepting it. We of our own free-will need to accept Jesus Christ into our lives but more importantly into our hearts.
The Christian Congregation
1 Corinthians 3:11… For no man can lay any other foundation than what is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the foundation for the Christian congregation. God’s will is for us to be implanted with the word of God and to have the love of Christ dwell through your faith in our hearts.
Ephesians 3:16-19…to the end that he may grant YOU according to the riches of his glory to be made mighty in the man YOU are inside with power through his spirit, 17 to have the Christ dwell (G2730) through [YOUR] faith in YOUR hearts with love; that YOU may be rooted and established on the foundation, 18 in order that YOU may be thoroughly able to grasp mentally with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge, that YOU may be filled with all the fullness that God gives.
God wants you to be able to grasp mentally, his intended purpose as respects the love of the Christ. God wants you to become a building block for something greater. A place that he may inhabit by spirit, a temple that our Lord Jesus Christ himself is building. His body of believers becomes a part of the New Jerusalem.
Ephesians 1:17-23… that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give YOU a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the accurate knowledge of him; 18 the eyes of YOUR heart having been enlightened, that YOU may know what is the hope to which he called YOU, what the glorious riches are which he holds as an inheritance for the holy ones.
What is this hope he has called us for? Has the Lord Jesus called you to the Christian congregation?
Ephesians 1:19-23… and what the surpassing greatness of his power is toward us believers. It is according to the operation of the mightiness of his strength, 20 with which he has operated in the case of the Christ when he raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above every government and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this system of things, but also in that to come. 22 He also subjected all things under his feet and made him head over all things to the congregation, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills up all things in all.
God has subjected all things under the feet of Jesus Christ and made him the head of the Christian congregation, his body. By receiving the holy spirit, you have become something new, yes, a New Creation. Again, what is God’s purpose in doing these things?
A New Creation
Ephesians 2:19-22… Certainly, therefore, YOU are no longer strangers and alien residents, but YOU are fellow citizens of the holy ones and are members of the household of God, 20 and YOU have been built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone. 21 In union with him (Jesus) the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah (God). 22 In union with him (Jesus) YOU, too, are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.
Are you a called one for Jesus Christ? Have you received the holy spirit from God?
2 Corinthians 5:17-21… Consequently, if anyone is in union (G1722) with Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away, look! new things have come into existence. 18 But all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and he committed the word of the reconciliation to us. 20 We are therefore ambassadors substituting for Christ, as though God were making entreaty through us. As substitutes for Christ, we beg: “Become reconciled to God.” 21 The one who did not know sin he made to be sin for us, that we might become God’s righteousness by means of him.
How are we in union with Christ?
Strong’s Concordance #G1722 probably means inside as in the condition or state that something operates inside of. For the use of the word union is not necessarily an exact translation but is not wrong either and should be clarified.
Receiving the Holy Spirit, we operate within the realm with the spirit of Christ. We are all there together by means of the Holy Spirit. The subject is deep and is meant for another time by means of another study called (221) This Ministry.
But I beg you my friends to become reconciled to God by means of the salvation that God has provided each and every one of us. It has been granted for us to be with or in spirit, in union with Christ Jesus. By means of the Holy Spirit we can find peace with God, this indeed has become a sacred secret revealed in the Lord’s Day.
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