“Proof of Adoption” Part III
Philippians 2:19-22
But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
Philippians 2:29-30
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me ( referring to Epaphroditus)
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me ( referring to Epaphroditus)
As we continue our study on the ” Proof of Adoption,” I trust it has been insightful in giving us an outline of what it means to truly live at the conscience level with God as our Father. We express so much truth with our lips e.g ” I trust the Lord,” but actually live so little of it out, hence our anxieties and worry. In Quantum Physics, which I know very little of, it speaks of different dimensions of existence that are accessed through “portals.” According to Quantum Physics these portals exist all around us and we access them through our conscienceness, leading us into different dimensions of conscience ness. Biblically it can be explained this way. In Colossians 3:1-2, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Without getting too weird, this is an aspect of quantum physics. Via our conscience being in agreement with the Holy Spirit we have access to a new realm (new portal) ” where Christ is sitting.” Present tense, meaning this is for us now, not just when we are passed from this life. I believe this is a problem with us. We read these kind of versus that are somewhat ethereal and we mentally catalog them into “this must mean when I am in heaven,” because we can not relate to them now, but many are for today.
However our problem is explained in Romans 8:5-7, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. To ” set their mind ( conscience) on the things of the flesh,” is to live absent from ” life and peace,” and ” to be carnally minded is death,” that in itself is another portal that opens us up to further dimensions of slavery that eventually lead to death. When you think about how Christ gave His life for us you realize that He did all that He could do to keep us from this. Quantum Physics actually agrees with the scriptures in proving that other dimensions do exist that cannot be measured through normal science. Physically we cannot access them because of the limitation we experience living in a flesh and body existence. However our conscience is not confined. Yet we confine our conscience because we allow the limitations of the flesh e.g., temptations and carnal desires to interpret our world. Therefore the cravings and desires of the flesh become our reality and it is what controls our conscience. However it does not have to be this way. If we “live according to the Spirit,” we can experience “life and peace” and not “death. In short, just because our bodies are limited it does not mean our conscience has to be.
1 Corinthians 2:16
For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ
For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed ( the Greek word for this is metamorphosis) by the renewing ( renew qualitatively) of your mind, that you may prove (discern) what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1 Peter 1:13-16
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Is this how we perceive our Christian walk? And if we truly accepted Christ was it Him we accepted or was it in one of His many watered down versions that make Him more human and fun? We are always trying to make God more human thereby allowing us to continue to live according to the flesh, living life on our terms, as such who needs repentance? However God is always trying to make us more like Him, holy, and only those who have trusted in the work of the Cross can be sanctified. How greatly do we hurt ourselves when we do not perceive the Holiness of God; and how foolish and prideful man is to ever think he can become like God.
For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. This was a great commendation for Timothy, but a sad comment about other believers, “no man likeminded.” There was something unique about Timothy that truly should be unique with all of us. “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” We call it an agenda. Those that assisted him during this period apparently had their own agenda. Maybe their thoughts were, “Hanging out with Paul will give me major cudos with the local pastors/ believers and maybe some of his ‘magic’ will rub off on me” etc. I can only imagine what Paul faced. Yet not with Timothy. Timothy had no care for himself, no agenda other than Christ’s agenda. Timothy was content in just knowing Christ and that Christ knew him. Helping Paul with his ministry was probably way more than he ever dreamed that he would be doing. How about us, are we like Timothy? And if we are followers of Christ, which Christ is it? Is it the Christ that is on stage proclaiming the Gospel in front of large crowds and healing people, or is it the Christ that is washing people’s feet. Timothy didn’t seem to care, it was all Christ.
But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. The word to serve “douleuo” is very similar to the word used for slave, someone who has no rights. However this word expresses a choice, a willingness to serve. Timothy was a “bond servant” to Paul because he was first a bond servant to Christ. Therefore serving Paul was not a task to be reckoned with, it was a joy for he did it as unto Christ – the key to a successful Christian life and ministry. Timothy found his identity in his Savior, and as such was counted worthy to serve Paul, were as others perphaps used it to gain positioning and fame for themselves.
“Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me ( referring to Epaphroditus, a prominent believer commissioned by the Phillipian Church to aid Paul).” When your single focus is to know and serve Christ self sacrificing is not a big deal. This dimension of spiritual life is when Christ is absolutely so real that worldly affairs and values pale in comparison. We as a church body need to grow to this maturity. Reality no longer becomes what you perceive with your eyes but what you perceive in faith. For in living a life of faith you no longer have the values that the world maintains and says you need to be happy. Your reality and values are literally out of this world.
When in the human experience there is a wall in front of you, whether it be a physical wall or a wall, such as a lack of finances, sickness, or relationship problems etc., in the spirit there is no wall. It is hard on us for sure, but the Holy Spirit is not hindered. These concerns He uses to mature our faith. And with respect to healing, the greatest healing we can receive is the healing of our heart. When we truly and profoundly know that God loves us. Worry, guilt, anxiety, stress etc., which all can make you sick, cannot control us when we intimately know of His love. Same with finances, relationship problems, there’s always hope when His love becomes our constant, our go to refuge in times of trouble.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Bottomline and the greatest life one can have is when we start actually living as “joint heirs with Christ.” Call it a spiritual portal or an “entering into the fellowship of the saints that have gone before,” or just spiritual maturity but this is the place where freedom is regardless of sickness or health, money or the lack thereof, or a host of many other things. As joint heirs with Christ there are no boundaries, no limits other than what we limit ourselves to for the love of Christ, and no enemy too great or problem too hard that prayer, Christ and our faith cannot conquer. Amen!
Father God,
Thank you for this challenging message. Let me see that the road to faith is wide open to me if I am willing to forsake self and the world to follow just You. It’s not an easy road, it’s not a free road, for faith comes at a cost, death to my flesh and self centered ambitions, however there is nothing I can live for here that has greater consequences and or benefits than a life of faith. Help me to clearly see that. Thank you and Amen