Life Walk Lesson 26 Abiding in Christ
Ephesians 3:8-12
8 “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
9 and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things;
10 so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 1
2 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”
John 1:29
9 “The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’”
John 1:32
32 “And John testified, saying, ‘I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.’"
Isaiah 11:2-3
2 “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make decisions by what His ears hear;
4 but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
5 Also righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the belt around His waist.”
Proverbs 1:7 [AMPC]
7 “The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.”
Colossians 2:1-3
1 “For I want you to know how great is my solicitude for you [how severe an inward struggle I am engaged in for you] and for those [believers] at Laodicea, and for all who [like yourselves] have never seen my face and known me personally.
2 [For my concern is] that their hearts may be braced (comforted, cheered, and encouraged) as they are knit together in love, that they may come to have all the abounding wealth and blessings of assured conviction of understanding, and that they may become progressively more intimately acquainted with and may know more definitely and accurately and thoroughly that mystic secret of God, [which is] Christ (the Anointed One).
3 In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden.”
Galatians 5:22-23
22 “But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].”
Colossians 2:6-7
6 “As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him.
7 Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.”
Colossians 2:9-15 [AMPC]
9 “For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature].
10 And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power].
11 In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but in a [spiritual] circumcision [performed by] Christ by stripping off the body of the flesh (the whole corrupt, carnal nature with its passions and lusts).
12 [Thus you were circumcised when] you were buried with Him in [your] baptism, in which you were also raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God [as displayed] when He raised Him up from the dead.
13 And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross.
15 [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].
2Corinthians 5:10
10 “For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing].”
Scripture Reading: Romans 12
One Body in Christ
1Corinthians 12:15-27
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,
24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
Dealing with the Parts of the Body that cause Trouble Knowingly
Old Testament Example:
Joshua 7: The Account of the Battle of Ai
Achan knew the rules, but ignored them. This jeopardized the entire army of Ancient Israel, the result being defeat in battle and death in the camp. For this Achan and his entire family was stoned, and burned to rid Israel of the physical and spiritual evil.
Proverbs 2:21-22
22 For the upright will lie in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
New Testament Example:
1Corinthians 5: The Account of Incest within the Church
1 “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.
2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?
3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this.
4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,
5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.”
How Jesus Put It
Matthew 5:29-30
29 “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”
Restoration after Repentance
Galatians 6:1-3 [NIV]
1 “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.”
On Being Judgmental
In a society where King Solomon’s words seem to abound, “For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.” [Proverbs 4:16], we often walk through a narrow and precipitous valley between mountains of evil on either side. We must, however, continue on the narrow road, fearlessly following Jesus no matter our environment.
In the ancient Jewish manuscript, called IV Ezra, in chapter 7:1-12, [Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Volume 2, R.H. Charles Translation; page 580], the concept of these extremes of life — fire and water on either side, while walking the narrow road — is given by the prophet who speaks with the angel of the Lord about it. [Note: A copy of the above mentioned volume can be purchased on Amazon, and can be downloaded freely from archive.org]
Listen to Jesus
In the New Testament, it is recorded that Jesus delivers and heals a young boy, at the foot of the Mount of Transfiguration, who was often thrown into either water or fire by the devil. The admonition by our Heavenly Father, while on the Mountain with Jesus, was “Listen to Him!”
Paul declares, “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” [Galatians 5:7] This is why we were given perseverance by the Holy Spirit, and forgiveness, and grace when we mess up, trying to keep the peace with unbelievers.
So, when other’s bad choices influence our journey, unavoidably, how to we course correct?
It begins with asking for forgiveness, and forgiving others quickly, and refraining from being judgmental. And here is the narrow road — knowing someone has done wrong, but not judging their wrong. Praying for God to change their heart, and protecting you from making the same mistakes is essential, or we will be tested to see if we could do any better. Best never to judge, just as Jesus did not come to judge, but to save.
John 3:16-17
16 “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.”
Make no mistake, there will be a day of judging by Christ Jesus, and He will ride victoriously with the holy ones behind Him to rid all evil from the earth, however for now, salvation and grace and mercy and forgiveness are abounding so that everyone has a chance to repent and come into the Kingdom of God.
Jesus Shares our Father’s Heart
Matthew 7:1-5 [AMPC]
1 “Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves.
2 For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.
3 Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.”
Luke 6:37-39 [AMPC]
37 “Judge not [neither pronouncing judgment nor subjecting to censure], and you will not be judged; do not condemn and pronounce guilty, and you will not be condemned and pronounced guilty; acquit and forgive and release (give up resentment, let it drop), and you will be acquitted and forgiven and released.
38 Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.
39 He further told them a proverb: Can a blind [man] guide and direct a blind [man]? Will they not both stumble into a ditch or a hole in the ground?
Mark 11:24-25
24 “For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].
25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.
26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.”
1Peter 3:7
“In the same way you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God’s unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]”
Proverbs 4:12
“When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
Hebrews 12:1
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”
Isaiah 40:31
“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Scripture Reading: John 15:1-11
Ephesians 3:12 [AMPC]
12 “In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).”
Matthew 13:24-30 the Parable of the Weeds
Matthew 13:36-43 the Parable of the Weeds explained
