THE OUTWARD MANIFESTATION AND THE INWARD PRINCIPLE OF GOD’S WORK

In this universe and in every age God works according to His intention. God’s work seems to be different outwardly in every age; actually, it is absolutely the same in principle inwardly. The Old Testament age and the New Testament age are absolutely different, and God’s work in the two ages is different. However, intrinsically God is the same God in both ages. This may be likened to the fact that the clothes I wore yesterday and the clothes I am wearing today are different, yet I, who wear the clothes, am the same. In every age God is the same God, and the work He does in every age is for the same goal, although the way His works are manifested outwardly is different. Hence, as those who pursue God walk on His way, they should not pay too much attention to the outward manifestation of His work; rather, they should focus on knowing God’s way and God Himself inwardly. It is difficult to say what God’s way of working in every age is, and it is even more difficult to say what the outward manifestation of His work in man and through man is. These matters are entirely controlled by God’s hand and cannot be determined by man.

For example, in the four hundred years that have passed since the Reformation carried out by Martin Luther, God has passed through many people. Surprisingly, however, those whom God has passed through and worked on have had different outward manifestations. There was one kind of manifestation with George Müller, another kind with D. L. Moody, and yet another kind with Charles Spurgeon. Not only have the outward manifestations of God’s work in every person been different, but the outward manifestations of His work in every age also have been different. Therefore, we should not insist that we must do a certain thing in order to touch God’s desire.

The unique work that God has been doing throughout the ages is to work Himself into man. God desires to make man a God-man, one who is God yet man. A God-man is one who has God within him, one who has the element of God. This may be likened to a cup of water becoming a cup of tea-water after the addition of the element of tea. We were originally only human, but today God has been added into us. God has not only been added into us, but He is also mingled with us. This mingling reaches the point where we become God-men, but we do not share the Godhead.

God’s work throughout the ages has been only to work Himself into man. This is the work He did in Job, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Old Testament prophets. Throughout the ages God did not do another work in these persons. If we read the book of Daniel without seeing Daniel’s character, it will be difficult for us to understand the content of the book. If we do not know the characters of Isaiah and Jeremiah, it will be difficult to understand the contents of the books they wrote. Every book written by the prophets in the Old Testament can be compared to a famous person’s biography. If we cannot see the prophet’s character, we will not be able to sense the flavor of God produced by the work that God did in that prophet or understand the portion of the Scriptures that he wrote. This is the secret. Therefore, not only the New Testament reveals that we are in Christ, but even the Old Testament reveals the same principle. The one thing that God has been doing throughout the ages is to work Himself into man. This is God’s goal.

REally ar?

Hows everyone?

I see got a bit of commotion.

I believe there's no record for born again believers.

It's in the scripture.

If we are saved based on our how fast we confessed,

one, there's no assurance to begin with because there could be sins done in ignorance years ago and you wouldn't know it.
two, it can turn into salvation based on human effort aka our effort in confession rather on Christ finished work.

Salvation is never based on human effort but on what Christ has done for us.



This post has been edited by unknown warrior: Nov 30 2012, 05:44 PM

nice.

not bad for a young guy like you.

not many of your peers are into a life of God dependant.

yup! full support here.. reading/replying/viewing this thread will added im my daily schedule.. gogogo! unknown warrior go open new thread and put link in last post here. let's go!

This post has been edited by skydrake: Nov 30 2012, 08:39 PM

Wah H4E will need to close this tered leh.

the guy off-line since Aug 2012

Well I need to PM Mod to close this thread.

If no one else object, I will open V6.

Things are way too uptight in this thread.

Here, laugh a lil':

Boss where is the scripture?

TQ

Good day all brotherhood.. A sunny Sunday yet cooling in my area.

Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Olga when you say, try to keep a short record of sins, try to confessed immediately to be clean,

you're basically saying born again believers are still sinners we are never really clean unless it depends on our act to be clean.

Our Salvation is based on Jesus Work at the cross. Since when it depends on our work?

Yes this day I rest for many many hours.

Sabbath day is a day of rest.

When you honour Sabbath day, refrain from heavy stuff even serious discussion like Family problems, GF.BF problems, etc.

Keep the day mindful of God.

lol, remind me of Mind your language sitcom of the 80's.

Ah thank you brother, that's what I've been trying to tell Alvin.

Hi Jedi, I would like to encourage you to have 100% dependency on God.

I've never pray to any of the Saints but by God's grace He answered all of my prayers.

Everyday I am seeing God's grace and his miracles of deliverance.

Some are slow but surely some are immediate, some are over night, some are days but

the fact remain all request and petitions made known to God, He answers them.

And I hope your heart is open to this.

We are Also saints together with Peter, Paul, John, David, Moses, etc.

I respect the patriarch of God because they went through Life's ordeal and suffering for God beyond most ordinary people.

Their dedication to God is commendable and exemplary but you must remember this.

There are equally dedicated Martyrs of Christ in our generation and the past after The Apostles who give their lives the Middle East and dangerous countries who strongly oppose Christianity like Afghanistan.

They too have the status of saints.

And God is the respector of no one.

If by what I practised works, It will apply to you as well.








This post has been edited by unknown warrior: Dec 2 2012, 07:59 PM

Hi bro, yes I understand you


Really, to be honest, while I believe in it, I look only to their exemplary lives (sticky quotes on my study table). i.e: the quotes they said when they were alive, the deeds they done. Because they have done it, they finished their journey on earth and are steadfast to the Lord and already enjoy beatification of God. This, I look as exemplary, to remind myself that I too, one day will join them, and with our Father in heaven.



I have one question on this one: I believe Baptism washes away all sins, as we enter a new life, a life with God.

and now brother here is implying, - which is also true, but only for those who follow Christ and His teachings, those who water their seeds of faith is it not?

However we are still humans, we sin time to time, knowingly or not. And really, we are not perfect.

Bear with me,

my understandings have roots in the Catechism of Catholic Church, and I did not find it contrasting, rather, reasonable.

Salvation is a lifelong journey, not a one time acceptance of "Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior"

Jesus says in Mark 13:13 that If we endure to the end, we WILL be saved (future tense, not past).

Mat 10:22, 24:13 My understanding is 'If salvation occurred at a specific point in time when we accepted Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, there would be no need to endure to the end. We would already be saved.'

Matt. 7:21 - not all those who say "Lord, Lord" on the last day will be saved.

Paul says we WILL be saved (future tense, not past) by fire on the day of our judgment in 1 Corinthians 3:15

Mat. 25:31-46 - Jesus' teaching on the separation of the sheep from the goats is based on the works that were done during their lives, not just on their acceptance of Christ as Savior (which I now believe is obedience to God, and works that are resultant from faith - thank you bro for making me understand this one)

Rom. 10:1 - Paul prays that the Jews "may be saved." Why pray if it's guaranteed?

Rev 3:5 - He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:11 - I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

and more often than not, St Paul writes his letters using the word 'hope'
that is why we must have all 3, faith-hope-love

today for example, for our scripture reading (we prepare for Advent now)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120212.cfm <---check the 2nd Reading and Gospel Reading, I was just telling my friends Christmas is not all about jingly-jingly jing, party and ho-ho-ho like the contemporaries do.

Even when we race until the end, Rev 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Like a rusted metal, when we race till the end (salvation is guaranteed), but we still have to be polished before we become the gold, fit enough to enter Kingdom of God. It sounds logical no?
We will always have some personal desires in us, during our lives on earth, inclination to sin, harbour impure thoughts, in deeds.

Alright, I am interested in listening to your words of wisdom regarding these.

my everyday was mindful with god, with 100% dependency on god.. problems no longer grow big. I'm really happy that's I'm able to share my joy with ppl amongs me everyday.

Bro, It's never my wisdom because all wisdom and truth comes from God's Holy Spirit and whenever I say something, I always encourage people to search it and read it in the Bible. What you may find reasonable may not be the truth in the Bible. This is the danger of human reasoning versus scriptural truth IMO.

Well, if only I can convince you can look away from praying to anyone except God, you will be the one who benefit the most. I believe it saddens God when anyone lacks the Faith to reach out to him in prayer. And it pleases God (I believe extremely) when one has Faith in Him alone and I believe miracles will happen when that happens.

Baptism of water is an "outward" public confession for the testimony and benefit of other people to show that you have put away your old life and is now baptised unto Life in Christ.

I don't believe it can save neither can it wash away your sins. Only the blood of Jesus is able to wash away your sins and your Faith in Him as your saviour is your ticket to Heaven. If Baptism of water is crucial to our Salvation, consider the dying thief who gain entry to paradise without any baptism by water or laying of hands nor any works done for his life.

He was hung at the cross beside Jesus without the chance to take a lifetime journey of salvation to be refine as gold as you claim it. (I'm sure he would like to if given the chance but you know he's kind "stuck") Do you know why He was granted Salvation? It wasn't because He was special or God gave him an exception. No. He recognised Jesus as the messiah and had Faith in Him and He repented (Luke 23:40-41). And the best part is Jesus hasn't risen yet on the 3rd day.

So Faith is always the answer to our Salvation.

All the scripture verse you quoted are based on the endurance of Faith, not of works.

Refiner's fire to refine our Faith in God. The Bible says in

Hebrews 10:38 (NIV)
But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

When you understand these 2 foundational verses, you can read in context of Faith to other scripture verses.

The same can be said to those who quote this as counter argument,

Matthew 7:21 (NIV)
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

I've asked God about this before sometime ago and here is the revelation.

The will of the Father is found in Hebrews 10:38 & 11:6 in this context.

Do you know why God says I never knew you?

Of course the context is talking about false prophets but the underlying problem is this.

These are the people who think it's is their good work and obedience to the law (doing the work of God) that gain them entry to Heaven. That is why they say, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?

If you see carefully, these works are great works of the kingdom of God. To prophecy, to cast out demons and to perform miracles.

It is a generally accepted idea that only high ranking priest, bishop or pastors is able to do this, though it's not true. Jesus was referring that scripture verse against the pharisee but the underlying problem still applies to everyone else who thinks the same.

They recognised and depended on their self-works as more assuring than the grace of God that grants them entry. They have no faith that God is that good and Salvation is a free gift indeed. They lack the faith that it is Jesus's atonement alone that qualify them. It speaks of self righteousness. They are trying to gain entry via the Old Covenant Law. So I believe in this verse, anyone who does not acknowledge Jesus finished work, Jesus will not acknowledge that person, hence I never knew you.

And as Far as I understand God, God hates self righteousness. That is why God gave the 10 commandments for us to understand that.

I have much to say but I will close with this.

You are already clean. Your sins are already removed as far is the east to the west. All this is possible is because of Jesus.

When you quote this



You're like olga in essence saying, born again believers are still sinners. (rusted metal) aka We are still dirty and need to be cleaned before fit to enter.



It means you do not believe Jesus has remove all your past current and future sins.

Dear dear Friend,

When Jesus removed our sins, we are all fit to enter Heaven. There is no such thing as we are just " seemingly" clean but need to be worked out so that we fit. That is the problem with human reasoning. We are trying to add something that is not there in the Bible. We just have to believe it, not reason with it.


I will close with this verse for you to understand.

Colossians 1: 21-23 (NIV)
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because off your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

See that word? If you continue in your faith. It didn't say if you continue in your works, obedience, <insert whatever>.

You ARE already holy, without blemish and free from accusation, therefore you QUALIFY to enter heaven because of Jesus!

And the question to ask is, who does all this work? We? we need to carry the burden of salvation?

No.

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:8 (NIV)
He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now question, who is that "He"?

You? We?

Do you see the answer now? So rest easy and start resting and have Faith that it is God alone who save you. Not anything of yourself.

Don't panic that we have not done enough or need to do more to qualify.

If you live under the grace of God, sin will not have dominion over you, but under the law of God, it will.
Your life will be transformed when you understand grace.

Hope this helps you.

This post has been edited by unknown warrior: Dec 3 2012, 02:48 AM

Praise God, happy for you mang.

and I do believe I am saved so do we all