Our Nature = our only "Law".
Romans 2:14+15
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law,
do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves,
even though they do not have the law,
since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts,
their consciences also bearing witness,
and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.
When we were born again God gave us a new nature in Christ.
It is this new nature that defines who we are in Him.
It is the manifestation of this nature that produces a life that pleases Him.
As we "do by nature" the things "God has forordained" for us (Eph 2:10),
we grow up "in all things into Him who is our head" (Eph 4:15).
1st Corinthians 2:6-16 The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, The spiritual man makes judgments about all things,
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,
but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden
and that God destined for our glory before time began.
None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him" --
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him?
We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God,
that we may understand what God has freely given us.
but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?"
But we have the mind of Christ.
We have been given the Holy Spirit, who searches out the depths of God's heart.
And lovingly reveals to us as we grow just what God has planned for us all.
So that we may understand exactly what God gave us freely in Christ.
Paul explicitly defines this as us becoming spiritual (spirit led, spirit ruled, nature ruled),
and as such making judgements about all things, ie we decide how we will act.
We will not be tossed back and forth by the doctrines of men, nor be constrained by rules.
As spiritual mature Christians we will be a law unto our own selves.
Walking as we are led by the Spirit of God, walking in the mind of Christ.
If we rely upon rules, upon "law" to attempt to achieve maturity we will be stunted in our growth.
If however we mature naturally as God's children, dearly loved, allowed because of Grace to make all
the mistakes we need to until we naturally discover who we are in Him.
Until our nature manifests itself and overcomes our old nature's programming
of attitudes, thoughts, habits, beliefs, and doctrines. Then we will grow naturally into Christ.
We will truly "grow up in all things into Him who is our Head, even Christ Jesus." (Eph 4:15).
We will grow up into Christ because we have been given the Mind of Christ.
And because we have been given the Holy Spirit who searches out the depths of God's heart,
to reveal to each of us just exactly what the Father had planned, and accomplished in Jesus.
Ephesians 1:18+20a
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened
in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you,
the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead..
These truths are our heritage. Our inheritance in Christ Jesus, and our destiny.
They are empowered by a power that is like the effort the Father used to raise Jesus from the dead.
Paul calls the revelation of this reality by various terms in his epistles:
"Mystery", "Secret Wisdom", "Gospel","Glory".
All of which speak specifically about God's destiny for us.
We are not mearly saved spiritually when we are born again.
God has always had something far more wonderful in store for us.
Something that lay deep within His heart, a glory that burned within Him,
longing to be revealed, building with excitement and love and joy,
as the Lord of the ages waited to send Jesus to us,
and as Jesus walked and healed and loved, it bubbled within the Father,
in anticipation of the day when He would shout life into Jesus and raise up.
And when God released this pent up glory, this exquisite word of grace,
it was a poem that defined who we are in Christ Jesus, that established our destiny.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship(Greek: Poema - A spoken work of art),
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We are called to grow up in all things into Jesus Christ.
We will be by our very nature the fullness of Him (Eph 1:23).
We will not be "God" but we will be what Jesus was in his earthly ministry.
Jesus said "I do nothing of myself" (John 5:30)
and "the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works" (John 14:10 KJV).
And we know that Jesus had the Holy Spirit without measure,(John 3:34)
in other words, the fullness of the Holy Spirit dwelt in Jesus.
Thats what God wants for us.. its our destiny...
This Site Is Copyright (C) 2006 by Dan Sharpe. Unless otherwise marked, all scriptures are taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.