It is possible to understand the mind of Christ. Why? Because this is the mind we were given when we came to YHWH by Jesus the Christ (Messiah). It is a mind that can grasp spiritual truths with understanding without a loss of balance.
‘’As the Scriptures say, “Who can know what is on the Lord’s mind? Who is able to give him advice?” But we have been given Christ’s way of thinking.’’ 1 Corinthians 2:16 Easy Read Version
The last blog, ‘Mere Christianity’, should not to hinder the progress of the Christian work or race. Jesus while on earth told his disciples: ‘“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.’’(John 16:12-14) Hence we know that Jesus is still teaching us today things which are essential to our faith and progress, and he is doing it by his Holy Spirit.
The key point of ‘Mere Christianity’ is that we build with the new without neglecting the basics.
As Jesus himself admonished a right balance in those under the former agreement (old covenant), ‘“Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You pay your tithes of mint, dill and cumin; but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah — justice, mercy, trust. These are the things you should have attended to — without neglecting the others!’’ Matthew 23:23 CJB
Amen!
There is progress in our knowledge of God; YHWH reveals Truth to humans bits at a time ( we certainly cannot take it all in at once!). The new, not negating the old, conforms and confirms it. Remaining permanently at that foundational level is not God’s intention.
A ‘return’ to the basics is an evaluation, a periodic revision, to ensure, as Proverbs 22:28 instructs, we ‘’Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors.’’ [While this instruction applied to the physical lands allocated to the children of Israel of old, it is also true of the spiritual boundary stone which for us is Jesus Christ and his words.] Remaining at the foundational level will only result in stunted growth and forsaking the instruction of our lord to ‘’ therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,’’ is just plain disobedience.
Apostle Paul re-laid the foundations because it had been obvious by the actions of the Hebrew believers that they had forgotten them: ‘’ In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. ‘’ Hebrews 5:12 - 14
Paul, however, did not stay there. He stabilised the foundations and moved on.
Apostle Paul said, ‘’Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.’’ Hebrews 6:1-3
We are building a temple not made with hands and it is important that the foundation stones are immovable but an edifice is not only a foundation but walls, pillars and roofing.
The work is twofold: strengthening the structure is discipleship and numerical growth is evangelism. Everyone is called to do the work of an evangelist, and everyone is called to be, and make, disciples of ALL the nations. This work requires dedication and collaboration and God permitting, we will do both without neglecting the basics. Amen
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