Continued on and taken from the August 31, 2014 post
If it is not our works that save us but rather our faith, what are we to have faith in that saves us, and from what are we saved?
Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
The regeneration (rebirth) and the renewing (complete change for the better) of the Holy Ghost saves us.
What does the regeneration and the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirt save us from? How do we obtain the regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, and how do we know that it saves us [which give us faith in it]? How are we to know that this renewing by the Holy Ghost is what will save us?
Before we answer those questions, let’s look at a few more scriptures to help us understand.
2 Timothy 1:9 “Who hath saved us, and calledus with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
Again it is not our works that save us [from whatever it is we are to be saved]. God saves us [by use of regeneration and the Holy Spirit] according to his own purpose [not our purpose], which has already been determined and given to us. He calls us to that purpose. It is God who saves us by changing us by use of the Holy Spirit, and that is what we must believe.
Therefore part or our faith is that we are to believe that God has a purpose for us in Christ and will CHANGE us, which the Holy Ghost plays a part in. See more below.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Through faith [in God’s purpose for us] we gain the grace which saves us. Somehow we must believe that God has a purpose for us [rather than our own beliefs and ambitions] and that faith is a start in allowing the Holy Spirit to do its work.
But again, what does the renewal from the Holy Spirit save us from?
Romans 4:24-25, 5:1 “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
We are to BELIEVE on HIM that raised up Jesus.
It also says that Jesus our Lord was raised for our justification (to make us righteous). Now let’s look at Romans 8 to see if there is a spiritual meaning to the “raising” of Jesus and how the spiritual meaning affects us.
Romans 6:9-18 “For to be carnally mindedis death; but to be spiritually mindedis life and peace. Because the carnal mindis enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christbe in you, the bodyis dead because of sin; but the Spiritis life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 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 withhim, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present timeare not worthyto be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
It says that if Christ be in your body [being a seed not yet raised by the Spirit], your “body” is dead because of sin. Now this should be interpreted metaphorically because our body is not physically dead simply because it has Christ in it. It means that our life is meaningless (dead) without the Spirit. We realize our inabilities without the Spirit because of the failing factor of the Law of Works (sin). Look at verse 8, it begins by saying “you are not in the flesh”, meaning if you are spiritually minded (Christ risen in you), you are not then carnally minded. And if Christ is risen from the dead in you [in your once dead body], this rising of Christ in us gives us the ability to be “in the Spirit” (be spiritually minded). That same Spirit that initially raised up Christ [in us] will stay with us and also quicken (make alive) our mortal (liable to death) body. That Spirit (spiritual mindset) that initially awakened us, if it continues to dwell with us, will cause us to be in the Spirit, and be led by the Spirit, and be spiritually mind rather than carnally minded. If that Spirit of God, which raises Christ, is not already in you, then you may try and interpret this scripture carnally, which means you are still in the flesh (carnally minded), metaphorically.
The Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) can dwell in us, and if we are led by that Spirit, it will mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body. And when we understand this and witness this, we BELIEVE in the ability of the Spirit of God. And with Christ in us, him who raises Christ in us will also bring us to life (quicken) as joint-heirs (joint participants) of Christ the child of God. When Christ is raised in us we suffer and are glorified together as Christ. And it will eventually be revealed in us. The rising of Christ in us is a change in mindset from carnal to spiritual. And once we have that spiritual mind the Spirit can change us (i.e. to change your ways first change your thought and understandings.). It is a “spirit” of the mind.
The Holy Spirit can bring us to true life (quicken us), the washing of regeneration, the renewal of the Holy Ghost. This regeneration changes us from living through the flesh to living in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit. Therefore the regeneration of the Spirit saves us from living in the flesh, being debtors to the flesh, being carnally minded. It saves us from being led by the physical to being led by the Spirit. It changes our mind from being carnally minded to being spiritually minded. It is a complete change of the mind.
In order to know it truly saves us, we must know when and how we are changed! This change cannot be something we are unaware of if it has the power to save (change) us.
How do we know that we are in the Spirit and not carnally minded, and how do we know if the Spirit of God dwells in us?
We will answer that question later.
1Corinthians 12:27 “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
More on Romans 8 above: If Christ be in us, we ARE the body of Christ and “our” body is dead. Which means as a member of the body of Christ you live as Christ alive and risen and not yourself (Christ dead, your “dead” body because of sin).
Metaphorically speaking, when we are the body of Christ as Christ lives in us, we will be brought to “life” rather than “die” as we do when we live in the flesh (“dead” body). And we will live through the Spirit rather than our old self (carnal flesh).
From Romans 8 above, it appears that we are to believe that Christ is in us and God will bring him to life in us through his Spirit, and then allow that Spirit to dwell in us. It appears we are saved from a carnal mind (living after the flesh, or living through the ego mind or our old man) which brings death, when we believe that the Spirit of God brings us to true life, through the Christ [mind] who lives in us.
So again how do we know this change from death (flesh) does indeed save us? Because what is the problem with living in the flesh rather than the spirit, and why do we need to be saved from it if the death is simply metaphorical?
Before we answer those questions, let’s looks at more scriptures to help us understand a little more.
Romans 6:5-8 “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be alsoin the likeness ofhis resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified withhim, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:”
It is a salvation from sin (guilt) and serving the law to living free through the guidance of the Spirit. There is a help when the body of sin is destroyed. There is good in being freed from serving sin. When our carnal understanding dies, our understanding of sin and how we are freed from it changes.
The word “likeness” used here means representation. So we are to use the death of Christ as a REPRESENTATION and EXAMPLE of what WE are to DO to destroy the body of sin which in turn gives us salvation from our carnal fleshly lives. And the word “dead” here does not mean physical death. See previous posts on the death of the carnal mind. If we are dead with [the body of] Christ, than he can therefore also live (be “saved”). His death story is simply a REPRESENTATION of what we must do. We are to use the story of his death as a carnal example to be understood spiritually.
2Corinthians 5:16 “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know wehim no more.”
We initially understand the story of Jesus in the flesh as a carnal story, but then we know him no longer -after the flesh. The story is a representation of a means to our salvation. Jesus Christ is really someone who lives in us, and the stories are to represent that life and process that can live in us. It says here in 2 Corinthians 5 that we are to NO LONGER know him after the flesh [carnal stories, but rather spiritually].
2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
Galatians 4:19 “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,”
Christ is something or someone who is to be formed in us, which is the “body” of Christ. We travail in birth to form him! See previous post on April 15, 2014 on the woman or female counterpart in all of us. And what are these “birth” pains we go through?
Romans 7:4 “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
Concerning the male and female counterparts, our old man dies (our husband ha), so that we may be married to our new husband, Christ, he who lives in us after he is raised from the dead [in us].
Ephesians 5:14 “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”
The Christ in us arises from the dead and give us light (a renewed mind).
1Corinthians 3:1-2 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”
But these spiritual interpretation from the carnal stories can be hard to take and hard to understand. Are you able to understand the meat, or is it still too hard to take? The meat is the spiritual aspect of the word. See previous posts on July 19, 2014.
2Titus 1:14 “That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by theHoly Ghost which dwelleth in us.”
How do we gain access to this Spirit, the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost: see also Titus 3:5 quoted above at the beginning of this post), that lives in us?
John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”
Here is says that “Jesus” has to go away, and if he does not “go away” the Comforter or the Spirit will not come unto you. When interpreted spiritually rather than carnally, it means the carnal Jesus has to go way for the spiritual (Spirit, Comforter) Jesus to come. There is a carnal Jesus and a spiritual Jesus, and there is a difference between them that we must understand. But to do so, we must be spiritually minded. And when the carnal Jesus goes away we understand him rather in the spirit, and hence become spiritually mined.
2Corinthians 5:16-17 “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know wehim no more. Therefore if any manbe in Christ,he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Again, we are to no longer know or understand him (Christ) after the flesh (carnal understanding). When we are in “Christ” old understandings are passed away and our mind becomes enlightened by the spiritual understanding and our understanding becomes NEW, which brings Christ to life spiritually.
And what does this new understanding in Christ bring, or rather how do the carnal stories, now turned spiritual help us know what we are to do as these stories REPRESENT metaphorically an example of what we must do?
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove whatis that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Luke 9:23-24 “And he said tothem all, If anyman will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”
1Corinthians 15:31 “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”
2Corinthians 12:9-10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's.”
These distresses are some of the “birth pains” of beginning to allow the Holy Spirit, if we recognize that and allow our “self” to die, surrender to God, and birth the Christ.
See also Romans 6:5-8 above. Our old man (self) is to die. That is our self or egotistical mind (i.e. self-righteousness, self-will, self-pride, self-glory, holier-than-thou beliefs, I already understand it all way of thinking).
We need to be constantly cognitive of our thoughts and whether they are bred from our pride.
Ephesians 4:22 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”
And what are deceitful lusts that our old man has? They are appetites and pleasures of the mind that in actuality are fake “pleasures” us in this world (i.e. gossip, pride, competition, revenge, contention, all things opposed to compassion), which are really fleshly pass times that need to be examined for what they are, things that should to be put away. Because in putting them away we allow the Spirit to guide us to a new life. Hence the metaphorical representation of the “death” of Christ (our “death”, living sacrifice of our self) to the new resurrection or renewal of our mind.
However, there is a counter intuitiveness to presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice. There is a counter intuitiveness to losing our life to gain it. There is a counter intuitiveness to denying yourself to taking up your cross in saving yourself. There is a counter intuitiveness to dying daily. How are we made perfect in our own weakness, and how do we rejoice in infirmities? It is all pretty counter intuitive. When our ego is weak, then Christ can “overcome” our self and live instead (in our place through us). We surrender our life knowing we will get life again anew. Which is really our only true righteous self that can be. So in losing our false pride filled life we gain our true humble self. The person God is then able to live through, which is the salvation from our old man.
What is this POWER of Christ that rests upon us when we glory (take joy) in our “problem” rather complain about them. Knowing that our “problems” actually are good such that they teach us how to allow God to do it (live through us), in our weakness God can shine, and through those weaknesses we learn how it works. The counter intuitiveness of it all is explained. Where problems are infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses.
Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need ofpatience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
James 1:3-4 ”But let patience haveher perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Knowingthis, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
James 5:11 “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”
Romans 8:24-26 “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not,then do we with patience wait forit. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
We are saved from ourselves by hoping in something better through the Spirit, and we really do not yet understand what that salvation may be or bring until it happens. And to think we already know what we need is arrogance. We are to hope in the unknowable God. We are to hope for something we cannot yet understand. When we realize God has a purpose for us that we may not know, we with patience wait for God’s will and guidance to be revealed, daily.
2Peter 1 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things thatpertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they makeyou that ye shall neitherbe barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Where is the kingdom? And what does it mean to “see afar off”?
Luke 17:21 “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Like Christ who is in us, the Kingdom of God is also in us. And to see afar off, means to look past your own self and your abilities and passions and desires, and to see something beyond yourself and possibly DEEP within yourself.
Romans 4:19 “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:”
The example is that Abraham did not even consider his former old self that was dead and unable to perform via the self-ability and self-glory and pride it lived through before. Look beyond yourself and your abilities and do not even consider them.
Do not fret, because it is when your self is weak, God is able to be strong. Use each “problem” in your life as a means to God’s strength, and as a way for Christ to shine rather than you. Use each issue as an opportunity to allow Christ to live.
When you are shining by your own self effort you are living through the flesh.
1Corinthians 15:42-51 “So alsois the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adamwas made quickening spirit. Howbeit thatwas not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first manis of the earth, earthy: the second manis the lord from heaven. Asis the earthy, suchare they also that are earthy: and as is he heavenly, suchare they also that are heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,”
Adam is a representation of how we are sown with a natural body (born into this world), with the potential to be raised and awakened. We are made to first be natural, with the seed (potential) who is Christ [first man Adam (old man)]. Our fleshly carnal mind cannot obtain that Kingdom of God that is within us. But we have to change our understanding by the renewing of our mind and changing of our minds idea of what Christ is and what salvation is. And Christ [Last Adam] can be raised a quickening spirit. But indeed the meat of the word is a mystery and counter intuitive.
Adam represents us as the body of Christ and how we go from life to death to life a new. The first Adam is a representation of the beginning of the knowledge of sin (the law) which includes our self righteous efforts to do good through the knowledge of good and evil, which is death and suffering. Which is the death of Adam in the Garden as he ate of the tree of knowledge. The first Adam becomes the last Adam when the self righteous efforts end and, the earthly understanding changes. The last Adam (our second man) is brought back from death (raised) and raised in glory. "Christ in you the hope of glory".
1 Corinthinas 8:22 “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.”
We have to be open to change from our former understanding [of things in this world]. We have to be willing to allow our seed (carnal ideas) within us to sprout (spiritual ideas). We have to say “I don’t know” Then the Spirit can begin quicken (arouse by the spirit) our mortal bodies and minds and give us new understanding (Romans 12:2).
So, did we answer our initial question of “If it is not our works that save us but rather our faith, what are we to have faith in that saves us, and from what are we saved?”?
It appears that we are to have faith and believe that Christ is in us, and if we surrender our self-will each day (die daily and take up our cross) to Christ, we may have a chance to truly live through the Spirit. And we can be “saved” from our fleshly carnal mind who is against God, when we renew our mind and put away carnal ideals and ideas, which are typically traditional ways of thought and understanding.
Galatians 5:22-26 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”
It is a daily effort, and faith without works (this daily effort to crucify our carnal view of the world), is dead. Because if we truly believe that Christ is in us, we will do everything God tells us to ensure he lives [in us].
Now to directly answer question that were presented throughout the post:
1. But what does the regeneration and the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirt save us from? The Spirit saves us from our carnal mind to renew our mind so that it can understand non-carnal concepts. When our mind is regenerated through the Spirit it is saves us from the idea of sin and the failure that come with serving the law. Also, when we are guided by the Spirit there is a life that is gained that is not possibly living through the carnal mind.
2. How do we know that we are in the Spirit and not carnally minded, and how do we know if the Spirit of God dwells in us? We know we are in the Spirit when we no longer know and understand Jesus through the flesh and we go on to understand the word and the world spiritually.
3. How do we know this change from death (flesh) does indeed save us? Because what is the problem with living in the flesh rather than the spirit, and why do we need to be saved from it if the death is simply metaphorical? Living in the flesh is stressful because we are not using our issues as guidance, but they are rather destroying us and causing us harm. Living in the spirit is counter intuitive, but doing so saves our mind from fretting in the problems of the flesh. When we are spiritually minded we understand God has it all under control and our problems are no longer something to be dreaded.
4. How do we gain access to this Spirit, the Holy Spirit, that lives in us? See John 16:7. It is essential that our old understanding [of Jesus] go away. For after he “goes away” the Spirit can come, and the spiritual understanding can come. For in order to change with the Spirit, our minds have to change. And that means our mind has to change in the way we understand God. This is the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2), a regeneration by the Spirit. It is a change in our spirit from a carnal mind to a spiritual mind. The change in thinking changes our “spirit” it changes our outlook, it changes our entire demeanor and understanding. And if we do not have that we are still carnally minded. We obtain the regeneration of the Spirit when we are ready to be weaned from the “milk” of the word (Hebrews 5:13 and Isaiah 28:9). When we come to understand the spiritual meat of the word, it comes with a change of mind and understanding that both also give us undoubtable faith.
5. So again how do we know this change from death (flesh) does indeed save us? Because what is the problem with living in the flesh rather than the spirit, and why do we need to be saved from it if the death is simply metaphorical? It is a matter of what we want out of life and what fruit we want to bear. Galatians 5:16 “I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” 1 Corinthians 3:3 “For ye are yet carnal: for whereasthere is among youenvying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” Galatians 5:25-26 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” When we are led by the Spirit our lives are different. It is a matter of how we want our thoughts to be.