Word for Life in Love— Scripture Meditations By Stephen Brown
1 Corinthians 2:16 (ESV)
“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
We have the mind of Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. He leads us into all understanding and truth.
Jesus died to cleanse us from sin, to justify us before God the Father. We are transferred into the kingdom of heaven when we believe and trust in His name.
The Holy Spirit then leads us in the way of Jesus as we begin to journey toward perfection in Christ who is the image of God. The Spirit leads and we follow in obedience.
We participate in the death of Christ through the waters of our baptism. We raised into the life of God by our baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Son of God entered the flesh of man by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit brings us into the life of our Father. We become sons of God.
Reconciliation involves no change in us. There is nothing we do to cleanse us from our sins. Only Jesus can do that. Being saved by His life is evidenced by a changed and changing life. We participate in this work by walking in His way.
The resurrection of Christ allows us to enter His resurrected life and claim it for our own. Our resurrection begins with an ongoing walk with Him in which we grow progressively closer to being made in His image.
Being reconciled to God can lead us to His life. Salvation comes when we walk with Him, as we follow the leading of His Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:10 (NIV)
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Romans 5:10 seems to imply there there is a difference between reconciliation and salvation. I think it is possible to be forgiven without entering the life of Jesus. To be forgiven is the point of Old Testament worship until it is needed the next time. To be in Jesus and to walk with Him is to experience life and God on a higher and resurrected level, in the abundant life.
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The fact that Jesus died for us has little significance to one until they encounter Jesus in a personal and heart experience of His love and grace. The word of God is foolishness to anyone who does not have the Holy Spirit. They both are meaningless to the one who is apart from God.
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV)
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
We are empty vessels without being filled with the Spirit of God. Man was predestined to receive God and walk in the way that leads to life, to be with Him. He gave His life as a man in order give His life as Lord to us for that reason.
When we give our life to Him as He gave His for us, we become filled with His life and begin the walk that leads to His perfection. He waiting.
1 Corinthians 15:51-55 (ESV)
51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
We who follow Christ have changed. We are no longer of this world, yet we remain in the world. We are reborn in Spirit, raised into His life and transferred spiritually into the the kingdom of heaven.
Our earthly flesh will die, but will not remain in the grave. Our bodies will be reborn and raised into the life of our new spirits to complete our transformation into the image of God which is Christ Jesus. We will see Him and be like Him. We will become the new creation.
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
What is the work of the Lord? One answer might be in pursuing the fruit of the Spirit. Another answer may be realized by our love for our brothers and sisters. We are saved by faith which is a work of love that works through love.
Galatians 5:6 (ESV)
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We humans are not only in a state of being, we are in a state of becoming; Tozer, “MAN: THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOG
We are transforming as a new creature into a new creation. We transform by seeking to know the Lord. The Spirit leads into that truth and reality. It is a journey we take when we walk with Him. Take up your cross and follow where He leads.
Matthew 22:8-10 (ESV)
8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
All have been invited, good and bad, for we are all sinners. The gospel is for everyone. There will be many guests attending the wedding of the Bride of Christ, in fact, a multitude without number will stand before His throne.
They will be wearing the white garments of the righteousness of Christ and join Him in eternal life.
Matthew 22:11-14 (ESV)
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
A person weaves his own wedding garment.
Romans 13:14 (ESV)
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
If we are to put on Christ, what do we do? Eat of the fruit of the Spirit to grow into Christ who is the perfect image of God. He is the light who became flesh and raised it as the image of God.
Philippians 2:12 (ESV)
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
We humans are not only in a state of being, we are in a state of becoming; Tozer, “MAN: THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOD
We do this by walking with Jesus, by obedience to His word. In this we will become who are.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil became the Law which brings death to all mankind. When we know the difference between right and wrong, we are accountable to God for our choices in what we do and how we live.
To eat of the tree of life, we must return to the Garden of Eden which is the presence of the Lord. Each of us becomes the Adam in the Garden of our hearts when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. He leads us to the tree of life while we are in the presence of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is manifest in these bodies of flesh. Temptations and trials will come, but our obedience to His word and repentance when we do will bring us to the tree of life and into the image of God.
A garden of Eden is manifest in each person who receives the breath of life from God. This is the Holy Spirit whose presence brings us into the garden of decision. That person now has the choice between the tree of life or the forbidden fruit of disobedience. We become the Adam in our own garden of enlightenment and decision. Every decision we make will point us to one tree or the other. Everyone who has not been made alive by the Spirit of God will be unable to approach the tree of life.
For those who have received the breath of life from God, the Garden of Eden is within us as we walk in the wilderness of the world. The forbidden fruit tempts us, even as we draw closer to the tree of life. Like Adam, we are given the freedom of choice in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV)
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Jesus is preparing a room for us in His Father’s house. It is taking place in the kingdom of heaven within us. We are growing into the living stones of His house as we follow Jesus into the new and living temple of God.
Jesus is the high priest of our salvation and for all of mankind. We join Him as a holy priesthood that is able to worship Him in Spirit. We will be with Jesus as part of the light of the world.
Joel 3:17 (ESV)
The Glorious Future of Judah
“So you shall know that I am the LORD your God,
who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy,
and strangers shall never again pass through it.
Jerusalem will become holy again, for the presence of the Lord will return to stay. Israel will be restored and will minister to the nations forever more. The New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, will descend from heaven with the Lord into the restored Jerusalem which is Zion, the dwelling place of the Lord and His holy mountain. This will be His throne among His people and the nations.
God chose Adam to tend the Garden of Eden to work the ground and multiply his life to fill the earth. He was removed from the garden due his disobedience.
God chose the Israel to possess the promised land, to work the ground and bring the word of life into all the world. They were removed from the promised land due their disobedience.
Adam prefigures the fall of Israel.
To persevere to the end is experienced in two ways. One is the crucifixion of our flesh which happens as we grow and mature in the Spirit and stature of Christ. The end is when we finally are lifted on our own cross in laying down our lives for His. We are joined with Him there.
The other is enduring in our walk through the wilderness with Him to the other side where He is waiting for us.
Joel 1:14 (ESV)
Consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly.
Gather the elders
and all the inhabitants of the land
to the house of the LORD your God,
and cry out to the LORD.
For Israel, the house of the Lord is the temple.
For those in Christ, His disciples become the house of the Lord with many rooms made of those whom Christ has gathered for Himself.
1 Corinthians 13:8 (ESV)
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
Love is the treasure of life. In the end it is the only thing that matters. Love came into the world for us and love will raise us into the kingdom of heaven to be with the Lord. It is love that molds us into His image.
The treasure we store in heaven is our love for God and each other here on earth.
Galatians 2:19 (ESV)
For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
The way to the life of God is the death of man. The Son of man died for all mankind. Each person must accept that gift by dying to Him. It is in this crucible that we become one.
Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
If Christ lives in us, we no longer identify with our old body, but with the body of Christ. By faith we breathe the breath of God who is the Holy Spirit. This is the new life of those born from above.
2 Corinthians 5:15 (ESV)
and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
There is life and there is abundant life. Life lived for self will be short, at best it will grow, flower, then wither in the unrelenting reality of time and decay. This is the natural fate of man.
The abundant life is found in Jesus Christ. It will neither fade or decay because it has risen beyond the boundaries of nature and into the eternal life of Christ who has no boundaries. This is the supernatural destiny of man.
Luke 18:34 (ESV)
But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to comprehend the word of God. When the disciples received His Spirit they were changed. They began to understand and proclaim the word, the good news for all men that the kingdom of heaven had drawn near.
Seek and you will find.
Luke 18:40-42 (ESV)
40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”
The Lord will respond and grant our requests for His life, but we have to ask. Our faith must be an intentional and our requests specific in nature. Faith is not a vague concept or idea for the disciple of Christ. It is our faith that allows us to answer Jesus when He asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” In this way, we are coworkers in the working out of our own salvation.
Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV)
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
When we seek God with all our heart, that’s where we will find Him, for it is in the heart the Holy Spirit will descend and abide. Nothing will happen until you seek and follow Him. He will continue to work in you, unless you stop along the way.
Hosea 6:6 (ESV)
6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
The worshippers sought by the Lord are those who worship in Spirit. Merely showing up or going through the motions does little in pleasing the Lord. This is worshiping in the flesh.
The Lord is Spirit. Those in the body of Christ have been given the Spirit and are one with the Lord. Worship has become personal and intimate, even as we worship together. Where two or more are gathered, He is there. We are one.
