{"id":8015,"date":"2017-05-10T20:06:15","date_gmt":"2017-05-10T14:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligent-torvalds.74-208-171-134.plesk.page\/?p=8015"},"modified":"2026-05-09T13:49:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T18:49:15","slug":"sowing-to-the-flesh-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/?p=8015","title":{"rendered":"Sowing to the Flesh, Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

We religious folk of a Christian persuasion are fixated on life and death, heaven and hell.\u00a0 Jesus was fixated on fulfilling the Scriptures.\u00a0 How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?<\/em>[1]<\/sup><\/a> (\u03c0\u03bb\u03b7\u03c1\u03c9\u03b8\u1ff6\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd, a form of \u03c0\u03bb\u03b7\u03c1\u03cc\u03c9<\/a>) He asked rhetorically when Peter took up arms to defend<\/a> Him.\u00a0 Up to that moment Jesus\u2019 disciples were willing to follow Him, even to death<\/a>. \u00a0But upon his insistence to submit quietly<\/a> to death to fulfill the Scriptures they fled.<\/p>\n

<\/a>I do not know the man!<\/em>[2]<\/sup><\/a> Peter declared.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Jesus was not the Messiah his religion taught him to expect.\u00a0 Even after his\u00a0resurrection Jesus\u2019 disciples wanted Him to conform to their religious image: Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?<\/em>[3]<\/sup><\/a> they asked.\u00a0 Tracey R. Rich<\/a> expressed both a modern and an ancient understanding of this in two very succinct paragraphs.[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Jews do not believe that Jesus was the mashiach. Assuming that he existed, and assuming that the Christian scriptures are accurate in describing him (both matters that are debatable), he simply did not fulfill the mission of the mashiach as it is described in the biblical passages cited above [Isaiah 2:2-4<\/a>; 11:2-5<\/a>, 10<\/a>, 11-12<\/a>; 42:1<\/a>; Jeremiah 23:5<\/a>, 8<\/a>; 30:3<\/a>; 33:15<\/a>, 18<\/a>; Hosea 3:4-5<\/a>; Micah 4:2-3<\/a>; Zephaniah 3:13<\/a>; Zechariah 14:9<\/a>]. Jesus did not do any of the things that the scriptures said the messiah would do.<\/em><\/p>\n

On the contrary, another Jew born about a century later came far closer to fulfilling the messianic ideal than Jesus did. His name was Shimeon ben Kosiba, known as Bar Kokhba (son of a star), and he was a charismatic, brilliant, but brutal warlord. Rabbi Akiba, one of the greatest scholars in Jewish history, believed that Bar Kokhba was the mashiach. Bar Kokhba fought a war against the Roman Empire, catching the Tenth Legion by surprise and retaking Jerusalem. He resumed sacrifices at the site of the Temple and made plans to rebuild the Temple. He established a provisional government and began to issue coins in its name. This is what the Jewish people were looking for in a mashiach; Jesus clearly does not fit into this mold. Ultimately, however, the Roman Empire crushed his revolt and killed Bar Kokhba. After his death, all acknowledged that he was not the mashiach.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Rather than frustration with his disciples\u2019 failure to know Him Jesus exhibited supreme confidence in his own Holy Spirit (John 16:12-14<\/a>): You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority<\/em>, He said. \u00a0But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my<\/a> witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth<\/em>.[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Enter through the narrow gate<\/em>, Jesus said, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction<\/em> (\u1f00\u03c0\u1f7d\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd, a form of \u1f00\u03c0\u03ce\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1<\/a>), and there are many who enter through it.\u00a0 But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it<\/em>.[6]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 What happens if I approach this with Jesus\u2019 fixation rather than my own<\/a>?\u00a0 Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets<\/em>, He said.\u00a0 I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill <\/em>(\u03c0\u03bb\u03b7\u03c1\u1ff6\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9, another form of \u03c0\u03bb\u03b7\u03c1\u03cc\u03c9) them<\/em>.[7]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 What if \u1f00\u03c0\u1f7d\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd meant a destruction of corruption<\/a>\u2014being completely severed<\/a> from the righteousness Jesus has provided us here and now through his death and resurrection and the power of his Holy Spirit\u2014rather than an eternal sojourn in a lake of fire?<\/p>\n

Instead of an immutable prophecy of his relative failure to accomplish his Father\u2019s mission\u2014For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him<\/em>[8]<\/sup><\/a>\u2014we have Jesus\u2019 warning that the church will do a less than stellar job of imparting the Gospel of his grace.\u00a0 But this understanding is only evident back in context (Matthew 7:11-16a NET):<\/p>\n

If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!\u00a0 [Luke was explicit that these <\/em>good gifts are the <\/em>Holy Spirit<\/a>.]\u00a0<\/em> In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills (\u1f10\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03bd, a form of \u1f10\u03c3\u03c4\u03af<\/a>; literally,\u00a0<\/em>is)<\/em> the law and the prophets.\u00a0 Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to [corruption] (\u1f00\u03c0\u1f7d\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd, a form of \u1f00\u03c0\u03ce\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1)<\/em>, and there are many who enter through it.\u00a0 But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life<\/a>, and there are few who find it. \u00a0Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep\u2019s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.\u00a0 You will recognize them by their fruit.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/a>None of this is to wag my finger at pastors, priests and Bible teachers, but to appreciate Jesus\u2019 saying: Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!<\/em>[9]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 I feel terribly inept at explaining what it\u2019s like to live by the Spirit<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0I stumbled over progressive sanctification. \u00a0The knowledge enshrined in churches as doctrine, however, was not the issue.\u00a0 A table of quotes from Presbyterian, Baptist and Christian & Missionary Alliance perspectives on progressive sanctification follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Progressive Sanctification<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Presbyterian<\/a><\/td>\nBaptist<\/a><\/td>\n\n

C&MA<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u201cSanctification is the work of God\u2019s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.\u201d<\/td>\nWhat God has begun in regeneration He will work to continue without interruption throughout the believer\u2019s life.<\/td>\nAll Christians understand first the first reality: that Christ\u2019s blood has atoned for their sins and they no longer need to fear eternal separation from God. But most Christians do not understand or experience the second reality\u2014the fullness of the Holy Spirit in their lives.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cThe Lord Jesus has undertaken everything that His people\u2019s souls require; not only to deliver them from the guilt of their sins by His atoning death, but from the dominion of their sins by placing in their hearts the Holy Spirit; not only to justify them, but to sanctify them.\u201d<\/td>\nIt involves our availability to the Holy Spirit, our separation from sin, and our growth in the likeness of Christ. Every Christian is a sanctified person, belonging to Christ, and therefore should keep from immorality (1 Cor. 6:13-14<\/a>; 2 Cor. 7:1<\/a>). We are involved in a lifetime struggle against sin and a moment-by-moment submission to the Holy Spirit for victory.<\/td>\nThe New Testament clearly teaches that there are two kinds of Christians. In 1 Corinthians 3:1-4<\/a>, Paul talks about Christians who are \u201cspiritual\u201d and contrasts them with those who are \u201cworldly,\u201d or \u201ccarnal.\u201d In Romans 7<\/a> and 8<\/a>, the comparison is between those believers who are self-propelled and those who are Spirit driven. In Ephesians 5:18<\/a>, he implies that some are \u201cfilled\u201d and some are \u201cnot filled.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Lord has given to us His Spirit, and by Him communicates His own life to the justified believer. Holiness is divinely wrought within Christians. Christ enables us to walk in holiness.<\/td>\nIt [to \u201cpresent your bodies a living sacrifice\u201d] is a choice we make as believers. No one else can make that choice for us. It is self-determined and is repeated often.<\/td>\nThe opportunity to experience the two realities of sanctification is available to every believer. The path to the Spirit-filled life requires taking faith-filled risks, which always involves change.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
As we look at Christ we are changed into the image of Christ, by the work of the Spirit of God.<\/td>\nThe Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of enabling us to overcome sin and conform us to the likeness of Christ. When we \u201cwalk by the Spirit\u201d we do not carry out the deeds of the flesh, but produce \u201cthe fruit of the Spirit\u201d (Gal. 5:16<\/a>, 22<\/a>).<\/td>\nSurrender<\/strong> We can\u2019t make ourselves holy any more than we can make ourselves saved\u2014we become holy only by realizing that we haven\u2019t got what it takes to be holy (Romans 6:11<\/a>; Romans 12:1-2<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Accept<\/strong> Christ is our Sanctifier in the same way that He is our Savior (Colossians 2:6<\/a>; Galatians 2:20<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Abide<\/strong> We maintain a continuous relationship with Jesus through obedience to His Word (John 15:1-11<\/a>).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\nOur dependence upon the Holy Spirit is not something that is attained once for all, but is the result of a daily struggle and a constantly renewed commitment.<\/p>\n

God will not give up on His goal of making you become like Christ. He will not give up on you until the day He presents you complete, perfect, and mature to the Father in heaven.<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

These were my religious influences growing up. \u00a0I have nothing but minor quibbles over words (obedience<\/a><\/em>, for instance) with any of these statements individually and appreciate all of them together.\u00a0 I even checked the Catholic catechism.\u00a0 Sanctification<\/em>\u00a0was a subcategory of justification<\/em> there rather than a separate topic but still I have no serious objection to anything in it. \u00a0<\/a>Oddly enough, I found words closer to my own misunderstanding in the Catholic catechism under the heading III. MERIT, line 2010<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life. Even temporal goods like health and friendship can be merited in accordance with God’s wisdom. These graces and goods are the object of Christian prayer. Prayer attends to the grace we need for meritorious actions.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In my misunderstanding I thought positional sanctification<\/a> was God\u2019s work in Christ and progressive sanctification[10]<\/sup><\/a> was up to me to accomplish.\u00a0 I grew up in a Catholic neighborhood but I never read the catechism.\u00a0 Besides, line 2011 is fairly clear on this:<\/p>\n

The charity of Christ is the source in us of all our merits before God. Grace, by uniting us to Christ in active love, ensures the supernatural quality of our acts and consequently their merit before God and before men. The saints have always had a lively awareness that their merits were pure grace.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The charity of Christ<\/em> is \u1f00\u03b3\u1f71\u03c0\u03b7 in the New Testament, the love that is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit<\/a><\/em>, the love that is the fulfillment of the law<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0The relative failure of the church to impart the Gospel of grace was not a lack of knowledge. \u00a0So is it in the execution, the way that knowledge is imparted? \u00a0Here I’m reminded of an observation that made little sense to me until this very moment: Churchmen liked me better when I was striving on my own to keep rules than when I began to try to live by the Spirit.<\/p>\n

My use of churchmen<\/em> requires some explanation. \u00a0I don’t necessarily mean clergy<\/em>. \u00a0And I don’t mean men<\/em> exclusively. \u00a0The best explanation I can imagine is a profile. \u00a0Churchmen<\/em> aren’t believers<\/em> in the sense that they have any awareness of a crisis moment that marks a difference in their lives between unbelief and belief. \u00a0They are probably the children or grandchildren of believers<\/em>. \u00a0Christianity seems natural to them and they have never strayed far from it. \u00a0But fitting a profile doesn’t necessarily mean that one did the “crime.” \u00a0The “crime” in this case is too facile an identification with the local church in which one takes a leading role: “My church is the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through<\/a><\/em> my church.” \u00a0But the real crime was that I idolized churchmen and coveted their status.<\/p>\n

Churches<\/a> as institutions have their own agendas. \u00a0I fit into those agendas better when I obey their rules. \u00a0In other words, churchmen are institutionally biased to favor compliant hypocrites<\/a>, actors. \u00a0This is not to say that they are necessarily hypocrites themselves. \u00a0It is to say that they have little experience with any struggle to live by the Spirit. \u00a0Their instruction\u00a0to those of us who do have trouble takes the form of platitudes\u2014”sin is just bad habits<\/a> which can be overcome by good habits<\/a>“\u2014techniques for inculcating said good habits and rules to prohibit bad ones, as opposed to faith in Jesus by his Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

Rules are neat and orderly. \u00a0Living by the Spirit is messy: When you come together, each one has a song, has a lesson, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation<\/em>.[11]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Churchmen (I will say for the sake of argument) decided long ago that we should sit silently in neat rows, stand when we were told to stand, sing what we were told to sing and listen to the lesson the church wanted us to hear. \u00a0My church allowed revelations, I suppose, during testimony time. \u00a0(I thought testimonies were about all the good things God did for people who were good and “obedient,” you know, churchmen.) \u00a0Tongues and interpretations? \u00a0Forget about it!<\/p>\n

And, frankly, I intend all of this more as a metaphor for imparting\u00a0the Gospel of grace. \u00a0I don’t really care how a church service is organized as much as I care whether someone who doesn’t know how to be led by the Spirit of God can learn that there. \u00a0And here I return to Martin Luther.<\/p>\n

He lived in a created cosmos where it is hard<\/em>\u2026 to enter the kingdom of God<\/em>. \u00a0He grew up in a religious system partially corrupted by false teachers and false prophets. \u00a0(The alternative\u2014Jesus killed all the false teachers and false prophets and sent them to hell before they had any influence on anyone else\u2014is untenable to me.) \u00a0Martin Luther, by the Holy Spirit, recognized some of the corrupting influences that plagued him and wrote to correct them.\u00a0 But was Martin Luther perfect and totally free of error himself?<\/p>\n

The Luther\/Graebner<\/a> commentary on the fruit of the Spirit[12]<\/sup><\/a> follows:<\/p>\n

The Apostle does not speak of the works of the Spirit as he spoke of the works of the flesh, but he attaches to these Christian virtues a better name. He calls them the fruits of the Spirit.<\/em><\/p>\n

LOVE<\/em><\/p>\n

It would have been enough to mention only the single fruit of love, for love embraces all the fruits of the Spirit. In I Corinthians 13, Paul attributes to love all the fruits of the Spirit: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind,” etc. Here he lets love stand by itself among other fruits of the Spirit to remind the Christians to love one another, “in honor preferring one another,” to esteem others more than themselves because they have Christ and the Holy Ghost within them.<\/em><\/p>\n

JOY<\/em><\/p>\n

Joy means sweet thoughts of Christ, melodious hymns and psalms, praises and thanksgiving, with which Christians instruct, inspire, and refresh themselves. God does not like doubt and dejection. He hates dreary doctrine, gloomy and melancholy thought. God likes cheerful hearts. He did not send His Son to fill us with sadness, but to gladden our hearts. For this reason the prophets, apostles, and Christ Himself urge, yes, command us to rejoice and be glad. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy king cometh unto thee.” (Zech. 9:9.) In the Psalms we are repeatedly told to be “joyful in the Lord.” Paul says: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Christ says: “Rejoice, for your names are written in heaven.”<\/em><\/p>\n

PEACE<\/em><\/p>\n

Peace towards God and men. Christians are to be peaceful and quiet. Not argumentative, not hateful, but thoughtful and patient. There can be no peace without longsuffering, and therefore Paul lists this virtue next.<\/em><\/p>\n

LONGSUFFERING<\/em><\/p>\n

Longsuffering is that quality which enables a person to bear adversity, injury, reproach, and makes them patient to wait for the improvement of those who have done him wrong. When the devil finds that he cannot overcome certain persons by force he tries to overcome them in the long run. He knows that we are weak and cannot stand anything long. Therefore he repeats his temptation time and again until he succeeds. To withstand his continued assaults we must be longsuffering and patiently wait for the devil to get tired of his game.<\/em><\/p>\n

GENTLENESS<\/em><\/p>\n

Gentleness in conduct and life. True followers of the Gospel must not be sharp and bitter, but gentle, mild, courteous, and soft-spoken, which should encourage others to seek their company. Gentleness can overlook other people’s faults and cover them up. Gentleness is always glad to give in to others. Gentleness can get along with forward and difficult persons, according to the old pagan saying: “You must know the manners of your friends, but you must not hate them.” Such a gentle person was our Savior Jesus Christ, as the Gospel portrays Him. Of Peter it is recorded that he wept whenever he remembered the sweet gentleness of Christ in His daily contact with people. Gentleness is an excellent virtue and very useful in every walk of life.<\/em><\/p>\n

GOODNESS<\/em><\/p>\n

A person is good when he is willing to help others in their need.<\/em><\/p>\n

FAITH<\/em><\/p>\n

In listing faith among the fruits of the Spirit, Paul obviously does not mean faith in Christ, but faith in men. Such faith is not suspicious of people but believes the best. Naturally the possessor of such faith will be deceived, but he lets it pass. He is ready to believe all men, but he will not trust all men. Where this virtue is lacking men are suspicious, forward, and wayward and will believe nothing nor yield to anybody. No matter how well a person says or does anything, they will find fault with it, and if you do not humor them you can never please them. It is quite impossible to get along with them. Such faith in people therefore, is quite necessary. What kind of life would this be if one person could not believe another person?<\/em><\/p>\n

MEEKNESS<\/em><\/p>\n

A person is meek when he is not quick to get angry. Many things occur in daily life to provoke a person’s anger, but the Christian gets over his anger by meekness.<\/em><\/p>\n

TEMPERANCE<\/em><\/p>\n

Christians are to lead sober and chaste lives. They should not be adulterers, fornicators, or sensualists. They should not be quarrelers or drunkards. In the first and second chapters of the Epistle to Titus, the Apostle admonishes bishops, young women, and married folks to be chaste and pure.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Is there anything here that indicated that the Holy Spirit produces this fruit in us, or does it read like a list of ideals to pursue or rules to obey?\u00a0 I see two things that may hint at the Holy Spirit\u2019s involvement: 1) \u201cThere can be no peace without longsuffering\u201d and, 2) \u201cthe Christian gets over his anger by meekness.\u201d \u00a0While I appreciate the connection of the fruit of the Spirit and the definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13, nothing here would have turned me from viewing that definition as a list of rules to obey to prove I was a Christian.\u00a0 In fact, the explanation given for \u201ca walk in the Spirit\u201d[13]<\/sup><\/a> seems both mystical and works oriented to me:<\/p>\n

They crucify the flesh with its evil desires and lusts by fasting and exercise and, above all, by a walk in the Spirit. To resist the flesh in this manner is to nail it to the Cross. Although the flesh is still alive it cannot very well act upon its desires because it is bound and nailed to the Cross.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Granted, failing at the effort<\/a> to love like Jesus by turning Paul\u2019s definition of love into rules, prompted me to look for something else\u2014something like the fruit of the Spirit.\u00a0 But I wonder about Martin Luther.<\/p>\n

If Theodore Graebner\u2019s translation carries anything of Luther\u2019s own thinking on the fruit of the Spirit, this alone could account for the pridefulness on which Joe Heschmeyer<\/a> commented<\/a>. \u00a0If Luther let go of the rule-based righteousness of the monastery yet didn\u2019t fully embrace the righteousness of God in the fruit of the Spirit as he fought for his life to believe in justification by \u201cfaith alone<\/a>\u201d against a stronger adversary than any of us know as the Roman Catholic Church\u2014both pridefulness and a general lack of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control make sense to me.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Every boy growing up in my church knew that \u201csowing to the flesh\u201d meant viewing pornography.\u00a0 While that may well be an example of \u201csowing to the flesh\u201d in one area of human life, rejecting the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21, 22<\/a>) that is given new every morning<\/a>\u2014the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that flows from his Holy Spirit\u2014to do it somehow on one\u2019s own is sowing to the flesh in every area of human life (Galatians 6:7-8 NET).<\/p>\n

Do not be deceived.\u00a0 God will not be made a fool. \u00a0For a person will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption (\u03c6\u03b8\u03bf\u03c1\u1f71\u03bd, a form of \u03c6\u03b8\u03bf\u03c1\u03ac<\/a>)<\/em> from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Luther\/Graebner commented[14]<\/sup><\/a> literally if superficially[15]<\/sup><\/a> on this:<\/p>\n

This simile of sowing and reaping also refers to the proper support of ministers. “He that soweth to the Spirit,” i.e., he that honors the ministers of God is doing a spiritual thing and will reap everlasting life. “He that soweth to the flesh,” i.e., he that has nothing left for the ministers of God, but only thinks of himself, that person will reap of the flesh corruption, not only in this life but also in the life to come. The Apostle wants to stir up his readers to be generous to their pastors.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While sharing all good things with the one who teaches<\/em>[16]<\/sup><\/a> the word is a good thing (Galatins 6:9, 10<\/a>) that flows from the goodness (\u1f00\u03b3\u03b1\u03b8\u03c9\u03c3\u1f7b\u03bd\u03b7<\/a>) of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, bribing one\u2019s teacher will not help anyone live righteously here and now\u2014unless one is also led by the Spirit of God<\/a>.\u00a0 Here I\u2019ll turn to Peter to explain Paul<\/a> (Acts 8:17-20 NET):<\/p>\n

Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, and they received the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles\u2019 hands, offered them money, saying, \u201cGive me this power too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.\u201d\u00a0 But Peter said to him, \u201cMay your silver perish (\u1f00\u03c0\u1f7d\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd, a form of \u1f00\u03c0\u03ce\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1)<\/em> with you, because you thought you could acquire God\u2019s gift with money!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If your teacher is not even trying to teach you how to be led by the Spirit of God, find another to share all good things with the one who teaches<\/em>.\u00a0 Better yet, cry out to Jesus and study the Scriptures with Him.\u00a0 He loves the Scriptures.\u00a0 He died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and will return again to make them so.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
Conclusion<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 6<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Who Am I? Part 6<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Romans, Part 88<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Father, Forgive Them – Part 2<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to To Make Holy, Part 4<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to My Deeds, Part 3<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Atonement, Part 7<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Atonement, Part 9<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Romans, Part 91<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Father, Forgive Them – Part 6<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Hannah’s Prayer, Part 6<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 1<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Funeral, Part 2<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 5<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

<\/a>[1]<\/sup> Matthew 26:54 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[2]<\/sup> Matthew 26:72b (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[3]<\/sup> Acts 1:6b (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[4]<\/sup> Tracey R. Rich, Mashiach: The Messiah<\/a><\/em>, Judaism 101<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[5]<\/sup> Acts 1:7, 8 (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[6]<\/sup> Matthew 7:13, 14 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[7]<\/sup> Matthew 5:17 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[8]<\/sup> John 3:17 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[9]<\/sup> Mark 10:24b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[10]<\/sup> Some think that progressive sanctification<\/em> is so tainted with self-righteousness that it is heresy. I’m sensitive to this criticism, having lived and breathed that heresy, but will wait to consider it in another essay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[11]<\/sup> 1 Corinthians 14:26b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[12]<\/sup> Commentary <\/em>on Galatians 5:22, 23<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[13]<\/sup> Commentary <\/em>on Galatians 5:24<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[14]<\/sup> Commentary <\/em>on Galatians 6:8<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[15]<\/sup> Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel<\/em> (Proverbs 1:31 NET<\/a>).\u00a0 The one who sows iniquity will reap trouble<\/em> (Proverbs 22:8a NET<\/a>)\u2026\u00a0 But you have plowed wickedness; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of deception.\u00a0 Because you have depended on your chariots; you have relied on your many warriors <\/em>(Hosea 10:13 NET<\/a>).\u00a0 See: Is \u201cyou reap what you sow\u201d biblical?<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[16]<\/sup> Galatians 6:6 (NET)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We religious folk of a Christian persuasion are fixated on life and death, heaven and hell.\u00a0 Jesus was fixated on fulfilling the Scriptures.\u00a0 How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?[1] (\u03c0\u03bb\u03b7\u03c1\u03c9\u03b8\u1ff6\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd, a form … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2719,3826],"tags":[2878,2879,3828,2058,1452,3667,1045,899,3827,3368],"class_list":["post-8015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-section-three","category-sowing-to-the-flesh","tag-acts-16","tag-acts-17-8","tag-acts-817-20","tag-galatians-67-8","tag-john-317","tag-matthew-2654","tag-matthew-2672","tag-matthew-517","tag-matthew-711-16","tag-matthew-713-14"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8015"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29749,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8015\/revisions\/29749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}