"The Word {Wisdom} of God, The Spirit of God, and The Apostle of God" Pt. 1

As I have started to read again 1 Corinthians I remember particularly their carnality. Some preachers say there is no such thing as a carnal Christian. They will say carnality cannot coexist with being a Christian. This is to say a Christian once a Christian never sins. I would agree if they were to say carnality should not coexist with our new life in Christ. This goes into the issue of a believer having two natures which many reject. However, as I read about these carnal Corinthians, Paul first calls them carnal not because of their immoral sin of fornication and glorying in it, or because they are taking other believers to an unbelieving judicial system, but rather because the issue of God's authority is not settle in their midst. They are following men and making men the issue. The flow of Corinthians is absolutely wonderful. In chapter 2 Paul explains how he "came (to them) not with excellency of speech or of wisdom" although he did come with a wisdom, just not with man's wisdom as he explains in verse 4, "and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:"

Paul compares "with enticing words of man's wisdom" against "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power". I think it very interesting here he does not explain what the man's wisdom is, but rather the delivering of the man's wisdom. There are preachers at Corinth preaching man's wisdom, but because it is man's wisdom they need to use enticing words. Words to draw you in. Paul explains these enticing words elsewhere in his epistles as "vain gangling", "good words and fair speeches", "old wives' fables", "traditions and commandments of men", and many more. They use enticing words to draw, stories to get your attention, excitement to lure you in. Man's wisdom needs a counterpart because they are insufficient in them-self and that counterpart is enticement. Man's wisdom and words are vain and their power source is enticement. Paul here does not reveal the man's wisdom today such as: water baptism, speaking in tongues, law-keeping, covenant theology, calvinism, arminianism; but rather explains the wisdom he (Paul) came to them with which was "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:" What is the wisdom Paul had that demonstrated the Spirit and power? Paul first explains he does not have man's wisdom with enticing words {which they already had}, but God's Word for the purpose of their "faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." When someone puts faith in the wisdom of God they are trusting an all-sufficient power source. What was this wisdom?

Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8,

"howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."

God's wisdom that Paul came to them which was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power was the wisdom of God that He never before had revealed. It was the wisdom of God in a mystery. This terminology and wisdom is spoken of all through Paul's epistles (i.e. Romans 16:25-26; Eph. 3:1-9; Col. 1:25-26; to list a few). A wisdom hid in the inner counsel of God's own will, a wisdom formed, planned, and with a nature of hidden before the foundation of the world until God Himself decided to reveal it. A wisdom that further revealed not just Christ as Messiah forming the true Israel of God and as King of kings and Lord of lords over all the earth, but of Christ forming the one new man, the church the body of Christ in which He is Head over. A one new man not to reside on the earth and coexist with Israel, but a one new man to reside in the heavenlies and to coexist with Israel within God's universe.

Notice Paul spoke this wisdom "among them that are perfect:" This does not mean sinless perfection, but rather spiritually mature. This "hidden wisdom" no one knew, not the top dogs in the earth including Satan himself as he is also known as the "prince of this world". God ordained this hidden wisdom before the world unto our {Jew and Gentile believers today} glory.

Paul goes on to say if the princes of the world would have known this hidden wisdom they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Was it not Satan motivating those unbelieving Jews to crucify Him! crucify Him!? Was it not Satan who wanted to destroy the seed that was long ago prophesied to crush him? God knew something He would accomplish through the death, burial, and resurrection of His own Son that Satan could never have imagined, nor anyone else. If Satan would have known this hidden wisdom of God he would not have motivated the crucifixion of the Son of God!!! Not only would Christ redeem Israel through His death, shedding His blood for the New Covenant that He will drink anew with them in the kingdom at His 2nd coming, but God also tore down the middle wall of partition (circumcision & law of Moses) between Jew and Gentile by the Cross and Christ's blood is able to redeem and justify all mankind being only imputed to those who believe. Christ's blood is the only means of satisfying the justice of God. This is the wisdom Paul came to them with and I hope you can see it does not need enticing words, but rather the words them-self are within them self POWER. Paul knew all other wisdom beside the hidden wisdom was man's wisdom with enticing words. Paul knew what he came to them with needed not excellency of speech but instead was in demonstration of the Spirit and power. Paul knew what he had was power, power in hidden wisdom, ordain for them unto their glory. Unfortunately these Corinthians could not bear this wisdom, they were not "among them that are perfect", but rather carnal, babes as it were, needing to be fed with milk. They were making men the issue instead of the hidden wisdom God given to them through The Apostle Paul.

Paul lays forth the wisdom he preached, next the Spirit who searched the deep things of God and is revealing them, and lastly is going to explain his authority as The Apostle who first received this wisdom to preach as he serves not as one of their 10,000 instructors, but rather their father who had begotten them through his gospel.

These three God's Word and wisdom revealed by the Spirit given to Paul to be preached is the channel in which we get God's power source today. Next time we'll look at "The Spirit of God".

Look Up,
Josh Strelecki

Mediation on Romans 6:1

As Paul leaves no doubt in the readers mind about our justification in Christ and us inheriting eternal life, righteousness, and grace through faith in that Christ was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification, the question then arises: why not sin, why not continue in sin? The question Paul actually assumes will be asked is, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" This question is actually quite subtle. The question Paul assumes has a purpose clause. Shall we continue in sin, so that, in order for, grace may abound. See it is God's grace that is bringing Him glory, so why not sin in order for grace to abound. This is carnal thinking at its' best, yea at it's worst. The main issue I want to focus on is Paul's answer. He says, "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Paul does not start listing off rules and regulations, a list of do's and don'ts, rather Paul gives some information never known before up to this point. Paul says how shall we, how can we live any longer in sin if we are dead to sin. He actually doesn't even place in "if" in the question rather just an "are". We "are dead to sin". Paul doesn't deal with the symptoms of our sin nature; our sins, rather the source, the sin nature itself; our flesh. God has identified us in Christ death and this is the very grounds in which the sin nature loses dominion over us today. Christ death is the means by which sin loses its' power today.

"How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" When we properly know and understand and reckon this fact by faith, the Spirit will work this truth effectually in our Christian walk gaining the right mind to renew daily, answering with Paul, how shall we live any longer therein because we are dead to sin. Praise God for His Word and what Christ has done for us at Calvary. If you are trying to defeat sin today without the death of Christ your attempts are vain, if you are trying to defeat sin by law keeping you are depending on a fleshly means for deliverance from fleshly failure. You are looking for strength from the very source (law) from which you are seeking deliverance. Deliverance comes only from Christ's work at Calvary, set your eyes on Calvary and you in Him. More to come.

Look Up,
Josh Strelecki

"While We Were Yet Sinners"

The work of Christ at Calvary is the source of God's power today. It is a power source that can generate life into a twice dead Gentile today (dead in our sins and the uncircumcision of our flesh ). Christ's work at Calvary is able to save a sinner in while they are yet a sinner. It is not a gospel cliche to, "turn from your sin and then Christ will save you"; for how can one turn from their sin while yet in their sin, while yet a sinner. The gospel is so powerful that while yet a sinner Christ died for us. God has stepped into human history in order to save sinners. It is while you are a sinner that Christ dies for you. It is therefore a great tragedy that so many often share a gospel to turn from one's sin as if they have the power to do so. It is rather blasphemy to think that one can turn from their sin. God has concluded all under sin and fallen short of His glory. How can we then before being saved measure up to His glory to then receive salvation? This is not good news at all, but rather the flesh revealing itself in vain theology of so many scholars and professors today. May we have faith in God's power to save us while yet a sinner. While yet a sinner is the starting point in which God then continues to work His salvation in my life. He justifies (declares righteous) me in His courtroom, He sanctifies (sets apart) me giving me an identity; an atonement with Christ, and glorifies (inheritance in heavenly places) me. God works a complete salvation and at the moment one receives the gospel, how that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead, He starts this work of salvation while yet a sinner and takes you from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high in Christ. To God His salvation is as good as done. May we not diminish the great power of God unto salvation revealed in the gospel.

"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Look Up,
Josh Strelecki

Access WhereIn You Stand!!!

Again my apologies for those who read this blog and check it for a new post. My time in blogging is limited, however it is something I desire to continue to do and hopefully will do more often in the future. I pick up where I left off in Romans 5 and what I have called, "Paul's List".

The second "spiritual blessing" that Paul mentions after learning that we are justified by faith by Christ's faith (that is,accomplishing the work of the Cross; the death, burial, and because death could not hold Him and the promise that God would raise Him from the dead, the resurrection) is "we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." Christ paid our sin debt on the Cross, but was raised, so that He may offer this gift freely to those who would receive it simply and only by faith and no works. The first "spiritual blessing"; "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Christ is our peace, our peace between Almighty God and us; once sinners. We now have restored fellowship with our Maker, a fellowship that we will touch on more when we talk about our "sonship status" and our "adoption".

Romans 5:2a, By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand"

Paul names the second "spiritual blessing" by again recognizing "by whom" it is that "we have" this "access", whom is, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. This chapter is filled with our identity in Christ, for without His work and what He has accomplished we would be left without justification, let alone any of these "spiritual blessings". It is by Christ that we have access. What is access?

Access in the OT dealt with the priests in the tabernacle/Temple. The priests of Israel only had access unto God and only the High Priest had access into the Holy of Holies, into the very presence of God. Does this mean we are priests today? Frankly we are not priests. The Levitical priesthood was established by the law of Moses in which we are not under today. Paul explains this in chapters 6-8. We are under grace, in fact, we do not need to be priests in order to have access. Most of us today are Gentile sinners and it is in this dispensational and spiritual status that God saves us in, "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:6)." The access we have is given to us by no covenants, but by His grace through faith. Access toward God is something that has been reconciled for us through Christ and is much needed to enjoy the peace that we now have with God our Father. Priests in the OT had to come to the Temple of God for their access, today God resides in the earthen vessel (mortal body) of the believer. Due to this through the Spirit of God our access is unlimited. It is access to enjoy fellowship with no barriers, no sin, no temple, no difference whether a Jew or Gentile today. We are members of the church the Body of Christ established by the grace of God, not priests, but members of Christ's body. This allows the amazing privilege for each member to have unlimited access to God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. Access to God is vital to our communion with our Lord and Father; however, this access is not specifically mentioned here, although assumed.

The verse actually states, "by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand". This verse is glorious; the grace that saves us provided through the means of the Cross, the grace that provides for our peace with God the Father, is not grace that we are removed from based upon our performance, but is solely based upon "by whom", that is, CHRIST. It is due to His work at Calvary that our access is unlimited, "access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." What is "this grace"? The previous chapters up to this point in Romans has provided for this answer and Paul sums it up for us in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4,

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and WHEREIN YE STAND; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and taht he was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

The Corinthians were being tossed to and fro by preachers that were really in the snare of Satan. They were teaching that there isn't a ressurection. Paul says if they keep it in memory they will be "saved", not from sin, for they had received and stand in the gospel. They were forgetting and Paul is reminding them trying to lay the foundation he has already established in Romans. "This grace" explained in Romans in which "we stand" is "the gospel" and all it's glorious provisions. It is standing in Christ. He has provided the "full" payment of our sin debt. He has provided His righteousness and credited it to our account. He has provided peace. It is "this grace" wherein we stand. WE STAND IN HIM. It is "this grace" "wherein we stand", but also "have access" to it "by faith". Faith is opposite from works it is an internal response to God's word, it stems from the heart based off the Word of God, and trusts solely in every word of scripture. Faith, since it is internal gives us the freedom no matter what the circumstance to rest in God's provision; in "this grace". It should be a continual thing for if "access" is a "spiritual blessing" it should be one that is greatly taken advantage of. Unfortunately, like the Corinthians one can believe in vain. This does not mean they did not believe, but they don't keep in memory their stand, which causes turmoil both internally and externally.
This instance of Paul talking about our standing is unique. It is just that, our standing; a standing that we did not earn. It is a standing received as it was bought by Christ Jesus. It is a standing that can never be taken away, for it is in Christ and He is RISEN. This is a position. However, in many other passages through Paul's epistles there are exhortations and commands to "stand fast" or "stand". These deal with our condition. They are commands to stand in our standing. We receive our position by faith and we access it by faith. One is our position the other is our condition, this is important to know. The former deals with our justification which once justified it can not be taken away, the latter deals with our sanctification. Utilizing our justification in our every day life and having it impact our inner man, stretching forth to our outer man, and producing the life of Christ.

Romans 5:2a, "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,"

We have access and we utilize it by faith. It is access into our standing in Christ and the unlimited provisions of the Cross. My hope and prayer is that we all would utilize and rest in the finish work of the Cross. Believe that ALL your sins are forgiven. You are no longer a sinner, but "accepted in the beloved". We have peace with God. If God's says it, it is true. My plea is for all those who read to take hold of these things and be thankful, for it "redounds unto the glory of God".

God Bless and next time we will look at, Romans 5:2b, "and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Look Up,
Josh Strelecki