"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days," saith the LORD, "I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jeremiah 31:20, 33)
Apostle Paul was asking the question of the believing saints in Corinth. That is, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?" (I Corinthians 3:1-2) Because, for Paul, "ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men."
You see, like the woman Jesus describes in Luke 15, who had ten pieces of silver and lost one, and then swept the house to find it, we similarly are missing a piece of the puzzle -- a piece that can only be filled when we ask the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts, and are baptized in His Name. (Acts 2:36-41)
Apostle Paul was asking the question of the believing saints in Corinth. That is, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?" (I Corinthians 3:1-2) Because, for Paul, "ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men."
You see, like the woman Jesus describes in Luke 15, who had ten pieces of silver and lost one, and then swept the house to find it, we similarly are missing a piece of the puzzle -- a piece that can only be filled when we ask the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts, and are baptized in His Name. (Acts 2:36-41)
If I can backtrack for a moment, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This is a consequence of Adam and Eve's transgression in the Garden of Eden. However, the Lord God had a plan of salvation to redeem His people -- all those who come unto Him and allow Him to become King of kings and Lord of lords in their heart. In this dispensation of grace, God's Name is JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23)
Neither is there any other name whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) The Name which is above every other Name, including all of the names which God referred to Himself in the Old Testament. (Philippians 2:9) This is why we are instructed to do every thing that we do, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Healing, salvation, water baptism, discerning, ministering and indeed, every single thing we do. We are called to pray without ceasing, and rejoice evermore, lifting up our King and blessed Potentate in our hearts forevermore.
Our hope then is that the Spirit of Truth -- the Spirit of Jesus Christ -- the Holy Ghost in these last times can dwell within, and lead us and guide us and instruct us in the way in which we should go. If you have not already asked Jesus into your heart, today is the day. This is the day of salvation for your soul to be redeemed, and revived to the purpose that you were intended to fulfill, from the moment you were conceived in your mother's womb. In fact, Jesus is standing at the door of your heart right now, inviting you to come into His fold, wherein you can drink of the living water that He gives, and ever thirst again.
Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears My Word, and believes on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24)
This is why Jesus could say, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me!" (John 14:6) Because after Jesus was taken up, He THROUGH the Holy Ghost gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2) There is a reason the scriptures refer to the Holy Ghost 80 plus times in the New Testament side, because the resurrected Jesus has now returned to His rightful place -- as the Lord God Almighty, our Saviour. But I digress.
Returning again to Paul's writings, he writes: "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart, and such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (I Corinthians 3:3-6)
Returning again to Paul's writings, he writes: "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart, and such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (I Corinthians 3:3-6)
We who believe recognize this to be true, for many have read the scriptures without understanding, in much the same way as the scribes and Pharisees and lawyers (in the time that Jesus walked this earth) were blinded to His truth. Jesus said to them that they would not come unto Him and receive the Word because their hearts were full of their own worldly wisdom, and dare I say, self-righteousness.
In this context, Jesus said unto them, "Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered." (Luke 11:52)
And He did so in order that we would understand the abundance of grace that He will bestow upon those who desire to be His people -- a chosen people, a royal generation. It is for this reason that we are privileged beyond measure, because we have seen and can behold the manifestation of the Lord of glory, who willingly and personally fulfilled His own plan of salvation on that cross. For this reason, we have hope and joy, and also the key of knowledge -- because the Lord Jesus dwells within. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. How I am sure He grieved over the appointed time when He would take our place on that cross -- inviting us to behold Him -- the Lamb of God.
But, as Paul points out, "if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious.
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: and not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: but their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (II Corinthians 3:1-18)
Stand in the offering plate.
Stand in the offering plate.
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