In our present study we are examining just what is the precedence for the spiritual life of the church age believer and we are making the case that the precedence was established by TLJC in his unglorified humanity during his life on this earth at the beginning of the hypostatic union.
We saw that Precedence is defined as: (1) an earlier occurrence of something similar; (2) something done or said that may serve as an example or rule to authorize or justify a subsequent act of the same or an analogous kind (3) a verdict that had no precedent (4) the convention established by such a precedent or by long practice or (5) a person or thing that serves as a model.
In our last class we left off with the point that the only means of knowing and having confidence in God and his system was through the perception of Bible Doctrine.
The concepts of Spirituality and Carnality are documented in the following passages:
2Cor 3:17-18; "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with an unveiled face seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as it were from the Lord who is the Spirit."
"The Lord is the Spirit" means that God the Holy Spirit is deity.
The Spirit of the Lord is inside God's power system that TLJC used that was subsequently given to the church, not the Mosaic Law. This is why there is spiritual freedom inside the God's power system but not in the Mosaic Law.
This is what TLJC was referring to when he spoke to the Jewish believers in John 8:31-32;
2Cor 3:18; The Church Age believer has an unveiled face when learning the mystery doctrine of the Church Age that was veiled and therefore not revealed to the Old Testament believers but today it is freely available to anyone who wants to know.
From the teaching of doctrine, TLJC becomes the believer's best friend, and as a result, they move into the experiential status of occupation with Christ.
This is the natural response of seeing the glory of the Lord in the mirror through their perception of Bible doctrine under the mentorship of God the Holy Spirit.
As a result, believers are transformed into the same image of our Lord Jesus Christ in His humanity by studying Him daily in the mirror of the Word of God.
"From glory to glory" refers to going from the glory of the Spirit filled unglorified humanity of Christ in God's prototype power system to the glory of the Spirit filled mature believer who executes the protocol plan of God inside the operational divine power system for church age believers.
Eph 3:16; "That He may give you on the basis of the riches of His glory to become strong by means of power through His Spirit in your inner being."
The riches of Christ's glory to Church Age believers includes things that were never given before to any believers in history: the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the protocol plan of God, a portfolio of invisible assets, a royal priesthood, a royal ambassadorship, the mystery doctrine of the Church Age, the indwelling of the Trinity, the unique availability of divine power, and a dispensation of historical trends and invisible heroes.
"To become strong" means the believer is filled with the Holy Spirit inside God's power system.
"To acquire strength" means the spirit filled believer acquires doctrinal momentum through the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit inside God's power system when God the Holy Spirit is controlling the believer's soul.
The only way believers acquire the necessary strength is through the teaching ministry of God the Holy Spirit, John 14:26; John 16:12-14; 1Cor 2:9-16;
The filling of the Holy Spirit is also the basis for spiritual freedom. Gal 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Keep standing fast, therefore, and do not be entangled again in the yoke of slavery (carnality aka OSN control of the soul)]."
Gal 5:13-18, "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh (OSN), but through virtue love serve one another. For the entire Law has been summed up in one doctrine, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
v15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware that you are not destroyed by one another.
v16 Therefore, I command you (Paul uses the imperative mood): keep walking by means of the Spirit, and you will not carry out the lust pattern of the flesh (OSN).
v17 For the flesh (OSN) desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit is against the flesh (sin nature); for these are constantly opposed to one another, so that you may not do the things you wish to do.
v18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law."
Believers serve one another through the function of their spiritual gift for the benefit of the Body of Christ.
The freedom we have is not from any human power it is from God. God's intent for our freedom is not to serve ourselves, but to learn Bible doctrine through the filling of the Holy Spirit and from that be motivated to fulfill God's plan for our lives. 1Pet 2:16 NET
Never in history, before the Church Age or after the Exit Resurrection of the church, will every believer have the freedom to execute a supernatural plan that depends entirely on divine power.
Walking by means of the Spirit means the believer functions in God's power system producing Divine Good works.
Gal 5:22-23, "But the production of the Spirit is virtue-love, happiness, capacity for prosperity (peace), patience, integrity, generosity, faithfulness, humility, self-discipline; against such things there is no law."
Gal 5:25-26, "If we live by the Spirit, let us advance by means of the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, challenging each other, being jealous of each other."