In our present study we are examining 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.
This is because church age believers are a new spiritual species in union with TLJC. Gal 3: 26-29; and because of this any advantages or disadvantages from first birth are not a factor in their relationship with God.
In our last class we left off during a discussion of the difference between the Enablement that is the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age and the Endeument of the Spirit that was the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament dispensations.
We were looking at some of the OT believers who were given the Endeument of the Holy Spirit.
We saw that enduement was provided to Joshua in Num 27:18, Gideon, Judges 6:34. Samson, Judges 14:6, Judges 15:14-15. Saul, 1Sam 10:9-10. David, 1Sam 16:13. and Daniel for communication, Dan 4:8, Dan 5:11-12;
Enduement was also provided to the human authors of the Old Testament books, 1Pet 1:11-12; 2Pet 1:20-21;Old Testament believers could request the Holy Spirit, as Elishah did in 2Kings 2:9-10.
The disciples were told in Luke 11:13; during the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union: "If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"
They could have requested the endeument of the Spirit while TLJC was on the earth teaching them, but they never did. Because of this, as we have seen in our previous study, our Lord gave them enduement for the period between His resurrection and the day of Pentecost. John 20:22;
In the Church Age, we have enablement. We have both the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit in our bodies, and the filling of the Holy Spirit controlling our souls, when we are functioning inside God's power system.
Enablement is therefore the ministry of the Holy Spirit to every Church Age believer.
Today believers have the opportunity to use a power that was never made available to even the greatest of all Old Testament believers. Matt 11:11b;
To understand the ministry of grace on the part of the Holy Spirit, we must remember that God the Holy Spirit now makes available to us all His divine power, but we must be in the right place at the right time to receive it. That place is inside the operational spiritual life that is given to every church age believer, and the time is now. Eph 5:14-16;
The ministry of God the Holy Spirit provides the power for the believer to live the Christian way of life is called the enabling power of the Spirit and TLJC in his unglorified humanity was the pattern for that enabling power and thereby set the precedence for our spiritual life.
Just as the unbeliever cannot understand the Gospel or receive Christ as Savior apart from the ministry of the Spirit in common and efficacious grace, we as believers cannot fulfill the protocol plan of God apart from the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
This is the principle of "as you received TLJC so walk in him" Col 2:6;
While the indwelling of the Spirit is designed to provide a temple for the indwelling of Christ as the Shekinah Glory, the filling of the Spirit is designed to give believers the necessary power to fulfill God's unique plan for the believer's life.
Some principles that come from our study include:
Divine power does not and cannot coexist with human power and ability, therefore, spirituality is an absolute.
The use of human power in an attempt to please God instead of divine power is classified as legalism.
Legalism is moral degeneracy and is the trend of the sin nature in Christian degeneracy.
Believers cannot mix divine power with human power and fulfill God's plan. No believer can fulfill the protocol plan of God outside of God's power system, because no believer can fulfill the protocol plan of God in the energy or the power of the OSN.
Zech 4:6b; John 6:63; Gal 5:16;
This means that the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit is the only means of execution of the protocol plan of God.
The primary function of the omnipotence of the Spirit is to enable the believer to understand the words of TLJC that are recorded in Bible Doctrine. Without the filling of the Spirit inside God's power system, the believer cannot understand and learn the mystery doctrine of the Church Age.
God the Holy Spirit is the teacher of doctrine, but He only teaches when we are under his mentorship inside God's power system. Our Lord prophesied of this in John 14:26 and John 16:12-14.
Paul reiterated this fact in 1Cor 2:9-16, and John taught it in 1John 2:27.
The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit is the means of execution of the protocol plan of God for the Church Age. However, the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit is only available inside God's power system.
When believer are filled with the Spirit, they are residing in God's power system. When believers sin, they remove themselves from God's power system and are described as grieving or quenching the Holy Spirit.
When believer are in the kosmic system because their soul is controlled by the OSN, they can only reenter God's system through the acknowledgement of any known sin.
Inside the God's power system the believer is described as walking in the light in 1John 1:7. But outside God's power system, is described as walking in darkness, 1John 1:6,8,10.
Therefore, all of the provisions for the Christian way of life are provided by the omnipotence of God in grace.
The omnipotence of God the Father related to our portfolio of invisible assets, the omnipotence of God the Son related to the perpetuation of human history, and the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit related to the availability and utilization of divine power inside the God's power system.
The historical environment for the Christian way of life is provided in grace by God the Father who has made available our portfolio of invisible assets, and the means by which the Holy Spirit fills and controls us.
The filling of the Spirit and walking by means of the Spirit are different sides of the same coin. Both terms refer to spirituality.
When believers are filled with the Spirit, they automatically reside in the God's power system where they have equal privilege and equal opportunity for the execution of the protocol plan of God.
Outside of God's power system, the believer functions on human power and human ability. Divine omnipotence and human power are mutually exclusive.
The Christian way of life is a matter of utilizing divine power rather than human power and ability because Divine power is necessary to execute the divine plan.
A perfect plan demands a perfect power for its execution.
Invisible heroes are only manufactured by God with divine power inside the God's power system under the mentorship of the Spirit.
The Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life and demands a supernatural means of execution.
Since God's power is equally available to every believer every Church Age believer has equal opportunity for the execution of God's plan, will, and purpose.
Every believer has available to them exactly the same power, plan, purpose and will from God.
Eph 3:16, "Now to Him who is able to do infinitely more than we could ever ask or even imagine on the basis of the power that works for us."
1Cor 2:5, "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man but in the power of God."
2Pet 1:3, "Seeing His divine power has given to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the metabolized doctrine from Him who called us to His own glory and virtue."
2 Cor 4:7, "For we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the surpassing greatness of His power may be from God and not from ourselves."
Matt 22:29, "Jesus answered and said to them, `You are constantly being deceived, not knowing the Scripture; therefore, not knowing the power of God."
Some principles related to the Divine Power that is available to believers who are living in God's power system under the mentorship of God the Holy Spirit
God is perfect; therefore, His plan is perfect.
God's perfect plan demands a perfect system of execution.
The only perfect power is the omnipotence of God that is made available to every Church Age believer for the execution of His plan, will, and purpose.
The power of God the Holy Spirit is designed to execute the protocol plan of God for the Church, and this power is available to every believer who resides inside God's power system by grace and through faith.
Life inside the God's power system is when the believer utilizes the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit for the execution of the protocol plan for the Church.
Inside the God's power system, the Holy Spirit is the teacher of the mystery doctrine of the Church Age. This is necessary for the execution of the protocol plan that results in the glorification of God.
The power of God the Holy Spirit brought us to Jesus Christ in salvation and made possible our new birth the creation of our human spirit. The same divine power is available to us so we can understand the mystery doctrine of the Church Age and execute the protocol plan of God of the church age.
This same power is the power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
Outside of God's power system, the believer functions on human power and ability. Therefore, cannot execute the protocol plan of God.
Divine power and human power are mutually exclusive. The omnipotence of God is the supernatural means of executing God's supernatural plan. The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit is related to three factors in the function of God's plan in our lives.
The filling of the Spirit inside the God's power system, cognition of Bible doctrine while we are filled with the Spirit resulting in its metabolization and application, and the function of spiritual gift given to each believer at salvation inside of God's power system.
The principle of God's grace is that his omnipotence does everything for the believer.