in whom exist hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.*
It is a fine sounding argument that wisdom might be attained elsewhere, even the beginning of, but it is in Christ Jesus we put our trust, not leaning on our own understanding but wisdom, and understanding in knowledge of Him. He is preeminent in all things, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. He is the Word of God, Word of Life, and Eternal Life that was revealed to us. His words exist Eternal Life. The Law came through Moses but in Jesus Christ came grace and truth. Under the Law fear was the beginning of wisdom and understanding thus the Law had fear of punishment, but it did not perfect men into righteousness because of the weakness of sinful nature. In Christ we have power to overcome such weakness and in Him is all wisdom and knowledge. We proclaim Life and Light to the world, Jesus, the beginning of wisdom and understanding and its continuation.
Now these, the ones called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power and wisdom of God.*
Paul writes the Church at Galatia fell from grace and severed themselves from Christ. We know they went back to a works justification under the Law, and were no longer being led by the Spirit. As Paul writes if you go back to one part of the Law you are obligated to adhere to all of it. So if I go back to the Law do I follow Moses or Jesus? Can I follow Moses and Jesus if they are separate covenants? Why is the Bible separated in two Testaments, Old and New? Are we not released from the Old and bound to Christ in the New? And if you go back to the old have we not severed from Christ, seeking wisdom from the old covenant, neglecting the new covenant established in the blood of Jesus? Is the Word of God to be believed over the words of Moses? Surely the body of Christ reflects the mind of, wisdom in Christ, the goal being to attain to the full measure of the statute of the image of Christ through the knowledge of Him.
to influence, by the Word of God, the mystery, that hidden for ages and generations but now has been revealed to his saints, those God chose to make known... the one we proclaim, mindful to all and teaching all men, in all wisdom so presenting all men mature in Christ. To this end I strive according to the power in me.*
Is not the deception Paul dealt with in the early Church, of doctrines being introduced into the Church that basically went back to the Old, seeking wisdom from the old covenant, neglecting Christ as the source, the beginning and end? Is it not clear He is Head? Christ we proclaim, the mystery hidden in and which God has revealed to us. This is what is being proclaimed through the Church, Jesus Christ who is wisdom and understanding. And we strive to make known Jesus, teaching and making mindful of such, presenting all men mature in Christ. Those mature are no longer tossed to and fro by deceitful scheming, they are being perfected truth in love until mature, Christ like.
so that your faith doesn't exist in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.*
The concept of maturity, of growing up into our salvation exists in the new covenant. This is perfection in truth, the bond of love leading to perfection thus it is perfection or maturity or truth in love we grow up into Him. This is why Paul writes we are under grace as it is being a new creation that counts and we are strengthened through faith energized in love. God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love, and a sound mind. The Law did not perfect, it did not mature men to be obedient because of the weakness of the flesh, therefore fear doesn't mature though God might use it to awaken us out of our slumber. Now, being rooted and ground in faith and love we grow up into Him, truth in love. God demonstrates his kindness to us in Christ Jesus though we existed dead in trespass and sin He was rich in mercy through his great love for us. We receive from the riches of His grace adoption, redemption, the forgiveness of sin. Jesus condemns not us, but sin in the flesh, so the body in which sin dwells is dying but we who are spiritual are being raised into newness of Life. Jesus has given us the power to overcome sin, thus we rule over sin, this weakness of the flesh under grace as it is God's power at work.
It is a fine sounding argument that wisdom might be attained elsewhere, even the beginning of, but it is in Christ Jesus we put our trust, not leaning on our own understanding but wisdom, and understanding in knowledge of Him. He is preeminent in all things, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. He is the Word of God, Word of Life, and Eternal Life that was revealed to us. His words exist Eternal Life. The Law came through Moses but in Jesus Christ came grace and truth. Under the Law fear was the beginning of wisdom and understanding thus the Law had fear of punishment, but it did not perfect men into righteousness because of the weakness of sinful nature. In Christ we have power to overcome such weakness and in Him is all wisdom and knowledge. We proclaim Life and Light to the world, Jesus, the beginning of wisdom and understanding and its continuation.
Now these, the ones called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power and wisdom of God.*
Paul writes the Church at Galatia fell from grace and severed themselves from Christ. We know they went back to a works justification under the Law, and were no longer being led by the Spirit. As Paul writes if you go back to one part of the Law you are obligated to adhere to all of it. So if I go back to the Law do I follow Moses or Jesus? Can I follow Moses and Jesus if they are separate covenants? Why is the Bible separated in two Testaments, Old and New? Are we not released from the Old and bound to Christ in the New? And if you go back to the old have we not severed from Christ, seeking wisdom from the old covenant, neglecting the new covenant established in the blood of Jesus? Is the Word of God to be believed over the words of Moses? Surely the body of Christ reflects the mind of, wisdom in Christ, the goal being to attain to the full measure of the statute of the image of Christ through the knowledge of Him.
to influence, by the Word of God, the mystery, that hidden for ages and generations but now has been revealed to his saints, those God chose to make known... the one we proclaim, mindful to all and teaching all men, in all wisdom so presenting all men mature in Christ. To this end I strive according to the power in me.*
Is not the deception Paul dealt with in the early Church, of doctrines being introduced into the Church that basically went back to the Old, seeking wisdom from the old covenant, neglecting Christ as the source, the beginning and end? Is it not clear He is Head? Christ we proclaim, the mystery hidden in and which God has revealed to us. This is what is being proclaimed through the Church, Jesus Christ who is wisdom and understanding. And we strive to make known Jesus, teaching and making mindful of such, presenting all men mature in Christ. Those mature are no longer tossed to and fro by deceitful scheming, they are being perfected truth in love until mature, Christ like.
so that your faith doesn't exist in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.*
The concept of maturity, of growing up into our salvation exists in the new covenant. This is perfection in truth, the bond of love leading to perfection thus it is perfection or maturity or truth in love we grow up into Him. This is why Paul writes we are under grace as it is being a new creation that counts and we are strengthened through faith energized in love. God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love, and a sound mind. The Law did not perfect, it did not mature men to be obedient because of the weakness of the flesh, therefore fear doesn't mature though God might use it to awaken us out of our slumber. Now, being rooted and ground in faith and love we grow up into Him, truth in love. God demonstrates his kindness to us in Christ Jesus though we existed dead in trespass and sin He was rich in mercy through his great love for us. We receive from the riches of His grace adoption, redemption, the forgiveness of sin. Jesus condemns not us, but sin in the flesh, so the body in which sin dwells is dying but we who are spiritual are being raised into newness of Life. Jesus has given us the power to overcome sin, thus we rule over sin, this weakness of the flesh under grace as it is God's power at work.
"The beginning of wisdom is to fear God and the knowledge of the Holy One, understanding.*What do we proclaim? Jesus is the Holy one from God, Jesus is Life, the Word of Life, whose words exist Eternal Life. Therefore we proclaim Jesus is wisdom and understanding from God. "Rather, we speak the wisdom of God, the one hidden in mystery and that God had predestined before the ages for our glory."* And "you exist of Him in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and these; righteousness and sanctification and redemption."* When we proclaim Christ we proclaim these things and all that does not lead us to life and godliness is as nothing. We are led by the Spirit to abide in His words thus we will not bear fruit without abiding, all else that doesn't mature us is as nothing, not beneficial to us in regards to life and godliness. The Old was a shadow of things to come, including the laws of tithing, in Him is the true tithe, the show bread that all who exist in Him as priests eat from, living bread, food that endures unto everlasting Life.
We know as Peter confessed that the words of Jesus are eternal Life and that we have come to know and believe that He is the Holy One of God. Thus as Paul prayed our eyes have been opened, enlightened to the knowledge of the Son. This knowledge of the Holy One is understanding revealed to us by the Spirit of God. Jesus is wisdom from God so we look at all scriptures in this Light of a New Covenant established in His blood. When we do we have better understanding of this verse. If Jesus is wisdom from God then is not believing in Jesus the beginning of wisdom and understanding? Yes, this is what matters, our faith in Jesus and as John writes iterating such wisdom, the same commandment exists together in importance, that you believe and love one another."*
Now, seek first his kingdom and his righteousness...*
Jesus is the Way, Truth, and the Life. Putting first His kingdom and his righteousness is about putting Him first. Or it is about what perfects us into becoming like Him and everything else is as nothing. True tithing is not about money, an unrighteous thing. The priests of the old were not perfected by partaking from the tithing, from that offered at the altar of God of earthly substance, if so Christ would not have needed to come, but this was a shadow of things to come, that righteousness would come through drinking his blood and life through eating his flesh. The living bread would give us Life and perfect us, so we share in His holy character which is sharing in His glory which comes through food that endures unto life. Surely, not tithe of money. The fruit of life and godliness will not be poured out nor overflow from heaven because you tithe and give money. But seeking first living bread, that freely given without cost, and all these things will be added unto you.
these things we write so that your joy exists complete.*
Just as life doesn't neither does joy come in tithing and giving but as John writes and proclaims to us it is found in the Word of Life, Jesus, in whom our joy is made complete. That from the Old covenant, like circumcision of the flesh, living to the Law, serving and sacrificing, tithing and giving, doesn't mature us to become like Him, in His image, thus these things are not our reasonable service, nor our high calling, nor highest forms of worship to God. These do not perfect us so if we put these things first we say the opposite, that we do not seek first bread from heaven and have not consecrated our hearts Christ, Lord. God has made Christ preeminent in all things thus wisdom and knowledge begins and continues in Him. So we pray that you be enlightened in all knowledge and wisdom from God so that you may comprehend these things.
Jesus is the Way, Truth, and the Life. Putting first His kingdom and his righteousness is about putting Him first. Or it is about what perfects us into becoming like Him and everything else is as nothing. True tithing is not about money, an unrighteous thing. The priests of the old were not perfected by partaking from the tithing, from that offered at the altar of God of earthly substance, if so Christ would not have needed to come, but this was a shadow of things to come, that righteousness would come through drinking his blood and life through eating his flesh. The living bread would give us Life and perfect us, so we share in His holy character which is sharing in His glory which comes through food that endures unto life. Surely, not tithe of money. The fruit of life and godliness will not be poured out nor overflow from heaven because you tithe and give money. But seeking first living bread, that freely given without cost, and all these things will be added unto you.
these things we write so that your joy exists complete.*
Just as life doesn't neither does joy come in tithing and giving but as John writes and proclaims to us it is found in the Word of Life, Jesus, in whom our joy is made complete. That from the Old covenant, like circumcision of the flesh, living to the Law, serving and sacrificing, tithing and giving, doesn't mature us to become like Him, in His image, thus these things are not our reasonable service, nor our high calling, nor highest forms of worship to God. These do not perfect us so if we put these things first we say the opposite, that we do not seek first bread from heaven and have not consecrated our hearts Christ, Lord. God has made Christ preeminent in all things thus wisdom and knowledge begins and continues in Him. So we pray that you be enlightened in all knowledge and wisdom from God so that you may comprehend these things.