Guarded Through Faith

the ones in power of God guarded through faith to the extent a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5)

We await the fullness of our salvation, the redemption of our bodies. Until then we are being guarded through faith. There is an inseparable connection between faith and the spiritual. Faith comes from the word of God (Jesus being the Word, the author and perfecter of our faith through knowledge of him) and the words of Jesus are Spirit and truth, living and active through the word and Spirit. The Spirit guides us into the truth and teaches us to abide in Jesus who is truth thus these are inseparable. Truth and faith are inseparable, the words of Jesus exist truth. The words of Jesus exist life, living bread, therefore life and truth are inseparable. Faith and love are inseparable also, as faith is energized through love as the love of God is poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is also the guarantor of our inheritance. Therefore is an inseparable connection between faith and the spiritual. It is an amazing thing that we are being guarded through faith.

according to God the Father's foreknowing in sanctification spiritually to the extent of obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace and peace yours in increasing measure (1 Peter 1:1-2)

Through God's grace and mercy we have been birth into a living hope, through the Spirit the same that raised Jesus from the dead, to an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, unfading and kept in heaven for us which in the power of God is being guarded through faith (1 Peter 1:3-5). The promised Holy Spirit was given when we heard the gospel, the word of truth and believed, thus through the Spirit and Word we are saved, and the Spirit is the guarantor of our inheritance until the redemption of His possession (Ephesians 1:13-14).

... predestining you for adoption as his own through Jesus Christ... (Ephesians 1:5)

God's possession speaks not of slaves but of children, "his own." When we were sealed or marked of the Holy Spirit it was through a new birth, thus the Spirit is one of adoption and testifies we are His own children thus heirs of the inheritance (Romans 8:15-17). We entered the kingdom of God just as Jesus said we needed to in the new covenant, to be born a new not of the flesh but of the Spirit. We have this testimony from God, of Spirit and blood because we have been adopted and cleansed by by the blood of Jesus. We see the inseparable connection between new birth, adoption of the Spirit, and faith, having heard the gospel and believed and sealed.

Now, before faith came, they were guarded under the Law, together locked up, to the extent of the intended faith revealed (Galatians 3:23)

Before faith in Christ, the fleshly children of Israel were under the Mosaic Law. The Law had no power, because it was useless and weak due to the sinful nature of the fleshly man.* The Law and service in the temple made no man mature in regards to reflecting the glory of God.* So they were not held under a school master or teacher, but under a guardian, imprisoned, locked up until the appointed time that faith would come and they would be justified and counted righteous through faith.

Now, if you are in Christ, then exist descendants of Abraham heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3: 29)

In the new covenant the children of God are those of the promise, not by the Mosaic Law nor fleshly birth as Jews (Galatians 4). Through faith and the Spirit which is the "promised" Holy Spirit, now the means through which we become children of the promise, adoption as his own. Paul explains it this way, "Now, it is not because the word of God failed. For not all the ones from Israel [are actually] Israel... These exist not the children of the flesh, these existing children of God, rather the children of the promise are counted as descendants" (Romans 9:6-8). In the new covenant which Jesus established through his death, we receive the promised Holy Spirit, thus through faith and new birth we become children of the promise in Christ. Thus the sign of our inheritance as heirs is not a circumcision of the flesh, but of the heart by the Spirit (Romans 2:25-29).

now, that faith has come we are no longer under a guardian. For you all are sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:25)

Sons of God guarded through faith in Jesus. Paul speaks of this mystery, being revealed to us in Christ (1 Corinthians 2:7). Before the ages God determined this for our glory (1 Corinthians 15:5). And in the church he has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in Christ (Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 3:3-4; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:26-27; Colossians 2:2; Colossians 4:3; 1 Timothy 3:9; 1 Timothy 3:16). This mystery is spiritual thus can only be revealed in Christ and the Holy Spirit. God has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Through foreknowledge he predestined and chose us in him before he created the world (Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 8:29-30). As children of God dearly loved, we are being guarded through faith until the fullness of our salvation and glory is revealed.

the one in the power of God guarding through faith to the extent salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this we rejoice if at present it is necessary for a short time to be sorrowful in various trials... (1 Peter 1:6-9)

We are being guarded by faith. This mystery the angels longed to look into, now being manifested to us in the Holy Spirit sent from heaven (1 Peter 1:10-12). We can press on and rejoice in our suffering because we are obtaining the goal of our faith, the salvation of our soul (1 Peter 1:7-9). We are being transformed from glory to glory conformed to the image of Christ. A proving by fire so that we are found to the praise and glory and honor in revelation of Jesus Christ. God is working out these things for our good, to those called according to his purpose, so to be conformed to the image of Christ. Oh, to be guarded through faith is a mystery and a profound thing.

The Crucible

" The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies ." 1 He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. The definition of zeal is great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective. It is this time, to arouse zeal, shout, raise a war cry! As Paul writes, " In diligence not lagging in spirit being fervent serving the Lord ." 2 Our energy comes in the bond of brotherhood, formed in the crucible of combat. A crucible is place of severe test or trial, it is derived from Latin crucibulum ("night-lamp, metallurgic melting-pot"), and is a derivative of crux ("cross"). 3 The Bible speaks of the crucible of the cross for Jesus and for those who follow Him. The purpose of a soldier is two-fold; to accomplish the mission and to care for one another, as commanded. Each soldier has a role to play on a team. Without knowin...

One Grace

" moreover, One, to each of us has been given Grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ ." 1 Grace is a founding principle of Christianity. It is by Grace we grow into the fullness of Christ through faith; " to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. " 2 Without Grace we will never reach this fullness. The weakness in the Law was it attempted to do it in the flesh, and people failed over and over, so God in His infinite wisdom, unveiled this mystery, through faith in Christ we have grace to boldly approach His throne of Grace, to receive grace and mercy as needed! This gift of Grace is properly understood by examining this verse in three parts; moreover, One Grace, to each of us has been given, according to the measure of the gift of Christ . First, we understand, One grace, it is easy to miss the One, and this verse is translated in different ways, I believe it says One Grace and i...

Truth All Around You

Stand then girding your loins in truth and putting on the breastplate of righteousness. * How can a soldier stand in battle if he has not been prepared, trained? How can a house stand if it has been built on sand? How can we stand against spiritual forces if we have not been prepared? Our battle is not against flesh and blood so in regards to such, what good is armor to a child or how can one stained with dirty clothes stand with a defiled conscious? To stand one must be prepared, be his workmanship, someone prepared beforehand to do battle. For this purpose you begin girding your loins in truth, putting on truth, wrapping truth all around you. ... girding your loins in truth... * The word girding is perizōnnymi (from peri "about, around" and zōnnymi "put on") meaning around about put on. Often gird your loins with truth is translated as putting on a belt. Surely we can say truth holds on the garments and confidence in truth is important in standing. I like th...

Those He Calls He Equips

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen . Hebrews 13:20-21 When God calls us he equips us, the God of Peace, the one who brought us from the dead by the blood of the Eternal Covenant, will equip you so to do his will. So in this concept of being equipped, we see the calling being irrevocable. "For it is God who works in you to Will and to act on behalf of his good pleasure." Philippians 2:13 God called you, he's working in you equipping you to work on behalf of his good pleasure. "So that the man of God may be complete fully equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:17 . In Hebrews 12 we read God disciplines those he loves, so that we share in his holy character, as the scriptures...

Word Of Life

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. " 1 Jesus is the Word, He was in the beginning with God. 2 All things were made through Him. He is the Word and Light of men, the way, the path, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." 4 Thus we can say as the Psalmist, Jesus, the Word, is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path. 5 "In him was life, and the life was the light of men." 6 Concerning the Word of Life, " the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life ," Proclaimed, that our joy may be complete, a glory like that in the beginning, fellowship with the Father, with one another, and with his Son Jesus Christ, the Word of Life. "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot...

Hypocrisy and Self-righteousness

“ Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you ” Matthew 7:1–2 In Mathew 7 Jesus is speaking out against hypocrisy, he coins the term, it is exposed as a very serious sin. Because of their hypocrisy these religious leaders were leading his people astray. Today it is the same, it is a top reason why people do not attend a church. Of course we blame the sinner and hear cute little sayings like, come join us you will fit right in... which makes light of the situation. On a more serious note, Jesus gives seven woes to the Pharisees, he even warns them of hell fire and damnation, for their hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Hypocrisy is basically pretending to be something you are not, it is not to be confused with our imperfection. Our righteousness is found in Christ alone, not in self. Hypocrisy and self righteousness is usually seen by others when we in our own righteousn...

Formed Into The Same Image

because those he foreknew also he predestined, to form to the image of His Son, to the extent He exists the firstborn of many brethren . * The word for form in this verse is σύμμορφος ( symmorphos ) from sym "same, with, or together" and morphos "form or shape." We are being formed, shaped into the same image as Christ. This word has the same root word morphos as in transformed, μεταμορφόω ( metamorphos ) from meta "among, with, after" and morphos "form or shape." Into the same form as Christ we are predestined. Adam was a living soul, but Christ was a life giving Spirit. Adam was formed in the image of God but that image was corrupted. In Christ we are formed a new, so that image is being restored. To be a Christian is more than just doing good works, more than just going to heaven, we are called to be formed into an image after Christ, Christ like. who will transfigure our lowly bodies into the same form as his glorious body, according t...

Feed On Me

"Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me." 1 This "living" Jesus speaks of is eternal or everlasting Life but what does this mean? Is this life an after life in heaven as traditionally taught or something we begin to experience here on earth? We read that Life is in knowing, a personal experience, " this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent ." 2 We receive the Spirit of life when we first believed, but the true disciple of Christ is known by abiding, these have learned that Life is in eating the bread of Life and drinking living water. Life is in Christ, all else has become as rubbish but to know Christ, and the Life he gives, "so also the one who feeds on Me will live." "So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples. and you will know the truth, ...

Kiss the Son

Why do the nations rage and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel, together against Yahweh and against his anointed. Break apart their bands and cast away their cords. He who sits in the heavens laughs, Yahweh scoffs. Then shall he speak unto them with anger, fury, and dismay. I established my King upon Zion, My Holy Hill. I will declare the decree of Yahweh who said, you are my son, you I have this day begotten. Ask concerning, I will establish nations your inheritance Your possession the uttermost parts of the earth. You shall afflict them with a staff of iron on a potter's vessel dashed to pieces. Now, O, kings be wise, be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and you perish from the way, because brutish is his wrath. Blessed are all who put their trust in Him. 1

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