The Spiritual Life

At the moment of salvation, every Church Age believer receives their very own spiritual life tailored to their own soul and personality. Your spiritual life is a grace gift from God and you are the only one who can live it. Believers are all different and each must live their own spiritual life. No one else can live it for you.

God has provided for every believer their spiritual life empowered by God the Holy Spirit with a uniform set of biblical principles and divine mandates. Your spiritual life is designed by God to enable you to live the most rewarding life possible and glorify God in doing so. It’s all by God's grace.

The first one to ever use this unique spiritual life was none other than our Lord Jesus Christ during His incarnation on earth. In the resurrection, ascension, and session of our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father authorized the same spiritual life for all believers who would make up the Royal Family of God, the Body of Christ, all Church Age believers. 1 Tim. 3:16; Eph. 1:17-18.

“By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16, NASB)

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” (Ephesians 1:17-18, NASB)

Your volition determines how you live your spiritual life and God's grace empowers it all. Consequently, you are responsible to God for your own decisions, good or bad, positive or negative to Bible doctrine. Phil. 4:19; Eph. 3:16.

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19, NASB)

“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,” (Ephesians 3:16, NASB)

God provide all of your needs in grace in the spiritual life. As you learn Bible doctrine and grow spiritually, you begin to use God's grace resources more and more. You come to depend on them. Only by living your very own spiritual life using God's enabling power can you glorify God and fulfill His will, purpose, and plan for your life.

At the moment of salvation, we are also entered into union with the Lord Jesus Christ. This actually constitutes an eternal relationship. This is also known as Positional Truth and Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The way that we make our position relative to our experience is by living within the spiritual life, which we enter at the moment of salvation through the filling of the Holy Spirit. In order make use of this divine power for the Christian life, we must understand all the components involved for executing the plan of God for the Christian life, and growing up spiritually to become a mature believer. God the Father has actually provided for every Church Age believer His grace resources which are unique to the Church Age.

All of these grace resources, mechanics, and components of experiential Christianity mean that we have more grace provisions in the Church Age than any believer of any past or future dispensation has experienced or ever will experience. Learning to use all of God's grace resources in the spiritual life enable us to glorify God and to be productive for Him. Actually, these components are the basis of all divine good production in the spiritual life.

You cannot handle the problems of life without your spiritual life being operational under the filling of the Holy Spirit. Without your spiritual life, God will administer divine discipline to get you to confess sin biblically and thereby return to the spiritual life.

Components of the Spiritual Life

The components of the spiritual life are; Confession of Sin, the Filling of the Holy Spirit, Faith-Rest, Grace Orientation, Doctrinal Orientation, Humility - Teachability, Personal Love for God, Impersonal or Unconditional Love for All Mankind, Sharing the Happiness of God, and Occupation with Jesus Christ.

Confession of Sin

The term for confession in the Greek is ομολογεω (homologeo) and means to cite, to name, to acknowledge, to classify as a sin the thought, deed, or action the same as God does. This Greek word gives the idea of two people coming to a common agreement on a matter. It is admitting to the God the Father that what you have thought, said, or done is sin. The believer realizes that this is sin based on the Bible doctrine in the right lobe (heart) of their soul. 1 John 1:9 is addressed to believers only.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, NASB)

In 1 John 1:9 , the word “If” is a third class condition in the Greek and means that it is potential, maybe the believer will confess known sins biblically, maybe they won’t. But if they do, then the Lord is faithful and just to forgive them the sins they remembered and named and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness including the sins they forgot or were unaware of. Confession means to recognize that sin named as one that has been paid for by Jesus Christ on the Cross. Confession is the non-meritorious method of dealing with family type sins. Confession is only made to God the Father because God alone can forgive sin. Mark 2:7.

""Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?"" (Mark 2:7, NASB)

We are to trust that the Word of God will identify what God says is sin as part of the Bible doctrine that we learn and apply in our Christian walk. God has provided this “grace” way of being cleansed from all unrighteousness (sins that you did not know of) just by naming your known sins. This is His grace! See category on Confession of Sin.

The Filling of the Holy Spirit

We again become filled with the Holy Spirit when we confess our known sins to God the Father using 1 John 1:9. This consistent confession of sin and resultant control of your soul by the Holy Spirit which allows learning Bible truth through the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. Consistent intake and application of Bible truth results in the development of confidence in life.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, NASB)

The Holy Spirit empowers the believer’s spiritual life. This is the same power that enables the believer to understand Bible doctrine taught (gnosis) and to convert that believed doctrine to epignosis in the right lobe of the soul. This intake and residency of believed Bible teaching actually enables us to live our lives in the Word of God. This is our daily study, knowing, and applying the Word of God. This is the important springboard of advance in the spiritual life to eventually move us into spiritual maturity.

The filling or controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit is needed every time you get out of fellowship. The believer is promised by God the Father in 1 John 1:9, that every time the believer names or cites their known sins to Him, He forgives the known sins and also the unknown or forgotten sins and restores the believer’s soul to fellowship with Him. The believer is now filled with the Holy Spirit and can learn and apply Bible doctrine to life’s situations. Eph. 5:18.

"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit," (Ephesians 5:18, NASB)

All Church Age believers are given divine grace resources as members of the royal family of God to fulfill the plan of God for our lives. These resources are provided by God the Father. God the Son continues to uphold and preserve the universe by the word of His power. Jesus Christ also guarantees the protection of the positive believer for the fulfillment of His will. The omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit provides the divine empowerment for every believer to live and grow in the spiritual life designed for each of us exactly as it was first used by the humanity of Jesus Christ while on earth. See category on the Filling of the Holy Spirit.

Faith-Rest

Faith-Rest is knowing, believing, and applying God's promises, principles, and doctrines of the Word to experience. Faith-rest is related to the other basics of the spiritual life especially needful for the new believer. Confessing sin biblically gets one back into fellowship with God. The filling of the Holy Spirit keeps one in a state of fellowship or spirituality. Faith-rest is maintaining one’s fellowship. Living in the Word is growing in fellowship. Occupation with Christ is the expression of the believer in fellowship.

Faith-rest is based on daily doctrinal intake and application of epignosis Bible doctrine to experience. Faith-rest produces steadiness while in fellowship. The central source for faith-rest for the new believer and all believers is the Word of God as promises, principles and doctrines. Isaiah 33:6.

"And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure." (Isaiah 33:6, NASB)

Within Isaiah 33:6, we find the basic ingredients for faith-rest. This verse in the Hebrew and Septuagint Greek clarifies the English text. There are several factors needful for faith-rest - wisdom and knowledge. Wisdom in the Hebrew can be translated “skill.” “Knowledge” in the Greek Septuagint means “expert in knowledge and experiential in nature.”

The faith-rest life begins with a maximum exposure to the truth of the Word of God, but it must be applied to life. In Isaiah 33:6, the central purpose of faith-rest is to bring steadiness into the believer’s life of fellowship. “Of your times” means a continuing period of time or time with a durative quality. “Wealth of salvation” in the Hebrew means riches or resources. The promises of the Word for the new believer are their riches.

When we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and received salvation, it was based upon a promise of salvation. Many of the Scriptures spell out this promise. When initial faith was exercised in the Lord Jesus Christ, we received eternal life. Nowhere in the Word of God are we ever told to stop believing. We continue to believe the promises of God. There are more than 7,000 of them just for the believer in their Christian walk. Romans 8:28 is a promise as is 1 Peter 5:7. 1 Samuel 17:47 tells us that the battle is not ours, but the Lord’s. See category on The Faith-Rest Life.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28, NASB)

"casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7, NASB)

"and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands."" (1 Samuel 17:47, NASB)

Grace Orientation

Grace orientation is knowing that God treats you in grace because of His character, not because of who and what you are. Grace orientation is treating others in grace because you are operating on divine viewpoint. Blessing from God is based on His character. Grace is what God is free to do for any believer through Jesus Christ. We are blessed by God the Father because we are in union with God the Son and God the Son is acceptable to God the Father.

It is impossible for any believer to get away from God's grace. You can operate contrary to it, but you can never get away from it. Believers have eternal security in Jesus Christ. Believers also receive divine discipline when they remain out of fellowship. God is tapping His foot waiting to bless us and we turn off the blessing when we sin. Isaiah 30:18-19.

"Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you." (Isaiah 30:18-19, NASB)

Grace isn’t limited to us, but our understanding of appropriation of and orientation to grace is limited by our lack of doctrine. When you orient to grace, God’s grace provides for every situation (failure, success, suffering, etc.) in which you find yourself. The believer, oriented to grace, has a mental attitude of grace toward other believers. The believer oriented to grace thinks divine viewpoint. The believer oriented to the grace of God regards every day as a gift from God. Rom. 14:5-6.

"One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God." (Romans 14:5-6, NASB)

God has designed the Christian way of life to be lived one day at a time. If the believer is ever going to become productive, they must oriented to the grace of God. If the believer is going to be oriented to the grace of God, they must know Bible doctrine and learn what the plan of God is for their lives. See category on Grace Orientation.

Doctrinal Orientation

Doctrinal orientation results in the believer gaining “sound judgment” or objective thinking based on the absolutes of the Word of God. This thinking replaces or renews the subjective thinking of human viewpoint to become divine viewpoint or grace thinking based on Bible doctrine in the soul. The believer becomes more oriented to God's grace resources that have been provided and are revealed through sound Bible doctrine. The believer then gains a new spiritual perspective that reveals God's plan for their life. Rom. 12:3; Rom. 14:5-6.

“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3, NASB)

Humility - Teachability

Genuine humility includes teachability. This is authority orientation to the Word of God and also to those who God has placed in positions of authority over you. This humility includes orientation to the rule of law, the laws of divine establishment and an understanding of the authority included in the Divine Institutions that are a part of the laws of divine establishment. 2 Cor. 13:10.

“For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.” (2 Corinthians 13:10, NASB)

In 1 Peter 5:5, the Greek word for “humility” is ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosunē) and means a mental attitude thought pattern of grace. Grace thinking recognizes that we, at no time, earn or deserve any blessing from God.

"You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." (1 Peter 5:5, NASB)

Humility understands that everything depends on who and what God is and all that He has done. Humility-grace thinking causes the believer to have no illusions about themselves. Thus, the believer has an edification complex in their soul instead of an inferiority complex or superiority complex. They have a relaxed mental attitude.

Mental attitude humility produces a relaxed mental attitude toward believers that have authority over you. This mental attitude grace enables the spiritual believer to submit to the teaching authority of another believer and the pastor-teacher in order to learn Bible doctrine. Only true humility through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit allows Bible doctrine to be learned. This spiritual growth process causes the believer to become more mature spiritually. See category on Humility.

Personal Love for God

The result of the consistent intake and application of Bible truth is our personal love relationship with God the Father. Personal love for God the Father is developed through spiritual growth whereby the believer begins to better understand who God really is, His perfect grace plan, and all that God has done, what He is continually doing to uphold the believer, and what God has planned for the future. This is a love for God because of who and what He is.

This personal love of God actually enables us to develop a healthy self-esteem which is a biblical self-respect. This personal love relationship with Jesus Christ also enables us to worship Him, be occupied with Him, and have absolute confidence in who and what He is. Our perpetuation of the faith-rest life also enables us to arrive at the point of personal love towards God and biblical self-respect. See category on Love, The Believer's Love for God.

Impersonal or Unconditional Love For All Mankind

Impersonal or unconditional love for others includes a relaxed mental attitude toward others even under difficult circumstances. This is a mental attitude of patience, forgiveness, graciousness, compassion, and kindness toward others no matter what they have said or done even if that includes opposition and hostility toward you.

This is the unconditional love for others that depends on the Bible doctrine in your soul, not the attractiveness of the object of that love. This is the mental attitude that Jesus Christ demonstrated toward everyone every day, even to those who were torturing Him and crucifying Him. This is a very powerful love that reflects the believer’s level of spiritual maturity and is the very thinking of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 2:16. See category on Love, The Believer’s Unconditional Love for Others.

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)

Sharing the Happiness of God

As the believer reaches spiritual maturity, they gain an inner happiness or sharing the perfect happiness of God the Father. This is the possession of inner happiness or actually possessing the happiness of God within our souls. This is a happiness that masters the details of life without depending on any person or anything else but the grace of God. Prov. 3:13.

“How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding.” (Proverbs 3:13, NASB)

Happiness, in its fullest meaning, is the utmost pleasure we are capable of enjoying in any given situation. Because we are referring to inner happiness, it can be a situation of prosperity or suffering. Remember, receiving and retaining inner happiness is something being possessed within our souls, and is not conditioned by any overt situation or circumstance.

Inner happiness, or God's happiness, is still a potential to the believer and depends upon their spiritual growth through the daily intake and obedience to Bible truth. The first taste of inner happiness comes from the filling of the Spirit. Happiness is the extension of a relaxed mental attitude. Such happiness is a mental attitude of joy. Gal. 5:22; Rom. 14:17; 1 Thess. 1:6.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," (Galatians 5:22, NASB)

"for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, NASB)

"You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit," (1 Thessalonians 1:6, NASB)

The experience of inner happiness is limited by the capacity developed from learning and applying Bible doctrine from positive volition. If you have a maximum amount of epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of your soul, you have capacity for great happiness. As a new believer, you lack this capacity and only have the filling of the Spirit without any Bible teaching in your soul as yet. In order to have great inner happiness on a daily basis regardless of any circumstance in life, we must possess maximum Bible doctrine in our soul. This provides the spiritual dynamic to remain Spirit-filled a maximum amount of the time on a daily basis. The believer carries happiness with them. Whether circumstances are pleasant or unpleasant, they are the same.

Once you have achieved spiritual maturity through the maximum intake and application of God's Word, the Lord then shares His own happiness with you on a maximum basis. John 17:13; John 17:17; 1 John 1:4.

" "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. " (John 17:13, NASB)

" "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. " (John 17:17, NASB)

"These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete." (1 John 1:4, NASB)

Occupation with Jesus Christ

One of the greatest components of the spiritual life is occupation with the person of Christ. Being occupied with Christ is the believer, filled with the Holy Spirit, functioning daily under the grace apparatus for perception, and thus erecting the edification complex of the soul. Occupation with Christ is a predisposition of the mind that sees all of life from divine viewpoint, therefore, thinking with the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:16.

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)

With consistent divine viewpoint thinking, the believer can handle the most severe pressures and difficulties in life much like our Lord did while on earth. It is wonderful to realize that we can enter into a personal love relationship with God. Believers can achieve this spiritually mature status by maintaining our filling of the Holy Spirit, learning the Word of God on a daily basis, and applying the believed Bible doctrine to our lives. The result is consistent spiritual growth.

Occupation with Christ is realized in the believer’s thinking after their spiritual growth has developed a personal love for God and an unconditional mental attitude agapao love for all who you meet in life whether friendly or unfriendly. Occupation with Christ is the standard operating procedure for the Christian life. Heb. 12:1-2. See category on Occupation with Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NASB)

Benefits of the Spiritual Life

The benefits of the spiritual life of the growing believer include a relaxed mental attitude with no mental attitude sins and thinking divine viewpoint. You think with divine viewpoint from the epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of your soul and apply it to your daily living. You are able to give someone the plan of salvation clearly and biblically. You understand and gain confidence in your relationship with God more and more as you grow spiritually. The norm and standard for your life is divine viewpoint. 2 Cor. 10:13.

“But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.” (2 Corinthians 10:13, NASB)

The benefits of the spiritual life also include an effective outreach of the Gospel. Believers have the opportunity to share the Gospel with a friend and sense the leading of the Holy Spirit in it. None of this pressure, door to door stuff, or peddling religion for the price of a booklet. This is the actual thrill of seeing people saved. 2 Cor. 10:14.

“For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:14, NASB)

The spiritual life of the believer results in growth and development. Spiritual growth moves you out of the babe stage spiritually where you understand where you are in your growth stage. You put the priorities where they should be and begin to enjoy the Christian life as God meant it to be enjoyed. 2 Cor. 10:15.

“not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,” (2 Corinthians 10:15, NASB)

The benefits of the spiritual life of the growing believer in a nation results in increased missionary activity within the nation and in other countries. On an individual level, the growing believer begins to function as an ambassador for Jesus Christ and as a believer priest. On a national level, outreach develops through sound biblical missionaries, who are categorical men, prepared men, men who are more than nice. They are sound in their faith. 2 Cor. 10:16.

“so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.” (2 Corinthians 10:16, NASB)

Your thought life increasingly glorifies the Lord. You understand that you are what you think. Your thinking lacks clutter and lacks mental attitude sins. You have an increasing sharpness of the mental faculties, regardless of your human IQ. Your thinking is clear, reasonable, relaxed, and gracious. 2 Cor. 10:17; Prov. 23:7.

“But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.” (2 Corinthians 10:17, NASB)

“For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink!" But his heart is not with you.” (Proverbs 23:7, NASB)

You have no illusions about yourself. You know it’s who and what God is that counts. You are oriented to the grace of God. You know the human heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. You’re not running around trying to straighten everyone out like a spiritual private eye. 2 Cor. 10:18; Jer. 17:9.

“For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.” (2 Corinthians 10:18, NASB)

“"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NASB)

Daily Intake and Application of the Word

Growing believers can keep their spiritual growth steady and consistent by the same grace means that all believers maintain spiritual growth - stay in fellowship and continue to learn and apply Bible doctrine. Make it your very thinking - divine viewpoint. Psalms 119:9.

“Beth. How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.” (Psalms 119:9, NASB)

Stay out of the net of details of life which choke out the Word of God. Luke 8:14.

“"The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” (Luke 8:14, NASB)

Stay out of the net of mental attitude sins that forms scar tissue in the soul. In Hebrews 12:15, “defiled” is μιαίνω (miainō) and means to defile, to pollute, to sully, to contaminate, to soil.

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15, NASB)

Proverbs 20:1 and Proverbs 23:21 warn to stay out of the net of alcoholism (drunkenness) that forms scar tissue in the soul.

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1, NASB)

“For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” (Proverbs 23:21, NASB)

In Psalms 119:11, “treasured” is צפן (tsâphan) and means to stockpile, to hide, to treasure. This is Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul. “That I may not sin against You” means to throw away your treasure by making a false step downward, by downgrading the priority of Bible doctrine from number one priority in your life. 2 Corinthians 4:16 speaks of the renewing of the believer’s thinking from spiritual growth even as the body ages.

“Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” (Psalms 119:11, NASB)

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16, NASB)

There is a unique word in Psalms 119. The word is “delight” or שָׁעַע (shaa) in the Hebrew and is found in Psalms 119:16, Psalms 119:47, Psalms 119:70, Psalms 119:77, and Psalms 119:174. This is a term for embracing the Word of God and loving it such that it means more to you than any other thing.

“I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.” (Psalms 119:16, NASB)

“I shall delight in Your commandments, Which I love.” (Psalms 119:47, NASB)

“Their heart is covered with fat, But I delight in Your law.” (Psalms 119:70, NASB)

“May Your compassion come to me that I may live, For Your law is my delight.” (Psalms 119:77, NASB)

“I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight.” (Psalms 119:174, NASB)

How do we make the Word of God a higher priority and anything else? By the renewing of your thinking as you grow spiritually. The believer has an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ at salvation. The believer grows spiritually while filled with the Holy Spirit and confessing sins biblically to God the Father, claiming God's promises, living in the Word, producing divine good, being occupied with Christ, and thinking divine viewpoint. In this age of departure from categorical teaching, the Word of God is the only answer! Rom. 12:2; Titus 3:5; Eph. 4:14-15. See category on Spiritual Growth.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, NASB)

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5, NASB)

“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,” (Ephesians 4:14-15, NASB)

The Believer’s Walk

We are told to walk in Bible doctrine. We are to walk in faith. The filling of the Holy Spirit is the only means to walk in the spiritual life. The believer cannot learn doctrine if out of fellowship. This means every believer is commanded to take in doctrine, transfer it by faith belief to the right lobe of the soul as epignosis Bible doctrine applicable in living the spiritual life or walking in the Spirit. 3 John 1:3; Heb. 4:1-3; Rom. 14:23; Gal. 5:16.

“For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.” (3 John 1:3, NASB)

“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.” (Hebrews 4:1-3, NASB)

“But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23, NASB)

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, NASB)

The believer is to walk in the Light. This emphasizes the believer reflecting the glory of God by being filled with the Holy Spirit. 1 John 1:7.

“but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7, NASB)

We are to walk in newness of life. The filling of the Holy Spirit produces a different life, an inner love. You have a mental attitude agapao love the brethren and you have a personal phileo love for the Lord. You are oriented to the grace of God. You fulfill the principle of worship, prayer, and witnessing. Rom. 6:4.

“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, NASB)

The believer is to walk worthy of the Lord. We are also to walk worthy of the vocation to which the believer has been called. Every believer is in full time Christian service. This is being filled with the Holy Spirit and fulfilling your ambassadorship both of which glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. 4:1; Col. 1:10.

“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,” (Ephesians 4:1, NASB)

“so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (Colossians 1:10, NASB)

The believer is to walk honestly in each day. This means to stay in fellowship and develop an edification structure whereby your life will have impact for Christ. Rom. 13:13-14.

“Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:13-14, NASB)

We are to walk in good works. You produce divine good works when filled with the Holy Spirit and functioning under the grace apparatus for perception. Eph. 2:10.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, NASB)

The believer is to walk in love. The filling of the Holy Spirit and the erection of an edification structure in the right lobe of the soul results in the production of divine good or the fruit of the Spirit. Eph. 5:2; Rom. 5:5.

“and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (Ephesians 5:2, NASB)

“and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5, NASB)

We are to walk in wisdom in the application of Bible doctrine to the situations and decisions that come to every believer. The Holy Spirit teaches our human spirit when the believer is in fellowship. It is a matter of divine guidance. Col. 4:5.

“Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.” (Colossians 4:5, NASB)

To fulfill all these “walk admonitions” is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, transferring spiritual knowledge as it comes into the mind from reading or from direct verbal communication from a pastor-teacher. The positive believer understands the Bible doctrine or spiritual information taught from the function of the Holy Spirit teaching their human spirit. The Holy Spirit then transfers that spiritually understood information to the left lobe of the soul as gnosis knowledge. Only by the believer’s positive faith belief in that gnosis knowledge can the Holy Spirit then convert it to epignosis or full knowledge and transfer it to the right lobe of the soul or heart where it can then be applied in the spiritual life. Epignosis Bible doctrine in the soul is also applicable to learning more Bible doctrine resulting in spiritual growth. See category on The Edification Complex of the Soul.

Handling Undeserved Suffering

See multiple categories on Undeserved Suffering:

Undeserved Suffering From Testing,

Suffering During Prosperity Testing,

Suffering From National Degeneration and Disaster,

Suffering From Death of a Loved One,

Undeserved Suffering Involving Other People, and

Undeserved Suffering Involving Physical and Mental Infirmities.

Falling Away From the Spiritual Life

In Hebrews 5:1-10, Paul was teaching the Jewish believers the doctrine of the High Priesthood of Christ, when he stopped and told them why he is going to teach Hebrews 6 before he continued. They could not understand what Paul was teaching because of their lack of spiritual growth and their continual carnality (out of fellowship). They should have been teachers by this time, but they still did not understand the basics of the Word of God. Heb. 6:1-2.

“So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, "YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU"; just as He says also in another passage, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."” (Hebrews 5:5-6, NASB)

“Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:8-10, NASB)

“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1-2, NASB)

In Hebrews 6:1, “repentance from dead works” refers to human good that is the best that an unbeliever can do and the best that a carnal believer can do. None are acceptable to God. The filling of the Holy Spirit is the only means of producing divine good that is acceptable to God because it is performed solely using God’s grace resources through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 64:6.

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64:6, NASB)

“Faith toward God” refers to the faith-rest life. In Hebrews 6:2, “instruction about washings” refers to the seven baptisms. “Laying on of hands” refers to the identification with and was a doctrine used especially at that time. “Resurrection of the dead” refers to the resurrection of believers and unbelievers. “Eternal judgment” refers to the Great White Throne Judgment of all unbelievers that will occur at the end of the Millennium.

When this list is referred to again in Hebrews 6:6, only the first basic doctrine is mentioned, but all six are referred to. This is seen in the Greek grammar. One of the laws of interpretation of Scripture reads: “The use of a word in context is determined by the first use of the word.” Repentance was used in Hebrews 6:1 as the head of a list of basic doctrines.

Hebrews 6:3 says that God will permit them to grow up spiritually. The first class condition of “if” in the Greek means if and it is true.

“And this we will do, if God permits.” (Hebrews 6:3, NASB)

Hebrews 6:4 starting with “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened” through Hebrews 6:5 is a parenthesis and refers to believers. This is once and for all enlightened and once and for all tasted. “Tasted” is the same word as is used in Hebrews 2:9 where it says Jesus Christ should “taste death for every man.”

“For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,” (Hebrews 6:4, NASB)

“But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9, NASB)

In Hebrews 6:6, “and then have fallen away” is an aorist participle and should precede the action of the main verb which is “it is impossible to renew.” These are Jewish believers and they are going to the temple and offering sacrifices and confessing their sins to the priests. They were not oriented to dispensations. They have “fallen away” not from their salvation, but from their temporal fellowship with God because of what they had been doing. These were believer priests and by doing this they were saying in effect that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was not efficacious “since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God.”

“and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.” (Hebrews 6:6, NASB)

Hebrews 6:4-6 should read: “Having fallen away (having gotten out of fellowship) it is impossible for those who were once and for all enlightened and have once and for all tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers (partners) of the Holy Spirit, and have once and for all tasted of the good Word of God and the power of the world to come to renew (to teach them) again unto repentance (the list of basic doctrines - see above) seeing (so long as) they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame by the offering of sacrifices in the temple.”

They were continually out of fellowship and it was impossible to teach them again the basic doctrines mentioned while they are still offering these sacrifices in the temple. Paul wanted them to return to the teaching of the Word of God and to use confession of sin to God the Father thus regaining the filling of the Holy Spirit. Rom. 6:16-19.

“Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.” (Romans 6:16-19, NASB)

Divine Good Production

Divine good is defined as all mental, verbal, and overt activities performed by the believer while filled with the Holy Spirit. The divine good actually is produced through the believer’s use of God's grace resources and comes directly from God. 2 Thess. 2:16-17.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, NASB)

Divine good production is based on application of epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of your soul to life’s situations. Such application can only be performed under the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. It is a grace operation all the way. The believer’s spiritual growth and mental attitude limit their divine good production. Eph. 2:10.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, NASB)

The believer produces divine good as they grow spiritually and proportional to their level spiritual maturity. Obviously, if a believer remains in fellowship more and more of the time, they will be thinking divine viewpoint, they will be more of an encouragement to others, they will find opportunities to witness to the unbeliever, and they will perform more and more under their spiritual gift. All are divine good production. All glorify God. 2 Tim. 3:16-17. See category on Divine Good.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NASB)

Spiritual Maturity

Spiritual maturity is the believer’s final stage of spiritual growth. It is the area for the normal function of the priesthood of the mature believer, the place of perfect happiness and perfect benefit from God’s grace. It is characterized by occupation with Christ, maximum capacity for freedom, life, love, happiness, prosperity, and adversity. This is maximum epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul.

Spiritual maturity is also characterized by an overflowing of God's grace blessings in the form of promotion, wealth, success, sex, social life, etc. As the believer matures spiritually, God begins to pour blessings and He keeps pouring and pouring! The cup is maximum capacity from the Bible doctrine resident and through the consistent function of the grace apparatus for perception. Again, the believer reaps what God has sown. Psalms 23:5.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.” (Psalms 23:5, NASB)

The life of the spiritually maturity believer is distinguished in God’s grace in James 4:6 which talks about “greater grace.” In James 4:6, “greater” is μέγας (megas) and means a thing to be highly esteemed for its excellence, God’s preeminent blessings. See category on Spiritual Maturity.

“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."” (James 4:6, NASB)

The Mature Believer’s Testing

Tests are designed to reveal your true character to yourself. Tests are designed to reveal in overt activity your invisible capability. Tests when passed are designed to enhance relationships and rapport between individual believers. Tests are designed to bring epignosis Bible doctrine into action that possibly has only been learned and never applied.

Tests of one person can bring a great deal of pressure on others and sooner or later they become involved in the tests. Tests often come in series and often in many different ways. Tests can be recognized by believers with doctrine who stay in fellowship and do not form conclusions until they get all the facts.

The higher the growth level of the believer, the more sophisticated the tests become. Tests can ride in on the tail of a seemingly neutral issue or problem. That which may be interpreted on the surface as expressing one thing will give a totally different picture when viewed from the standpoint of a specific test for a certain believer or set of believers. See category on Testing.

Spiritually mature believers should not fall into the trap of being offended by someone else. In John 16:1, our Lord was speaking to His disciples. “Stumbling” is the aorist passive subjunctive of σκανδαλίζω (skandalizō) and means to not get shook up at the snare or stumbling blocks put in your way. Don’t get shaken up when they are negative to the Gospel. John 16:1.

“"These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.” (John 16:1, NASB)

Spiritually mature believers should realize that some who oppose them will think they are doing God a service in their fierce opposition to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They will think they are doing God a service when they dance on your dead body. John 16:2.

“"They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.” (John 16:2, NASB)

God's Grace is Multiplied to You

The functioning spiritual life multiplies grace in you because the spiritual life is based on grace and required God's grace resources to function. Grace never depends on our character, but on God's perfect character. Grace is never subtracted from you, no matter how horrible you are. Only God can multiply grace in your life. He does not do it because you are good or because you give or because you did something for God. God multiplies grace on the basis of who and what He is, never what who or what we are. The policy of God with regard to your spiritual life is strictly grace. 2 Peter 1:2.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;” (2 Peter 1:2, NASB)

Grace is all that God is free to do for mankind without compromising His perfect attributes and character. All things are received from God as a free gift of grace. In grace, God provides every resource necessary for the believer to execute His plan, His will, and His purpose for their life. Grace provision includes every blessing the believer will ever receive in both time and eternity.

The result of living your spiritual life by grace is peace with God in your soul. This is a tranquility and contentment based on the epignosis Bible doctrine in your soul. Your spiritual life functions based on Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul and enabled by the power of God the Holy Spirit. Your spiritual life is what you think, not what you feel. 2 Peter 1:3; Phil. 4:13.

“seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3, NASB)

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13, NASB)

In 2 Peter 1:4, God has given to us “His precious and magnificent promises” and refers to claiming the promises of God contained in the Word of God or Bible doctrine. You cannot claim a promise without first learning of it. When you claim God's promises, you are trusting that God will do what He has promised. From knowledge of God's will, plan, and purpose for our lives, we become partakers of His divine nature.

“For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (2 Peter 1:4, NASB)

Living your spiritual life must be motivated from within your own soul. God demands that you live your spiritual life. 2 Peter 1:5.

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,” (2 Peter 1:5, NASB)

The spiritual life requires self-discipline and positive volition to make it function as God intended. Self-discipline is not just a physical thing, but requires motivation, thought, and reason. The spiritual life is a daily function. The spiritual life is using the enabling power of the filling of the Holy Spirit plus application of epignosis Bible doctrine to life’s situations, problems, and decisions. 2 Peter 1:6.

“and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,” (2 Peter 1:6, NASB)

Your spiritual life is not a set of activities that you do or participate in, but what goes on in your soul. Only you can live your spiritual life. No one else can live it for you. Each believer is solely responsible for their own decisions, good or bad, positive or negative to doctrine. You cannot blame others or what is in the world around you for your failure to live your own spiritual life. Your spiritual life functions only under the enabling power of the Holy Spirit using the power of the Word. Therefore, Bible doctrine and the filling of the Holy Spirit must have number one priority in your spiritual life.

Sooner or later you must assign number one priority to Bible doctrine. The word of God is the revelation of God’s will, plan and purpose for your life. You cannot know the will of God apart from learning Bible doctrine, the Word of God.

Dying Grace

The spiritual life can be divided into living and dying. Dying may be a long period or a short period, but for the believer and the believer only, God provides a time of happiness and peace just prior to death. Often this happiness is expressed just prior to the sudden death of the young or middle aged. This is often said to be a tragedy because they had been so happy. That happiness and the expression of it is simply dying grace, which the Lord apparently gives to those believers whom He removes instantly.

In the case of prolonged death from illness, dying grace is provided in a different way. During prolonged illness, the believer has the opportunity to provide a wonderful testimony to those around them. The Lord helps that believer to have inner happiness and peace in the midst of pain. There is no fear of death, no concern of death, and no falling apart in the midst of death. For the believer who dies over a prolonged period of time, God will provide in such a way that this time of dying is the most productive and actually the most wonderful part of their lives.

There is a point of ecstatics at the time of dying. If you are with a believer who dies, you may notice a smile at the moment of death, or the believer may comment about the room becoming light or utter the name of the Lord. All believers get in on dying grace, regardless of how they have lived. We don’t earn or deserve dying grace. It is grace. It is who and what God is, not who and what we are. 2 Cor. 12:1-5. See category on Dying Grace.

“Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.” (2 Corinthians 12:1-5, NASB)