Address—C. Hendricks
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Look at a number of scriptures this afternoon. We'll begin with John Chapter 7.
John Chapter 7.
As the Lord enables, I'd like to trace.
And through the New Testament.
The Spirit of God.
Wonderful subject, an immense subject, far too vast to cover in one little meeting. But we'll see how the Lord enables John. 737 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink he that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
But this spake, he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost, was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified. I think it's important to remark that the Spirit of God was not down here in the in the way that the Lord refers to in this passage could not be until.
He was a man in the glory till he was a man in the glory. The Spirit of God was not yet given.
Because that Jesus was not yet glorified. The grand truth of Christianity is the presence of the Spirit of God down here in this world, to inhabit the house, to dwell within the individual believer, and to unite us to a glorified man, a heavenly man, One who is not here, one who is out of this scene, and who is in the glory now. John 14.
John 14.
Verse 15 If you love me, keep my commandments.
The proof of love is obedience if you love me.
Keep my commandments. What are His commandments we heard yesterday about the will of God?
His commandments are the expression of that will.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever. The Lord was about to depart this scene and return to the Father. He was going to leave them. He would not remain with them. So now he speaks of another comforter. He had been their comforter when he was here on earth. He had provided for all their needs. And now he was about to leave and return to the Father. And he says that he may abide with you forever. Wonderful.
Tremendous truth. First time they'd ever heard this. This ministry given in John 13 through 16 is ministry that had never been unfolded before. He waited to give it until he was about to depart, until he was going to return, leave this world and return to the father. And then he gave what they needed in his absence. In his absence. And here he brings before us. We've had in the feet washing chapter of John 13.
Very wondrous truths. And now he brings thee for us in his absence. He would not leave them comfortless, but he would send the Spirit, and he would abide with them forever, never to leave us. The Spirit of God will be with us forever. When we're in the glory, He'll be there with us as the power of communion and worship. He will abide with us forever, even the Spirit of Truth.
Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him. The world does not receive the spirit of truth. It does not have the truth. It is a very poor place to go to get truth, because it has rejected him. Who is the truth? The Lord Jesus himself. Earlier in this chapter he says in verse six, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.
And so he was the truth, objectively the Spirit.
Is the truth. Subjectively he dwells within us. He makes good in my soul what is true of Christ outside of me. All our blessings are in Christ, and the Spirit of God has been given to bring us into the enjoyment of Christ where he now is in the glory.
00:05:08
The great fault of Christians nowadays is trying to make of Christianity and earthly religion.
Don't do that. Don't allow your mind to settle down.
With thoughts of earth if you make an object.
An earthly object. You will never be delivered from this scene and all its attractions. But God has given us a heavenly object, Christ in glory. This is not theoretical truth that I'm speaking. It's the most practical and soul transforming truth that we have in the word of God. How do we get delivered from all the evils We've been talked, we've been speaking about? Do we address the problems that are amongst us?
The proper way, as I understand the Word of God, to address these problems and to deliver us from the evils which beset us because of the flesh and because of the world, and because of the devil, our tripartite enemies as as it were.
The way to get deliverance from that is by occupation with an object that is in heaven. If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affection, your heart, your mind, on things about not on things on the earth, for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Oh teaches so the power to know of risen life with thee.
We belong to another world. Death has closed our history in this world, and the resurrection has introduced us into another world, and we have part in that world where he has gone. The Spirit of God has been sent down here to bring us into the enjoyment of that world, to bring us into the enjoyment of heavenly things, and of the man that Yonder lovely man in glory.
You get a glimpse of him. You get your soul filled with Christ in glory.
The tinsel of this world will no longer have any appeal to you.
That's what we need, Beloved is occupation with a heavenly object.
And this Comforter who has been given to us, will abide with us forever, even the Spirit of truth, verse 17, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. When the Lord was here on earth, He did not dwell in the disciples, He was in their midst.
But here is Here is 1 and this coming into the world of the Holy Ghost is as marvelous and event as the coming into the world of the Son of God.
A divine person has come from heaven to take up his dwelling.
In our bodies and in the assembly, viewed collectively as the House of God.
Tremendous truths. We don't have that aspect of things in John's epistle. But, as was remarked yesterday, the ministry the Lord gives in John 13 through 16 prepares us for the truth to be developed in their fullness in the epistles.
The mystery. The mystery. God's hidden secret thoughts never revealed before. We are the only people that have ever lived on earth that those Saints of the present Church period that have been brought into that secret, that wonderful mystery, Christ in His Church.
Says I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. And then in verse 19 I believe that's true. Now by the Spirit I will come to you. Verse 19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me. Where do we see him? Not on earth any longer. He was here, but now he's gone. We see Jesus crowned with glory and honor.
Who by the grace of God tasted death for everyone? Where do we see him? In the glory on high? A heavenly object for our souls? A transforming object for our souls. It is a never failing principle of God that if we are occupied with Christ in glory, we will not fall into sin on earth. We will be sanctified.
00:10:08
While I'm on the point, I'll quote the verse John 17. The Lord says let's just read it in John 17.
Verse 17 He says, Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, Even so have I sent them into the world.
And for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the truth.
He sets himself apart on high to be the object of his people's affections while they're passing through this wilderness, because the world has become a wilderness to us.
This world is a wilderness wide. We have nothing to seek, no to choose. We've no thought in the ways to abide. We've not to regret nor to lose. We're on the way to the glory where our object is, where the one who has run the race ahead ahead of us is our forerunner. He's there at the right hand of God in the glory. And as we're occupied with that heavenly object, he sets himself apart on high to be the object of his people in glory.
That we might be sanctified, That we might be practically separated.
From the evils of this world and from all its attractions.
And the only thing that is going to effectively separate us from the ills in this world is occupation with that glorified Christ in heaven.
And that's why the Spirit of God has been given to us. One of His primary functions is to occupy us not with earthly things, but with heavenly things, with that Yonder lovely man in the glory, and as we're occupied with Him there, the old corn of the land. As we feed upon Him there, we can also look back and feed upon him as the manna, as he was when he was down here, realizing that He is no longer here.
But he's in the glory, and the spirit of God is the link between our souls.
And that man in the glory marvelous, tremendous, wonderful Truth, verse 19 Yet a little while in the world seeth me no more. But ye see me, because I live, ye shall live also, he said earlier in this gospel I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly.
Abundant life is life in the power of the Holy Spirit.
That links us with a glorified Christ. He lives now and the power of an endless life.
The risen life of Christ has been communicated to us. You get that in John 20. Turn to it while we're on that point, John 20.
Verse 21 Then said Jesus to them again.
Peace be unto you. Here he is the risen Christ appearing to his disciples. He proclaims peace to them in verse 19. And now he shows them his hands on his side. And the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. And now he proclaims peace to them a second time. And he says, as my father had sent me, Even so send I you. So he sends us out now to be the the bearers of this wonderful peace.
Which he has brought us into. Not only has he brought us into it, but now we are to bring it to others. And when he had said this verse 22 He breathed on them, or into them, and saith unto them, Receive you the Holy Ghost. So here now we have the power of the Spirit.
Characterizing the risen life of Christ which has been breathed into them by the life giving Spirit, the risen Christ himself. Adam was made a living soul, Christ a life giving a quickening spirit, and he breathes into them as Jehovah God did to that.
To the clay that the earth that he had formed into a man, and he became a living soul. Now he breathes into his disciples to breath.
Of his resurrection life receive you, the Holy Spirit. Now John 7 told us that the Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified.
So this is not the coming of the Holy Ghost as a person yet, but.
As a characterizing power of the new risen life that we have in Christ.
00:15:03
He came as a person to indwell us in Acts Chapter 2, and we'll look at that just in a moment, but turn back before we do to John 16.
In John 16, verse five he says, And now I go my way to him that sent me. That's the Father. And none of you asketh me whether goest thou. But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. They were saddened. They were very saddened, because the Lord said, I'm leaving, I'm going to leave you. They did not like that idea. They did not like that thought. They wanted him to stay with them.
And it was absolutely necessary that he depart, says, Because I've said these things unto you, sorrow have filled your heart.
He had provided for their every need. They did not want him to leave, he says. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away absolutely necessary that I depart. The new order of things that we call Christianity could not be introduced until he had departed and returned to the Father, until he was glorified, till there was a man in heaven.
Glory then, he says. It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not depart unto you, will not come unto you. Excuse me, but if I depart, I will send him.
Unto you.
Absolutely necessary. He tells them that I leave, that I go back to the Father, and then I'm going to send the Holy Spirit. And when he has come, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
The new translation reads that when he has come he will bring demonstration to the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Three things. The presence in this world of the Holy Spirit from an ascended glorified Christ demonstrates 3 facts 3 facts. The first fact is sin because he says of sin because they believe not on me.
The presence in this world of the Spirit of God is the demonstration of the fact that the world has rejected Christ.
The sin of the world is stamped upon it. It has rejected the Lord Jesus Christ. That is its sin of righteousness. Because I go to my Father and You see me no more.
The world's sin was to reject him. The righteousness of God has exalted him.
To the very highest place in heaven, fire above all principality and power, and every name that is named not only in this world, but in that which is to come, Put everything under his feet. The righteousness of God has exalted him. Because I go to my father, you see me no more of judgment because of the Prince of this world is judged, young people, We're going through a judged world.
A world which has had the sentence of judgment pronounced upon it, John 12 gives us that now is the judgment of this world.
Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out? And here we find that the Prince has been judged. He met his judgment at the cross.
And the presence in the world of the Spirit of God demonstrates these three facts.
The sin of the world in rejecting Christ, they don't believe in me. The righteousness of God and exalting him to the highest place in heaven.
And judgment, because the Prince of this world is judged, this world is under judgment.
We're not here to improve it. We're not here to mend it. We're not here to correct its ills. We're here to pass through it as a heavenly people, united to a heavenly man in the power of the Holy Spirit. That's Christianity. We're here to manifest his character, his life, his ways, his pathway.
A little while that he's gone.
That little while.
A little while, a little while. It's repeated over and over again in John 16 as God has lasted nearly 2000 years. Now this little while and then he's going to come and he's going to complete the story. Church will be completed. All the heavenly Saints will be gathered home to the heavenly barn on high.
Well, let us go on to to Acts Chapter One much to be covered.
00:20:03
Verse 4 Again He is the risen Christ, and being assembled together with them, he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem.
But wait for the promise of the father, which saith he have heard of Maine.
For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Not many days hence.
When they were therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?
They asked this question after he had given all that ministry in John 131415 and 16, where he told them over and over and over again, I'm going to leave this world. I'm going to return to the Father, and in my absence I'm going to send down that other comforter, the Spirit of Truth. He will abide with you forever. He'll dwell with you and be in you, and he'll be the demonstration of.
The terrible sin of the world.
In rejecting him the righteousness of God and exalting him.
And the judgment of the World's Prince.
And of all that is under his authority, we're going through an enemy's.
They were therefore were come together. They asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? They asked this question after he had given all that ministry in John 131415 and 16, where he told them over and over and over again, I'm going to leave this world, I'm going to return to the Father, and in my absence I'm going to send down that other Comforter, the Spirit of Truth. He will abide with you forever.
He'll dwell with you and be in you, and he'll be the demonstration of the terrible sin of the world in rejecting him, the righteousness of God and exalting him, and the judgment of the World's Prince and of all that is under his authority. We're going through an enemy's land. Don't forget it. Don't make this your home.
If you do that, if I do that, I'm not true to him.
I'm saying that I can enjoy the scene where he's been turned out.
The scene which is under the judgment of God, The scene where he is not.
And God says no, you can't. You're a heavenly people. And if you don't like heavenly truth, it's still true that you're a heavenly person.
You belong to a heavenly man, and God is working in our lives to deliver us from our earthly mindedness.
Not only from our gross sins.
He works to deliver us from all of those things.
But there's The Dirty side of the road and there's the clean side of the road, but it's all.
Under the power of Satan.
God wants us to be in the enjoyment not of anything that's here, but of himself there.
So they wanted to know if he would restore again the Kingdom to Israel. They didn't understand.
They didn't have the spirits yet. He told them in John 14 that when the Spirit would come, he would bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever he had spoken to them. And in John 1616 he tells them, I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will lead you into all the truth, And that we have unfolded to us in the epistles, the wonderful truth of the assembly, the truth of the one body. We are looking at that a little yesterday.
And now he goes on to say verse 8. But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you.
And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem.
And in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth, that's the.
That's the progression of the message that was to characterize Christianity. We are his witnesses. We are his witnesses. We are left here for that purpose, to be witnesses for him.
We're not here to settle down in this world. We're not here to make a name for ourselves in this world, which is cast him out. We're here to be his witnesses. We're here to remind this world over and over again. You have rejected Christ.
00:25:17
And when the world with its overtures, asks us to join us, to join them in their plans for improvements of this.
Judged scene, We say no, we don't belong here. We belong to another world, and we belong to one whom you will not have.
And so we want to be true to him.
To be true to him.
Chapter 2 of Acts verse one.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Here we have the fulfillment of what the Lord had said, that not many days hence he shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of God would come with power. And the first evidence of the Spirit of God coming is it filled the house where they were sitting, I believe a picture of the assembly.
Where the Spirit of God dwells and he fills the house, and then what does it say? There appeared unto them clothing tongues like as a fire, and it sat upon each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. What's the significance of that? I believe the significance of that is that Christianity was not to be limited to 1 nation.
Jews, the Jews, Israel, one nation, but it was for all peoples and tongues and languages and nations on the face of the earth.
And so the Spirit of God, the first manifestation of His presence here, when he filled the house, and then he filled the mall, and they spoke with other tongues, was this new message, this new thing, this new order of things, which would, which was flowing from a glorified Christ, would be for all people.
For the whole world, not limited to any.
Now at the end of the chapter.
Chapter 2, verse.
32.
Jesus, Peter is speaking. He's explaining to them what had taken place.
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses, therefore being by the right hand of God exalted.
Now we have what the Lord told us in John 7. The Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified. Now we have a man in the glory.
He's exalted.
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted.
And having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost when he was here on earth, the Spirit of God came down upon him at the River Jordan.
As a dog, and the father's voice was heard saying, This is my beloved son.
Whom I am well pleased. He was anointed the Holy Spirit at the Jordan. He received the Spirit for himself without blood, because of the perfection of his person. Now he receives the Spirit a second time because of the perfection of his work, and he sheds him forth upon all those who were under the value of that work down here in this world. 120 Disciples and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
In its initial stage takes place because the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Embraces Jews and Gentiles. I'll quote the verse. Time is running out.
So many verses to look at. First Corinthians 12. By 1 Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether we be bond or free, Jews or Gentiles, and have all been given to drink of 1 Spirit. So the baptism of the Holy Spirit embraces two groups of peoples, the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews in Acts 2, The Gentiles in Acts 10. We haven't come to that yet, but we'll cut to it in a moment.
In Leviticus 23, the feast of Pentecost says in verse one of chapter 2 of Acts, when the feast of Pentecost was fully come, there were two wave loads representing the Jews and the Gentiles, the two companies that would make up that heavenly assembly united to Christ in glory.
It says in one Corinthians 12 in our King James Bible by 1 spirit are.
We all baptized into one body that should be were.
00:30:01
We all baptized. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not taking place today. It's a completed thing.
It began on the day of Pentecost to bring in the Jews. That's the first wave loaf it was completed on in Acts 10 when the Gentiles were brought in the second wave loaf. And then in Acts 11, Peter explains what had taken place. Let's just read it. Let's just read it before we go back to Chapter 2, Acts 11.
Acts 11.
He's telling these Jews why he had gone into the Cornelius and eaten with the Gentiles, he says in verse 15 of Acts 11 as I began to speak.
The Holy Ghost fell on them on these Gentiles as on us Jews at the beginning. Then remembered I the Word of the Lord. How that he said, John indeed baptized with water.
But ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, for as much then as God gave them the light gift, as he did unto us.
Who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? What was I that I could withstand God. When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying. Then it got also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Here we have now the Gentiles brought in the second part of the baptism of the Spirit, if you will, because it embraces both companies, Jews and Gentiles, and now that they've been brought in, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is finished, completed.
Not to It's not going on today, as we hear so often in Christian circles.
Have you been baptized with the Holy Ghost?
Baptism of the Holy Ghost brought the Jews into the one Body and the Gentiles in and once that was accomplished.
The baptism was finished, and now we are brought. When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God. We're sealed by the Spirit and brought into that baptized body, and we are one with Him. Marvelous, wonderful truth.
Acts 2 again verse 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted.
And having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which he now see and hear.
A man in the glory gets the spirit of God a second time, if I can put it that way.
And by virtue of his perfect work of atonement, he sheds him forth.
To baptize, unite those individual believers into one body. Best illustration I've ever read of the baptism of the Spirit is a bowl with 120 beads in it. And then there's a string and a needle and a thread, and someone takes those 120 beads and threads the the string through them and makes it into a necklace. They're now united together into something new that never existed before, a necklace.
And that's a little picture of the baptism of the Spirit of God.
Uniting us into one body, not just individuals any longer.
But members of the body of Christ and of the living glorified head in heaven, verse 36 Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. God has made him Lord and Christ of righteousness. Because I go to my Father, God has made him Lord in Christ. The righteousness of God has set him there in that place of glory, and the Spirit of God has been sent down from Yonder glory to earth to unite us.
Threw himself on high.
A heavenly people.
Verse 38 Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ.
For the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost then in chapter 8.
Quickly.
Chapter 8. Samaria, verse 14. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost while his Yeti was fallen upon. None of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord. Jesus then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. So here you have the Samaritans brought in. They were a mixture of Jews and Gentiles.
And then in Acts 10 just quickly acts 10 Peter now gives testimony verse 43 To him Christ give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins as soon as there's the testimony to the forgiveness of sins upon believing in him.
00:35:09
What happens while Peter yet spake these words? The Holy Ghost fell.
On all them which heard the word, and they of the circumcision which believed, were astonished. These Jews were astonished that the Spirit of God came upon these Gentiles.
As many as came with Peter, because that I'm the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Marvelous. And we've already read Peter's explanation of it.
There are so many other scriptures, I don't think we're going to have time to turn to them. I just want to refer to a few.
Let's turn to Romans 8 quickly.
Romans 8.
The New Testament is just filled with references to the Spirit of God.
Because he is the power.
Of Christianity, verse 2, The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
Hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Remember John 20, Where the Lord is, the risen Christ breathes into their nostrils the breath of his resurrection life.
Saying Receive you the Holy Ghost.
Here he is as the power of that new life, The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
We have a power now to deliver us from the flesh. Man in Romans 7 doesn't have the Spirit. He has divine life, but he's not sealed and he's in *******. He's under law. The soul that has the Spirit is not under law. He's set free where the Spirit of the Lord is. There is liberty, and He's delivered from that power that held a man in Romans 7 in such ******* so that he could say, O wretched man, that I am, who shall deliver me.
Here you have a delivered soul, now in the power of the risen life of Christ by the Spirit.
Notice verse 4, verse 5 for they that are after the flesh.
Do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. There's two kinds of people in the world today.
Those who are after the flesh and those who are after the Spirit. And if you're saved according to Romans 8 verse five, you are after the Spirit. What do you mind? What does the one who is after the Spirit minds? He minds the things of the Spirit.
Not the things of the flesh. Those that are after the flesh bind the things of the flesh. Now I want to just bring this home.
Before we close, especially for any young person here.
If you're contemplating.
Marriage.
With an unsaved person, remember this. They that are after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh. That's all they can mind. They have no other nature, only the flesh, but they that are after the spirit. If you're the Lords, you mind the things of the spirit. How can two walk together? Except they be agreed and it's impossible for one who is after the flesh to be in agreement with one who's after the spirit.
That's a moral, spiritual impossibility.
He makes it stronger in verse 6 for to be carnally minded. Or is my margin, reads it. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. Again, the Christian has the mind of the Spirit and all that is is life and peace. But what is the mind of the flesh? It's death, young people, they'll say to you, come with us.
We're going to see life. We're going to.
Go out and enjoy ourselves. In this world, the mind of the flesh is death. They're not looking at life at all. He that believeth on the Son hath life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life. But the wrath of God abideth on him. They're not looking at life, They're looking at death, moral death, spiritual death. Because this world has the stamp of death upon it everywhere. And then we're packed. We're passing through a defiling world. We've been looking at that in John 13. A world which is.
Defiled by the the effects of sin, which is death. The wages of sin is death.
And the mind of the flesh is death.
How can you contemplate? How can you consider for one moment linking yourself up for all the rest of your earthly life?
00:40:03
With someone who has only the mind of the flesh, which is death, and it goes on and even makes it stronger.
In verse 7, because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God, would you like to be married to someone?
Whose mind is enmity against God.
But the mind of the Spirit while verse 7 because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God, for it is not subject.
To the law of God, neither indeed can be think of raising children.
Under such circumstances, it's hard enough for us, when both are saved, husband and wife, the difficulties of the way.
But here we have a situation where the one is saved and the other is lost.
The one who has the mind of the Spirit, the other who has the mind of the flesh.
The mind of the flesh is death. It's not subject to the law of God. It cannot be so. Then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. How would you like to be married to someone that can't please God?
Whose very nature is at enmity with God.
Awful.
If you're involved in any kind of a thing like that, get out of it. Cut it off, Stop it immediately.
Ninth Verse But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If so be the Spirit of God. Dwell in you. If you are a Christian, you have the Spirit of God dwelling within you.
How can you link up with someone, whether it be in business or in marriage, or in any common pursuit where you have to work together in fellowship, one with another, when they are nothing but the flesh and you have the Spirit of God totally opposing powers and principles?
The Spirit of God is the one.
That occupies us and I want to close.
With one more verse and then I have to close because time is up. Second Corinthians 3.
Verse 18.
This is the same principle from Paul's writings that we have in John 17, where the Lord says he sanctifies himself on high, that we might be sanctified by the truth having a heavenly object. Verse 18, but we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, changed, transformed. Metamorphosis is the Greek word. It's the word describing the process by which the.
The larvae in the cocoon becomes that beautiful butterfly.