Jesus enumerated principles of the Kingdom of God and set forth distinct measurements that fit an undivided life. God’s expressed love raised Jesus from the dead. Life giving power is now in the spirit Jesus reveals as the true nature of God the Father. The Spirit of Sonship raises our own potential of being unified sons and daughters of the most High God. Teaching about loving our enemies and doing good to those who despitefully use us and many other noble qualities of character, Jesus instructs us:
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:44-48 NAS
The word “perfect” in the Greek means to be COMPLETE, not lacking —undivided! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pointed out this division of inner loyalties in the following instructions about our behavior:
1. Do not try to give your alms (sacrifice of wealth as worship) with a DIVIDED MOTIVE of pleasing God and getting credit from men (Matthew 6:1).
2. Do not PUBLICLY PRAY to God to impress men with your own sanctity (Matthew 6:5).
3. Do not USE FASTING TO BUILD UP A REPUTATION for self-denial and self-renunciation with others (Matthew 6:16).
4. Do not SET YOUR HEARTS ON EARTHLY TREASURES but rather IN YOUR HEART, VALUE THE SPIRITUAL, CELESTIAL, AND HEAVENLY WEALTH. (Matthew 6:19).
5. Do not BE GIVEN TO DUAL LOYALTIES by serving two masters — considering money (mammon) before honoring God’s instruction (Matthew 6:24).
6. Do not BE ANXIOUS TODAY ABOUT TOMORROW’S POSSIBLE PROBLEMS. Concentrate on what's happening today (Matthew 6:34).
7. Do not BE CRITICAL OF OTHERS — concentrate on judging others as you would have yourself be judged (Matthew 7:1-5).
8. Do not TRUST FALSE PROPHETS WITH RELIGIOUS WORKS that simply put on an outer show. Check for IDEAL INNER FRUIT, for many practice iniquity in doing their own works. Even in serving God, many have inner motives that are divided (Matthew 7:15- 21).
Jesus assures us those representing God with divided motives will be like a man building his house on sand. When the pressures of life come flooding in with winds of adversity, it will cause them great loss. The building projects of false prophets have built on the shaky and shifting sands of man’s religious nature, building towers to heaven that are soon hewn down. We are not to be stupid (foolish) about our spiritual life. Our life should be built on the solid foundations of Godly principles right now.
Jesus was teaching that men could be perfected NOW. We are expecting to be qualifying for HEAVENLY ATTAINMENT LONG BEFORE PHYSICAL DEATH. Christians have been steeped in much natural thinking by many false prophets who have established standard religious practices, viewpoints, and pursuits, now simply established traditions of church. These traditions keep believers in a divided, lukewarm state, half alive and half dead.
Churches are certainly divided in multiple organizations on the earth, yet God has only ONE TRUE CHURCH. The churches in the earth have become corrupted with religious efforts focused on the outer appearance of good works, restlessly spending vast resources of time and energy to prosper in the world. They promote the offices of Sunday School Superintendent, members of the Board, appoint heads of committees with Deacons, and Pastors.
Yes, they have become famous and wealthy representing God. Individual preachers having television shows certainly do impress people to support their works and it builds up the reputations of men. Blind leaders have led His people into the ditch where few press on to follow Christ out of the outer displays that are supposed to fulfill scripture. Being captured with the multitudes, their inner man has not found the Rock of Ages. They are still being anxious as they see all that is transpiring on the earth today.
We refuse to judge others in a condemning manner, as some do go beyond just giving lip service to having only one Master. They may not have earthly prominence but have gained Christ as a center focus. God established Jesus as King of heaven and earth. He is a master at delivering us from our divided inner conditions, purifying our inner motivations by His Word and Spirit so we become perfect (complete). We can be found in undivided harmony with the principles Jesus has expressed so clearly.
Jesus enunciates principles, but He does not demand legalistic obedience to them as laws in the way Old Testament laws were obeyed. The keeping of Old and New Testament instruction by fleshly effort accomplishes mere external laws of righteousness in religions. Moses said, “Thou shalt and thou shalt not.” Jesus said, rather, “Blessed are those who are humble in spirit, blessed are those that mourn now, and are meek, that hunger for righteousness, blessed are those who are not divided by selfish motivations.”
It is easy to find others who have trespassed against us. Even the best intentions are soaked with half-baked lies which have cheated us and despitefully used us. Yet forgiveness is flowing from the throne of Jesus as He molds MERCY and FORGIVENESS into our inner being. He is forming the characteristics of Sonship life in our spirit to a perfect measure! That is something noble to believe.
If the Spirit of God dwells in us to release us from the old mentalities of the Adamic race, it will illuminate even our most feeble attempts to follow after God’s voice. Jesus is the perfect expression of love, a LOVE THAT DOES NOT FAIL. The principles Jesus taught long ago can be lived out right now in our inner spiritual life!
Part of our being is spirit, designed to be united with God’s Spirit. We are awakened and do grow into one spirit with the Lord’s spiritual characteristics. We are born again, awakened to the King’s life, delivered from outward religious observances and conformity found in standard Christian church settings. We are being raised from within by God’s spiritual substance. His Spirit quickens our spiritual understanding to a clearer interpretation of scriptural precepts.
If preachers must bite their tongues to keep back fury and count to ten, it shows they are still very much like raving wolves, divided inwardly. Many are still living in the mixture of past religious orders, ways so common in church that conformity is assumed. Jesus did not condemn us for being in this condition. God subjected us to vanity, Jesus merely points out the life of God is designed to fit every man’s experience.
For those who believe it’s time for the perfection we Christians have needed for two thousand years, NOW is the time, for a third day has come. The Day of the Lord brings the new strength of the LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE in Christ Jesus. This is ESSENTIAL. We are commanded to LOVE one another. We are to keep and obey the precepts of our heavenly Father perfectly, but to do that we all must be changed, delivered from the dual mental state that binds us to the knowing about good and evil. We have an inner unity that has mastered death, hell, and the grave by the INNER QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT GOD DISPLAYS as God takes up an abode within us:
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:11-17 NAS
“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:4-7 NAS
Moses was the giver of Old Testament laws, but Jesus Christ is the redeemer from man’s religious efforts at keeping the law. God qualifies mature sons to receive sonship life — God’s life! Those filled with the King’s life become DOERS of the precepts and are blessed, for they have joined the Lord in sonship. They are not subject to the religious rules set up by scriptural scribes as laws. They become sons and daughters unto the living God!
Most overcomers have been led outside the camps of religious men, as their spirits are awakened, even SET TO GAIN PERFECTION. Some do grow into oneness with the mind of Jesus Christ, so that we reflect His same likeness. The righteous character of the King places us in heavenly places right now. By the Spirit, we do experience the powers of heaven on earth, as the King of heaven works within our inner being to bring us to perfection right now. We are enabled to be perfectly at peace.
Just as apple trees need space to produce apples, a place has been prepared for us so we can grow the fruit of the Kingdom. We get the messages of the Kingdom as a Word has been planted as seed into our heart. The efforts to grow like Him are being fulfilled in FAITH from within our hearts. Any attempt to fulfill the demands of the law should be erased from our hearts. As we grow, it is easy to see how utterly impotent fleshly minded men are!
Now the guiding commands of Jesus are the inward law of our life. We prove HOW INFINITELY ABLE GOD IS to dwell in us, making us His abode, placed in undivided oneness with God Himself! Today the King is to be served at a new feast, one that demonstrates God’s ability to become the master of our life. He can make us perfect! We can meet the demands of godly brotherhood with His King. He is delivering messages to our inner being, writing them on our hearts.
We are soon led to refuse strife and division, even refusing to hide INWARD DIVISIONS. This spiritual wisdom cooperates with God’s life as promised by Jesus. He promised His Spirit would guide us into ALL truth, as much can be given to His followers. Many saints are joint heirs with Jesus, given age-lasting life with enjoyment and benefits for the sake of all advancing Kingdom purposes. Now that we are risen, our spirit is in tune with the throne of the universe.
All who are enthroned even now assert His authority and do function as sons and daughters that are COMPLETE IN HIM. The coming of the Lord Jesus is really an INNER SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT THAT DETECTS HIS COMING. Now He appears to us in many ways to grant us eyes to see. We are built up a spiritual house with real wisdom. To know the things that must shortly occur, we possess spiritual WINGS that soar above every problem below. Our wings are set to yield daily communion with the spirit of TRUTH, resting in a place of PEACE, having the LOVE for God made real within each part of us!
“Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'" Revelation 3:17-22 NAS
The religious "rich man" of the Laodicean church realm is found in Christian organizations with a wealth of outer works. They are proud of those efforts and the works they have attained, but when compared to the INNER work done among the overcoming brethren, they cannot measure up to being poor in spirit, meek in heart, to BECOME WHAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS REVEALING.
Overcomers are now renouncing all the works requiring self-assertiveness or self-interest. Every prideful reward of self — selfishness of any kind— is gaining oneness of spirit with the Lord, to PUT ON Christ Jesus and make no provision for the fleshly mind to fulfill the lusts of good religious men. One Greek scholar said that the words "poor in spirit" comes closer in the Greek language to mean TEACHABLE IN SPIRIT. To be happy and blessed in the Kingdom, we have been teachable in spirit, pliable in spirit, receptive in spirit, having spiritual eyes and ears to understand clearly all that God is saying to us.
We are awakened to what God is speaking in many wonderful ways. He leads us and makes known to us the meaning of scripture more perfectly. What has been revealed to you by His Spirit? May we become pliable in the Father’s hands in times of trouble as well as in times of rejoicing too, in all situations, we are made complete. The Lord grants the hearing ear and those who hear what He says can LIVE. He thinks we should have the mind of Christ perfectly and so we shall. God's thoughts bring an end to the fleshly mindedness of religious men working in projects of the lukewarm church systems of the Laodiceans.
God is our FATHER. He promises to work into us ALL the resources of the King, to the changing of our mind, starting by refashioning our spiritual disposition. God is working within us to make things new for us, teaching us, forming Christ within. He deals with the fleshly parts of us. No matter how low a hell we hide in, He is faithful to draw us higher, beyond the farthest and highest aspirations of men to do of His good pleasure.
WE are the city of God, who pass thru gates of truth in the walls of a city built of God where God indwells us. We encounter acts of repentance and renunciation in the deepest depths of our being that soften and open us to the powers of the King. We are immersed in His Spirit, called to be made whole, not divided, to be products of a new age yet unseen that Jesus proclaimed are made alive in priests and kings separated to the Father’s will.
The poor in spirit, the humble of heart, the unselfish are those of us who do not despise other people. We are ones who do not seek vengeance nor the praises of men. We do not admire ourselves, nor seek the admiration of others We are people who belong to the Master, freed from the bondages of other men, to become citizens of the highest order in a city with great walls.
How beautiful is the New Jerusalem order! Citizens of God’s city are not poor in friends, poor in influence, poor in achievement, poor in acquirement of real power that lets God judge others. Citizens of the city of God have power not to worry, power to speak true words, power to love our family and neighbors, power to be raised in spiritual awareness in every circumstance we experience:
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.’
This expression, ‘Yet once more,’ denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. Let love of the brethren continue.” Hebrews 12:22 - 3:1 NAS
The gates of the city are open for the spiritual ones positioned in the New Jerusalem order. Zion is the higher parts of the city that are now open to spiritual teachings in the inner parts of our being, allowing an attaining of lasting incorruptible business in the Lord’s doings. Many hidden things are open above and before the throne of God. Even to see it requires an inner work of heart circumcision to cut away our fleshly parts. Yes, all that we understand of INWARD DIVISIONS are confronted by the mind of Christ:
"Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed;” Revelation 3:17-18 NAS
The Laodicean church is full of "rich men" who are so proud of their church membership that they are blind to further spiritual progress that deals with obvious inner divisions. They allow strife and cause for divisions to exist among His people. Pride in religious good works keeps so many from overcoming the errors of candlestick churches as they also, now, block the way of spiritually entering the gates of God’s city.
Many good brethren attain positions in the Christian church heavens but are ignorant about coming to Zion. They have very prideful judgments and do delight in contemplating whereunto they have attained while not realizing they are poor, blind, and naked. They dwell in spiritual lack, sliding into hateful conditions that condemn others to hell forever, stuck in the mire and self-satisfactions that keep us divided still. Sin is clothed with human goodness, yet the ignorant keep working at keeping church standards.
The true workings and mind of the Father gathers us to a higher place, unto the unseen city of God’s faithful ones. But WE HAVE COME TO MOUNT ZION as citizens of HIS city. The New Jerusalem is that spiritual dimension we are focused on, wherein are disciplined souls, just men being perfected. These are instructed on how to be made one with God, being dealt with in a way more important than being stamped by church teachings of the rich Laodicean candlestick that has no room to let the Lord in. Note that He is standing OUTSIDE, knocking for an audience.
Now, however, many have received the Lord’s ideas of liberating spiritual truth. God TABERNACLES in Sons and Daughters who have been pliable enough to be drawn up, who have come into Zion’s higher spiritual purposes. God’s chosen ones are minding the things ABOVE, the things found only in the place of peace and righteousness, as enthroned by God. No pride of men is allowed here! Wisdom kills her beastly thoughts, intents, and makes no provision for the flesh.
No flesh can glory in prideful thoughts in the Lord’s presence. His life surpasses the Adamic failures in people to make of us quality material that is free of religious traditions, making us His true abiding place. I do not imagine us as being greater or better than others — it’s not wise to compare among ourselves. The only worthy comparison for any of us is Jesus Christ:
"Happy in spirit, are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens." Matthew 5:3 concordant
Empowered with oneness inwardly, WE WILL LIFT EVERY MAN TO THE EMBRACE OF THE FATHER for there is no better place for any of us. Blessed are those who have received the simplicity of truth to have formed Christ within our inner dispositions in an UNDIVIDED HEART. We are realizing what God has been fathering within us. The God life is more perfectly ours, as we have followed on to be translated into the newness of the King’s spirit.
He is coming to separate us, to feed us hidden manna! A new feast now frees our inner man as we are raised from and undivided by religious efforts of Babylonian works. We are separated from vain and anxious thoughts of wrong judgments, formed in half-heartedness that gives only lip service to godliness and is found so clearly and so prominently in the lesser heavens of the candlestick churches of the Lord.
"I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:18-22 NAS