Part 3: Towards a Deeper Understanding
Beloved ones, don’t remain as immature children in your reasoning. As it relates to evil, be like newborns, but in your thinking be mature adults.”
(This is a modern reading of 1 Corinthians 14:20 from The Passion Translation)
Before
Previously I have reflected on my journey towards becoming a Christian (Part 1) and then the first 10 years of my pursuit of understanding (Part 2). Now in this third, and final, part I reflect on where my journey has taken me up until now, and the dawning realisation that there is a spiritual dimension to my life that is of great importance and fundamental to living daily as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
I keep on developing my understanding
All my Christian life I have taken this Bible verse seriously, but never more than now. Growing in wisdom as you get old is not automatic! It still needs to be worked on, to be actively pursued and incorporated into each day of our lives. It involves studying and meditating on God’s word, the Bible. The first three verses of Psalm 1 are some of my favourites:
1. Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3. He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
Verse 2 says it straight!
The Holy Spirit dimension
And then there is the Holy Spirit! On two occasions in my early Christian experience I felt what I now realise was the inward action of the Holy Spirit on my spirit. And then, somehow, throughout the 1970s, I misunderstood and ignored so many Scriptural passages that explain the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians today. There are so many words describing the role of the Holy Spirit today. It is a rich theology.
It wasn’t until some 10 years later, in the early 1980s, that I properly understood the spiritual nature of my Christian life. For the first time I understood and accepted the power of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of me as a “born again” believer in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. One evening, I was prayed for that the Holy Spirit would flow into me in a fresh way – a spiritual baptism. It was as if I was poleaxed to the floor. As I lay on the carpet the Holy Spirit flooded into me and I have never been the same from that night onwards.
Now I understand that through Jesus Christ I have been restored to an ongoing relationship with God. My faith is now an intimate daily relationship with Him, rather than following a set of rules and regulations. So I can now have a conversation with My heavenly Father; I can speak to Him, and He speaks to me, and I hear him. I listen and I am free to respond.
I realise I have been made by Him for His purposes. I can know those purposes, even as seasons of serving change. I have the freedom to say yes (or no) to carrying them out. Jesus has given me His authority to do His will. I can also “tap in” to the Holy Spirit’s power to do this because He lives within me.
I have a growing faith and understanding of what Christ actually accomplished on the cross and what I’ve been able and are yet able to do through the authority and power bestowed by His life, death and resurrection. I have an ongoing and deep relationship where I can daily, moment by moment, place myself in His presence. I can increasingly keep my eyes on Him, allowing my mind to be renewed and my body to be set free to abundant life. Now I can, by my testimony and by my clear understanding, encourage others to seek Him, be empowered by the Holy Spirit. There is restoration for weak and broken bodies and renewal of the minds with its damaged thoughts and emotions. These things are freely available to every Christian and received by their free choice. There is no price, it has been paid by Jesus Christ Himself. It has allowed me to be a mature adult in my thinking.
Postscript: Still seeing “dimly”!
My journey continues! My understanding is nowhere near complete. Paul of Tarsus summed it up in his letter to the Christians in Corinth (1 Corinthians 13:12)
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” (NKJV).
Here is The New Living Translation:”Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” When I get to Heaven or Heaven comes to me then it will all become clear.
In the meantime: “Beloved ones, don’t remain as immature children in your reasoning. As it relates to evil, be like newborns, but in your thinking be mature adults.”
All references are from the NKJV unless specified otherwise.
John Partis
bearing-kingdom-fruit.com
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