Why do I need to measure up?

When we accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour (Passover), we were made a "new creature" and given Christ's righteousness. (2Cor.5:17-21) This is where we were "born again." We begin as a "babes in Christ' (1Peter.1:23, 1Cor.3:1-7, Heb.5:11-14) with the purpose of becoming an adult. (maturity) (Eph.4:8-16) It is not God's purpose for us to remain a "baby" in Christ. In fact, this is a "blemish" that will restrict you from being in the Bride.

1.  This is the purpose for each generation
     Jesus "gave (Eph.4:8-11)  some, apostles; 
     and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and  
     some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting    
     (maturing) of the saints, for the work of the ministry,  
     for the edifying of the body of Christ." (Eph 4:11-13)

     Note: The previous generations came to "maturity" 
     but not to the "unity of the faith, and of the 
     knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,
     unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of
     Christ." (Eph 4:13-14)
     
     (If the 1st.Century Church had arrived at the unity of 
     the faith, then why would Paul write that this is still 
     future?  The "unity of the faith is the reality of the unity of  Solomon's Temple. [The Feast of  
     Tabernacles 2Chron.5:3, 13-14] The 1st.Century Church "unity" was Pentecost, [Acts.2:1) not the
     Feast of Tabernacles)

2.  The last generation (those alive and remain)
     This generation will experience the fulfillment of Eph.4:11-16. They (i.e. The leading edge of the  
     Church) will come to "unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect  
     man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Eph 4:13-14) This "alive and
     remain" generation will have a greater accountability (stewardship) than previous generations.  
     They will be the Bride of Christ, simply because they are alive and the other saints are dead.
     (Review: Phases 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,  8, 9, 10, 11, 12 )  (Review: "Every saint in the Bride?")


   

How do I measure up?

It is our choice to measure up by simply respecting, honoring, believing, and obey God's Word.  We cannot add one cubit to our stature, naturally or spiritually. (Matt.6:27) God has provided the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher for the perfecting (maturing, the measuring up) of the saints till we all come to the measure of the fullness of Christ. (Eph.4:11-16)

1.  Choose to accept the five (5 fold) ministries?
     Some think there are no apostles and prophets today. They teach   
     that after the death of the apostle John, God continued the  
     evangelist and pastor, but not the apostle and prophet. It is
     true that after the death of John, (100 A.D.?) the apostolic and  
     prophetic ministries were not found anymore in the Church. This  
     was not because God stopped the gift, man rejected the gift  
     and eventually spiritually declined to the "Dark Ages."
     a.  If you do not accept the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor
          and teacher, then you will fail to measure up the the "fullness of   
          the stature of Christ. (Eph.4:11-16)  Update       
     b.  Be awake! Don't be gullible. (Naive, susceptible, easy to fool,  
          easy to fleece) It is your responsibility (as a "priest" before the  
          Lord) to "prove all things" (1Thes.5:21) and to "hold fast to that 
          which is good." It is your responsibility to "know them (i.e. the 5  
          fold ministries) which labour among you." It is NOT blind 
          obedience! Look at the type.
  .
     c.  Watch for the counterfeit. (Matt.24:11, 24, 2Cor.11:1-15)
          There will be tares amongst the wheat. (Matt.13:24-30, 38)
          (1)  God has allowed this to prove us. (Deut.13:1-5, Judges.2:3)
          (2)  It is free choice as in the garden of Eden. (Gen.2:16-17,  
                 2Cor.11:1-3)
     c.  These ministries have the "charge" to bring the Church to  
          the "fullness of the stature of Christ." (Eph.4:11-16, Acts.20:27
     d.  To reject these ministries, is like Noah rejecting the pattern for  
          the Ark, and deciding that he knew better than God. Nothing 
          was left to Noah's imagination! God's Word was clear! 

          Note: This was important because, Noah was preparing for  
          things not as seen yet." (Heb.11:7) Noah's natural wisdom could  
          have never prepared him for the destruction that was to come.

          As it was in the days of Noah, it will be for us in these last days!
          (Matt.24:36-37, Luke.17:26)

2.  Realize that it is "not of works, lest any man should boast."
     For "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: 
     it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." 
     (Eph .2:8-9) 
     a.  Grace does not stop after we have been saved. 
          (1)  Our place in the Body of Christ (The Bride) is "as it hath pleased Him." It is God's grace  
                 that places us. (1Cor.12:11-21, 2Tim.1:9, Heb.4:16, 2Peter.3:18) 
          (2)  Can the clay say to the potter "Why hast thou made me thus?" (Rom.9:20) The Spirit of  
                 God will "conform" us, (Rom.8:28-29) and change us "into the same image (to measure  
                 of the stature of the fullness of Christ) from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."  
                 (2Cor.3:18)
Jesus has "chosen" us and is preparing us to be His Bride! We had absolutely NOTHING to do with our selection! (John.17:15:16, Eph.5:25-27)

b.  Our works do not earn us a place in the Bride
     (1)  Our gift is just that, "a gift." You did not earn it! You   
            don't even deserve it! (Rom.12:1-8)
     (2)  Don't measure yourselves by yourselves. (2Cor.10:12)
            Peter asked Jesus, "What shall this man do?" Jesus      
            answered, "what is that to thee? follow thou me."      
            (John.21:21) There is a temptation to think you are 
            more holy than other members of the Church because
            you don't do the things they do! If Jesus is not our 
            measuring stick, then we both fail! (1Cor.3:1-10)
     (4)  It was by faith Noah "prepared an Ark." (Heb.11:7)      
            Noah did not measure himself with the generation of  
            his day, he compared himself with God's blueprint for     
            the Ark. The same is true today. Our presentation as a   
            Bride must be compared (measured) by the pattern of  
            God's Word.
c.  However there is acts of obedience
     (1)  Faith without works (action on what you believe) is  
            dead. (James.2:17)
     (Review: "The day of Atonement")          (2)  Abraham's works (actions) established his faith. (v.21)
                                                                    (3)  Rahab's actions confirmed her faith. (James.2:25-26)
                                                                     
     d.  It is God's grace that causes us to grow from a baby to a mature saint. 
          (1)  Many try to earn their way in God, by Church attendance, by faithfully giving their tithe, by      
                 giving of material things, by being at every function the Church has, by being at every work  
                 party to build the physical building for the Church to meet in and doing good deeds. All  
                 these things do not cause us to measure up. These are "good works" that we have  
                 been "created...unto," (Eph.2:10) but they do not  cause us to be measured up. 
          (2)  Good works is the voluntary / freewill "Meal Offering," the offering that Cain offered when  
                 he by-passed the body and blood of a slain lamb for his justification. Gen.4:1-4,       
                 1John.3:12)

I measure up by having a proper future vision!
    
"Where there is no vision, (no God given vision, revelation, or grace [command]) the people
perish: (to loosen. By implication: to expose, dismiss. fig. Absolve [relieve of a requirement or responsibility, obligation])1 but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." (Prov.29:18) 

1.  Having a proper future vision  
     Don't let the Philistines (i.e. our adversary, the devil 1Peter.5:8) put the "eyes of your  
     understanding" out like they did Samson. 
     a.  Our new man  has five senses like our natural man. (2Cor.5:17, Eph.4:24)
          Spiritual eyes, (Eph.1:18) Spiritual ears, (Matt.13:16-17, Rev.2:7, 17, 29) Spiritual smell,    
          (1Cor.12:17) Spiritual taste (Col.2:21, Psalm.34:8, 1Peter.2:3) and Spiritual feelings.  
          (Acts.17:27)          
     b.  Our spiritual eyes is our understanding in God's Word. 
          The "eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his  
          calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." (Eph.1:18-19, 
          Matt.13:16, Luke.24:16, 25-31, Eph.4:18, 2Cor.3:13-16, 2Peter.1:9)
          (1)  No Vision, no knowledge, no understanding = captivity. (Isa.5:13, Prov.24:30-34) 
          (2)  When the House of Judah went into the 70 year captivity they said, "How shall we sing  
                 the Lord's song in a strange land? (Psa.137:4-5)
     c.  Blessed "are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." (Matt 13:16-17)
          If Isaac's natural eyes were not dim, he would have never been deceived by Jacob. 
          (Gen.27:1) He knew something was wrong,  but because his "eyes were dim" (Gen.27:1) he
          was deceived. (Gen.27:18) The same is true with our Spiritual senses. (Heb.5:14)
          (1)  His sense of hearing was good. (Gen.27:22) 
          (2)  His sense of feeling was deceived. (Gen.27:23) 
          (3)  His sense of tasting was deceived. (Gen.27:25)
          (4)  His sense of smell was deceived. (Gen.27:27)

          Do you sense like Isaac something is not quite right 
          concerning what you believe about the last days? 

          Does "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our (your) spirit"  
          (Rom.8:16, John.16:12-13, 1Cor.2:1-14) The solution is  
          understand what God's Word says. Not what man's theology is, 
          or even this Website! 

          Jesus promised the Holy Spirit will "guide" us into all truth.  
          (John.16:12-13, 1John.2:27)

2.  Having a proper vision gives purpose to your every day living. 
     The five wise virgins had enough oil because they had a proper     
     future vision. (Matt.25:1-13) Noah's future vision (God given   
     revelation) gave him purpose for his everyday building of the Ark  
     for 120 years. Noah was not living loosely, his life depended on it.  
     Gen.6-7) The five foolish virgins were living loosely, they were dismissing the requirement of  
     preparation.(Prov.24:30-34 , Rev.19:7-8) They did not have a proper future vision and missed  
     God's timing. (Matt.25:1-13) The "cares of this world" (1John.2:16, Matt.13:22) choked  
     out any doctrine concerning preparation. (Prov.24:30-34) 

     When there is a proper future vision.

     (a)  You know where you have come from. (Genesis to Malachi) 
     (b)  You know where you are. (The Gospels, Acts and the Epistles)
     (c)  Your know where you are going. (Hebrews and the Book of Revelation)

             A three fold chord establishes your doctrine!
                                                 (Deut.19:15, Matt.18:16, 2Cor.13:1)            
                                              (This chart is the conclusion of all 12 Phases)

            
3.  He that has a God given vision and "keepeth the law, happy is he." (Prov.29:18)
     Having a vision, happiness and keeping the laws of God's Word go "hand-in-hand!" This causes  
     us to be "yoked" together with God's purpose (His pattern / blueprint) finding true rest, and true  
     happiness. (Note: Neh.8:1-10) This world's happiness is foundered on circumstances, and what   
     I want. True happiness has it's foundation upon God's Word. Jesus said, "Take my yoke  
     upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 
     For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt 11:29-30)
     a.  Keep the law
          Some think that our liberty (Gal.5:1) in Christ exempts us from 
          the Laws that God gave Moses. When Jesus came and 
          "brought grace and truth," (John.1:17) He did not destroy the  
          Law and the Prophets, He fulfilled (completed) them. 
          (Matt.5:17-19) The apostle Paul wrote, "Do we make void the  
          law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."  
          (Rom.3:31) Therefore we will also fulfill or complete these laws  
          in our lives, because the Church is the body of Christ.  
          (Eph.1:22-23, Col.1:18)  
                 
          Review: The Bible is one Book  

          God's Word (The Bible) is the "perfect law of liberty."  
          (James.22-25, 2Cor.3:18, Psa.19:7) Under grace "the  
          righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who  
          walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom 8:4-5)

          The Holy Spirit will never deny the "righteousness of the  
          law" (i.e. The right standing before God, that the law is  
          designed to produce)

          The problem is the Law is death to me because "I am carnal, sold under sin." (Rom.7:14;  
          5:12-21) Nothing wrong with God's law!

     b.  You will shall find rest unto your souls. 
          Jesus says, "Take my yoke (keeping the God-given vision / oracle) upon you, and learn     
          of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 
          (Matt 11:29-30) Then you will find rest in these "perilous times."
     c.  Where there is rest, there is joy
          The Joy of the Lord was because they understood the Word. "So they read in the 
          book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand  
          the  reading...Then he (Ezra) said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the     
          sweet, and send  portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy   
          unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Neh.8:8-10)

 

   To be continued  on page.6   (John.16:12-15, 1Cor.2:1-14; 13:9-12)    


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1.  OT Strongs