We said earlier that the definition of sin in the Greek means, erring, missing the mark, losing our allotment and not sharing in a prize. A person who thinks in these terms may love the Lord with all of their heart however, in their desire to walk in obedience to God’s commands, they have the idea that, they have to pull themselves up by their own boot straps and work harder at trying to be obedient. Their understanding of God‘s laws have been so in grafted into their heart and mind that their awareness of their law breaking dominates their thinking.  

This type of bondage is intensified in their lives when they sit under denominational teachings that constantly talks about people’s shortcomings and shame based nature that Jesus died for at the cross. The mentality that is defined as being un-righteous thinking verses righteous thinking is found in 1John 3:1-4. John tells us, “see what an incredible quality of love the Father has given us that we should be permitted to be named, called and counted as being a child of God. The reason that the world does not recognize us is because; they do not recognize him. Beloved we are even here and now God’s children; yet it is not clear to us what we are becoming however, when the Lord comes, we will be like him and see Him as He really is.

Since the born again believer has the Holy Spirit living in them, they need to recognize how totally secure they are in Jesus Christ then, no matter whatever crevices of life they fall into, they will know that they can never lose their salvation. However, our relationship with God can be hindered because of our ignorance of the scriptures and not being under leadership that raises up the Lord in their assemblies but rather they are raising up their own agendas and traditional views of scripture. Our physical bodies house the Holy Spirit. This being true how can the Holy Spirit blaspheme himself? Aren’t we doing the same thing that the scribes did when they said that Jesus was doing things by the works of the Devil? The real issue in the believer, is his house is divided between the Holy Spirit trying to get the believers attention on truth of their permanent security in Christ and their minds are being bombarded by false doctrines and demonic influences to weaken their resolve to function as God‘s ambassadors on the earth. Let’s look at Hebrews chapter five and six as Paul the Apostle gives an example as to what is going on in many born again assemblies today.

Paul the Apostle leading up to chapter six says this to these people in Hebrews 5:7-14. “In the days when Jesus walked the earth, He offered up definite petitions to His Heavenly Father for not only the things that He needed but also for the things that He wanted. He did this with strong crying and tears to Him who could always deliver him from any type of spiritual death. God always heard Him because of the reverential fear and piety towards God.” (Piety meaning, loyalty to a parent).(Piety meaning, loyalty to a parent).

Jesus ran from the fears of anything that might cause Him from being seperated in recognizing the presence of his Heavenly Father in His life. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. Because He completed His race of obedience in His life, He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation, but only to those who give heed and obey Him. God designated Jesus as the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.”

Concerning this example of Jesus being after the order of Melchizedek, I have much to say to you. However, it will be hard for you to understand because; you have become dull in your (spiritual) hearing and sluggish in achieving spiritual insight. For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others this example, you actually need some one to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. I have to feed you on milk because; you cannot eat solid food. For every one who continues to feed on milk is obviously unskilled in understanding their righteous position in Christ and (how to conform to His divine will in purpose, thought and action.) For every one that does not understand their righteous position in Christ is a mere infant and not able to talk yet. But solid food is for full-grown men and women whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discern between what is righteous thinking verses un- righteous thinking.”

Jesus ran from the fears of anything that might cause Him from being seperated in recognizing the presence of his Heavenly Father in His life. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. Because He completed His race of obedience in His life, He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation, but only to those who give heed and obey Him. God designated Jesus as the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.”

Concerning this example of Jesus being after the order of Melchizedek, I have much to say to you. However, it will be hard for you to understand because; you have become dull in your (spiritual) hearing and sluggish in achieving spiritual insight. For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others this example, you actually need some one to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. I have to feed you on milk because; you cannot eat solid food. For every one who continues to feed on milk is obviously unskilled in understanding their righteous position in Christ and (how to conform to His divine will in purpose, thought and action.) For every one that does not understand their righteous position in Christ is a mere infant and not able to talk yet. But solid food is for full-grown men and women whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discern between what is righteous thinking verses un- righteous thinking.”

In order for the body of Christ to run from anything that will separate them from the presence of the Lord, they must be discipled and discern what it is that they need to be running from. It is only the Holy Spirits leading that a person can discern a thing.

When born again believers do not understand their inheritance and ambassadorship in the family of God, they do not know how to decree a thing and speak the word of faith and release God to bring it to pass in their lives. Scripture tells us “Let those that know their righteousness say so in their words.”

God tells us that, we have the power to decree a thing. What decrees are coming out of your mouth daily, life or death? If a born again believer does not understand this concept of Jesus being compared to the Order of Melchizedak and what Jesus represents in their new life in Christ, they will forever be nourishing their spiritual life on the milk of God’s word rather then the solid food that is needed to mature and grow strong in the Lord.

Let’s now understand this concept so that we don’t stay as babies on the milk of the word. Melchizedak represents a High Priest of the Old Testament. He represents only a shadow and initial step that was needed for God’s people to recognize their need for Him. High Priests were the ones that mediated the covenant in those days between God and the people. It was only through them that the peoples sins could be forgiven by God. They were Levitical Priests appointed to regulate laws relating to ritual and moral precepts. Scripture tells us that if this system was able to make God’s people pure in heart, why did God the Father send Jesus to make a new covenant and became a mediator for the people as the Levitical Priests were at one time. As the Levitical Priests died and new ones took there place, the laws of ritual and moral precepts also changed. For us who have been born again, Jesus is now our living High Priest and what He says never can be misunderstood or changed.

As the Levitical Priests of the Old Testament offered up animals for the sins of the people and themselves, Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins and rose again from the dead and we need no other offerings or personal sacrifices. When we function in a mindset of ever focusing on our shortcomings and stay in a sin conscience mentality as they did in the Old Testament, we do not understand our Righteous position in Christ. Since Jesus is our high Priest once and for all and if we understand the meaning of this, the first plan and regulations of how our sins were forgiven in the Old Testament have been canceled by God because, it was weak, ineffective and useless. When we try to obey laws and moral precepts this will never be able to make us perfect. However, instead Jesus Righteous Spirit at work in us now makes us able to draw near to God.

The spiritual revelation of what has just been said must become a reality in every believer if they are to grow to maturity and do the works of Jesus. The former successive line of priests was made up of many men because they were prevented by death to continually hold office. However, Jesus holds this office forever because He is alive and sits at the right hand of God always on our behalf. Jesus has no day-to-day necessity as the other high priests had in offering sacrifices for sins because; he has met all the requirements with in Himself. For the laws that God set done from Moses was only to make people aware of their weaknesses and human frailties. Now us accepting Jesus completed work at the cross makes us perfect and complete in God’s eyes.

Let’s not confuse the difference between our position in Christ verses our growing up from childhood to manhood. As we grow physically, we need to grow spiritually. When we have mingled seed doctrine of any type that gives the connotation of God loves me and He loves me not, the believer’s Righteous position they possess in Christ is always in question in their minds and heart. This is what causes double mindedness in the believer and they cannot receive anything from the Lord.  

Let’s now examine what is going on in many church assemblies today and how the understanding of our position in Christ is not being taught with clarity if at all. When the body of Christ does not understand this concept of Jesus being our High Priest, the born again believer stays on the milk of the word as Paul described to the Hebrew church in part one of this article. Therefore, what takes place is the same things that went wrong in the Hebrew Church of that day. If we are to get off drinking milk, we need to heed Paul’s words in Hebrews 6:1-8 He states, “Therefore let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrines of Christ, advancing steadily towards the completeness and perfection that belongs to spiritual maturity. Lets us not again lay the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith which turned you to God. With teachings about purifying the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment. These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long ago.

It is God’s will that you go on to advanced teaching. For it is impossible to restore and bring to repentance those who have been once for all enlightened, who have constantly tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit and have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty power of the age and world to come. If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance; it is impossible to bring them back to repentance, for because for as long as they nail up on the cross the son of God afresh, as far as they are concerned they hold Him up to contempt and shame and public disgrace. For the soil which has drunk the rain that repeatedly falls upon it, and produces vegetation useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated, partakes of a blessing from God. However, if the same soil persistently bears thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and near to being burned, cursed, whose end is to be burned.” We see here that we need to define those doctrines that have to be put away and define what Paul was talking about when we deviate from the faith after being enlightened. When we deviate from the faith, it does not mean that we backslide and go to hell after we become born again.

It is God’s will that you go on to advanced teaching. For it is impossible to restore and bring to repentance those who have been once for all enlightened, who have constantly tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit and have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty power of the age and world to come. If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance; it is impossible to bring them back to repentance, for because for as long as they nail up on the cross the son of God afresh, as far as they are concerned they hold Him up to contempt and shame and public disgrace. For the soil which has drunk the rain that repeatedly falls upon it, and produces vegetation useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated, partakes of a blessing from God. However, if the same soil persistently bears thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and near to being burned, cursed, whose end is to be burned.” We see here that we need to define those doctrines that have to be put away and define what Paul was talking about when we deviate from the faith after being enlightened. When we deviate from the faith, it does not mean that we backslide and go to hell after we become born again.

I have heard more preaching and teaching of this being the interpretation of these verses that at times I had to go to God to calm my self down over these damaging doctrines of Devil type teachings with in the born again church. It is this type of teaching that cripples the body of Christ and they never reach their potential in God. When one leaves the doctrines of dead works, we are talking about what the scripture defines as any self-righteous works on our part by us trying to clean up our act. This is defined in scripture as us living with dirty filthy rags as far as God is concerned.

The unsaved who want to seek God live like this. However, the born again church has to be weaned off this idea. They are still teaching in the majority of born again churches the fact that, we have to help God out so we can earn our salvation.

Now this idea of the laying on of hands is an Old Testament doctrine. The Levitical priesthood would once a year offer up unblemished animals as a sin offering for the people and themselves. By them laying their hands on these animals before they were sacrificed, the sins of the people were transferred on to the animal being sacrificed and their sins would be burnt up. We need to finally be enlightened and understand that only Jesus is the mediator between God the Father and mankind. This enslavement to denominational involvement and these teachings as far as knowing who your spiritual leaders are and going to them for a word from God has to stop. Yes, we have spiritual leaders in God’s kingdom and an authority type system. However, we are to put no one in a place of judging our hearts and to be worshiped. We can only know who are spiritual leaders are if they are confirming to us the same word we are hearing from the Holy Spirit in our daily walk. Scripture tells us that we need to have no one to teach us but the Holy Spirit is our teacher.

People that do not know the Holy Spirit’s voice are sheep being led to be slaughtered. This takes place because; they have no root in them. Scripture tells us that it is the ones who are becoming strong in the word that will be able to overcome the devils devices. If you do not have a work ethic of presenting your body as a living sacrifice and are renewing your mind daily, it is only because, you do not meditate on the word night and day. This causes us to never get off the milk of the word and we will stay a baby all of our life. There is nothing more crippling that can happen to a born again believer than, to stay a child all of their life and never function as a son and daughter in God’s kingdom.

I know many people who are very educated and learned people some in my own family who I pray for always and with all their knowledge and understanding they have never gone to God’s school of the scriptures and to this day after years of being saved they are missing God’s best for their lives.

Now as far as the doctrine of resurrection from the dead and eternal judgment and punishment. This is the basic gospel message. Jesus was resurrected from the dead and sits at the right hand of God as a mediator for us. We also were raised to a new life, and walk in heavenly places with Him now and there is no eternal judgment and punishment for us because, we are his children and He loves us with out conditions. This is all basic stuff and unless we get this forever settled our foundation in Christ will never be established. As long as we have backsliding and going to hell interpretations from scripture and we do not understand That God not only love us but he likes us with out conditions, you can not go on to maturity as Paul describes.

Now we come to the part that has been totally misunderstood from when ever. The reason why a person cannot be restored is because, their milk thinking understanding has them always looking under the white robe of righteousness that God put on them.

They live with a shame spirit of never be good enough to walk with God behind the veil in his Holy Courts because, they live in a sin conscience mentality focusing on their behavior rather than their righteousness that God imputed to them.

Because the majority of born again believers do not understand this, they live with an unworthiness and self-loathing. These feelings have been repressed for years because of false teachings going on with in the Christian community and it keeps them looking at themselves with spots and wrinkles. This is happening because, they are not being discipled and they live with un-righteous thinking. When one sits under teachings that we are still sinners saved by grace and our understanding of our sainthood is not understood the people perish. God our Heavenly Father wants us to enter his courts with praise and thanksgiving and wants us to kneel before Him because, He wants to give us knighthood in His army. HE CANNOT KNIGHT CHILDREN IN THEIR DIAPERS.

We were sinners saved by grace meaning, God’s unmerited favor was bestowed upon us. Us now being saints was God’s plan and idea from the beginning and it is time for us to put away our childish thinking and believe what God says about us and not what the devil or the ones in the pulpits of today, that do not have a clue as to what they are talking about.

These verses go on to say that after we became saved, we were enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, became sharers in the Holy Spirit, felt how good the word of God is and the mighty power of the world to come. I would suggest that if you have never had a witness of this, I would question my salvation. True fellowship and living in a passionate hungering and thirsting after God daily, continually has us experiencing these witnesses and confirming to us our sainthood in Him. When one deviates from this life style, you cannot be restored again because, God says, I saved you and you cannot be resaved that only happens once. As long as you do not stay true to your relationship with Me and seek my face, My faithfulness and sacrifice on the cross stays true for you and My love never changes.

It is a difficult and hard thing to realize that when the body of Christ stay on the milk of the word and never mature, God is saying that His body is a shame and a disgrace to the world. It is obvious that the world has no awe and fearful respect for the body of Christ.

The reason, we have not shown the love and involvement to a sick and dying world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now the last part of these verses tells us that it is the Spirit of God and His love that constantly wants to rain on us and produce in us His works and abundant life. If it is not received because it is not being taught properly, the results will be worthless endeavors that will have no eternal purposes in God’s kingdom. In turn, these works will be burnt up and the only thing left standing will be God’s perfect will that was accomplished in our lives.

We have said that only the solid foundation that is built by the Apostles and Prophets who are foundation builders with Christ being the chief cornerstone has to be laid and then we can go on to teach mature doctrines of kingdom living. Paul the apostle defines this in 1Cor. 10-15 when he says, “According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another can now build upon it. However, let every one who builds on it be careful how he adds to it, for there is no other foundation that a person can build on except the Lord Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or straw; every man’s work shall be made clear to see and understand for the day of Christ will declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire will critically appraise the character and worth of the work which each person has done. If any man’s work is burnt up under the test, he will suffer the loss of it all losing his reward. However, he himself shall be saved but only as one who has passed through the fire. Do you not understand the whole body of Christ is a temple and God’s Spirit is a permanent dwelling in you to be a home in you both collectively as a church but also individually?”

As long as we have so called leaders teaching that this fire that Paul was talking about was a person backsliding and going to burn in hell, there will be no hope for the born again believer maturing in Christ who believes this. God cares that born again Christians prosper and live by whatever amount of financial income they have the faith to believe for. However, that is not the priority here as we have so many born again assemblies focused on financial prosperity. We must get back to teaching the gospel and rightly dividing the truth. If you look at scripture, the body of Christ overall is in a state of apostasy which was predicted to happen in these last days. God does not care whether you use any of these materials that Paul uses as an example to build with.

Paul the Apostle also had a word to the Galatian church because, they were having trouble building on their foundation that Paul had laid with false interpretation of scripture and were leaning toward their own understanding of how to mature.

He states in Gal.7-8 “ Do not be deceived and mislead; God will not allow himself to be sneered at, scorned or mocked by people having mere untruthful declarations by having His precepts set aside. A person inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God. For what ever a man sows into his life it is that what he will also reap. For if, he sows to his own understanding of God, it will reap decay and ruin. However, if he sows his life in the Holy Spirits counsel, he will reap the reward here and now and the continuance in heaven for eternity.”

It is not God’s intensions here, as many believe to inflict pain on His children. The born again believer needs to be taught how kingdom living works. A parent tells his child don’t touch the hot stove or you will be burnt. The child either heeds the parent’s warning or suffers the consequences. God never gets angry with His kids, He just grieves over their ignorance and the loss that they live with by not receiving His love, forgiveness and their inheritance as being his children. All of your endeavors to follow Christ in your maturing will be tested by fiery trials of life, which is the way we learn. Yes, some of the wounds that we experience are self-inflicted. I believe more than we want to admit to. The real enemy I have learned is ignorance of God’s ways and we need to be equipped by sound doctrine to handle the warfare of life and become winners as God always intended.

God’s kingdom came into the world the day Jesus was born in the earth. When we became born again, the kingdom was born in us and the ball was put in out court. When the born again believer does not function with the mind of Christ with their new nature they received when they received Christ, they stay in ignorance under a task master of legalistic codes. One cannot pray them out of this sin death life style because of the fact as stated; they put Christ up to contempt and public shame. In reality, they become a reproach unto Him. This happens because they always live in a shame of realizing they have done something wrong. This is what a sin conscience mentality does for one self. The Holy Spirit grieves over us when we punish ourselves like this.

The born again believer must decide to come to the end of themselves and come to God broken and repentantly by allowing the Holy Spirit to instruct them and show them the difference between kingdom living verses our works in the flesh. It is in us recognizing our weakness and bring them to the Lord that cause us to grow strong and straight in his kingdom.

Thirty-five years ago, a prophetic word came out at a Sunday morning worship service. It set a tone and anchor of my soul all of these years. When I heard it, I thought that the prophesy would take place immediately only to find out it is the work that the Holy Spirit has been doing in the body of Christ then and is more important today then ever.

God said, “My people you have grown over the years but only by the measure of man’s understanding. Because of this, you have become a reproach. Come to me with your hands up raised I will take the old tight fitting clothes that you are wearing off of you. When they come off you will murmur and complain because they have grown into your flesh and some of your flesh will come with them. However, if you are willing, I will put a white robe of Righteousness on you and you can walk in my courts with great freedom.”