[TruthTalk] Walking after the Spirit

[Judy Taylor]

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

judyt writes:  
Do you understand the new covenant promise
in Jeremiah 31:34 (and other places) that becomes activated by faith
in Christ?

john: No.   What "activated" the New Covenant was the blood of Christ.  

 

jt: Are you saying that the blood of Christ is like an amulet or magic and that the

God who said "I am the Lord I change not" has changed his mind about sin?

 

john: Perhaps you should read Jeremiah 31:31-34.   The New is totally different

from the Old.   Sins will not be a part of God's consideration.  God will be known

in a personal and individual way, not through the art form of preaching.

 

jt: I read it just yesterday and it said the same as it always has.  The New is

different in that it is of the Spirit and sin is still just as big a part of God's

consideration as it ever was. Note who is outside the gate in Rev 22:15.

 

john: Preaching can only tell you ABOUT God.  With he new covenant, God

is experiencially known.

 

jt: Preaching is what God has chosen to reveal himself. Empowered by the

anointing of His Spirit people should be convicted of sin and aware of their

separation from God and their own personal need for a Redeemer. Lots of

ppl are under the illusion that they know God. M. Scott Peck is one.

 

john: The law will become an inward passion (faith) as opposed to the

Old and overt system of commands. That is what this Jeremiah passasges

says.  This passage is absolutely the most important Old Covenant scripture

regarding the New Covenant.  We should all read it, memorize it, and study

the new scriptures in the context of this passage.  The following is quoted

from the New Living Bible, a translation of the Billy Graham people

(and others).     

" The day will come, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with

the people of Israel and Judah.  This covenant will not be like the one I made

wih their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of

the land of Egypt.   They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a

husband loves his wife, says the Lord.

But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,

says the Lord.   I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their

hearts.   I will be their God and they will be my people   And they will not need

to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to each their family saying  "You

should know the Lord,"  for everyone, from he least to the greatest, will already

know me, says the Lord.  And I will forgive their wickedness and will never

again remember their sins.

 

jt: We need to remember that this is a paraphrase rather than a literal

translation and the prophet is not saying here that God overlooks or is

blind to sin.

 

john: How in the world do you explain "salvation by faith

apart from works?" I asked this question in the previous email.   

You did not deal with it at all.   

 

jt: You asked me not to reference James so I didn't; he wrote that faith

aside from corresponding actions is dead.  If there is spiritual life in a

person the fruit of it will be obvious in their life. I don't believe one can be

right with God through brownie points, neither do I believe a carnal fleshly

person who just talks a good game will get into His presence.

john: And why is it necessary for God to continue accepting our faith
IN THE PLACE OF righteousness? 

 

jt: It's not "in the place of" If it is the God kind of faith it is "reckoned" as

righteousness because then there are the God kind of fruit in the life.  
ATST it is still true that the soul that sinneth shall die so we must

continue to deal with sin.

The biblical reference is Romans 4:5:  But to one who without works

trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.  

(Nestle/Aland  English translation).  Another question you decided to ignore.  

 

jt: I didn't ignore anything Romans 4 is not the start of a new doctrine John. 

Read Vs.19-22. Abraham who was 100yrs old and Sarah 90, didn't consider

his own body or stagger in unbelief at the promise of God but was strong in

faith giving God glory and was fully persuaded that what God had promised

he was able to perform; and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

I wrote: You must be reading the non-inspired version (NIV); the second
part of that verse is also important. "there is therefore now no condemnation

to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after

the Spirit."

john: Here, you completely misuse the reference.  

 

jt: How? All I did was quote it.

 

john: But, first, your characterization of the NIV  --  actually you are right.   

It is uninspired as are all the other translation.   Back Romans 8:1.   Lets

start with "therefore" shall we?   That word means "in view of what I have

just said."   And what was that  --  that we are involved in a war between

good and evil.   

 

For a Christian, we serve the law of sin in our flesh and the law of God

(faith) in our minds  (Ro 7:25).  All of this is present tense.   

 

jt: Yes...

 

john: Verse 25 is a problem, because death is the deserved consequence,

so Paul solves the problem in 8:1 by saying "there is no problem (condemnation),"   

but this promise is offered to those who walk in the spirit, as you so aptly point out.    

 

And what is walking in the spirit?  Your teaching would have us believe that

"walking in the spirit" is a contradiction to the words of 7:25  --  that it is doing

the right thing.

 

jt: Not my teaching - the teaching of scripture says it. What is the fruit in

our lives?  for the carnal and fleshly it will be the fruit of the flesh Gal 5:19;

when we walk after the Spirit and do not fulfill the lust of the flesh it will be

the fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:23.  I know Paul didn't write all this just so they

could make plaques for Christian Bookstores.

 

john: Simply an impossible conclusion in view of the fact that Paul has JUST

concluded that this warfare, the doing of sin, continues for all Christians.   

 

jt: Paul also said "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God

forbid, may it never be"

 

john: So what is "walking in the spirit?"     Well, just read 8:5. Walking in the

flesh is having YOUR MIND SET ON THINGS OF THE FLESH and walking

in the spirit is    HAVING YOUR MIND SET ON THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. 

 

jt: This is not a "mind science" John.  It is a walk of obedience to the

voice of the Chief Shepherd. When he appears we are to be like Him.

 

john: Notice how this ties in with Jere 31 "I will put it in their minds and write

it on their hearts."   Ro 8:5 defines flesh and spirit in terms of a state

of mind as opposed to an act of righteousness (or right living).  

 

jt: It is a renewed mind, a circumcised heart, and walking in love

toward God, ourselves, and others.

 

judyt