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Abounding in Full Experiential Knowledge and Discernment

¹Paul and Timothy, servants belonging to Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, the ones in Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons. ²Grace is to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. ³I thank God upon all the remembrances of you, ⁴always in all my supplication on behalf of all of you, I am making, generally associated with joy, the previously mentioned supplication, ⁵on the basis of your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now. ⁶I am in a state of having been persuaded of this same thing, that the one having began in you a beneficial work will bring it to its intended end right up until the day of Jesus Christ. ⁷Just as it is right for me to think this concerning all of you, because I have you in my heart; in both my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, all of you being my partners of the Grace.⁸For God is my witness, as I long for all of you with the compassions of Christ Jesus. ⁹And this is my communication of worship, in order that your love yet more and more should abound in full experiential knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰for the purpose that you approve the things that differ, in order that you all are sincere and do not cause offense unto the day of Christ, ¹¹having been filled up concerning the fruit of righteousness, the one through Jesus Christ, unto an expression of a proper opinion and praise concerning God.

Paul’s communication with the Father is for the saints continued growth in love that will about in full experiential knowledge and discernment. He is not just asking […]

Abounding in Full Experiential Knowledge and DiscernmentLuther Walker2013-04-15T07:13:19-07:00

Idle (ἀργός)

Idle (ἀργός) describes someone who has nothing to do or is unwilling to work and, therefore, lazy.

Words are important. Men will give account for every idle utterance that comes out of the mouth, Matthew 12:36. This is because the mouth speaks out from the abundance of the heart, Matthew 12:34. A good man will store up good treasure in his heart, where a malignantly evil one will bring forth malignantly evil things from the treasury of his heart.

Socialism is not a standard for the Church. As with secular socialism, when people are taken care of and allowed to be idle rather than work, they become lazy. However, within the assembly, the sharing of possessions can and should be done out of love. We are a community that cares for each other. Sharing is not to encourage laziness, for one who does not work is not to be permitted to eat, 2 Thessalonians 3:10. When a woman within the assembly becomes a widow, who is truly destitute having no living relatives, the local assembly is to care for her needs. This type of caring demonstrates our unity and love for the saints. However, if she is young or has other family members who can care for her, she is not to be financially provided for by the Church because of the danger of her becoming idle; instead, she is to marry, bear children, and manage the household, 1 Timothy 5:13.

The standards for a Pastor are essential for the assembly to know and to hold him accountable to. Paul left Titus in Crete to put things in order and appoint elders (pastors) in each of the cities, abiding by the guidance that Paul gave him, […]

Idle (ἀργός)Luther Walker2024-07-25T05:49:45-07:00

Not Striking against (ἀπρόσκοπος)

While Paul was defending himself before Felix against accusations from the Jews, he spoke of his conscience. He strives to have a conscience that does not strike at, hence, cause offense, God or men, Acts 24:16.

Although we understand that food does not defile a person, if someone lacks this knowledge, we are not to use our freedom to cause offense to ( a strike against) their conscience. Instead, whatever we eat or drink it is to be in a way that expresses a proper opinion of God, not striking against the conscience of the Jews, Greeks, or Church of God, 1 Corinthians 10:32.

As we grow in love our full experiential knowledge and perception abound more and more so that we are able to approve the things that differ. In doing this, we will live out the life we have in Christ in a sincere manner and without offense to another until the day of Christ as we are filled up with the fruit of righteousness that is through Jesus Christ, Philippians 1:10.

‘Not striking against’ (ἀπρόσκοπος) is a concept often translated in English as ‘not offending’. However, ‘offense’ is also used for different words, such as ‘scandalizing’ (Matthew 18:7), and ‘trespass’ (Romans 4:25). Therefore. it is important to discern what Paul is referring to when he states we are not to give offense to any of the races. ‘Not strike against’ is a negation of the word ‘to strike’, which is used of dashing a foot against stone, Matthew 4:6, or stumbling while walking at night, John 11:10. ‘Aproskopos’ is predominately use concerning the conscience. Paul strived to have a good conscience before God and men, that did not strike against them; therefore, does not […]

Not Striking against (ἀπρόσκοπος)Luther Walker2024-06-13T07:07:50-07:00

Self-Control (ἐγκράτεια)

Self-control (ἐγκράτεια) means to have strength over one’s appetites through regulating emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in the face of impulses or temptations.

Self-control is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:23. Since it is a part of the fruit belonging to the Spirit, we cannot obtain it through law or self-effort. Those who seek to be righteous through their works, although having a word of wisdom through self-imposed religion, humility, and the neglecting of the body, do not through these enjoy freedom over the indulgences of the flesh, Colossians 2:23. Self-control is a product of walking by the Spirit; therefore, self-control is an ingredient of the characteristics of Christians who are Spiritual, Acts 24:25.

As we work out our faith, we gain knowledge. To this knowledge, we are to add self-control, through which we can apply godliness to our lives, 2 Peter 1:6. As we continue to mature, we add to godliness a fondness for the brethren that gives place to seeking the best for the ones loved, so the we abound and are not unfruitful or barren in the full experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Therefore, self-control is a natural result of seeking out and governing our lives by the desires from the Holy Spirit, so that in freedom we maintain strength over our appetites, emotions, thoughts, and behavior in a worthy manner that glorifies God as the Holy Spirit produces the character of Christ through us.

Self-Control (ἐγκράτεια)Luther Walker2024-06-06T06:33:53-07:00

The Truth Will Set You Free

In the Gospel of John, the author records a statement from Jesus to the Jews who believed Him. If they abide in His word, they will know the truth, and the truth will set them free.

Therefore, Jesus said toward the Jews believing Him, “If you abide in My word, truly you are My disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

The response of the unbelieving Jews was to refute their need for freedom immediately. However, all those who sin are slaves to sin, John 8:33. The sin referred to here is not the acts of sin that a person does. Instead, it is specific to the sin nature of a person. All those doing sin (the act of lawlessness) are slaves to the sin [nature].

As the steward of our dispensation, Paul is given instructions on how to have victory over the sin nature. In Romans chapters six through seven, he writes of his experience with applying the doctrine of the truth in comparison to how the law works against the sin nature. Through this, we clearly understand what Jesus was referring to as the truth. The truth is a specific doctrine that frees a person from slavery to commit sin so that he is able to produce righteousness.

The first aspect of this doctrine is to know. Those who abide, feel at ease, in His word must know it.

Know that we have died with Christ and have been raised to walk in newness of life.

Or do you not know that as many as have been immersed into Christ Jesus, into His death have been immersed? Romans 6:3

Therefore, we have been buried with Him through the immersion into the death, in order that just as […]

The Truth Will Set You FreeLuther Walker2024-05-05T13:07:49-07:00

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