What Goes Through the Mind (διανοίᾳ)

Under the Mosaic Law, Israel was instructed to love their God with all their heart (center of a person), soul (emotions), strength, and what goes through their minds – Luke 10:27. Israel failed this, but God will make a new covenant with them in which He will put His law in their thoughts, not just in the mind, but in what goes through the mind, Hebrews 8:10; 10:16).

For Christians, before salvation we walked according to the age of this world system following the desires of the flesh and of all that went through our minds and were by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). This produced a hostility within the thoughts towards God (Colossians 1:21). Now we are not to walk as the unsaved in the futility of the mind with our thoughts darkened (Ephesians 4:18) for God has manifested the light of the knowledge of Christ in our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:6). Because the Son of God has come, the thoughts going through our mind can know Him and therefore know the truth (1 John 5:20).

So then let us gird up our thoughts, keep a clear mind, and completely hope upon the grace to come at the appearance of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13). Hope is always based upon a promise. The promises we have from God impact our everyday life. We are His children (1 John 3:2). We are of the light (Ephesians 5:8). We are free from slavery to the sin nature (Romans 6:14). We are overcomers in Christ so when Satan tries to manipulate us, we are to stand in Christ against him (1 Peter 5:9). We are in the world, but we are not out from the world and therefore […]

What Goes Through the Mind (διανοίᾳ)Luther Walker2023-11-25T08:05:44-08:00

2 Corinthians Not Being Cowardly

We Are Not Cowardly, 2 Corinthians 4:1-2

The Ministry Paul Has, 2 Corinthians 4:1

The Ministry of the New Covenant, 2 Corinthians 3:6

A Covenant That Surpasses the Glory of the Mosaic Law, 2 Corinthians 3:7-8

Not the New Covenant for Israel, Jeremiah 31:33

We Are Not Cowardly, 2 Corinthians 4:1

Cowardly (Do Not Lose Heart [NASB]; We faint Not [KJV])

Comes from a word meaning, “to behave badly”

Often translated as “grow weary” or “be weary”, but not the same

Weary from sin and heavy-laden, Matthew 11:28

Weary from a Journey, John 4:6

Cowardly and Weary, Galatians 6:9

Not being cowardly because of Paul’s tribulations, Ephesians 3:13

In that which is bad (lacking in character) – one who turns out to be of those who are bad; hence, to behave badly or loose courage or faint

Renouncing the Hidden Things of Shame, 2 Corinthians 4:2

The Walk of Those Who Are Enemies of the Cross, Philippians 3:18-19

Those in the Church Who Have Crept In, Jude 4,13

The Doctrine of the Laodicean Church, Revelation 3:18

In Standing Against the Hidden things of Shame We Are Not Judging Others, 1 Corinthians 4:5

The Hidden Things of Shame are Done in the Darkness

Darkness is a way of life, Romans 2:19

The works of Darkness, Romans 13:12

It is a darkness of the heart, Romans 1:21

Comes from rejecting the truth, 1 John 1:6

We walk in the light, Ephesians 5:8

Not […]

2 Corinthians Not Being CowardlyLuther Walker2023-12-14T08:18:46-08:00

Training Our Senses to Know Good and Evil

As Christians we are not under law; therefore, the law does not govern our actions (Romans 6:14). This can be confusing to some because if the Ten Commandments are not the standard, what is? As part of our salvation, we are placed as sons (Ephesians 1:5 having marked off our bounds to the placement of sons). This means we are no longer under law (Galatians 4:1-5). A son is one who is mature and expected to act appropriately, not like a child. Now being in a position before God where we can mature, we are expected to train our senses to know the difference between what is wrong and what is proper.

But the solid food is for the mature, the ones through practice having trained the senses towards discerning proper and wrong (lacking in character). Hebrews 5:14.

The purpose of the gift of Pastor even teacher (Ephesians 4:11) given to the church is to bring us all to a oneness of faith (Ephesians 4:13) so that we are no longer inarticulate babblers. And inarticulate babbler is one who needs milk (Hebrews 5:13) for they cannot handle the meat of the Word of God and are tossed around by every wind of teaching by the trickery of men who seek to deceive the saints (Ephesians 4:14).

Today, let’s grow a little in our understanding. Let’s put off any law we may be trying to apply to ourselves and start to use the freedom we have in Christ to live righteously. That is, stop with the “Do Not” and start being who we are in Christ. God has given us a new mind by which we can discern His Will for our lives (Romans 12:2).

Christ told the disciples in […]

Training Our Senses to Know Good and EvilLuther Walker2023-11-25T08:07:01-08:00

Romans

The Letter to the Saints in Rome

Originally penned by the Apostle Paul through the leading of the Holy Spirit

Translation by Pastor Luther Walker

PDF Version

This translation is intended to give a clear understanding of the original language, taking into consideration all available manuscripts to reproduce the original letter Paul wrote to Rome. The original language should always be considered the only authority by which each word, phrase, and all other parts of speech are based upon. Where additional information is needed to better explain the meaning and use of a word, a footnote has been added.
Because the book of Romans was originally a letter, it has been returned to its original form to reduce confusion to the reader by breaks in the middle of sentences and concepts caused by the addition of chapters and verses. However, to ensure ease in finding sections within the letter while still avoiding breaking the original form of the letter, the chapters and verses have been superscripted along with the addition of paragraphs and punctuations. Brackets and paratheses are used for clarification within the text.

Within this letter we find the Gospel of the Christ, which goes beyond initial salvation into the Christian life. Paul explains why humans who reject God are so corrupt in their lifestyles, the fact that they will face judgment for their actions, and that we as Saints should reject their way of life, choosing to be holy and follow God rather than men. Paul also explains the fact that we have a Sin Nature. A part of us that seeks to do the things that are […]

RomansLuther Walker2021-06-10T13:07:35-07:00

The Law of the Christ – Theological Forum 2018

The Law of The Christ – Download paper in PDF.

The Law of The Christ

Caring for Members of the Body

Pastor Luther Walker

In the book of Galatians[1] Paul states that the bearing of another person’s weight[2] is filling up again the law of the Christ; yet, in Romans he writes that a Christian is not under any quality of law[3]. How do we reconcile passages of Scripture that seem to contradict each other? What does Scripture mean when it states a Christian is not under any quality of law, yet then indicates there is a law of the Christ and a law of the Spirit? Is a Christian under law or not? Ultimately this leads to the underlying question, “As a Christian, what are the guidelines for my life?” To better understand the rules of our household[4], that is to say God’s expectation for how the saved are to live their life today, we can examine how the word “law” is used in Scripture along with its normal meaning and use in everyday life so we know the difference between being under the Mosaic Law or any quality of law and filing up again the Law of the Christ by loving another saint while fulfilling the law the Spirit of life by our walk.

Since we are in the Dispensation of Grace, not the Dispensation of Law, the standard for our household is different. Scripture is very clear on the fact that a Christian is not under the Mosaic Law or any quality of law[5]; however, there is still a standard by which those who are a […]

The Law of the Christ – Theological Forum 2018Luther Walker2018-11-11T22:50:12-08:00

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