2 Corinthians The Christ, A New Creation
Astounded, to God, A Saved Frame of Mind to You, 2 Corinthians 5:13
Astounded – To Stand Out From
The Devout Jews in Jerusalem Hearing the Galileans Speak in Their Dialect, Acts 2:7
Simon the Magician astounding the people of Samaria, Acts 8:9
Simon the Magician’s Seeing the Signs and Wonders Phillip Did in Samaria, Acts 8:13
The Jews with Peter at Cornelius’ House, Acts 10:45
Peter Knocking at the Door of Mary’s House, Acts 12:16
Astounded Is Primarily Used in the Gospels and the Book of Acts
Being Astounded is a feeling or showing of great surprise or wonder
Does not mean to be out of one’s mind
The Jews Concerning Jesus Being Insane, John 10:19-21
Paul Speaking Truth to Festus, Acts 26:24-25
Seeing Something That Blows the Mind
Our Astonishment is Towards God
Towards Others, Having a Sound Frame of Mind, 2 Corinthians 5:13
Having a Saved Frame of Mind
Young Men are to Have a Saved Frame of Mind, Titus 2:6-8
The End is Near So We All Should Have A Saved Frame of Mind, 1 Peter 4:7
The Framing of the Mind is What Boundaries We Set on Our Mind
We Are to Frame Our Minds on The Things Above, Colossians 3:1-2
Not Having a High Frame of Mind Concerning Yourself, Romans 12:3
Having the Same Frame of Mind as Christ, Philippians 2:5-8
What Paul is Expressing to Us is Not Astounding, For With the Holy Spirit We Can Understand
Christ Died Once for All, 2 Corinthians 5:14-16
The Love of The Christ Holds Us, 2 Corinthians 5:14
It is the Love for the Church that Holds Paul
Paul Holding Himself to Only the Word, Acts 18:5
Paul Held by Two Options, Philippians 1:23
Christ Died Once for All
This Means all Were Dead
Adam’s Sin Brought Death to All, Romans 5:12-14
Both Physical and Spiritual Death, Romans 5:17
Those Who Now Live Should Live Unto Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:15
Christ died to Sin once for All, But Now He Lives to God, Romans 6:10
We are to Consider (Reckon) Ourselves Dead to Sin and Alive to God, Romans 6:11
Presenting Our Members to Righteousness as Those Alive Out From the Dead, Romans 6:13
We Are Alive Apart from Law, Romans 7:9
It is No Longer I Who Live, But Christ Who Lives in Me, Galatians 2:20
No Longer Intuitively Knowing Anyone According to the Flesh, 2 Corinthians 5:16
A New Creation; the Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17
The Christ is a New Creation, 2 Corinthians 5:17
Christ is the Head and the Church is the Body, Ephesians 1:22-23
We Are All Part of One Body, 1 Corinthians 12:12
We Do Not Become Something Different, We Are Now Apart of Something New
In Christ there is No Condemnation, Romans 8:1
In Christ We are Free – Not Under Law, but Able to Mature, Galatians 5:1
We Are Alive to God in Christ
Dead In Adam, Alive in Christ
Adam Passed Physical Death to All, Romans 5:12-15
We Are Born in the Likeness of Adam After His Fall, Genesis 5:2-3
Adam Passed on Spiritual Death to All, Romans 5:17
We Are Not Individual Creations
Only Adam was Created, Eve Was Made from Adam, Genesis 2:22
The First Adam and the Last Adam. 1 Corinthians 15:45
Scripture Reading
For whether we are astounded, to God, or whether we are of sound mind, to you.
For the love of the Christ holds us, having judged this, because One concerning all died, then all were dead. And concerning all He died in order that the living should not live for themselves but to the One who died and rose again concerning them. So that we from now intuitively know no one according to flesh, since also we have experientially known Christ according to flesh, but now we do not experientially know.
So that since someone is in Christ, a new creation, the archaic things have passed away, look with discernment, all things have become new.
Revelation The Mind of The One Having Wisdom
The Mind of the One Having Wisdom, Revelation 17:9
Wisdom is a Proper Use of Knowledge
The Angel is Explaining What the Symbols Mean So We Can be Wise Concerning Them
We of the Church Are to Understand Revelation
God Gives Us Wisdom Without Upbraiding It, James 1:5
There is No Mystery Hidden Within Revelation
Revelation Reveals What Is Going to Happen to the Church, World System, Satan, and Israel
It is Written in Such a Way that It Requires the Holy Spirit to Knit Things Together, Just as All Scripture is Written
It is Not Done Through a Private Interpretation, 2 Peter 1:20
The Seven Heads, Revelation 17:9
Seven Mountains is Referring to Rome, Revelation 17:9
Historically, Rome is the only Place Known to be Built on Seven Mountains
We Cannot Take Know Places Today and Apply Them Here
The Harlot will Rule, Ecumenically, From Rome
The Beast Rises From The Revived Roman Empire
Not From Vatican City, Which is Not Rome
They are Seven Kings, Revelation 17:10-11
The Different Stages of the Revived Roman Empire
Starts With Ten Kings – They Give the Man of Lawlessness Political Power
Seven Kings is Shortly After the Man of Lawlessness Takes Power
The Resuscitated Man of Lawlessness is Yet to Come
The Beast is the Eighth, Revelation 17:11
The Rise of the New Roman Empire, Revelation 17:12-14
The Ten Kings, Revelation 17:12
At This Stage the Kings Have Not Received Their Kingdoms
Revived Rome will Not be Present Until the Man of Lawlessness is Revealed
Today, We will Not See the Rise of Rome
They Receive Their Authority for One Hour for the Purpose of Giving it to the Beast
They Give Their Authority to the Beast, all Being of One Mind, Revelation 17:13
They Will Wage War With the Lamb, Revelation 17:14
The Harlot is Over Nations and Peoples and Tongues, Revelation 17:15
Defines the Waters in Verse One, Revelation 17:1
She has Ecumenical Authority Over Nations
The Kings are Drunk With the Wine of Her Fornication – They Enjoy Her Religious System
Christ’s Warning To Some of the Assemblies Who Will Join With the Harlot
The Wheat Will Be Removed Before This Happens, Matthew 13:24-30
Tares are Those Acting as Children of the Kingdom of God, Matthew 13:38
The Harvest at the End of the Age, Matthew 13:40
Thyatira, Revelation 2:18-29
Involved with the Harlot Jezebel, Revelation 2:20
Some Will Not Repent, Revelation 2:21
Representing Catholicism
Laodicea, Revelation 3:14-22
Christ is Outside of the Assembly, Revelation 3:20
It is Wealthy, But Has No Doctrine, Revelation 3:17
Represents Liberalism in Religion Today (Progressive Theology)
Sardis, Revelation 3:1-6
Has a Name but is Dead, Revelation 3:1
Representing Reformed Theology
Scripture Reading
Here is the mind of the one having wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman sits upon them;
also they are seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and another has not yet come. And when he comes it is necessary he remains a little while. And the beast which was and is not also himself is an eighth and he is out from the seven and goes into destruction.
And the ten heads which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast. These having one opinion and they give to the beast their inherent ability and authority. These will wage war with the Lamb and the Lamb will conquer them because He is Lord of those lording and King of those reigning, and the called even elect even faithful with Him.
And he said to me, “The waters which you saw were the harlot sits, they are peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.
Doubting (διακρίνω)
In Romans, when Paul writes concerning what sin is for a Christian, he uses a word that has the meaning of “to thoroughly judge”, which is translated as “doubting” or “making a distinction”
But the one doubting, if perhaps, he should eat is condemned because it is not out from faith. And all which is not out from faith is sin. – Romans 14:23.
Since sin involves doing something that is not out from faith, doubting is questioning what is permissible. Therefore, when we do something that is contrary to what we have determined within our minds is permitted by God for us as Christians, we are not taking God at His Word. This involves a battle with the conscience, for it will either excuse or accuse us based upon our knowledge and actions (Romans 2:15). One who is doubting is thoroughly judging ways to get around their conscience to justify doing something that they know is wrong. Typically, this type of a situation comes about by the influence of others. We are instructed in Romans 14:1 to accept the weaker in the faith brother, but not for the purpose of thoroughly judging their beliefs. And neither is to seek to influence the other with the way they have chosen to separate themselves out to God (Romans 14:10). One may choose to abstain where the other does not. This is not permitting sin in the assembly, but how we each govern our own bodies before God.
James also uses this same word to describe someone who is not asking out from faith. Describing this type of a person as one who is like a wave of the sea that is driven by the wind and tossed (James 1:6). These are the ones who are tossed around by every wind of teaching by the trickery of men who seek to deceive them through traditions and philosophy.
We are to make distinctions between what is proper and what is wrong concerning our actions as we mature in Christ and train our senses (Hebrews 5:14). We do not live by law, but by grace through faith. Which means, we have to take the time to examine our actions and line them up with God’s will for our lives. He freed us from sin so that we can live righteously.
Do we have faith in God? Then let us live out our faith to God and not to men. As sons, we have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness and are expected to use this knowledge correctly to live out the righteousness that we now have in Christ. As we grow in our knowledge and understanding we will come to a oneness of the faith, but not all of us are at the same level of maturity, so let us respect and show love towards each other, ensuring we are not persuading someone to do something that is contrary to their conscience, or allowing others to influence us to act in a way that is contrary to our faith, while living the remaining time we have in the flesh not to the strong desires of humans who seek to fulfill the cravings of the flesh by traditions and philosophy, but by knowing and doing the desirous will of God (1 Peter 4:2).
Religious Superstitious Awe (φαρμακεία)
One of the works of the flesh is very religious. Often translated as “sorcery” or “witchcraft”, it actually is referring to a religious superstition brought on by a place, experience, or person through which someone feels closer to God.
And the works of the flesh are manifested, which are: Adultery, fornication, uncleanliness, licentiousness, idolatry, religious superstitious awe … Galatians 5:19-20.
We find in Revelation this type of work of the flesh is related to religious matters. The harlot, Mystery Babylon the Great, will deceive the nations through her religious superstitious awe (Revelation 18:23).
All world religions use this type of work of the flesh to manipulate their followers. Whether it is through spectacular buildings, separation of clergy from the people, worship services that focus on getting an emotional response, or individuals that claim to be able to heal, speak in tongues, teach gain is godliness and many other methods, it is all about the awe imposed on a person to manipulate them to think that they are closer to God.
Christianity is actually not a religion, it is Christ. A Christian is one who is a disciple of Christ (Acts 11:26). Religions come from the flesh, not from God. Through manifesting the fleshly work of religious superstitious awe, buildings, idols, denominations, and people are setup to satisfy the conscience to serve a supposed higher power that pleases the fleshly desires rather than the one true God.
True believers worship God in spirit and truth. Worship is giving God credit for what He has done (Revelation 4:10-11), spirit is our rational part (1 Corinthians 2:10), and truth is seeing things as they really are. Superstition has no part in Christianity for it requires ignorance. Rather, we are to come to a full experiential knowledge of Christ (Ephesians 4:13), while overcoming the desires of the flesh so we are not influenced by religious superstitious awe.
2 Corinthians Appearing Before the Reward Seat of Christ
Our Fondness of Honor, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
Our Ambition, 2 Corinthians 5:9
“Ambition” Comes from a Word that Means, “To be Fond of Honor”
Paul Concerning Preaching the Gospel Where Christ Had Not Been Named, Romans 15:20
For Us, to Make it Our Ambition to Lead a Quite Life, Attending Our Own Business, Working with Our Own Hands, 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
Whether At Home or Away from Home, to Be Pleasing to God
Presenting Our Bodies as a Living Sacrifice, Romans 12:1
Using Our Renewed Mind to Prove (test for approval) the Will of God, Romans 12:2
Giving to Support the Ministry, Philippians 4:18
Children Obeying Parents, Colossians 3:20
Servants Being Submissive to Their Masters, Titus 2:9
It is God Who Equips Us, Hebrews 13:20-21
We Will All Appear Before the Reward Seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:10
This is a Place Where Reward is Distributed, Not Judgment
We are Rewarded for Our Labors in The Lord, 1 Corinthians 3:8
How We Build Upon the Foundation Laid, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11
What we Build – Gold, Silver, Hay, Straw, Will Be Evident in the Day, 1 Corinthians 3:12-13
Our Works Will be Tested for What is Good, 1 Corinthians 3:14
We Are Not Judged, Our Works are Examined, 1 Corinthians 3:15
This Should Put Fear in Us, Not Afraid of Being Judged, but a Fear to be Careful How We Build
As We Grow in the Lord, Sometimes We are Allowed to Tear Down the Things Built of Straw and Replace Them With Things that Last
Correcting a Sin – The vow of the Mental ill, James 5:15
Scoping Out the Things of Others, Rather Than Only Ours, Philippians 2:4
Other Times We Learn and Build Better Next Time
It is Never Too Late to Start Building Correctly
It is Necessary that We Appear Before the Reward Seat So We Are Blameless When Presented Before the Father, 1 Thessalonians 3:13
Persuading Other Concerning the Truth, 2 Corinthians 5:11-12
Knowing the Fear of the Lord, We Persuade Others, 2 Corinthians 5:11
Not a Fear of Judgment, 1 John 4:18
Understanding Our Works Will be Examined
Those Who Perish Are the Unpersuaded, Ephesians 2:2
God’s Wrath Comes Upon the Unpersuaded, Colossians 3:4-6
Our Intentions are Fully Manifested to God, 1 Corinthians 4:4-5
Also Being Manifested to the Conscience of Others – Seeing Our Intent is Good
Having An Occasion to Boast Against Those Who Boast Before Us, Not in Heart, 2 Corinthians 5:12
Paul is Dealing with False Apostles Claiming He is False
They Are Ones Who Are Boastful Before the Corinthians
Our Boasting Should Be a Boasting in the Lord, 1 Corinthians 1:28-31
Boasting Concerning Our Works Within Our Hearts to Ourselves, Galatians 6:3-5
Scripture Reading
Our Fondness of Honor, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
Wherefore, also is our ambition, whether to be present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For it is necessary all of us appear before the reward seat of the Christ, in order that we should receive, each one, the things through the body towards what was done, whether good, or bad.
Persuading Other Concerning the Truth, 2 Corinthians 5:11-12
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade humans. And we are manifested to God, and we also hope to be manifested in your conscience. For we do not again commend ourselves to you, but give to you an occasion boasting over us, in order that you all should have facing the ones boasting in presence and not in heart.
The Importance of Self-Sufficiency in the World System
And make it your ambition (fondness of honor) to lead a tranquil life and to attend to your own things and to work with your hands just as we commanded you in order that you should walk becomingly towards those who are outside and not have need – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Ambition expresses the concept of what we have a fondness for honor in. It was Paul’s ambition to preach Christ where He had not been preached (Romans 15:20). It should be our ambition to lead a tranquil life. A life where we are content and at peace. The world system does not want us to have this type of lifestyle because through it we become self-sufficient while working with our own hands and minding our own business. If someone is not willing to work, then they should not eat from another’s labors (2 Thessalonians 2:10).
One of the aspects of godliness is contentment. Regardless of what we have on earth we are beloved in Christ and should be content with having food, clothing, and a roof over our head (1 Timothy 6:8). So many issues are brought into our lives because we are not content with what we have (1 Timothy 6:9). This does not mean we cannot be motivated to improve our lives, for we should seek to grow, mature, become better, gain skills, work with our own hands so that we have more than we need and are able to help fellow saints in need. But through all that, we should be content with where God has us.
Contentment makes it difficult for the world system to influence us. It uses the desires from our flesh – newer things, a spouse, higher paying job, etc. to persuade us to seek those things through what it offers. It also uses the desires of the eyes to convince us to be jealous about what others have and wish if we only had money. This of course produces a fondness for money which is a root of all things wrong and brings a lot of harmful things into our lives (1 Timothy 6:10). In addition, it also uses the pride of biological life, which is where racism comes from. We are all human and come from the same source, so why would one think themselves better than another because of their ethnicity or color? It is because the world system wants to use this hatred for others to manipulate us to follow its desires (1 John 2:16). However, when we become self-sufficient, the desires of the world system do not hold such sway over us, and we are then able to properly use the things of the world without being overcome by them (1 Corinthians 7:31).
Therefore, as children of God, let our ambition be to lead a tranquil life while becoming self-sufficient by using what God has given us in Christ so that we can be content in any situation, working with our hands so that we are no longer manipulated by the desires from the world, but rather, standing as luminaries to those around by finding honor in contentment and a tranquil life.