Posted on 11/30/2022 7:54:33 AM PST by metmom
“‘I will put My Spirit upon Him’” (Matthew 12:18).
The prophet promised that God would put His Holy Spirit upon Messiah in a special way, and the Spirit did descend on Jesus at His baptism (Matt. 3:16). But that was not when the Spirit first indwelt Him, because the Holy Spirit conceived Him (Matt. 1:20).
Yet, if Jesus was the preexistent Son, eternally a member of the Godhead, why would the Spirit need to come upon Him during His incarnation? First, the Spirit needed to empower Jesus’ human nature. Our Lord was fully human, even to the extent of being tempted, yet He did not sin (Heb. 4:15). When He was a child, He grew and matured in favor with God and humanity (Luke 2:52). As an adult, He experienced the full range of human feelings and emotions. Therefore as a human being He needed the indwelling power of the Spirit (Acts 10:38) so He could function in concert with His deity.
Second, the Spirit commissioned Jesus in order to attest to His messianic service. Early in His ministry, Jesus applied Isaiah’s prophecy to Himself: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18–19). This passage was not only fulfilled for Jesus’ audience but for us as well—we can know He ministered fully empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Ask Yourself
When was the last time you saw love or wisdom or some other valuable trait come forth from your life, and you knew it had to be the Spirit of Christ at work in you? Respond to such instances with true praise, and with a desire for more and more of His nature to be implanted in you.
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.
Studying God’s Word ping
Thank you, Metmom.
This is a topic where it’s easy to get wrapped around the axle with. I had never considered the age aspect but surely he some knowledge of His deity early on?
Satan does not qualify because Satan is not human.
No, our salvation is not dependent on us doing our best efforts first. That makes it works based salvation.
That sounds a lot like Mormonism.
Are you Mormon?
No, our salvation is not dependent on us doing our best efforts first. That makes it works based salvation.
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Works has nothing to do with anything. Works don’t get you anywhere. Followers of nearly all religions have good works, they are admirable but they don’t make you eligible for the Grace that Jesus Christ has to offer. People who don’t follow Jesus won’t be offered Grace. You make it sound as all you need to do is be born and you will receive Grace, not so. Only “True” followers of Jesus Christ will be offered His Grace. Who are true followers? It isn’t for me to judge, but, I would say anyone who to the best of their understanding does what they can to follow The Savior. Anything less is denying Him. Being offered His Grace is not dependent on which church you attend but on which Savior you try to follow.
You didn’t answer my question.
Wow!
wHY HAVEN'T i HEARD THIS BEFORE?
Whoever approved putting the caps lock key where it is on the keyboard should be SHOT!
Same with the “undo” button on iPads.
Whoever approved putting the caps lock key where it is on the keyboard should be SHOT!
Get thee behind me, satan.
It appears that you CAN judge - as long as you do it right.
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?... And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?... Do you not know that we shall judge angels?... How much more, things that pertain to this life?.. If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge ? (1 Corinthians 6:1-5).
Many commands of God require the exercise of righteous judgment.
"But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us" (2 Thessalonians 3:6).
"And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother" (2 Thessalonians 3:14,15).
"Teach and exhort these things. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wrangling of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself" (2 Timothy 6:2b-5).
"Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple" (Romans 16:17,18).
All these commands require the careful exercise of righteousness judgment. Do not be deceived by smooth words and flattering speech. Beware of wolves who come to you with a sheep's skin.
We must be careful not to make unqualified judgments. But we must judge appropriately when commanded to do so.
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." (John 7:24).
Not to sound too snarky, but what you (or any of us) say isn't worth a hill of beans if it isn't what GOD has already said.
Let's listen in, as Jesus is asked a specific question...
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (direct question)
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (direct answer)
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[c]”
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
If I may clarify on this no old thread:
Works has nothing to do with anything. Works don’t get you anywhere
False in the sense (one dimensional thinking will not work in understanding others in life or in the understanding the Bible) that anything is inclusive of every, but that our works/merit have nothing to do with the basis for justification before God. Instead, it is penitent, heart-purifying, regenerating effectual faith, (Acts 10:43-47; 15:7-9) which is imputed for righteousness, (Romans 4:5) and is shown in baptism and following the Lord, (Acts 2:38-47; Jn. 10:27,28) who was sent by the Father to be the savior of the world. (1 John 4:14) And by which faith the redeemed soul is "accepted in the Beloved" and positionally seated with Him in Heaven, on His account, glory to God. (Ephesians 1:6; 2:6; cf. Phil. 3:21) And those who die in that obedient faith will go to be forever with Him at death or His return (Phil 1:23; 2Cor. 5:8 [“we”]; Heb, 12:22,23; 1Cor. 15:51ff'; 1Thess. 4:17) In contrast to those who were never born of the Spirit or who terminally fall away. (Gal. 5:1-4; Heb. 3:12; 10:25-39)
You make it sound as all you need to do is be born and you will receive Grace,
Actually everyone who is born is given grace, but varying in degrees, and this varying in accountability. An infant did not earn anything it has, from its life and blood to breath and onward, but is not morally accountable, as irt does not "know to refuse the evil, and choose the good," (Isaiah 7:16) whereas cities which where saw the manifest power and grace and Truth of God in Christ were given great grace, and thus were more accountable than Sodom:
But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (Luke 10:12)
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. (Matthew 11:21-22)
And it is God's prerogative on how much grace we are given (as seen above, Tyre and Sidon could have been brought to repentance, but like Nineveh, they may have soon went back, this incurring worse judgement, only God knows), for with blessing comes responsibility as stewards of the mani-fold grace of God, (1 Pt. 4:10) however, no one will be sentenced (nor rewarded) in judgment for what they not accountable for. But I am getting off on a tangent.
Only “True” followers of Jesus Christ will be offered His Grace.
No one can be a “True” follower of Jesus Christ apart from His Grace. But Calvinism teaches that only the elect receive "salvific" vs. "common" grace, yet even if that is true, even rejecting conscience is rejecting Christ in essence, while obeying the light one has means one will be given more light, leading to Christ, all by the grace of God.
For man could not and would not believe on the Lord Jesus or follow Him unless God gave him life, and breath, and all good things he has, (Acts 17:25) and convicted him, (Jn. 16:8) drew him, (Jn. 6:44; 12:32) opened his heart, (Acts 16:14) and granted repentance (Acts 11:18) and gave faith, (Eph. 2:8,9) and then worked in him both to will and to do of His good pleasure the works He commands them to do. (Phil. 2:13; Eph. 2:10)
Who are true followers? It isn’t for me to judge, but, I would say anyone who to the best of their understanding does what they can to follow The SaviorWrong: Mormons for instance have a different God/ Christ and gospel. And
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8)
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (2 Corinthians 11:4)
Yet as re works, jJust as forgiveness and healing went together in the case of the palsied man in (Mark 2:2-11 so that the cause and the effect could be used interchangeably, so faith and works go together as cause and effect, yet they are not be confused, for as said, it is heart-purifying faith (Acts 15:9) that is the effect, and is counted for righteousness, (Rm. 4:5) with acceptance in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6) being on His account, while works justify the believer as being a believer.
I must go now to actually do some work of ministry, by the grace of God.
Every waking moment of an person’s life is because of the grace of God. He sends rain on the just and the unjust.
If we weren’t living under God’s grace, we’d be burning in hell right now.
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