1.4. Essential Considerations

Overcomers

First step is to judge self, not others. We are accountable for our own actions, and not the actions of others, that is, we are to develop a sensitivity to our own sin, and to respond to the present situation as a new creature in Christ ( Matt. 7:5 ; 1 Pet. 3:9 ; Ezek. 18:20 ).

God Lovers

All that was done to us, and all that we have done to others, the pains and sorrows of life, God will intervene and rearrange all things to our advantage provided we do two things: obey His commandments, and live according to His purposes for our lives by being conformed to His Son ( Luke 9:23-24 ; Rom. 8:28-29 ; Col. 1:10 ).

Therefore, we are to change our focus from self to God, by loving Him in our minds, our emotions, our memories, and our wills. Our biblical responses to our neighbor and to the offenses of life provide the proof that we are loving God ( John 14:21 ; 1 Pet. 3:9-15 ; Matt. 22:36-40 ; Luke 6:27-38 ).

Word Knowledge

" The Word of God must abide in a person for a person to know God in a personal way. To 'abide' means that the word of God must not only be allowed to come into a person's mind and heart, it must be grasped and clung to. 'Abiding' means the Word of God...

Goal

Our Lord took on flesh and bones - the human nature - that through the Cross, we may be translated from the earthly to the spiritual realm. No longer in the image of man after the fall, but now in the image of God as originally planned before the fall, we proceed to the 'high calling of Christ Jesus' ( Gen. 1:26 ; Rom. 6:3-6 ; Rom. 8:29 ; Phil. 3:12 ; Col. 1:13 ).

Accordingly, it is our responsibility to attain to this level of being in our souls by identifying, locating, and eradicating the residuals of our fallen nature residing in our souls ( Eph. 4:22-24 ). This is a lifelong process dedicated to purifying the intellect, the memories, the emotions, and the wills to equip us to love as God loves ( 2 Cor. 7:1 ).

Copyright © 2002 Adam Pulaski, Steve Lihn. All rights reserved.