Sharing the happiness of God, part 18, Common interests with God; John 15:11.

Title: Sharing the happiness of God, part 18, Common interests with God; John 15:11.

 

1 John 1:5 And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

 

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [life in the cosmos], we lie and do not practice the truth;

 

This is what led us into the study of the cosmic system and so now you should be fully knowledgeable of what it means to walk in the darkness.

 

Fellowship or communion with God is synonymous with walking in the light - knowing the underlying truth of all things.

 

There are many ways to describe walking in the light. We could say that it is residence in the PPOG. It is the FHS with maximum doctrine circulating in the soul. It is avoidance of the cosmic system. But none of these descriptions mean anything unless the believer is fully educated in them and has mixed that knowledge from doctrine with faith under the FHS.

 

Knowing the truth behind the person and work of Jesus Christ will cause the believer to make decisions for light and in rejection of darkness.

 

And this is why the CWL is based on the policy of grace. The light that is Christ is not absorbed through any human means. If by reason of just knowing the truth behind the person and work of Christ causes me to walk in the light then JC gets all the credit.

 

Grace is always based on the work of Christ. Knowing His person and work transforms the very foundation of my thinking and motivation.

 

1 Cor 2:15 But he who is spiritual [filled with the Spiritin fellowship with God] appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man.

 

 “appraises” - avnakri,nw[anakrino] = to intensively distinguish, to separate out for investigation, to look throughout the particulars so as to examine and scrutinize.

 

This is the attitude of the positive believer towards every doctrine he learns. The dividends that he receives from this attitude is that he is able to see the particulars and the scrutinize the truth behind every aspect of life.

 

Another dividend he receives is a clear and strong self-identity.

 

 “he himself is appraised by no man,” - he does not need to be investigated since he is openly just who he is. “I am what I am by the grace of God.”

 

As one who is spiritual there is nothing to criticize, although, like Christ, he who is spiritual will be criticized by not truthfully.

 

If someone says that you’re a fool and you take it personally, that means that you think there is a possibility that you might be a fool and that’s why the insult bothers you. If you know that you are not a fool but a believer who knows the truth behind many matters and is continuing to find more truths about a great many other matters then you would not take the insult to heart, nor would you feel the need to defend yourself. In fact, you might rather feel pity for the one insulting you since he does not know the truth that would set him free.

 

Knowing the truth behind any matter simplifies it and in understanding its simplicity the knowledge is easily applied.

 

Many times a matter may look very complex to us and so attempting to apply any knowledge of that matter usually results in failure. Every complex system generally has a simple reason for doing what it does, why it does, and how it does. It may take years of study to simplify the complex in one’s mind, but once that is done it becomes easy to apply that wisdom.

 

2 Cor 11:3

But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

 

The full realm of doctrine has been graciously given to us in order to simplify our lives, making us wise in all realms, thus finding true love, joy, and peace.

 

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [life in the cosmos], we lie and do not practice the truth;

 

Fellowship with another means that there is a common interest and a joint-participation in that interest resulting in common activity, comradeship, and companionship.

 

God has an interest and it is revealed through His plan for the Church. The believer is fellowship with God shares this interest and participates in common with God, the execution of that plan.

 

In the Christian way of life this demands wisdom of metabolized doctrine and the filling of the HS, described as abiding in Christ and in the Father.

 

A believer cannot claim fellowship with God if he does not possess the wisdom of doctrine and a common interest, shared in common with God, to execute the plan of God.

 

A believer at any stage of spiritual growth can have this fellowship based on the doctrine he possesses, whether a little or a lot.

 

A believer at any stage can be filled with the Spirit and he can apply whatever doctrine he has in the execution of God’s purpose as he understands it. More clarity on that purpose will come with more understanding, but the desire to fulfill the purpose can be constant from spiritual childhood to adulthood.

 

1 John 1:7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light [in the sphere of love], we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

 

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin [reached sinless perfection], we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

 

Certain sins are committed because they give temporary pleasure, while other sins do not give pleasure and have different motivations. All sin can be accomplished by a believer except for one, and that is rejecting Christ as Savior.

 

HEB 11:25

choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

 

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned [inherent sin], we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

 

1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

 

1 John 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

 

1 John 2:3 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

 

John 15:10

"If you keep [guard something that belongs to you as precious] My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.

 

Coming to know the truth behind the person and work of Christ motivates the believer to preciously guard the imperatives of His word as the key to application and subsequent mature happiness.

 

1 John 2:4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

 

This is cosmic two, room #7, theological academic speculation. This is perception of doctrine only.

 

 

2 Cor 3:3

being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.

 

God wrote the Law with His finger on tablets of stone which He gave to Moses. Now that the Spirit of God is within you, He can write on human hearts. Perception mixed with faith under the filling of the HS allows God to do this with every doctrine you hear and so your thinking is transformed concerning the person and work of Christ.

 

1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:

 

1 John 2:6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.