Programme: School of The Spirit (SOS)
Date: Thursday, 19th January 2023
Transcript Summary
1. (John 14:21). The realm of the Father and the Son, which is the realm of glory, is for those who have become children in their souls. As such, one cannot find entrance into that realm until one has become a child (Matt. 18:3). The essence of the doctrine of Christ is to make us children of God who are peacemakers (Matt. 5:9). This is the only way the Lord of glory, who is the Messenger of the covenant (Mal. 3:1), will come to receive such children from the Sanctuary into the world of the Father and the Son.
2. The Lord of glory, who is the Son, dwells in the Father and the Father dwells in Him (John 14:11). However, at different times, He appears in the Sanctuary (Holy Place) to admit children of God into the Most Holy Place. It is only those who have become children of God that will see Him and be admitted into the Most Holy Place. This means the Messenger of the covenant suddenly appears to those who have done the works in the Sanctuary and possess the nature needed to see Him and enter into the Most Holy Place with Him.
3. We ought to keep reducing our age in darkness (to be a child) by learning the doctrine of Christ. The end of a godly conversation is to become a child that can be at peace with God and men. This child is the new man that is at peace with God and man. It is such a man that can walk in the truth and not have occasion for stumbling (1 John 2:10). The essence of the doctrine of Christ is to bring the soul to peace by abolishing the laws of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).
4. Our souls are purified as we submit to the leading of the Spirit. A fervent man is one who is at peace. A war without is caused by a war within as a result of the things that are in the world (1 John 2:15). The things that are in the world would prevent us from having peace with God or the brethren. The desire for fame, money and power are the reasons for wars within, but we need to silence all wars to become the children of God.
5. A man with a pure conscience (1 Tim. 3:9) would look for reasons to make peace with his brother. A good conscience is not pessimistic, critical or suspicious. A good conscience does not ascribe wrong reasons to every action. A man can have faith and not have a good conscience. In the school of Christ, there must be a bond such that faith would not be shipwrecked. A good conscience is a defence to keep one's heart in the season of Christ. One who has a good conscience would make good excuses for another man; such would not allow negative thoughts towards another man.
6. God's intention is to make us children. This is because no one would enter into glory without first becoming a fully developed child of God. There are seasons of our life when we may not have what we desire, but with a good conscience, we would have peace with God. When we have misunderstandings with one another, we must learn to give excuses to avoid strife. When there is strife and competition amidst us, we do not have a good conscience. It is a good conscience that would make us see the other person in a better way.
7. We need a good conscience to answer the call to glory. We cannot hear or see the Lord of glory when we have a wrong conscience. Those who are in the Sanctuary would be able to see the Lord of glory when they have a good conscience. Without a good conscience, we cannot answer the call to come into the fellowship of the Father and the Son (everlasting life).
8. The first milestone that every little child must gain in the school of everlasting life is that he must eat enough words in order to accumulate enough judgment to discern between good and evil (Heb. 5:14). The soul must partake not just in the exercise of doctrine alone, but must also be exercised by the leading of the Spirit to grow in all patience and virtues (2 Pet. 1:5-8). As we are being fed with knowledge, we must add virtues.
9. When the Son begins to manifest Himself to us, we are expected to follow Him. The god of this world (unrighteous mammon) has a work (veils) inside every man. Those veils are orientations, trainings and acquisitions that the soul has acquired over time. As we walk with the Son (following Him), our souls are being purified from the elements of corruption and the program of the god of this world (2 Pet. 1:4).
10. God wants to end sin and make reconciliation for iniquity within us (Heb. 2:17). The outward man carries programs, which differ according to different exposures in the soul. These programs are laws, lessons, trainings, practices and habits that are within a soul. When a child is growing up naturally, the soul is being trained by darkness and thus, things pertaining to sin and death are being written on his slate (heart). These trainings are the records that are kept in flesh and blood, which cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50).
11. We do not know where offense hides in us and sometimes, the offense is revealed when the soul is put under immense pressure. Thus, we must count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations (James 1:2). God permits heated pressure at times to x-ray the inward man and expose where Satan has hidden the nature of iniquity so that the soul would come into the light of the truth. Sometimes, God permits that evil is spoken of us or we are cheated in order to expose the works of darkness in us.
12. As one increases in knowledge and understanding, God would bless such a one with judgments in order to be able to show him higher demands. The demands of love may not be the same for every individual; this is why we must follow our own love specifications. The way an individual ought to demonstrate love may not be the same as the other because a love walk is customized for a man according to the season that is upon him – be it the season of Christ or everlasting life. When God is admitting little children in everlasting life into becoming young men (1 John 2:13), their love walk is customized.
13. One who does not receive the instructions of the Lord has not eaten well. When we eat, we are filled with knowledge and understanding so that we would become wise and possess judgments. Out of judgment, we would fetch out the discernment of what to hate and what to love. Jesus loved righteousness and hated iniquity/unrighteousness (Heb. 1:9). We would keep eating and obeying instructions till we become incorruptible, which is a state of sinlessness, and then we would move further into the state of being undefiled.
14. The incorruptible crown is gotten by mastery (1 Cor. 9:25). A master is one who has used life well. On earth, everyone wants to gain mastery of a discipline or skill but not many are seeking to be masters of the incorruptible life – the estate of being undefiled and unfading (1 Pet. 1:4, 23). There is an unfading life that cannot be broken down irrespective of the pressure it is put under, for it remains steadfast and consistent.
Blessings!