After man fell by reason of Adam partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the soul of man began to depreciate in quality because of the presence of sin; the soul began to die. The death in the soul is as a result of the gradual working of the nature of sin (Rom. 6:23). The wisdom of sin is to make its nature (flesh) one with the soul, where sin becomes the life of man or the default manual for living (Rom. 7:15-21). This nature is skillfully woven by a being (Satan) who is full of wisdom (Ezek. 28:12). It would take the unveiling of a wiser being (Jesus Christ) to free man from this nature (Eph. 4:20-24).

The gospel, according to scriptures, is the preaching of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose nature is totally against that which is in man. The preaching of Christ and Him crucified comes to rid us of sin which has over time become our life (1 Cor. 1:23, 1 Cor. 2:2, Gal. 2:20). Hence, the Holy Ghost begins to instruct us against this life (flesh); this is what is called Suffering or the Leading of the Spirit (Rom. 8:14, 1 Pet. 4:1-3). It is called 'suffering' because it is neither comfortable nor conducive for flesh/us. Jesus speaking to His disciples in Mark 8:34 said, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself..." showing that denying the flesh is denying oneself. The cross is the instrument through which every believer must crucify or utterly separate himself from the world (Gal. 6:14). The process of crucifixion is a deliberate obedience to the Holy Ghost for the removal of wrong natures such as pride, envy, jealousy, strife etc.

Obedience to the commandments of the New Testament is in turn, disobedience to sin and death. The hope of the New Testament is to give the very nature that is in Jesus Christ to man. As we obey and deny ourselves, we die to or become unresponsive to sin until Christ fully becomes our life (Col. 3:3).

The preaching of the doctrine of Christ communicates a manner of life which every believer ought to express (2 Tim. 3:10). This conversation can only be expressed by believers whose eyes are being enlightened by the revelation of Christ (Eph. 1:17-19). According to the wisdom penned down in the epistles, this life produced by the obedience to the doctrine of Christ is called ‘Charity’ or ‘the Love of the Brethren’ (1 Pet. 1:22). From 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, we see that it is possible to do many good things but without Charity, it is counted null. It then shows that Charity is firstly an understanding or a law that produces the conversation of brethren. Without the giving of this law called Charity, it is impossible to live the life of Christ (Jam. 3:13).

One important thing to note is that the brethren life cannot be expressed without hearing the doctrine of Christ. Understanding the doctrine of Christ initiates one into the leading of Spirit. It is the yielding to the demands of the leading of the Spirit that works this life. Anyone who hasn't been led by the Spirit according to the doctrine of Christ would at best be religious, and will be unable to live Christ.

Conversations which are found among brethren as shown in the epistles of Christ are meekness, lowliness, submission one to another (1 Pet. 5:5), preferring one another (Rom. 12:10), esteeming the other better than yourself (Phil. 2:3), looking on the things of others rather than on your own things (Phil. 2-4), provoking one another to good works (Heb. 10:24) etc. We see other attributes in 1 Cor. 13.

When God created man, He created his spirit and soul and formed his body from the dust of the ground (Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 2:7). So, man is essentially a spirit, he has a soul and lives in a body (1 Thess. 5:23, Heb. 4:12). It is good to note that each compartment is a man. Scripture refers to the spirit as the inner man (Eph. 3:16), the soul as the inward man (Rom. 7:22) and the body as the outward man (2 Cor. 4:16). Adam's partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil caused his spirit to die or to be unresponsive to God (Gen. 2:16-17). The spirit of man is made to respond instantaneously; it is likened to a candle (Prov. 20:27). However, the soul is not an instantaneous entity (Psa. 18:28). Rather, it operates through knowledge.

The soul, being a man (inward man) which runs by knowledge, has the ability to walk (Eph. 2:1-2). After man fell in the garden of Eden, man began to walk according to the knowledge it had acquired by reason of eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This knowledge is called ‘Sin’. Ephesians 2:2 further shows that men for generations had walked according to the course of this world, under the tutelage of the prince of the power of the air. If we walked according to a course, we must have been given the knowledge of that course as every course has its knowledge, even in the natural. It is the soul that has the ability to do this walk. For every course in the natural, one cannot advance in its learning without obeying the laws around that course. Such laws include reading, understanding, writing and passing tests and examinations. The soul must also learn and obey the laws guiding every knowledge it encounters for it to progress. This learning and obedience is what makes the soul to walk.

At New Birth, the spirit of a believer gets quickened or regenerated. This regeneration makes the spirit to become Christ or to become one with the Lord (Rom. 8:10, 1 Cor. 6:17). After one gets born again, the natures that have been formed in the soul by reason of walking according to this world's course have to be removed (Eph. 4:22-24). This can only happen if one learns a contrary, and higher nature called Christ (Matt. 11:28-30, Eph. 4:20). Every believer must receive Christ by learning and then walk by the wisdom he has received (Col. 2:6).In other words, every believer must learn and obey the revelation of Christ for Christ to be formed in the soul (Gal. 4:19). The obedience to the commandments of Christ is what makes the soul walk. Hence, Christ must first be revealed and then the believer must obey or walk according to the revelation the soul has received.

Hope is a spiritual attainment that the soul of a man arrives at, in his journey to God. Hope is a level or allocation in the doctrine of Christ where the promise of Eternal Life is becoming more tangible to a soul. This is ascertained or determined by the response of the soul in seasons of trials and tribulations.

One attribute of a soul who is walking in the hope of the gospel is that, such a soul is no longer ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16, 5:5). The season of the formation of hope in the soul is characterized with tribulations or sufferings (Rom. 5:3). The purpose of the tribulations is to try the substances called faith which the soul has been taught, in order for that faith to become the lifestyle or conversation of the soul (1 Pet. 1:7).

Another attribute of a soul walking in hope is that such a soul can wait for the promise of God (Eternal Life) even when the promise seems yet afar off. Hope will birth patience, meaning such a soul is unwavering concerning the promise (1Thes. 1:3). Amidst the trials, tribulations, contradictions encountered on the path to Eternal Life, a soul in hope doesn’t doubt the reality of the promise and such a soul is ready to endure the storm because of how tangible the promise has become (Rom. 4:18-20).

The word of righteousness is an allocation of God’s word which is also called the gospel of Christ or the faith of the Son. There are three allocations of God’s word: milk, meat and strong meat of the word. So, the word of righteousness is called the meat of the word (Rom. 1:16, Heb. 5:12-14, 6:1)

The word of righteousness is the doctrine of Christ that is capable of bringing a soul into God’s righteousness. It is a kind of word or teaching that archives how Jesus overcame sin in the days of His flesh. The word of righteousness spells out the doctrine, conversation/manner of life that the soul ought to first receive as teaching, and then carry out obedience to its demands/counsels in order to come into the righteousness of God (2Tim. 3:10, Rom. 1:5).

The word of righteousness has 3 divisions, namely; Faith, Hope and Charity (1Cor. 13:13). These divisions are both teachings and conversations embodied in our Lord Jesus Christ, and that can also be passed across to us via learning and submission to the demands of the word of righteousness.

At New Birth, every believer received the Holy Spirit. This means every believer has the Holy Ghost dwelling in their inner man (regenerated human spirit). It’s good to know that believers are not all at the same level of growth, meaning that every leading or impression picked from their spirit cannot be fully trusted because of the level of growth in their souls. The soul can be a babe, child or man (Heb. 5:13, 1Cor. 3:1, 13:11)

Although every believer has the same Holy Spirit within them, but the soul is pivotal in the interpretation of leading and judgments picked from the spirit. The level of growth the soul has attained determines the accuracy of judgment or leading picked from our spirit. Hence, the need for submission to spiritual authority. An authority is one that God placed over the sheep to guide, lead and ensure God’s people receive the promise of Eternal Life. They are called ‘shepherd’ or ‘under-shepherd’ under the Chief-Shepherd (1Pet. 5:1-2).

So as believers, we are expected to submit to spiritual authorities because they not only have higher judgment on matters that we encounter, but they have been led, broken and have gained experience over the years that we don’t have. Hence, we must be humble and meek to always submit our leadings, judgments, decision makings, etc. to spiritual authorities (1Pet. 5:5-6).

Hope is the reason for existence. It is referred to as the anchor of the soul (Heb. 6:19). The hope of the gospel is simply the reason why man was created. It transcends human ideology, culture, tradition or philosophy of man. Hope is the reason why Jesus died for man. Scriptures records that, “…in hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie, promised to man before the world began (Tit. 1:2).

So, it’s evident from scriptures that the reason for creation (heaven, earth and their inhabitants) was for the purpose of giving man Eternal Life (Gods kind of Life) (Gen. 1:26, Jn. 17:2-3, Rom. 8:29, 1Jn. 2:25). So, hope influences how man thinks and lives. Satan perverted the hope of man and gave him other hopes to seek for. What makes a man an enemy of God is the seeking of another life outside what God promised (Gen. 3:1-7, Matt. 6:19-34)? So, Satan crafted this world as a tool to lure man outside the hope of the gospel (Jas. 4:4, 1 Jn. 2:15-16).

The only way the hope of the gospel can be actualized is through the learning of mysteries, namely; Mystery of Christ, Mystery of the Father and the Mystery of God (Col. 2:2). The promise of Eternal Life can be embodied if the soul can submit to the tutelage of the Spirit, and is ready to align with all the ordinances of scriptures that is demanded of the soul (Rom. 8:14, Gal. 4:1-7, Heb. 5:8-9).

God is a loving Father who cares for every of His creature. God is concerned about our natural needs more than we can think or comprehend. God is detailed about our natural needs down to our shelter, feeding, health etc. When God created Adam, God was the one in charge of all of his natural needs even down to the time and need of a wife. Adam was not alive to the issues of his natural needs being met, rather his only need was to partake of the Tree of Life.

By the reason of the fall, Satan awoken the consciousness to natural needs/needs around this present life and exalted them higher than the need to look for God. Satan taught men to channel their soul energies towards the pursuit of their natural needs and made it what we ought to live for. This wrong pursuit is what makes men carnal and unable to seek God.

In EGFM, we do not firstly address the issue of needs; rather we redirect the pursuit of the soul to the seeking of the Kingdom. When the pursuit of the soul ceases from that of having natural needs met to inheriting the Kingdom of God, the soul has become spiritual. A spiritual soul is a soul that has been raised above his natural needs. EGFM might not directly address your need, rather you will be taught to know what you are meant to be living for rather than living for your needs. The order of scriptures is that seeking the Kingdom should be our only pursuit, and then by so doing ‘every other thing shall be added’, which includes our natural needs.

Christ is a body of knowledge that should be taught and learnt in the Church. Just as natural knowledge is divided into different stages, so also is the teaching of Christ. The teaching of Christ is in different stages (faith, hope and charity). The reason for this division is to clearly spell out the journey, and so that we would be able to identify our state in Christ.

Christ is a mystery that can only be de-mystified through the medium of revelation. If the scriptures call Christ a “mystery”, then it will take men who have been graced by the Spirit to unravel Him. The teaching of Christ can sometimes be hard to be understood, the reason it is so is as a result of the way our minds had been previously wired or configured. Satan wired or framed the mind against the learning of Christ. This is why we do not just hear with our minds, rather with our spirits.

It is good to know that the Bible did not say that Christ is simple; rather it spoke about the simplicity in Christ. The simplicity in Christ implies that the manner of communicating Christ is through the foolishness of preaching and teaching.

The hope that God had in mind when He made man is that man would also have His very life, which is Eternal Life (Tit. 1:2). Our Lord Jesus Christ, during the days of His flesh, spent all of His life in search of the hope of Eternal Life as He was being led by God. Hence, the proof that we're walking in Christ is that our previous hopes have been redefined and our souls have agreed upon the hope of Eternal Life as what we live for. At this point, the Lord brings dealings that pertain to the realm of Christ for the sole essence of making Christ dwell in our heart.

When our Lord Jesus Christ was on earth, as He was growing in age, He revealed and lived the only manner of life that is acceptable to God until He sat on God's throne (1 Pet. 2:4, Heb. 12:2). This manner of life He showed are in different phases according to His level in growth. What characterizes these phases are the demands of obedience from God, of which He found grace to obey (Heb. 5:8). The bible defines these phases of obedience as mainly realms of Christ and realms of God. A man who fully obeys the commandments in a phase makes his nature (or manner of life) to be likened unto to the same nature as it is seen in Jesus for that particular phase.

Truly, the faith of the Son (or faith of our Lord Jesus) is very special, and that's because it is the kind of faith that our Lord Jesus used to please God while on the earth. No man had ever used this kind of faith on the earth before our Lord Jesus. Though, the patriarchs of old walked in a faith (called the faith towards God) that is similar to the Faith of the Son, it is still very inferior to it.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for (Heb 11:1). Hence, the core difference between the Faith of the Son and Faith towards God is the hope they seek to actualize. For the Faith of the Son, the hope is Eternal life (Tit. 1:1-2, 1 Tim. 6:12).For Faith towards God, the hope is a good report from God or a hope of a better resurrection (Heb. 11:35, 39).

We must know that the expected end of every believer is to have Eternal Life (1 Tim. 6:12). Eternal Life can only be attained in a gradual process of feeding on the word of God.

The milk of the word and meat of the word are the first two allocations of the word (1 Cor. 3:2). These allocations are very similar to the natural growth of a man. For a newly born baby, his meal starts with milk only till he gradually starts taking solid food. The main food of man that can make him grow is solid food. But as a baby, the milk would help prepare the body for a time of feeding on solid meals.

The meat of the word redefines and gradually gives the expected end of every man to the believer, which is to have Eternal Life. However, sometimes, the soul of a new believer is not ready for such redefinition of hope. God in His wisdom introduced the milk of the word to help culture the soul to the point that it can receive the meat of the word. The milk of the word would establish the soul of the believer in the love towards all the saints and faith in the Lord Jesus (Eph. 1:15).

In Colossians 2:2, scripture speaks of the mystery of God, of the Father, and of Christ. These weren't used without concise purpose. This verse shows that there is the mystery of God, the mystery of the Father and the mystery of Christ. These mysteries are in stages which begins with the mystery Christ. The intent of God is to open up or reveal Himself to man as God or Eternal Life (John 17:3). However, the only way that God can reveal Himself as Eternal Life is by coming down to us as a Father. In His raw form as God, He is too weighty for man's comprehension. It is the Father that receives men and schools them by unveiling the mystery of the Father, until they are ready to comprehend the mystery of God. From the epistles, we see that the apostles showed this understanding always by bringing greetings from 'God and the Father' of our Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 1:3, 1 Thess. 1:3, 1 Pet. 1:3).

The mystery of the Father is also known as the teaching of Everlasting Life which is the way to the Eternal Life or the mystery of God (John 12:50)

Psalm 139:24 KJV And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

It is a man who has learnt the curriculum of the Father that can be taught the doctrine of Eternal Life. However, as a result of man's degradation, man lost the strength/capacity in his soul to receive the mystery of the Father. Hence, God brought out a mystery, called Christ, which had been in Him since the foundation of the world. The mystery of Christ is that which is in God that a carnal man can relate with. Christ is what will turn a man from carnality into being a spiritual man who can receive the mystery of the Father.

In 1 John. 5:7, we see the unbreakable threefold cord of the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost. What binds them together is their Godhood or the record that they bear which is Eternal life. However, when they set out to bring man into Their fellowship, it was expedient that one of them would have to come to earth to show man how to come into their fellowship. The Word chose to be made flesh, die for us and return back to the Godhead as the Son of God (John 1:14). The Word came in likeness of sinful flesh and became who we now refer to as Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:21, Rom. 8:3). He was tutored by the Father until he embodied the full nature of God.

After Jesus who was the Word finished His course on earth, He had to return back to the Father on the throne. Hence, the Holy Ghost took the place of serving the purpose of this noble cause as the Spirit of Truth and to seal the spirits of believers who are born again (John 14:16-17, Eph. 1:13).

This does not make Him any lesser loved or lower than the Father and the Son. Rather, it shows that each entity in the Godhead can do anything for the actualization of the Eternal purpose, which is to bring man into Their fellowship. The Holy Ghost, though does not speak of Himself but Jesus, is as much a custodian of Eternal Life as the Father and Jesus Christ.

In summary, the bond of love they share is Eternal and They only embodied these personalities for the sake of man. The Holy Ghost is as much God as the Father is God and as the Son is God - this is the fellowship They share with each other.

From Hebrews 6:1-2, we see that Faith towards God is one of the foundations of the principles of the doctrine of Christ. This Faith is what prepares a believer to live a life that is supernatural, which is higher than the life that a natural man lives by. This Faith is an ingredient in milk which is the first course or meal for a babe or a new believer. Here, the believer learns to trust the invisible/God for his needs. This Faith, however, does not remove the carnal nature in the soul of the believer as a result of the law of sin and death. Rather, it slows down the pace at which the believer walks in carnality. Having faith in Jesus or trusting God prepares the believer to receive a higher Faith that is IN Jesus Christ, which is the Faith of the Son of God.

The Faith of the Son speaks of the faith that makes up our Lord Jesus. It is the faith authored and finished by Jesus Christ (Heb. 12:2). This faith comprises substances that makes Jesus the Christ. It is this faith that pleases God as it is what Jesus Christ used get to the Father (Heb. 11:6). The preaching of the faith of the Son deals with and removes the nature of sin from the souls of believers. It is the only faith that can overcome sin and death. Apostle Paul called it the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:2). The Faith of the Son houses the righteousness of God which must be revealed (Rom. 1:16-17).

It is important to emphasise that Faith is not Faith; faith differs in the spirit. From Hebrews 11, we see the patriarchs in the Old Testament display different expressions of faith but in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews, we see another faith authored and finished by Jesus. If it was authored by Jesus, it is safe to say that no other saint before Jesus lived by that faith. Even in the Faith of the Son, there are cadres of faith; "For therein is the righteousness of God from faith to faith…" (Romans 1:17). This shows that righteousness is revealed from one level of faith to another.

According to Titus 1:2, 1John2:25, Eternal life is the promise of God to man. Eternal life which is the very core of God, is the life in God. However, because of sin (Romans 5:12), which is another way of life, man fell short of the pursuit of Eternal life. In other words, man deviated from the path that leads to Eternal life. So, there is a program of life called Christ which our Lord Jesus embodied for us; this program of life is what leads or restores man back to the promise.

In John 14:6, Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life that no man can come to the Father (the beginning of Eternal life) but by me. In other words, we cannot come to the promise of Eternal life without learning the program of life called Christ. It is also good to know that Christ is a program of life, not the surname of Jesus. So, Christ the way, the truth and the life is a program of life that brings man back to look for God (Eternal Life). Without the learning of this program of life called Christ, God won’t open Himself to you. Because the life called Christ is the only life approved of God, it is the only life God trusts.

So, according to Titus 2:11-13, it is clear that the essence of Christ is to look for God.

Every faith has an intention of delivering a result. What differentiates between the two kinds of Faith is the end result it produces. In Hebrews 6:1-3, faith towards God is listed as one of the foundational principles of the doctrine of Christ and can also be identified as a very vital aspect of the milk dimension of God’s word (Heb. 5:12-14).

Faith towards God, also known as faith in the Lord Jesus according to the New Testament, is the understanding of the reality of God’s word in your heart, which then drops a divine energy within your heart, such that makes you to act or believe on God’s word. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us an insight into this faith in (Mark 11:22-24). If you have this faith, you can have whatsoever you desire. This faith is basically aimed at helping a believer to trust God and not his own strength to meet his carnal needs which may be financial provision, healing, miracles etc. This faith is generated in the heart by understanding what the word of God says concerning a situation and believing it, no matter what your sight informs you (2 Cor. 5:7). Also, there is a need for a corresponding confession based on the understanding that the heart has received.

Lastly, this faith provides a medium through which the babe in Christ can reach out in trust into the invisible to obtain his carnal needs, aspirations, ambitions.

Faith of the Son:

This is the faith for the hope of the promise according to Titus 1:2/1 John2:25. It is the faith for the inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-4). The hope of this faith is not to meet your carnal needs as in faith towards God but to conform to the image of the Son. This faith grows the believer from being a babe to becoming a son; it is the faith that spiritually matures the believer (1 Cor. 13:11). In this faith, the believer is taught to live for a hope that is higher than what his physical eyes can see or what mere men live for (Acts 26:18-20). And there are principles of life that governs or drives this faith; and they include Faith, Hope and Charity (1 Cor. 13:13). Every believer that desires the promise of Eternal Life must pass through this faith, as this faith is what purifies the believer and makes he/she to become holy according to what God calls holy.

This is the faith that overcomes the world (a life against faith) in the soul of the believer (1 John 5:4). This is the faith that preserves the soul of the believer from the corruption that is in this present evil world for God (Gal. 1:4). Whosoever lives by this faith is being prepared for the inheritance. This faith also separates the believer from the lusts of men and disciplines the believer to live the rest of his time in the flesh to the will of God.

Our Lord Jesus while on earth had only one hope which is the hope of Eternal Life (Matt. 6:33, John 17:1-3). By the reason of this hope, he lived a ‘kind of life’ which was completely alien to the life of men and through this faith expression, He obtained the promise of Eternal Life. This manner of life was completely anti that of the world (John 16:33). It was a unique lifestyle that the world could not understand. The goal of this manner of life was to destroy the standards of life the world has set for all men to live out.

First of all, it is good to know that these are all the allocation of God’s word prepared for every believer to come into their eternal inheritance.

Milk of the word: Just like in the natural where the initial food given to a newborn baby is milk, the allocation of God’s word prepared for the new born believer (one who is ignorant of the life of God) is the milk of the word. The milk of the word is the allocation of God’s word that a carnal believer can understand, relate with and use (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). It is good to note that the milk of the word is beyond a tool for asking and receiving carnal things from God, but contains vital living principles the new born believer ought to live by and should grow in.

Meat of the word: This is the next allocation of God’s word that changes the hope of the believer from pursuing ephemeral and mundane things to earnestly pursue Eternal Life (1 Tim. 6:12). This is the allocation of God’s word that opens the believer into a season of knowledge (Isaiah 28:7) which enlightens the darkened understanding of the believer to firstly realize, by spiritual understanding, what the hope of God’s calling for the Church is (Eph. 1:18).

Strong meat of the word: According to Hebrews 5:14, it is clear that strong meat is a higher season of knowledge and the last allocation of God’s word; and it is for those who are spiritually mature (those who have come to the full allocation that is in the meat of God’s word). The essence of this teaching is to raise the senses of the mature believer to discern both good and evil which the former (meat) allocation of God’s word could not discern, so that the mature believer will be able to choose the good and hate the evil (Isaiah 7:15), just like our Lord Jesus who loved righteousness and hated iniquity (Heb. 1:9).

No, everlasting life and Eternal Life are not the same but according to Isaiah 62:11,they are both properties of Salvation. The coming of salvation to the daughters of Zion can be captured as works and reward. Everlasting life is the work, while Eternal Life is the reward. To further establish this thought, we see in the epistles, that in the revelation/appearing of salvation to believers who have attained the nature of Christ, what was first revealed to them are works.

In the letters written to the seven (7) Churches in the book of Revelation, when writing to them respectively, the angel that appeared to apostle John in commending and reproving these churches began on the note of identifying their works; by classifying their works from those that they did to attain Christ (faith, patience, labor, service) to the good works (learning of salvation) they were currently engaging, which for the church in Thyatira he called first and last works (Rev. 2:18-19) - also the church in Ephesus (Rev 2:1-2,4).

These Churches in book of revelation had already began engaging the works of salvation, that is, these works were already being revealed to them. However, while their works were being identified, it is clearly seen in the account of each of the Churches, that a promise was attached to the completion of their works. Using the Churches of Thytira (Rev. 2:26)and Ephesus (Rev. 2:7) for instance, the promises made to an overcomer (an overcomer is one who has kept the works of salvation to the end, in other words one who has finished all the works of salvation revealed to him) is the reward. There is a reward attached to overcoming, which was ascribed to each of the seven (7) Churches. The commendation and reproof of the angel to each of these Churches identified both the works expected to be carried out by them and the reward that would be given after they have been able to keep these works to the end. The works of salvation are the tools for our overcoming. These Churches are a perfect example of salvation: the works and reward of salvation.

Our Lord Jesus, in John’s account of the gospel began speaking of certain works that he was engaging at a point of His sojourn on the earth, which was committed/revealed to Him of his father; these works He referred to as everlasting life (John 3:35, John 14:10, John 5:17, 26).

Therefore, it is safe to say that everlasting life are the works of salvation, while eternal life is the reward of salvation. Q13: What is difference between everlasting life and eternal life? The word “life” is used severally in the scriptures to describe an expression of a being that is projected from the residue of knowledge and understanding in the soul. (Gen. 2:7; Job. 32:8; Jer. 10:14; Psalm 119:144). Thus, the quality of life which a man has is a direct function of the knowledge he possesses. It is thus, safe and accurate to say that the face value of the life of a man is as a result of the quality of knowledge in his soul. At different spheres of creation (heaven and earth), there are different qualities of life. For example, when God made Adam the first man, he had a quality of life called living soul (Gen. 2:7; 1 Cor. 15:45); after he fell, men inherited a perverted life called flesh (Gen. 6:3). Besides, angels in their strata have different qualities of angelic life. It is good, however, to know that the lives of both men and angels are only shadows of the originality of life which resides in God (Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 1:10-12).

The originality of life in God, as shown in scriptures is divided into two: everlasting life or divine nature (Jn. 3:16; Jn. 4:14; 2 Pet. 1:3-4) and Eternal Life (the core authority of God’s life--1 Jn. 5:20). The qualities of these lives are shown by the ability to stand the test of various spiritual climates and seasons (Dan. 2:21; 1 Thess. 5:12). This is because they are dispensed in the spiritual timing of the appearing, coming or manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God (not for rapture, but for the giving of life), or as the author of eternal salvation, to one who has learned and inherited Christ (1 John 3:8, Heb. 5:9). This is because everlasting and Eternal Life are stands in safety, in the seasons of the coming of Jesus Christ, the true Son of God.

The differences between everlasting and Eternal Life can be clearly understood by the differences in the coming of Jesus, the author. According to Isa. 40:10, Isa. 62:11 and Rev. 22:12, there are two manners of the comings for the giving of salvation. The first one is to give instructions for the works of God, while the latter, which is the highest is to give the reward (gift) for doing the works. As shown in scriptures, to do the works of God is to walk with God (Exo. 18:20; Eph. 2:10). To walk with God, everlasting strength or God’s everlasting arms is needed to wrestle, outlast and overcome Satan and other wicked spirits. Satan and his cohorts are enemies of the program/intention of God to give everlasting life to man. It is only a man who uses everlasting life to overcome them that Eternal Life (the gift, reward, or Glory of God) can be given to. Therefore, Eternal Life is the gift of knowing God (Jn. 17:3), given to an overcomer or one who has fulfilled the course of everlasting life.

Movement in the spirit can be spelled out in two ways. The first one is seen by the degree of words being spoken over a company of people. A company that hears the gospel of Christ can be said to be under the dispensation of Christ as a whole. Moreover, a company hearing the everlasting gospel are under the dispensation of everlasting life.

However, even though a company has moved as a whole, individuals might still not have moved in the spirit to higher allocations, because of individual journey or growth. This is why scriptures will use words like “some among you.” (1 Cor. 15:12). It is for the same reason that Apostle Paul wrote things that pertain to both milk and everlasting life in the same letter to the same Church at Corinth. Therefore, when a company is said to have entered a higher allocation in their journey to God, God immediately begins to send words of that new allocation, because the brethren at the forefront of the company have ears to expressly hear the words being spoken (Rev. 2:17). This is the same pattern shown when Jesus sent or gave instructions to the Angels (shepherds) of the seven Churches in the book of revelation (Rev. 2-3).

The purpose of the gospels or good tidings of Christ and of God is to make us beings who bear fruits of the gospel (Rom. 6:22; Gal. 5:22). Therefore, every man who lives the doctrine communicated by the gospel of Christ will eventually express the fruits of Christ as spelled out in Galatians 5:22-23 (Matt. 7:16-20). The fruit of the Spirit here can be summarized as love expressed towards men who have learned Christ through the commandments of faith and hope, and they have arrived at Charity. Thus, the fruit of one who has inherited the life communicated by the gospel of Christ is the love of the brethren (1 Jn. 3:14). It is only a man who has loved the brethren by expressing the fruit of the Spirit, notwithstanding the contradictions, that can move to the dispensation of living the life of the everlasting gospel (1 Jn. 3:16). Q15: What are the indicators that will tell that one is due to move into hope allocation? Hope in the scriptures refers to desires, drives, aspirations or ambition. One’s hope is a direct function of the knowledge that one has (Eph. 1:17-18), and this knowledge is a product of the hearing of the word (Rom. 10:17). Besides, in every allocation of God’s word, there exists a season where one is tried and this is to prove our actual desire (Det. 8:2;16).

The season of hope is always characterized by trials which are commensurate to the word allocation which one has heard. It comes with a cycle of tests of patience and experiential wisdom which births forth a solidified hope in us (Rom. 5:3-5).

To stand firm in the season of hope, one needs to be rooted and grounded in the knowledge of Christ (Col. 3:16). This knowledge (word) produces the wisdom needed to be patient in the seasons of hope. Therefore, only a man who is rich in the knowledge of Christ for the allocation of faith is due to move to the hope allocation.

The purpose of the journey of a believer is to receive God's promise (1 Pet. 1:9,17; Tit. 1:2). This journey is from faith to faith, and every faith is characterized by the hope which it substantiates. The milk faith prepares a believer for the next level of faith, which is the faith of the Son of God (Gal 2:20). The milk faith is God's provision for substantiating the carnal hopes of a believer (Mark 11:23). While at a level, the milk faith is used for asking and receiving from God, it is not limited to this. The milk faith also includes dealings and trainings which can culture the heart to be committed and totally reliant on God and His word for carnal needs.

Because the milk faith has its commandments, there are obediences to be carried out. Fulfilling this obedience prepares us to receive the allocation of the faith of the son. As described in Acts. 26:18 and Eph. 1:18, it takes one whose eyes of understanding have been enlightened to live by the faith of the Son. Thus, one who lives by the faith of the Son of God handles the natural and carnal hopes with an understanding of God’s dominion as against desires which are according to worldly lusts.

Thus, it is safe to say, we do not stop believing God for our carnal needs because we now live by the faith of the Son. Rather, our hope changes and we therefore obey God, not for our carnal needs, but for the hope of Christ. The faith of the Son teaches us to live here on earth without the lusts that are in the world. Thus, we do not “use” milk while living by the faith of the son of God, we seek the kingdom (dominion) of God and our carnal needs are added

It is good to know that scripturally, the spirit and the soul are divisible – separate entities. This can be clearly seen in Hebrews 4:12:

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”.

The Spirit

Man was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). God is a Spirit (John 4:24), therefore, man is essentially a spirit. The spirit of man is that part of man that can fellowship with God, because it has an image that can relate with God. The spirit of man is the candle (lamp) of the Lord that God uses to search the inward parts of the man (Prov. 20:27). In scriptures, it is also referred to as the inner man (Eph. 3:16, 1 Pet. 3:4, 1Cor. 2:11). At New Birth, our spirit became a new man by believing in the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

Fellowship with God is the food of the spirit man! The same way our physical body needs food to stay healthy and strong, that is the same way we need fellowship to wax strong in spirit (Luke 2:40). The spirit of man primarily has two organs, with which it carries out two main functions in a believer. These are Intuition and Communion.

- Intuition: This is the “sensory organ” of the human spirit. It is completely different from the physical sense or intellectual sense (through academic learning). Intuition involves a direct sensing in our spirit, independent of any outside influence or stimuli. In our spirit, we can intuitively have knowledge which comes to us without any help or information from the mind, emotion or volition. More specifically, we “know” the things of God through intuition; our mind merely helps us to "understand" them. All the movements (leadings and dealings) of the Holy Spirit are known to the believer through his intuition. A believer must therefore heed to the nudging of his intuition. There are times when you will just know that some things are bad and that you should not engage in such things or associate with people that do them, this is the work of intuition. - Communion: Communion is worshiping God or fellowshipping with God (Rom. 1:9, John 4:24). The other parts of man (soul and body) are incompetent in generating worship to God. They can hardly bring about pure and spotless worship to God or fellowship with God. As believers, God communicates with us directly in and through our spirit (Rom. 8:16), hence the first point and legal ground of fellowshipping with God is in our recreated human spirit. From the above, we can see that these two organs (intuition and communion) are deeply interrelated and function coordinately. The relationship between intuition and communion is that the more you commune with God, the more your intuition gets better. The Soul

The soul is the middleman that is connected to the spirit and body and it is meant to be in subjection to the authority of the human spirit for functioning. It is the part that enables man to think, reason and have a sense of moral judgement. The soul operates primarily by knowledge or learning. The soul is the seat of human personality; the things of a man (or the summation of a man’s life) are embedded in the soul. Whatever is formed in the soul becomes attributed to the man. In scriptures, it is also referred to as the inward man. When we got born again, the soul was bought but not yet saved. The soul is saved by hearing and obeying the gospel (James 1:21, 1Pet 1:23). The soul comprises two major parts – the heart and the mind.

- The heart: this is the part of man that believes (Rom. 10:10). It is the most spiritual part of the soul and it is the deepest part close to the regenerated human spirit. The heart is man’s house of treasure and out of the abundance of the heart, the man speaks (Luke 6:45, Mark 12:34, Matt. 12:34, Prov. 4:23). It is the seat of thoughts, imagination, strongholds, and worldly lust (2 Cor. 10:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:11). The heart is the seat of man’s will and conscience (sense of judgement). It is also referred to as the door of the soul (Rev. 3:20). - The mind: this is the upper chamber of the soul that is connected or closer to the body. It receives information from the body through the five senses. The mind is being renewed by the word of God. The mind is supposed to be subject to the spirit.

Unlike the spirit, things that happen in the soul are gradual. The soul participates in anything through knowledge. It is worthy of note that the mind of a man doesn’t know all things that are in the heart, but the spirit knows (Jer. 17:9, 1 Cor. 2:11)