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Paul said, “We speak… to those who are mature.” Consequently, we understand that wisdom is not discerned with the natural mind, but it can be expressed to the mature (perfect). Wisdom comes as a revelation to the spiritually minded through His Spirit (vs. 10). The spiritually minded will have an understanding and knowing of truth. God’s wisdom is given to us, and now… vs. 16b, we have the mind of Christ. (KJV) We have it.
God’s secret wisdom.
1 Cor 2:7-10 We speak of God's secret (hidden) wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began (The Amplified version says, “to lift us into the glory of His presence”). None of the rulers of this age understood it… no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him — but God has revealed it (the secret wisdom) to us by his Spirit NIV. We know that wisdom is hidden from rulers of this age – and from demonic forces. But God reveals it to those who seek His character with great resolve.
“We speak.” We speak not with what we learned but with what has been revealed. The NEW CREATION is enabled to concisely verbalize that hidden wisdom with articulate vocabulary that unveils and releases the energy of God’s power. With clarity, we can define the process of what needs to be spiritually understood. We speak simply, but with absolute significance.
Spiritual wisdom.
But which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the NATURAL man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: A relevant principle of Godly wisdom is that mankind must realize that only God has Truth. God hides it and expects us to get find it and express it.
Think of this, the author of the Bible lives in you! If a famous preacher came to stay at your place, wouldn’t you ask him to teach you all the things he had discovered? Wouldn’t you ask questions? Well, you need the Holy Spirit to lead you to all Wisdom. Upon the rock of revelation, Christ BUILDS His church in you and me (Matt.16: 13 -19).
Wisdom produces peaceful treaties with those who oppose (1 Kings. 5:13).
The wise know how to conduct their life (Is. 40:20).
The wise are experts in good living (1 Chron. 22:15).
The wise son directs life (Prov. 101:1-10).
Deuteronomy 4:5-10 describes further properties. Wisdom is observable by the nations; you can take possession of the land when you rightly use decrees. See, I have taught you decrees and laws … so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. 6) Observe (condition) them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations …9) Only be careful (condition), and watch yourselves closely (condition) so that you do not forget (condition) the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart (condition) as long as you live. Teach them (condition) to your children and to their children after them. 10) Remember (condition) the day you stood before the LORD. NIV
The Hebrews’ house:
Suddenly we realize our eternal purpose... we’re building a new house where God abides – within ourselves! We are the “many mansions” – the abiding places! The book of Hebrews discusses our Godly house, Therefore, holy brethren (believers), partakers of the heavenly calling (heirs of salvation), consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. (3:2, NKJ). A key to understanding this portion of Scripture is right here. “Consider” or fix your thoughts, mark with attention this thought. What thought? That Christ faithfully endured and still endures. His building did not end, but still continues. He helps all of us build. He completes each building in loving perfection.
Moses built a dwelling in the wilderness, while Christ is the Great Builder of God’s house. Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest over that which we profess and acknowledge – making certain that our confession builds our lives.
Heb. 3:3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. (NKJ) Moses contributed great effort to build a glorious house for God. But, we see a parallelism between Moses and Jesus begin to develop here to add to our understanding. As we interpret the word house for this purpose, we note that the Hebrew author uses the illustration of construction.
Heb. 3:4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God (NKJ).We may do the building, but God built all things. God has greater honor than the house itself. The house, for our purposes, represents us. The beauty of our structure gives all tribute to the architect. Our house can’t grow like a plant – it doesn’t evolve on its own, it needs a blueprint. The analogy here says that God is the architect overseeing all the building. God works through the Son (Heb. 1:2, 2:10). Because Jesus builds God’s house in us, He is of greater honor than Moses (who built the earthly tabernacle).
Heb. 3:5, And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, (NKJ) This is a quote from Numbers 12:7. The Greek word usually used for servant is dulos, which means “bondservant.” Dulos is NOT the word used in this text. Moses was not called a bondslave, slave, or attendant. Instead, the word used here is therapon, which means a “noble servant.” This word often occurs in the Old Testament, but only once in the original Greek... it represents the unusual relationship that Moses developed with God – that of a servant of high and noble position.
But, even as great as Moses was, being a servant in the house of God was the best he could ever accomplish. By contrast we see Jesus (Heb 3:6), Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. (NKJ) Christ was faithful OVER His own house because He was not a servant, but The Son.
Here was see a differentiation between Moses (living under the law) and the believer who’s included in the Sonship Company of Jesus. The New Testament house represents His body, His flesh, and His bones (Eph. 5:30). This text verse continues by saying, “whose house we are.” Jesus was the Father’s house – and we are the many mansions (abiding places) housed in Him (Jn. 14:2). We belong to His house where He rules.
Individually and collectively we build His house.
“Whose house we are” can also be translated, “we are God's house.” The metaphor continues to describe us as a house. We are that house if. If what? If we hold fast. This passage introduces the possibility of an unfulfilled condition. The test? If we “hold fast.” The Jews of that time had to hold fast through great persecution. They were not to return to the old systems. They had to be “possessors” of God’s Word and not merely “professors.” Therefore, the mark of a well-built HOUSE is perseverance.
But, let’s continue for our purposes, to realize that we may do the building, but God built all things. God has greater honor than the house (your life) itself. The beauty of our structure gives all tribute to the architect. We can’t take the credit! God works through the Son (Heb. 1:2, 2:10). Because Jesus builds God's house (tabernacling within us), He is of greater honor.
“Hold Fast” is a nautical term. This same word is used in Acts 27:40 where it speaks of heading directly toward shore. “Whose house we are” only if we don’t deviate or drift from where we’re going. If we hold fast to correct concepts and don’t drift into false ideologies.
Believers were to confidently hold steady. “Hold fast” to what? Confidence. Confidence (courage) in Jesus proves whether or not you're a true possessor of salvation. We cannot BE A HOUSE unless we have confidence (courage). “With confidence” means that they maintained consistent words and actions that demonstrated and established the fact that they were possessors of the truth. We who are His house display our faith by walking in steady confidence – no matter what the circumstance.
Plus, these early Christians had another essential assignment in addition to holding fast to the confidant courage. And the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Rejoicing in hope establishes and verifies as a living witness of one who consistently trusts in the Almighty God. Unto the end – until hope becomes a reality (Rom. 5:2-3, Phil. 3:3). Heb. 10:23 reminds us again, Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 6:1, Let us go on unto perfection (teleiotes)... The Amplified version explains it further, “Therefore let us go on...advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belongs to spiritual maturity.” That idea of perfection (teleiotes) means completion or finished work, or being grown up. The author of Hebrews urges us to move on past our childhood into the fullness of maturity and completeness – into present truth – into a further building of The House.
Perfection results from the process of aggregating wisdom. Jesus went through that process. Luke 2:39-40 says, And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom… Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew (progressively increased) in wisdom…NIV
Building unto perfection:
By now, the building of our “house” should have moved past having to continuously “repent from dead works.” No longer should we be re-learning the “elementary principles of Christ” – over and over. There’s more to Christianity than milk (Heb. 5:11). There’s more to learn than we know now. There’s more growth for the mature to experience, more expanded concepts to realize, and more capabilities to apprehend.
Perfection is the “process” of aggregating wisdom. Jesus went through that process. Luke 2:39-20 says, And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom... Luke 2:52, And Jesus grew (progressively increased) in wisdom...NIV.
The struggle toward perfection is an integral part of the overall restoration process. Ephesians 4:11-13 expands this concept by telling us that the purpose of the five-fold ministries is the perfecting (complete furnishing) of the saints... unto a PERFECT (grown up teleios) person...” Those adult individuals are BUILT UP to form a PERMANENT DWELLING PLACE for God in the Spirit...”(Eph 2:21-22), a mature church that walks in unmistakable completeness – a body that actualizes total redemption.
PERFECT:
Thayer’s Lexicon adds that “TELEIOS” means “brought to its end, finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness; consummate human integrity and virtue; used of men, full grown, adult, of full age, mature.” Its root word is “TELOS,” which means a definite point or goal; properly, the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state; the end to which all things relate, the aim, purpose.” This forceful word defines our coming to full MATURITY in Christ.
This full-grown wholeness manifests itself in clear communications with God, absolute discernment, vivacity for life, unconditional relationships, readiness to subdue difficulty, and an ease in yielding to Spiritual purposes.
God can only have a mature relationship with mature sons.
Each believer must apprehend wholeness (sozo) before he/she is capable of connecting with another. We must grow up before we can discern the singular, consistent divine plan for the church (HIS HOUSE). Paul eloquently explains, In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord (Eph. 2:21). Here we see our individual houses joined to become a temple. But, hear this... it isn’t a cute thought for the sweet by and by. It is “joined together” - it is already done! It is a finished work that we must comprehend and apprehend – the connecting of one to another. It’s the valley of dry bones already fused, upright, and walking.
The time has come that the LORD’S house should be completed (Haggai 1:2-5). Permanent charges are eminent. God no longer abides in the temple made with hands — His ultimate purpose is to infuse His nature into the temple of our circumcised heart. This new inundated personality (the PERFECTED TELEIOS PERSON) boldly grasps the new concepts received from heaven and resolutely transmits them on wavelengths never before imagined. There’s a grand collective truth just beyond our own individual wholeness – that’s “US” together.
Preaching and ministering with Wisdom:
Acts 6:8-11 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people... And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke (NKJV).
Col 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so (for the purpose) that we may present everyone perfect (grown up) in Christ. NIV
1 Cor 12:8-9 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit. NIV
Luke 21:13-19… But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
The happiness of a dream fulfilled:
In our study of Wisdom, we’ve seen the necessity of building a good foundation. We’ve learned that properly responding to life’s experiences develops and builds our lives. We know how God’s seven pillars should function in our lives. We understand that within our being, we contain Wisdom — THE Person (Jesus) who grows in the garden of our heart. Jesus, our Desire, is the Tree of LIFE that produces godly fruit.
Godly wisdom gives us happiness and produces riches we never dreamed of obtaining. It brings us health (Prov. 3:16) and long life (9:11, 12). It becomes the highway of pleasantness (3:17) with paths of peace.
Be confident in the walking out of this new direction. God has invested His likeness and image into you. His ultimate purpose is to duplicate His nature in you and to guide you to fulfillment in your unique and personalized life. This process is sacred. There are many others out there also walking their own path toward wisdom.
As you follow wisdom, you’ll begin to walk and pray with increasing power. You will be released upon the world as a witness (Acts. 1:8, & see Col. 2:10).
Slowly, precept-by-precept, wisdom builds our lives. Yes, and life goes on — and on — much like the wheels of the same size within the spinning wheels of Ezekiel’s vision. The different aspects of our life interrelate, bringing consistency and symmetry. The various portions of our lives become like the wheels as we inter-relate to reach from the earth to the heavens and connect to the unchanging purposes of God. Selah—
Prov. 8:32-36 Hear and obey the voice of wisdom! “Now therefore, hearken unto me (Jesus, the wisdom of God), o ye sons, for blessed (very happy) are they that keep (watch, guard, protect) my ways. Hear instruction (lean knowledge) and be wise, and refuse (dismiss) it not.
Blessed is the man that heareth (continuously) me, watching daily (awake and giving attention to devotional worship and prayer) at my gates, waiting (in humble obedience) at the posts (posts on which the door moves) of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain (to bring out for use) favor (delight) of the Lord.
Together WE become the manifestation of His abiding presence.
The clarion cry for Wisdom whistles across the earth. Can you hear it? It vitally stirs the church into action. The day of transformation and the manifested ultimate expression of true Christianity is upon us.
The patterns of Wisdom propel the work of the Lord forward. Wisdom causes us to ascend to new levels of accuracy and unmistakable Christ-likeness. Join me in discovering the unspeakable privilege of disciplining unto godliness — toward the image of Christ Himself. Surely, happy is the person who finds wisdom.
You have given me wisdom and power,
You have made known to me what we asked of you,
You have made known to us the dream of the king."
(Dan. 2:23 NIV)
The bride has made herself ready.
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