Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

The book of Colossians

Chapter 2

***Col.2:1 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2:2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 2:3 in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.

In our world there is a strong need to see, and make all things flesh! In other words, of sight, most Christian's walk by sight, they have an abundance of materials created for Christian's faith so they can see and touch, smell to identify their faith by. This simple logic flows into all things they do, which includes God's word the bible. Thinking they need to paint pictures all can grasp complex thoughts of God's word the bible, and really good teachers do this for their student.

1Cor. 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I didn't come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 2:3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 2:4 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 2:5 that your faith wouldn't stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Christ was called the great teacher, but he did not make all things clear to all people. In fact, he spoke in parables confusing many that were law burden. However, he did not fret as so many fleshly mind Christian's do today over teaching truth. Christ understood what we don't as human, and what is that? It is that Holy Spirit that reveals the truth to a person, even complex truth(s).

1Cor.2:7 But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory, 2:8 which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory. 2:9 But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."{Isaiah 64:4} 2:10 But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man.

Matthew 13:34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn't speak to them,

Here the apostle Paul is telling the Colossians congregation of “Spirit” formed, and led brothers and sister, many had never seen Paul in his flesh. However, he was with them in spirit. Now being with them in spirit to the fleshly minded person means being with some one in thought. But this is not Paul meaning here! Paul is connected to this Spirit born again children of God, by one Spirit, the same Spirit that is in Christ Jesus as the head of the congregation, the same Spirit that gives life to the mortal bodies which are considered dead in Christ. Yes! These brothers and sisters where living with the life of Christ in them, they were producing fruit from the life of the vine, they were created as first fruits a pattern that all Spirit led children of God must follow.

John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

1 Corinthians 2:14 Now the natural man doesn't receive the things of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can't know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own,

Now the question was for these brothers and sisters would they return to the sight worship, taking all things spiritual and making it into flesh so they could see, feel, smell, and taste instead of walking by faith? This was the question, would they see flesh as greater than the riches they were a part of, the life of Christ? Would they see the world and all of it glory as more wisdom than the life indwelling of Christ. Would they fall into the trap of knowledge thinking great knowledge from the world, makes them a son of God?

1Cor.13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. 13:3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.

Here than is the truth, so many children of God are born again with little or no education, they rejoice greatly being given gifts, they find themselves having gifts of Holy Spirit and wisdom, knowledge, riches of fruits of Holy Spirit becoming more intellectual, now their interest in things they never cared about while in their flesh; before being born again!

1Cor.1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.
1:19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing."{Isaiah 29:14}
1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Hasn't God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1:21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn't know God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.
1:22 For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,
1:23 but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks, 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1:26 For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; 1:27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 1:28 and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are:
1:29 that no flesh should boast before God.

God does not fear, he does not fear knowledge of the world, he does not live in fear, and all things are lawful for those born of Holy Spirit, but often they forget where their new mind, new heart actually came from, whom created it? This thinking is very dangerous to anointed Christian's, not knowledge of the world, but the thinking they have improved their own life by such knowledge because they are anointed. Thinking they must know all wisdom of this world to keep up so to speak so they can help others not to be misled.

Rom.12:2 Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. 12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

They have themselves been misled by the fleshly mind, they are not in the mind of Christ. God's knowledge, wisdom, and riches the world does not know! God is not part of this world, God did not build this world. God is not supporting this world by His wisdom or knowledge. This world is squarely in the hands of those rebelling against God's authority. This world is in the hands of the evil one, it is built by his mind, it keeps it going by the power of wicked spirit son's of God, it is 180-degrees opposite of Christ mind. The wisdom, knowledge, and riches placed in Christ Jesus by God, are for the new heavens, and new earth, where Christ righteousness creates all things with the gifts of God. But for these brothers and sisters to be apart of the new heavens and earth, they must walk by faith, in Christ wisdom, riches, and knowledge, and not the proud mind of this world whom know not the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

***Col.2:4 Now this I say that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. 2:5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 2:6 As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him, 2:7 rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

What was the persuasive speech that the apostle Paul was eluding to here? Always and everywhere in the Greek writings is found the truth of what Paul speaks to here. It was the law, words of enslaving the body of Christ into works of laws, what law? In this case the old law and its righteousness, but it could also include any laws that are created to punish sinners for unrighteous acts. And that is precisely why such words are powerful for sinners. These Christian's were not being mislead by false prophecy, but by something far more sinister. In fact, something most Christian's today don't get nor even see it as a dangers. Most believe false prophecy is the biggest threat to Christian's, yet, 90% percent of Paul's writings were about this lie entering into the body of Christ killing it for any usefulness in doing God's will, and what is that?

Rom.8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.{NU omits "who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"} 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 8:3 For what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

Words of righteousness misleading the anointed, but how? God's law was perfect and righteous, but it did not make a person sinless, do you really understand the truth of that statement? The law exposed our sins, but it did not remove them, it did not say: “remain in me the law and you have eternal life!” Do you understand the law was created for the wicked for punishing evil in man kind, but was not created for the righteous? No it was not!

1Tim.1:9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 1:10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

So how could these brothers and sister bring the law into the body of Christ which is sinless, and does remove our sins once for all times, without bring back sin and death for the unrighteous? How? By persuasiveness of speech! Nothing is more power than a person wanting to serve God, that is, using God's righteous word to judge other with it. And that is the point, we have stumbled upon the power involved in judging others with God's word the bible, that is, with laws for sinners. The law given to Moses was the Jews heavens and earth, it built kingdoms, it built the most powerful nation on earth. Does one think Satan and the fallen angels took no note of that power?

1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

2 Timothy 1:10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

Titus 3:9 but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

This is the key to understanding the start of apostasy, this is the key to understanding the weeds over taking God field of wheat, this is the key to unlocking all of God's word perfectly and lawfully for Christian's, but it is the most overlooked point in the bible. Christ died to strip the authority of all human governments over his people, his body, how? By taking the power away from them in judging his body members making them in debt to the nations. Yes, the debt for building the world, it must be built from laws to punishes the wicked, to make people in debt to the law, which controls them, it protects those in position created by the law. However, the law of love does not give a body members of Christ power of this world to rule over others in a congregation, it instead strips them into a servant of others. How can a man hold a debt of another when they have been freely forgiven their debt of sins by the very body they are attached to by God's love?

2Cor. 4:4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
4:5 For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake; 4:6 seeing it is God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness,"{Genesis 1:3} who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 4:7 But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. 4:8 We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; 4:9 pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed; 4:10 always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

Satan seen the unprotected position of God's anointed like and enemy looking for a weakness. Satan also knew the human unrighteousness for power and control. What good was a body of God's anointed to his world without power and control? Absolutely none! Thus, he over-sowed the field of wheat with weeds corrupting it into organized religion where the same spirit of ambitious would corrupt the kingdom of God by the yeast of persuasiveness of speech. It would rob them of Christ replacing Christ with men of power just like the world. What would they need to protect this kingdom of yeast, words and laws for yeast, the very laws Christ had take away by giving each member freedom from judgment of sin, by his righteous body imputed into each member of his body of Christ.

Galatians 5:9 A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

Matthew 13:33 He spoke another parable to them. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures{literally, three sata. 3 sata is about 39 litres or a bit more than a bushel} of meal, until it was all leavened."

Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field."

Matthew 13:38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.

Matthew 13:40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age.

Today two thousand years later we have a corrupted earthly kingdom called religion and billions of people living in confusion judging one another unrighteously just as they have been taught by laws for the flesh. Waiting for the signs of the end in a great lawlessness that already exist. One cannot be lawful under a unlawful law created for a fleshly body of sin. One must be made lawful by the law of Christ without sin, by the precious and everlasting blood of Christ, being stripped of all earthly powers to hold debt of sins over others, putting squarely our eternal life into the Kings hands God has put his own authority into Christ Jesus, by one thing not seen of men, or laws, faith!

1 John 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God doesn't sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn't touch him.

James 2:9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
Rom.13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not give false testimony," "You shall not covet,"{TR adds "You shall not give false testimony,"}{Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17-19,21} and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."{Leviticus 19:18}
13:10 Love doesn't harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

***Col.2:8 Be careful that you don't let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, this thief is a violent person based upon vain deceit from tradition of men, and is created from the elements of our world, but why would these brothers and sisters not know whom this thief is? Perhaps, it was their own fleshly mind rejecting the glory of God, the Christ, for the glory of men? Would this thief be a person coming to attack them, or was he always with them?

John 10:10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

Ephesians 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Galatians 5:24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

Christ their life, was not of this world! However, the thief that would rob them was from this world, made from its basic elements, what elements? The elements that build this world, its thinking alienated from God, its darkness of thinking not found in Christ Jesus, its corruption of thinking against eternal life. These elements are enter woven upon all nations of people and tongues; people are born into these foundational elements of worldly thinking by their fleshly minds, to live, survive, and exist in an unrighteous darkness.

2Pet.3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 3:11 Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness.

John 18:36 Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn't be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here."

Here was Paul message these brothers and sister were not of this world they were raised up into a new world where the mind of Christ was their world, born anew, made new, from this world, and its thinking. But the power of the flesh to lead and mislead us is like a strong river that swept us along into the wreckage of this world. It is not a little stream of water trickling down, it is a raging sea churning up the mud of badness of the flesh always raging against the Spirit of God within them.

John 17:16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.

Jude 1:13 wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

This congregation like so many Paul dealt with wanted the world, its wisdom, its recognition, it praise from men, and its protection. However, in Christ, invisible as he was to them, walking in the laws of Christ, love, looked and seemed foolish for any good purpose of this world, and they were! They were created by God for his world, his glory, a world and glory Satan hated, and which his system of things always rages against. They were called out of this world to make that calling they must have faith, faith in the glory of Christ, his power by the Spirit taste given them of the new heavens, the witness of truth God gave them, they must believe what they knew as truth within them, and what is that?

1 John 5:6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.

Christ was raised, he had the power, he gave them his life, thus, they had his eternal life now, within them bearing witness of the new heavens. Christ is the king of all kings, and he is in control of their lives, his life within them, although, unseen by this world. They must walk in Christ as he walked in YHWH, proving faithful in a world that had no uses at all for them, or the Christ. They must not rob themselves by the thinking of this world, they must stay in Christ the truth. They must not humanize the Christ into mundane fleshly pursuits of this world. Which world was creating from yeast of sin that would robs them of the purity of Christ mind. For in the mind of Christ is life, the eternal life Adam lost, the life they must walk in.

***Col.2:9 For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily,
2:10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;

Heb.12:28 Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire.{Deuteronomy 4:24}

***Col.2:11 in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;

So much in God's written word is symbolic to those not anointed with God's Holy Spirit, it becomes conjecture, or a fancy that is applied to personal feeling to some how make it fit into harmony with the rest of scriptures, such as Paul's words here. Not many Christian's worry about the circumcision of the heart, but why?

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Simply, put they have been taught as a religious truth, a long lasting religious truth, which has become parroted by those taught religious doctrine that it is their application of God's word in their lives that circumcise their heart. They think of Abraham taking a knife to his own foreskin circumcising it for God. Many works of law Christian's do the same, they by personal will power cut off certain habits in their lives thinking: “I have circumcise my heart!”

Romans 8:12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Romans 8:13 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

But first, the apostle Paul states the anointed circumcision is not with human hands, below this thought is another verse of being raised up with Christ, and buried with him, neither of which is by human hands? So in context, we cannot circumcise ourselves with human effort or hands, and be acceptable to God. It is the Spirit that is of value here, and not the flesh! Did you note we are not talking of circumcision of a heart, or a foreskin, but killing the power of our flesh, that is, crucifying our the flesh?

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don't find it doing that which is good.

This procedure is not of human will or they would need to kill themselves to pay the price for sin, but that would not put them into the life of Christ now would it? Subsequently, Paul is in every-way teaching the power of Christ life working within a anointed Christian's. He is not teaching human will, and the good feelings coming from a person heart. He is teaching the truth of a power legal arrangement God has created to blot out our sins from our flesh so we can be made a part of the life of Christ. This is such a radical procedure performed by God's hands that it mean a killing legally of our flesh, making us into a “new creation” never experience before on this earth.

Ephesians 4:24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace;

Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

This has nothing to do with the bibles words cutting off our foreskins of our hearts like false religion teaches, this circumcision is nothing but the Christ, and him impaled that no flesh might boast. This is about the power of Christ and his Kingdom not given to any man or religion, once we are on this track and stay on this track no one can mislead us!

Romans 1:4 who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

***Col.2:12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

The operation of God is a miracles, it cannot be explained by legally breaking it down into rules and laws of our fleshly mind. What God has done in his anointed followers is acts of living hope, because it is the workings of Christ Jesus life in them as indestructible life. To die in Christ it and operation of God's Holy Spirit which puts to death our flesh sins to the righteous judgment of God's laws. It takes the power from death, because death came through sin.

2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

2 Peter 1:3 seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue;

1 Timothy 6:16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

Subsequently, if there is no sin, the laws governing our flesh are found powerless, it strips the power of man, governments, and/or religion over the person. This new life, it is a life that can be seated spiritually with Christ, and can commune with the bread of life, without sin, and/or leaven from the sins of our fleshly mind, which mind is dead, killed in his new creation.

Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.

Ephesians 1:20 which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,

Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

This operation produces the life of Christ in us in real terms of feeding his body members, and giving us the mind of God by Christ teaching us God's minds. This knowledge is from above, which gives us the fruit of God's Holy Spirit in all things leading us into life. Here we find a new creation unlike any creation before us, a creation of sinful people living upon earth abolishing the judgment of our sinful flesh by being put to death in the death of Christ which removed the law of God, and raise into a new life seated upon the mountain of Jehovah God. This is were the body is, it is not waiting to happen, in the wilderness, in a new teaching or a prophecy.

Matthew 24:26 If therefore they tell you, 'Behold, he is in the wilderness,' don't go out; 'Behold, he is in the inner chambers,' don't believe it.

The Kingdom and its blessing has been in power, in reality since Christ was raised taking captive on high. Can a Christian's put more importance of Christ arrival than arriving now? This is a profound thought because so many chase the rainbow for the gold and those in Christ have received the gold already.

James 4:13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow let's go into this city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit."
4:14 Whereas you don't know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 4:15 For you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that." 4:16 But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil. 4:17 To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

These brothers and sister were trying to find another way, chasing teachers of the flesh, giving power again to the law, abolished in Christ waiting for something more as though Christ was lacking in their life, and he was? Why? Because they had no faith, no trust in the power of God and his workings. They felt a lack within them sending the seeking into the wilderness for the body to feed upon on missing the undeserved kindness delivered too them freely in Christ.

Romans 1:4 who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

Ephesians 1:19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might

Their lack was wanting God to give them fleshly desires which were put to death in the baptism in Christ, These were asking but not receiving because they wanted something not in Christ the lust of the flesh. They could not feel or see the working of God by desires of controlling the flesh by laws created for the flesh. However, by faith they could walk in a new life, without laws of this earth affecting the spirit being renewed day to day in them, but there is no profit, no gain for Christ treasure in heaven to spent foolishly to progress their lives for gains upon this earth.

James 4:1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your pleasures that war in your members?
4:2 You lust, and don't have. You kill, covet, and can't obtain. You fight and make war. You don't have, because you don't ask.
4:3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.
4:4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

They must follow the master the head of the body as he walked upon this earth, no mystery here unless a Christian's would chose to walk differently? Nothing has changed in Christ, why should Christian's think if its not new its old, and no good, not exciting enough? If its not prophecy its not new, or needed for the body of Christ that has a head that feeds, cherishes and tells his body to walk and do the working of God upon earth.

Psalms 23:1 <<A Psalm by David.>> Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.

Psalms 34:9 Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him.

Psalms 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing.

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.

***Col.2:13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 2:14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; 2:15 having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

To be dead, and not be dead, the walking dead? Life is everywhere upon this earth, abundant life, peoples lives a full of life, family, friends, surrounded by living things, and yet when compared to God's world in the spirit realm we are dead, but how? This is real difficult even to many that profess Christianity that are born into this world under sin who are dead to God's world, and life in that world.

Isaiah 6:5 Then I said, "Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of Armies!"

Isaiah 6:7 He touched my mouth with it, and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven."

Luke 20:38 Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him."

Many confuse life here with life in God's world in paradise, where exist no death, no sickness, no disease or anything causing pain, with sin in this world, such in not possible. What cause death? Sin that is the final word from God on the matter the never changing word of God throughout history of mankind's existence upon this planet.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.

Romans 5:17 For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.

Even though we still die, we have eternal life in the real world to come. However, mixing the two worlds pollutes the Spirit and truth of God's world with yeast of human reasoning that is conceived in death and bring forth death although it be surrounded by abundant life in this world. When one trespasses they are illegally on some else property without consent of the owner. The earth and all that is in it belongs to the Great God YHWH. He has never given up ownership or his sovereignty over our planet earth. Because we are born into sin, we trespass on God's property. In other words, there are rules for living on this earth setup by God for mankind everlasting life!

Psalms 97:9 For you, Yahweh, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods.

Psalms 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

However, God's rules are life, that is, eternal life, each person obeying the rules over his Kingdom will have eternal life, nothing lower, like life for a mere eighty years on earth and then death. But mankind cannot live righteously under God's royal laws because they are born into sin. Satan the Devil said mankind could live by his own laws. However, we find on our earth full of those rules and laws, but none have brought eternal life to human race. They are good laws protecting us from harm of others, but they are not life. In other words, when the God of life speaks a law or a rule for us they are words with life in them, because he is life, nothing but life. When mankind makes a rule it is death because all men are sinners they can go no further, they are nothing but death in their sins.

Matthew 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.

John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 3:15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Subsequently, God removed our judgment by rules of human under death and placed us into a new life, a life not having death in it, which life is the resurrected Son of God Christ Jesus. Christ than became life for the human race if we share in his life. No prophet before or after is “Life” the many have words of life spoken by God such as the holy writings of scriptures, or words of truth, from great men and woman, but none of them are life and speak life as did the Son of God, being the life.

John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

John 5:26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.

John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.

John 5:40 Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.

Christ by dying in this life on earth proved faithful to the Father without sin. He was then rewarded with eternal life and incorruptible life, made into the image of his Father entrusted with all life for human on earth. He became the last Adam a life giving “spirit”! In Christ Jesus is life, and the door to life. So the question is before mankind, how does one not be a sinner when born into sin? Can a person remove yeast from bread once it is made, without making a new loaf? No!

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.

1 Corinthians 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

God made the new loaf, in killing our flesh, removing its judgment by burying us in Christ, in his death, and raising us in his life. Making us part of the new lump of unleavened bread having no sin. This is why we must account ourselves dead to sin, though our flesh rages against us daily for us to sin. If a person is dead, the laws of a country are invalid over them, they cannot prosecute a dead person. Law go as far the living to punish them. If God has killed you in the flesh than there is not judgment again of your flesh it is dead, put away buried, gone!

Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:9 knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him!

Romans 6:11 Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Once dead the life of a person is in God's adjudication, the sin is dead with the body because when it dies so goes it love, hates, jealous, wants, and needs, all it thoughts perish, which are things of the flesh and its lust. Those born again have received this provision of Christ life indwelling them while in their dying flesh upon this earth. Christ took all power away from everything man and Satan created to enslave them into death. No laws of this earth has power over Christ and his life, no laws of this earth are life, so they cannot benefit Christ or God's anointed in eating the unleavened bread of life which sustain our eternal life indwelling us, Christ Jesus. Christ strip the power of all authority on earth and in heaven by giving us his life, a life that must have God's law over it for eternal life, the Royal law that no human can produce or wicked spirit sons of God mimics, which Law is love. Love, the rule of law must come from incorruptible life for it must be pure without one spot or blemish of darkness - sin, it must be unwavering in righteousness, truth, and goodness, this food is the source of life that will flow to all mankind setting creation free. Such power and strength cannot be entrusted in mankind's hands, for their ways are corrupted being born into sin. They must be delivered out of darkness, by God's power to see the light, and walk in light, the flesh and its thinking ellipses the light causing death to this world alienated from the living light of God, Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:13 Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Revelation 21:24 The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.

Revelation 22:5 There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.

***Col.2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, 2:17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.

What is the context of Paul's words here? The context is found in Paul's words within the book of Colossians, and the rest of the Greek writings, really there is no mystery in the plain meaning of Paul's words. Was God's children under the judgment of the old law covenant or not? The answer is either yes or no? But nothing in between as the unrighteous uses to gain an agenda. The agenda was simple that Paul fought against everywhere within the Greek writings those who wanted the enslavement of the old law, and its judgment of sin put upon the body of Christ, which were freed from the judgment of sin, its really that simple!

Galatians 5:1 Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don't be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 5:16 The gift is not as through one who sinned: for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification.

The power of the old law, the heavens and its earth for Jews had been stripped by God upon Christ resurrection into the new heavens and earth with the administering of the new covenant for his body member. Christ had conquered death, death from the judgment of the law created for sin, and not the righteous, Christ had overcame this world Satan has built upon death and its laws interwoven upon all the nations upon earth for what purposes? Punishment of sinful mankind, making them obey what they don't naturally want to obey. Sinner need laws to protect, and punish those wicked among them unlike those under the law of love whom obey because they love their neighbor.

1Tim.1:9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 1:10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

Rom.13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not give false testimony," "You shall not covet,"{TR adds "You shall not give false testimony,"}{Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17-19,21} and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."{Leviticus 19:18}

The power of sin in the law, the law was one step toward the answer found in Christ the completion of God's works, where humans could come back to the Kings royal law of love by having there sins freely forgiven them as an act of God's love. All the glory of the law and its service with visual temples and priest effecting man to look good while in the present of holiness did not move Israel heart to love God in the secret place of their heart in their own closet, not seen by human eyes. No! Just as a person going to a fine restaurant puts on good manners while eating like a pig at home, so to are the religious putting on a show of good manner in a public place of worship, and yet acting like evil doers as home. God was having none of the lies of men, upon the truth, the Christ raised into heaven away from the pretense of men by various acts of eye worship in new moons and sabbath days where they could feel righteous in front of other humans seeking the same glory from men. Yes! The vessel of the old law was drained dry by the truth in Christ, where one must worship in Spirit and truth, not in show and go.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."{Isaiah 64:4}

Luke 11:34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness.

Ephesians 6:6 not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

However, the bread of Christ is unleavened bread, not the good tasting stuff of the world full of yeast, the worship of Christ is not a show seen in religion, than, and now, it it is an act of Holy Spirit and its fruits not exciting the flesh, but refreshing the Spirit in comfort and quietness. No power does God's Holy Spirit have for the plans of this world, God does not put Holy Spirit into the plans of this world trampling the glory of God as mere dirt under its feet with no regard for the precious life of Christ Jesus.

1 John 2:15 Don't love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love isn't in him. 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn't the Father's, but is the world's. 2:17 The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever.

Those having the life of Christ are no part of this world or false religion judgment of sins by laws for sinners. They are freed in Christ and under a pure worship found in the body of Christ, love, in this love of the Father comes the life of Christ doing works of freedom in the hearts of men and woman unseen and unheard of by the boisterous world of flesh.

Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn't have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.

James 3:10 Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
3:11 Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth.
3:15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

***Col.2:18 Let no one rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
2:19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God's growth.

Each of us have a spirit that is personified in our personality, each of us also have sinful flesh that puts on a personality for others. But those in Christ have the personality of the spirit of Christ working in them. They are dead to the flesh, and alive in Christ. Our flesh demands certain rules from others, and when they don't meet our expectation we bring them in line by words which punish or correct the person.

Romans 6:19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.

The flesh demands a religious person to act a certain way, and above all that way must be in humility, but if it is not from the spirit indwelling the person, which is the truth of us, it becomes a mocked humility. A mock up is a drawing, or an object that represent, and/or gives us a view of the reality we are going to build. But it is not the real thing. The question we must ask ourselves as a Christian is, what personality do we have, if our flesh it should be dead in Christ?

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don't find it doing that which is good.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

There is a humility in the flesh, an act of being humble in the eyes of other human which expected it from those serving God. This act is called putting on a hat for the occasion. Acting to the flesh is a god, which is why human love movies, theater, and idolize those performing in them as god's. How wonderful to act like someone we are not! Putting the hat of authority, or some other hat that is expected of us in a certain position to act a certain way. One goes to a fine restaurant and puts on airs of manners, one drinks a bottle of fine wine and acts highbrow.

Matthew 24:11 Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.

2 Corinthians 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Christ is the truth, he is not an act, and he hates a lie, which is an act of being something we are not. Christ being the truth knows the truth of us, what actually dwells in us as Christian's. We are saved in Christ, we have been given the life of Christ in dwelling as a living Spirit that teaches us the truth, so how can a person put on a act of holiness while in a Christian's gathering? Why would a Christian put on the airs of humility when what dwells in them is not humility?

James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth. 3:15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

Well, this is what Paul was concern with for those claiming to be in Christ, were they walking in truth, or were they walking in their flesh acting like they were in Christ? But this problems was not so simple them or for us, because of a most powerful tool the Devil and our own flesh used to be righteous before men in their flesh, and what is that?

Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Paul was demolishing the power of the law, showing these brothers and sister that keeping the law did not make them righteous, an act of righteousness demanded by the flesh in proving one was meeting the law. The law could not be meant by flesh that has been born into sin, it could not be keep it, but it could put on an act of humility as though it was keeping the law, how? By reverence in speech, by clothing, by acts of movements in projecting humility others. By using the scriptures think such makes a person righteous.

1 Timothy 1:9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Truth was Christ gave each of them a righteous standing with God, proof they had received eternal life within them, which is Christ spirit indwelling them. Now if that was true without meeting the law perfectly by acts of humility, how could going back to a law they could not keep give them greater life? In other words, if they did nothing to deserve the eternal life of Christ indwelling them, than how could acting more righteous in a mocked humility gain them a better standing with God than Christ indwelling them?

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

Ephesians 2:9 not of works, that no one would boast.

Well, it could not! But that was not the point of bring back the law Christ had completed and/or fulfilled for them by his merit on earth. The point was pleasing the flesh of others more than God. This was the truth of the spirit of flesh in them causing competition, causing self-justification, causing them to act opposite of the truth in them.

2 Timothy 1:9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,

James 4:1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your pleasures that war in your members?
4:2 You lust, and don't have. You kill, covet, and can't obtain. You fight and make war. You don't have, because you don't ask.
4:3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.
4:4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously"?
4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."{Proverbs 3:34}

These brothers and sister were proud to entertain others by acting like Christ, but not being Christ that should be indwelling them which life is hated by the flesh; the flesh is loved by the world. Such being in Christ brought them nothing from their flesh, no praise, no great honor, no power, no position, because it was dead without honor and glory. But these brothers and sister were wiser than God in killing their flesh for them, they wanted others to honor the good within their flesh, not the good indwelling them by Christ life, they had forgotten their cleansing from long ago?

1Cor.1:21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn't know God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.

1Cor. 1:26 For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; 1:27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 1:28 and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are:

***Col.2:20 If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances, 2:21 "Don't handle, nor taste, nor touch" 2:22 (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men? 2:23 Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

What are the elements of our world? Moreover, why did the apostle Paul speak of elements of the world, aren't elements the basic building blocks of everything created. Did God created the world, and the things in it, no he did not!

1 John 2:15 Don't love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love isn't in him. 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn't the Father's, but is the world's. 2:17 The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever.

1 John 3:1 Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn't know us, because it didn't know him.

Man world was created from the elements of mankind's brain, a brain of the flesh under sin alienated from God's elements created by his mind from Spirit and truth. Shouldn't every honest person professing to be a Christian's not know this simple truth of the very elements they were delivered from by the power of God in Christ Jesus? Sadly, most don't know the truth of these elements which God will expose in each one of us, causing at some point the enter system of things mankind has created to collapse into dust a humiliated position where is belongs before the Christ.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

Ephesians 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Mankind's mind builds all things from death, and the laws that governs their world from death laws. The mind of man cannot make a person a non-sinner required for eternal life. Yes, one has to be sinless to have eternal life. Thus, all mankind's laws are futile, basic truth, this is how the whole creation was subjected to futility and death, this is why the whole creation groans in death for the freedom in God's children, whom will set it free, but how. By the very point Paul is making above, which is what?

Rom.8:20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 8:21 that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.

Romans 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;

Romans 8:7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.

Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh can't please God.

Why were these brothers and sister applying laws of sin and death to a body of eternal life, Christ whom they had become a part of? Why would they subject life to death for what good reason? It certainly was not the mind of God, found in Christ, it would be from the mind of their flesh, which build a system of corruption and death! How could meeting laws that condemn sin of the wicked make them any more alive than the eternal life of Christ indwelling by God's Holy Spirit?

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.{NU omits "who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"}

Romans 8:3 For what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

The power of the flesh in looking righteous instead of being righteous by the life of Christ indwelling them! Does that shock you as a Christian's, will it should not only shock us, but sober us up to true righteousness! Humility of the flesh means nothing to Christ, he is not of the flesh no more, we know him so know more, or any man that way any longer. Humility of the flesh is under death and its laws, it is the act of all fallen flesh in sin which is called a liar to truth which does not put on an act in the flesh to please other humans.

The sinful flesh is dead in Christ of no value at all for eternal life, subjecting the flesh to harsh treatment by laws of a religion does not make it righteous or without the filth of the flesh, what were these so called children of God thinking let alone teaching?

1 Peter 3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you--not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

Why obey rules and laws of a religion to make a pleasing showing in our flesh? That is a real concern if a person has the Spirit of God with no false front? Now if one does it for the conscience of the weak, so they can teach them the truth of Spirit, perhaps? But if we do so coming under enslavement of sin again when we are freed in the eternal life of Christ without sin; let our religion not fool us by our own illustrator thoughts coming from our mouth we cannot bridal from teaching and speaking flesh and its elemental corruption created from death as a good motive, in something we lust for because we are afraid in our flesh in losing something we want to hang onto; justifying it with a noble causes.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.
1:18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
1:19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
1:20 for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.
1:21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls{or, preserve your life.}. 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. 1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; 1:24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does. 1:26 If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless. 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Completed on: January 9, 2015

by: Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus