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#Post#: 3055--------------------------------------------------
Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: Helen
Date: January 10, 2015, 3:35 pm
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I read this and liked it. Maybe you will too...or not, as the
case may be :)
All believers have faith, and God through it matures the life of
Christ within by His Spirit through the new nature and His Word.
Maturity involves through the beginning stage of salvation and
“going on to completion” (Heb 6:1), through “being conformed
(not conforming) to the image of His Son.” We are progressively
being “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as
by the Spirit of the Lord (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18).
One important phrase is “being conformed,” and the difference
between conforming and being conformed, (which is the difference
between self-conformation and Spirit-conformation. Self can only
conform to the Adamic nature, same result that a fountain cannot
“send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter.” )
All godly conformation is “by His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph
3:16), e.g. in the “new man” or new nature, which is “after the
image of Him (Jesus) that created Him (it—the new nature).
For every child of God, there is an ongoing maturity process
resulting from His use of “all things” (Rom 8:28) that occurs in
our lives, which results in strengthening our faith to His Word.
All victory has been accomplished in the believers life, thus it
is always a matter of our faith in this accomplishment of
Christ. This produces rest and security which will increase the
strength of our faith and His use of our lives—“while it is
called ‘Today’” (Heb 3:13) for, “the night cometh when no man
can work.”
By
Netchaplain
,
#Post#: 3665--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: Ivor
Date: February 21, 2015, 7:55 pm
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The inner is the important one even if no one sees it, wearing a
Sunday suit but inside being dead men's bones is no life at all.
I knew duty many years before I knew God and looking the part
and doing the part is of no heavenly benefit without Spirit
confirmation. Now I don't own a suit and I refuse to play that
game because the inner man is who he is "warts n all" as he is
being conformed.
#Post#: 3668--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: James
Date: February 22, 2015, 6:50 am
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I liked it. Reminded me of Peter whom Jesus said would spread
forth his arms and he would be taken where he did not want to
go, or words to that affect.
As if in the spirit we just stand like a nobleman and wait for
another to dress us.
Whereas the other is to see what our role model does and then we
try as hard as we can to mimic his every move and intonation of
speech, boy does that sound like hard works.
#Post#: 3777--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: Amadeus
Date: March 2, 2015, 7:42 pm
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--- Quote ---
> Ivor: The inner is the important one even if no one sees it,
wearing a Sunday suit but inside being dead men's bones is no
life at all. I knew duty many years before I knew God and
looking the part and doing the part is of no heavenly benefit
without Spirit confirmation. Now I don't own a suit and I refuse
to play that game because the inner man is who he is "warts n
all" as he is being conformed.
--- End Quote ---
But, it is not the wearing or not wearing of a suit alone that
will make or break us. You don't even own one whereas I have
several. You don't perhaps so as to not be seen as playing a
game, whereas I wear one in order to give honor to God in a
society that so often completely ignores Him or covers Him with
abuse. Each of us intends, I believe, to please God. That is
where we should be.
#Post#: 3778--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: Ivor
Date: March 2, 2015, 8:01 pm
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I totally agree Amadeus, there is also an age thing and an area
or country thing where casual attire is viewed as very
disrespectful. I would expect no less of the older ones in the
congregation to do as they have always done. Our country has
gone quite casual where many companies don't require suits to
work unless it's a formal meeting. I have attended meetings
where some have been offended at my wife turning the washing
machine on before going to church because its Sunday. As you
say. [size=18pt]each of us intends, I believe, to please God
pleasing man should always be somewhere after that if at
all[/size]
#Post#: 3782--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: Dave
Date: March 2, 2015, 11:02 pm
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It must be late; It took me a bit to realise; you were both
talking about natural suits; all of us wear something that's
seen; if what's on the inside is not seen on the outside; you
might as well be naked. Jesus said if you've seen me , you've
seen the Father.
#Post#: 3785--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: James
Date: March 3, 2015, 5:54 am
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That last bit Dave made me think of Adam. If after being called
he turned up to God with vine leaves and said I hid because I
was naked. Would that indicate that in reality we each fully
know when we are putting on a face to try to please the Lord, we
are then without excuse.
#Post#: 3795--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: Ivor
Date: March 3, 2015, 7:41 pm
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We do James, its our trait as fallen man but sometimes we are
putting on a face to try to please other men to gain some kind
of approval.
A close friend once said
(1) I think others see me as I see me
(2) and yet I know others see me as they see me
(3) but thankfully God sees me as he sees me
2 and 3 are far closer than our view of ourselves, so you my
friends are a better judge of my character than I am....
#Post#: 3799--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: James
Date: March 4, 2015, 2:57 am
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That is true Ivor and yet we desire to know as we are known. If
I saw me the way the Lord sees me I would see a wonderful man
full of grace and peace, I would not be stressed or feel
insecure, I would not strive or want to be "something" in fact I
would be 1 Cor13 and at perfect rest.
If I only saw me the way my saviour does!!
#Post#: 3800--------------------------------------------------
Re: Conformed, not conforming..
DIR By: Pat
Date: March 4, 2015, 3:17 am
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For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not
think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think
of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith
God has distributed to each of you. Romans 12:3
We mustn't think too highly of ourselves but also we mustn't put
ourselves down and keep looking inward to find fault. We must
allow only the Holy Spirit to do that. I seems that the longer
we have been Christians the more faults we will find.
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