Life in Christ

The Letters

Life in Christ

Book Three of Four of the Way to Life Series

(Plan for Life, KING Jesus, Life in Christ, The Living End)

by K. P. Walker

Copyright 2015 K. P. Walker

All rights reserved

For personal use only. May not be printed for commercial purposes.

Discuss the contents and encourage your friends to purchase a book.

Cover by K. P. Walker

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Scriptures quoted were taken predominantly from the RSV, Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Used by permission.

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1946, 1952, 1976 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.

(NIV) The New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.

(Phillips) The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition. Copyright © 1972 by Macmillan Publishing Co., N.Y.

Before you read this book you should be somewhat familiar with: Luke, Acts, Romans

The commentary presented in this book is independent of any denominational influence.

It is predicated upon a loving God reaching out to salvage those doomed to destruction.

1 Corinthians 2:13

And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit.

Contents

The Pattern for Life

Holy Spirit

Faith

Prayer

Lead - Gifts - Love

Christian Exodus

Beginnings

Jesus as a Walker by Faith

Fulfillment

Jesus as Teacher - Followers as Students

Chosen

Graduation

Peter

Paul and Others

Armor Up

Introduction

The Bible was traditionally divided into the Old Testament (law) and New Testament (faith), but as the Plan for Life it can be divided into five functional units: 1 - What, 2 - How, 3 - Who, 4 - What Now, 5 - What next. This book Life in Christ will provide you with insight into section 4 (what now) and explains some of the major components of the New Testament to enable you to better comprehend the Plan for Life at work in you. It will help you understand the Acts of the Apostles and the letters portion of the New Testament. You will see that they concern your life in Christ and that they provide an instruction manual on how to live the Christian life, for those of you that have the Holy Spirit. The life of Jesus will be examined as an example of a mature walk by faith while the Apostles are examined first as learners (disciples), then as mature walkers by faith.

The Pattern for Life

The ‘What Now’ section of the New Testament canon is a purposely-selected collection of writings to provide a better picture of the working of the Holy Spirit and to render guidance in spiritual growth. It essentially tells believers how to walk by the Holy Spirit and live as God’s people in Christ. This canon excluded many writings that offered narratives or theology inconsistent with other accepted writings (such as the Epistle of Barnabas) or that did not provide spiritual lessons or insight into proper Christian deportment. The letters are placed in an order that assists the reader to progress in spiritual knowledge. The New Testament is predicated upon the presumption that those reading this compilation of writings have repented (turned to Jesus in heart, soul and mind) and not only want to understand the new relationship they have established with and in Jesus, but want to live it. For it is only when the reader is in Jesus that the New Testament has any validity or meaning.

The New Testament gospels and letters are like a school textbook. They provide stories of people on their personal journeys to spiritual maturity and stories of others that have reached that maturity in Christ. In the gospels the Apostles are disciples (learners) of Jesus (teacher). Jesus is the first example of a mature walk by faith. In the Acts of the Apostles they are the teachers. To assist in providing insight into the lives of these people you first need an introduction to the major components provided by God to believers of that time that enable and assist their Christian walks.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the focus of the book ‘The Acts of the Apostles’. In fact this book could rightly be given the expanded title of ‘Acts of the Apostles Empowered By The Holy Spirit’ or even ‘Acts of the Holy Spirit" since he is the source of power enabling the apostles to walk according to God’s will (Plan) and he is the guide for that walk. He(?) is also the principal presence in the remainder of the What Now section of the Bible (the letters by the apostles).

What is the role of the Holy Spirit? The One-God (Deuteronomy 6:4) displays three life-giving actions generally known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to salvage repentant humanity from its doomed existence. The Father is the one who made the Plan for Life in an unsolicited gesture of love to salvage condemned mankind (see Plan for Life). The Son implemented that Plan (See KING Jesus). He was/is also the crux of the Plan wherein the One-God as a man paid the price for sin and arose back to life. The Holy Spirit is the one that effectuates the plan by invigorating, managing and completing the people with citizenship in God’s kingdom. God is one, so the three life-giving actions by the One-God are performed in concert and that concert is in accord with the Plan for Life.

The Holy Spirit is not a new presence operating only in the New Testament. The Old Testament revealed his activity also. He is recorded to have been active in the beginning of the Plan (Genesis 1:2) where the Spirit moved over the face of the waters. And God when speaking to Moses about the spirit which was upon him said, (Numbers 11:17) I will take some of the spirit which is upon you and put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not have to bear it all yourself. This would enable these men to be wise judges and arbitrators. So in Numbers 11:25, The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to [Moses] and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. Prophesy (to declare truth plainly) is a prominent action enabled by the Holy Spirit. Numbers 11:26 recorded, Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them - so they prophesied in the camp. When Joshua voiced his objection to their speaking Moses chided him (Numbers 11:29) saying, Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his spirit upon them! (This was prophetic. The men in camp separated from the others represented the Gentiles who would also receive the Holy Spirit.)

So you know, even though it is not expressly stated, all the Prophets of the Old Testament had the Spirit so they could prophesy (spelled with an ‘s’). A prophet taught God’s will (Plan for Life) and revealed why and how the plan would be implemented. Prophets put man in his place (enslaved to sin) and placed God in his place (exalted and worthy of praise). A prophecy (spelled with a ‘c’) generally looked to the future in anticipation of the suffering Messiah, and the glorified Messiah. Prophecies also told of God’s people and their destiny, and of those enthralled by sin and their destiny.

Even back then Gentiles could be prophets (Numbers 24:2). Balaam lifted up his eyes, and saw Israel encamping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him. And again, Balaam said to the king (v. 13), If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will; what the Lord speaks, that will I speak. And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days. Balaam usually did auguring for money using omens, not the Spirit. The Spirit is impossible to be contained. Jeremiah said in 20:9, If I say, ‘I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,’ there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. And Saul before he became king was enabled to prophesy, as you come to the city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. Then the spirit of the Lord will come mightily upon you, and you shall prophesy with them and be turned into another man. Saul was turned temporarily, but being turned into another man permanently (being born anew) is the gift to all that seek the Lord.

The Holy Spirit makes leaders. Judges 3:10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon [Othniel], and he judged Israel; he went out to war. Judges 6:34 says, The Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon. And in Judges 11:29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. Of David 1 Samuel 16:13 says, Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed [David] in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. When Moses was about to die (Numbers 27:17-19) he asked God to appoint a new leader to bring the people into the Promised Land. Who shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; cause him to stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. So it is apparent that the Spirit makes God’s leaders.

In Daniel 5:11 it is written that even a heathen Queen such as Belshazzar’s wife could recognize the presence of the Spirit. She said speaking of Daniel, There is in your kingdom a man in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. The Spirit also gave wisdom and understanding in the Old Testament. In 1 Kings 4:29