The Way Is Very Narrow And The Gate Is Very Strait

The human mind:

The human mind was never created to function outside of the anointing of God. God created the human mind to literally flow with the holy anointing oil of the Holy Spirit. The book of Proverbs tells us that all knowledge, wisdom, and understanding come from God. Given that reality, who would want to be unplugged?

The Scripture is clear that we are three part beings. We have a spirit, soul, and body. The word for soul is also translated as mind, heart, and life. It appears that when we are born again our spirits are joined to the Holy Spirit in an amazing way. From that moment on, it is a battle for the mind. If we yield to the Holy Spirit, that puts our spirit in control of the mind. Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed—literally transfigured—by the renewing of your mind. That's all in passive voice, so it means that someone else is doing the renewing and the transfiguring—the Holy Spirit.

We believe that this transformation will include a changed life and much more.  The word that God uses here, He does not use lightly.  It is only used in three Scriptures.  The Greek word is metamorphoo.  It refers to a metamorphosis. It is used when Paul says that we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices and prove what is the good, acceptable and complete will of God is and to be transformed (metamorphoo) by the renewing of our minds. It is used to tell us that as we all take the veil away from our faces and see the glory of the Lord in those who are reflecting His glory, those who are being made into the image of God, that we will be transformed (metamorphoo) into the same image from glory to ever increasing glory and this will be done by the Spirit of the Lord. The real meaning, though is seen in the transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus was transfigured (metamorphoo) before them. If you can receive it, this is what is meant my this word. Salvation is much greater than we think. And four references of Scripture point to this transfiguration as the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ in His Kingdom and in His power. I don't say that I fully understand this. Perhaps no one does. At the same time, I don't want to tell God what His limits are. I want to walk into everything that He has for me. How about you?

Understanding some biblical terms:

Some time ago, God showed me that grace is not forgiveness. The Greek word, charis, means free gift or unmerited favor. Paul says that, when he does good works, it is not he, Paul, who does the works but grace that lives in Paul. There are other verses that equate charis with the Holy Spirit and that equate charis with power. I don't claim to understand this one hundred percent, but I have touched the edges of that power.

Faith is the other word. The Greek word, pistis, literally means stability. The Bible gives us some clues as to what it is. First, it is a substance—the substance of things hoped for. It is also evidence—the evidence of things not seen. And faith without works is dead. Also, Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Literally, that is: faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by "A" word from God. We know from a multitude of other scriptures that God does speak. Anyone who will explore finds out by experience that God can be found. We also know that we can learn to discern His voice from other spriits and from our own minds and that it is a sin to speak a vision out of our own minds,

By grace through faith:

God showed me a vision of a leaf and it was being carried by the wind. The shape of the leaf is faith. The wind is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit can take the leaf wherever it wants because of the shape of the leaf. The Holy Spirit can take us wherever He wants if we just have faith. If the leaf were a rock, the wind would have little effect on the leaf/rock. When we hear God's voice, and He tells us something, we can either obey or not. When we obey, our senses are exercised by reason of use and we can hear better the next time. When we disobey, our consciences are seared by a hot iron and we have a bit of spiritual hearing loss.

Strait and narrow:

Now, here is the amazing thing that I just realized about the strait and narrow way. We just never realized how strait and how narrow this way is. Of course, we know that strait is not straight.  Strait is the gate.  So it is a constricted gate.  Jesus is the Way.  Jesus is the door. 

Take what the Bible says about faith and add one more point from Scripture: whatever is not of faith is sin. That means that if God didn't tell me to do it,then it is sin for me. If God tells me to do something and I don't do it, then it is sin to me.  It is disobedience. It is falling short.  The reality is that God directs our lives. When He does, we either obey or we don't. There are no gray areas. There are no shades or shadows. When God directs us to take one of two very good and Scriptural choices, only one of them is the direction of God. Not only that, but God never contradicts Himself—that is, His direction is always in line with Scripture. And the Scripture cannot be broken.

Whatever Is Not Of faith Is Sin

Romans 14:23 tells us simply that anything that is not of faith is sin.  Faith comes from God. (James 1:17) Faith comes by hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17) It is possible to read the Bible and not hear the word of God. (2 Corinthians 3:14) We must remain connected to Christ. (John 15:5) We can become disconnected. (Colossians 2:19)

Everything that doesn't originate from God is sin.

What Is Sin?

Sin Is Falling Short Of The Glory Of God, The Glory That God Planned For You.

God has a good plan for you, to attain to God’s glory. 

God’s glory is very high.  The glory that God has planned for us is beyond our ability to imagine or reach for.  God is Love, and the world has rebelled against Love.  God's glory is true love.  We aren't talking about the counterfeit love, the snake oil that cannot satisfy, which Hollywood and hedonism is selling.  God's glory is full of real love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, humility, strength, and faith, and some people are missing out on purpose.  They are purposefully missing out, and that is sin.

To miss all of this glory is sin.  This is literally what sin is...

... sin is missing the mark.  Sin is failure.  This is the sin that Jesus came to overcome.  Jesus came to set us free from sin, from continually missing the mark. Jesus removes the stain and guilt.  Jesus forgives. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit so we can begin to be led by the Spirit. Jesus gives power to walk in the Spirit and do what is right and good--to overcome SIN.

Sin is not walking into the glory that God has planned for us.  Rebellion separates us from God.  When we are separated from God, we cannot be godly--how would it be possible to be godly?  When we are separated from God, we miss out on His leading and His power.  When we are joined to God, we have His leading and power.  His leading always leads us into righteousness.  His power is power to do righteousness.

The lack of love is also known as sin.   Jesus said that if you love Him, you will keep His commandments.  His commandment is to love.  Adultery, Fornication, Stealing, Lying, Cheating, Envying, Killing; these are all examples of a lack of love.

This sin is rebellion against God, which results in missing the mark.  Sin is failing to attain to the glory of God. It is a desire to NOT commune with God.  It is a desire to NOT glorify and respect God and NOT hold Him in holy reverence. It is a desire to add to and take away from God's Word and to follow one's own mind and will, which leads to spiritual death and is the cause of physical misery, sickness, and death.

See also: What Else Can We Know About Sin?

How Can I Be Free Of Sin And Walk In Holiness?

I asked my brother, "Isn't it true that the Bible, taken as it is written, has the promise that we who walk in the Spirit could walk right into total holiness?"  My brother was silent for a moment, then thoughtfully said, "Yes; but don't we walk one step at a time?"

Many have lost the hope of holiness.  Many have, as a result, re-defined holiness.  The Bible is very bold in stating that holiness is the kind of holiness that the Father has and that it is available to us through Christ.

How?

By walking in the Spirit.

Some have said that the Holy Spirit is given to help us to walk in holiness.  This is only partly correct, and it misses the most important things.

• We, in our nature, have no  ability to walk in holiness. 
• We can emulate holiness in  order to impress ourselves or others that we are holy. 
  • in order to impress ourselves  or others that we are holy. 
  • by trying to obey a set of  rules or laws or principles
    • lines drawn in the sand.
    • these cannot bring true  holiness.
    • these can lead to false hope,  hypocrisy, and spiritual deadness (read the bood of Galatians, which was  a letter to believers, not unbelievers).
• We cannot deny the reality that 
  • there are thoughts that enter  our minds that are not pure,
  • we get angry,
  • we become discouraged,
  • there are times when we are  not flowing in the ultimate anointing of God,
  • there are times when God is  not the most prominent focus of our minds,
  • we have not come the  manifestation of Jesus Christ in our lives,
  • our bodies have not been  redeemed fully.
• God's Spirit is given so that  we can learn to yield our minds to Him.
  • As we yield, our minds are  renewed by the Spirit.  (He does the work.)
  • As we yield, He thinks His  thoughts through us. (He is the source of all wisdom, knowledge, and  understanding.)
  • As we yield, He says His words  through us.  (We begin to speak as the oracles of God.)
  • As we yield, He does His works  through us.  (We never do our own will, but only the will of our  Father.)
• The Scriptural pattern for the church is an integral part  of this transformation, which is why God is in process of restoring it.
• From time to time, we see a  flash of His glory in our lives.
  • It is not continuous.
  • It is not complete.
  • Mostly, we are in process of  coming into His glory.
  • His forgiveness is continual  and perpetual, covering our missteps.
  • God's desire is to continue to  flow through us until we are conformed into His very image in every facet  of our being.  When that happens, we will be transfigured by the  renewing of our minds.

Have I really sinned and come short of God's glory and holiness standard?

Yes.  God's standard is absolute, and only He has a right to hold out such a high goal for you.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23

That includes you, but you can be one of those who is saved.  Since you can't do it, God arranged that He would do it for you.

Click to understand how you can be born again?

Sin

Love

Holy Spirit

Holiness, Sanctification, and Stability

The Strait and Narrow Way

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There is so much more for you. This is what you have been missing. Don't let anyone deceptively keep you from fulfilling your destiny and God's purpose for your life.

God has established the pattern of Scripture, for life and for the Church.

You can feel free to use the Contact Form further down on this page to ask any question regarding this pattern of Scripture. The Church, the Body of Christ, and discernment of this Body, is the method that God is using to finish the work in His Body. The Body of Christ, God's Temple, is built up by that which every joint supplies, building each other up in love, and the Temple must be built according to the pattern of Scripture.

We believe the Holy Scriptures teach:

• The 5 apostolic ministries (Ephesians 4:11)
• The nine gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)
• Local congregations overseen by elders and deacons (Titus 1:5)
• Every member having and being a ministry in the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:11)
• Being led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)
• The gathering together of the Body of Christ (Genesis 49:10, John 17:21)