See for more themes.

Steps To Christ, Growing up into Christ

Q:8 The Steps of Christ

Show 'Steps To Christ' is inspired.

Chapter 8: Growing up into Christ

Ellen p. 67" The change of heart by which we become children of God is in the Bible spoken of as birth. Again, it is compared to the germination of the good seed sown by the husbandman. In like manner those who are just converted to Christ are, “as new-born babes,” to “grow up” to the stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15. Or like the good seed sown in the field, they are to grow up and bring forth fruit. Isaiah says that they shall “be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3. So from natural life, illustrations are drawn, to help us better to understand the mysterious truths of spiritual life.

Christians grow as a seedling does. We become as similes of trees of the Lord of the Forest.

Ellen p. 67" Not all the wisdom and skill of man can produce life in the smallest object in nature. It is only through the life which God Himself has imparted, that either plant or animal can live. So it is only through the life from God that spiritual life is begotten in the hearts of men. Unless a man is “born from above,” he cannot become a partaker of the life which Christ came to give. John 3:3, margin.

The second birth experience seems to be a daily process, where the creative function of the Holy Spirit from the compassion-centre renews our character more and more like Jesus, using His breath of salvation, the Holy Spirit engineers in us a renewed spiritual change.

Ps 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God (elohiym) "family power" ; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

We are similes of earth and soil, a garden of Eden to be replanted anew by ourselves in partnership with GOD. Each character trait is a simile of seed that germinates daily in us. Thus from the compassion-centre of the Holy Spirit, are the words-personified of Jesus, the 'prayer promises of power' sown, each with germinating power, able to do what they say the words can do. We are simply using child like faith, 'take with us words' and speak them to Jesus, for each power flow promises a fearful-flow in you, for the Father's glory. Thus everyday, every moment of your walking down your road, each step is directed by powers from Jesus, and thus this community garden of Eden will become established.

Ex 23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.

The Father sends Jesus, His Son to overseer our growing of our gardens, in His powers, because the Father's Name is in him. Jesus is the Father's messenger, not as King James translates as an angel.Here Jesus uproots weeds from your garden one at a time, lest making your character all bare at once, worse weeds take root instead. So the changes to your garden is gradual, it's a life long process of spending quality time with Jesus powers.

Ex 23:30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

The worst weed to uproot is our Baal master power of self, it often take over when our tongues speak in the presence of others who do not know Jesus. We instinctly speak; down to their level. Talk less.

Sow a 'prayer p romise of power' Ask Jesus what to sow. Support Jesus words.

Ellen p. 69" Jesus teaches the same thing when He says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me.... Without Me ye can [69] do nothing.” John 15:4, 5. You are just as dependent upon Christ, in order to live a holy life, as is the branch upon the parent stock for growth and fruitfulness. Apart from Him you have no life. You have no power to resist temptation or to grow in grace and holiness. Abiding in Him, you may flourish. Drawing your life from Him, you will not wither nor be fruitless. You will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.

Soon you will become a tree making shade and fruit. People will come to you automatically because of your shade and taste of your fruits, that come from the Father, and praise the GOD in heaven.

Yashua 8:1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.(KJV)

In Jesus version of 'Steps to Christ' the poetry image of the eagle comes against the Church of GOD.

Notice the eagle as a poetry simile:-

(Poetry has the ability to show pictures of complexity into single words. Thus in order to view poetry pictures correctly we have to look up where these pictures are further explained. Studying poetry is fun and difficult. While the Scripture version of 'Steps to Christ' looks brief, it is in reality not brief at all, for other Scriptures are locked into the poetry pictures.)

De 32:8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

9 For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:

12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god (el) "Strong Authority" with him.

13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock (cela) "Jesus rock" , and oil out of the flinty rock (tsuwr) "Father rock";

What is strange is the Hebrew says the single numerical one of Strong Authority "alone" did lead the Church. But if you look at the poetry passage, the Father and the Holy Spirit and Jesus are all mentioned here.

Jeff Benner suggests the Hebrew word "badad" meaning "alone" refers to one being in the house of many rooms with others, but separated from others because of the many rooms. This suggests Jesus was not solitary, but working as a single Authority, but the flow of power was still a relational one from the Divine Family Power. When the New Testament says My Father and I are one, this meaning is strange. The < a href='ss-1054.htm'> Hebrew word "echad" suggests united as a single unit. Other scripture says a husband's naked body is the same as his wife's naked body.

Le 18:8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

For more see:-

(1) Shape of Holy Spirit and Father

(2) The Father as a parent with the Shadday

(3) Heavenly Father as a king of heaven?

(4) Old and new Name of the Father

So the "Eagle poetry picture" is a simile picture of Jesus primarily working with us, via the Father and via the Holy Spirit, helping His church to experience the breath of His salvation. Jews say the YHWH is all there is, a Father on His own, but this eagle passage does suggest this at all. If the Scriptures wanted to suggest YHWH is indeed all alone, it would say "..As an eagle stirreth up His nest, fluttereth over His young, spreadeth abroad His wings, taketh them, beareth them on His wings:".. But scripture doesn't say this. The Scriptures could also leave out mentioning the "cela rock", and just mention the "tsuwr" flint Father rock, but again Scripture mentions both rocks, as well as oil.

And if Jews think the "Father has wings"... why we even have hymns that say "Under His wings, I am safely abiding..." Does the Father really have wings like a bird? No. But the Holy Spirit does. This passage is another example where both members are pictured together as one.

Ps 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Shadday) "Holy Spirit's old Name" .

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God (elohiym) "Divine Family Power; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare (pach) "technology snares" of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth (emeth) "supporting words" shall be thy shield and buckler. (KJV)

Again this picture is not a single numerical one YHWH who only makes up Elohiym. How do we scientifically know this? Because of the word " shadow ". You cannot take a single object as a source of light and make it a shadow as well, you need TWO personal objects to make shadows. And the Hebrew says the Father and the Holy Spirit are acting as one.

This picture explains the process:

Does the reader see how two Divine Beings can function as a single functional picture?

The Provider and the Responder, both must work together for COMPLETE LOVE to shine forth onto MANKIND, as a "yellow shadow of love pictured here".

The light we receive from the Provider via the Responder, as "yellow light shown here", falls unto human objects causing a further two types of shadows, the preumbra shadow and the umbra shadow, according to science, there are two shadows made on earth (shown as darker grey and lighter grey).

.

When you place a pen on your desk, the light makes a fully dark region called an umbra shadow. But if you lift the pen toward the light from the ceiling, the light penetra tes into the umbra shadow making a second shadow that is less dark with more light, a pre-umbra shadow.

For more, see Sin-offering NOT unto death.

Yashua 8:1 Jesus shall come as an eagle ....

2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God (elohiym) "Family Power" , we know ( yada ) "are intimate with" thee.

So in the "Steps to Christ" written by Jesus or Hosea in chapter 8, regarding Ellen White's chapter 8 of "Steps to Christ", entitled "Growing Up into Christ",the children of Israel exclaim to Jesus, but we are intimate with you? Are they says Jesus?

Yashua 8:7 For they have sown the wind (ruwach) "Holy Spirit powers", and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. (KJV)

Notice among other Scripture passages this one here. Israel seems to experience the Holy Spirit, but it becomes a whirlwind experience instead. Let's look at this word "whirlwind", another poetry picture that packs other Scriptures into this 'word picture'.

Job 21:17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! {God} distributeth sorrows in his anger.

18 They are as stubble before the wind (ruwach) "Holy Spirit power", and as chaff that the storm (cuwphah) "whirlwind or storm" carrieth away.

19 God (eloah) "old name for Father" layeth up his iniquity (aven) "propensities" for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know (yada) "intimately know" it.

20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty (shadday) "old name for Holy Spirit".

Notice something is wrong with Israel's Holy Spirit experience, and the Father sends His destruction via His Holy Spirit as a whirlwind.

Yashua 8:11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.

Strange how a church sets up altars to promote more sinning? Where is the victory from sinning?

Yashua 8:12 I have written to him the great things of my law (torah) "teachings", but they were counted as a strange thing.

Jesus writes His teachings as former rains (OT) and latter rains (NT), but the Church saw them as strange things. How many Churches today read Scripture in the OT and NT as Hebrew, the original tongue, as Ancient Hebrew ?

Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

As Scripture says Scripture should be studied, line upon line, in Hebrew, the original tongue, we have relied on human translators who bring God's messages in a new tongue, but it comes with stammering lips,and is not a refreshing because the people do not hear...This is a Scripture prophecy regarding Scripture going out in new tongues or languages... Paul uses this text ( in 1Cor 14:21), regarding people talking in Churches with new tongues, but equally can refer to Scriptures in new tongues as well.

Isa 28:7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink,...

As Scripture says Scripture is read by Priests under strong drink, promoting false doctrines or wine, leading people astray..

Yashua 8:13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

God called his church out of Egypt (the world) but the Church has gone back to the world (Egypt). Strange?

1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

A worldly church does not have Jesus or the Father or the Holy Spirit in it. No wonder they got a whirlwind instead, destruction from the Father, via the Holy Spirit.

Yashua 8:14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker,...

So ends Jesus "Steps to Christ' on the chapter "Growing up into Christ". Not very positive is the message is it? The Church as forgotten their Maker, they see the Bible teachings as a strange thing, they sow the Holy Spirit but get a whirlwind of destruction instead. They promote sinning upon the altar. Surely Jesus describes "Growing up into Christ", but writes how NOT to grow up into Jesus. Often Scripture uses the negative to highlight the positive. The ten commandments are good examples of this. Why is this? Because people are so far off track, God needs to be firm with His messages.

Ellen p. 69" Many have an idea that they must do some part of the work alone. They have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, but now they seek by their own efforts to live aright. But every such effort must fail. Jesus says, “Without Me ye can do nothing.”

Some churches see salvation this way. God forgives us. We grow doing good things in our human powers. This is NOT being a true Christian.

Ellen p. 69" It is by communion with Him, daily, hourly, —by abiding in Him,—that we are to grow in grace. He is not only the Author, but the Finisher of our faith. It is Christ first and last and always. He is to be with us, not only at the beginning and the end of our course, but at every step of the way. David says, “I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Psalm 16:8.

Every second of your walk, you must commune with Jesus, walking in His power to do using His powers to do, not your human powers of self.

Ellen p. 69" Do you ask, “ How am I to abide in Christ?” In the same way as you received Him at first. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” “The just shall live by faith.” Colossians 2:6; Hebrews 10:38.

How do I get more and more of Jesus in me? The Scripture says:-

Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith:....

Let's see where these latter rain teachings are supported from?

Hab 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just (tsaddiyq) "straight" shall live by his faith (amenuah) "support".

So how does Salvation work? The Straight live by their Support.

Ellen p. 70" You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to serve and obey Him, and you took Christ as your Saviour. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change your heart; but having given yourself to God, you believe that He for Christ’s sake did all this for you. By faith you became Christ’s, and by faith you are to grow up in Him— by giving and taking. You are to give all,—your heart, your will, your service,—give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take all,—Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper,— to give you power to obey.

Consecra te yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.” This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ.

So how does Salvation work? Ellen White writes the Hebrew process into English using words a child might understand. The Author writes the same process using Hebrew meaning in a little more of their raw meaning. Both messages say the same thing. You have to support Jesus daily, to serve Him. By support you are to grow up in Jesus by speaking His words, by giving and taking, and Jesus will give you His powers to obey. Every morning make Jesus you very first work. Study His words, pray those words, lay down your plans and talk and listen to Jesus talk back to you via His word and via the conscience in your soul, that is administrated by the Holy Spirit. Surrender your "self" powers of doing things in your own human power, and sow Jesus words instead, walking in His powers.

Ellen p. 71" When the mind dwells upon self, it is turned away from Christ, the source of strength and life. Hence it is Satan’s constant effort to keep the attention diverted from the Saviour and thus prevent the union and communion of the soul with Christ. The pleasures of the world, life’s cares and perplexities and sorrows, the faults of others, or your own faults and imperfections—to any or all of these he will seek to divert the mind. Do not be misled by his devices. Many who are really conscientious, and who desire to live for God, he too often leads to dwell upon their own faults and weaknesses, and thus by separating them from Christ he hopes to gain the victory. We should not make self the center and indulge anxiety and fear as to whether we shall be saved. All this turns the soul away from the Source of our strength. Commit the keeping of your soul to God, and trust in Him. Talk and think of Jesus. Let self be lost in Him. Put away all doubt; dismiss your fears. Say with the apostle Paul, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith "support" of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

When the SOP is talking about "Self" what Hebrew word might this concept be?

The moment the eye of faith "support" is turned away from Christ, and there is a seeking after the world in conforming to health-and-life-destroying fashions, that moment the soul begins a course that will lose for it the favor of God. Ye cannot serve God and Baal. The Lord Jesus died in order that we might have tender consciences through committing ourselves to God, and having our mind and will in harmony with God's mind and will. The reason why so many have a crippled experience in the things of God, is that they do not commit themselves, soul and body, to do God's will, to be conformed to God's way. The world is permitted to creep into the heart, and is there cherished as a welcome guest. When the world holds control over us, the atmosphere we breath is of a dark, murky character, and body and soul deteriorate. The soul becomes diseased, and spiritual life is infected with spiritual consumption. The world steals the thought, and self is served and indulged, and views of the purity, goodness, and matchless love of Jesus, are eclipsed and dimmed. Peace is gone, and the soul is no longer committed to Christ in simple trust, and the whole Christian life becomes wavering and uncertain. The Holy Spirit of God is not welcomed into the soul as a reprover and comforter. (The Youth’s Instructor September 14, 1893 )

Every heart emptied of self will have the quickening energy of the Holy Spirit. It is now that some are being worked by satanic agencies. Mark the fruit. The whole life is one of ambitious determination to carry out their own plans and purposes, to do a special work to exalt themselves. God puts to them the challenge, “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. If it be God, serve Him; if Baal, serve him.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 18 [Nos. 1301-1359], Page 129)

I am bidden to say to our church members: Will you now take your stand fully on the Lord’s side, or will you serve the Lord when it is convenient and Baal when it is convenient? Christ says, “No man can serve two masters.” “He that is not for Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.” [Matthew 6:24; 12:30.] To be loyal to God means an entire renunciation of self and all evil working. (Lt 133, 1904 )

So what Hebrew word does "Self" refer to as a process? "Baal" which comes into two forms, the verb form means "master" as an incomplete action. And when fully developed and complete, the noun form also means "Master" but the person is totally devoted to worship of idols portayed as "Self", "Satan" and "Sinning".

So the Author is correct in assessing "Self" as "Baal master powers of human effort, that mean nothing to God". This propensity will extremely difficult to remove, for when talking in the presence of others who do not know Jesus, our 'fallen nature instinct' is to babble with our tongues using our Baal master powers of self, talking lots of sinful stupidity.

What we need to do is to talk less, let "our words be few", is a "Prayer Promise of power", and abide more with Jesus, asking Him in our minds, what do I say to them now?

Let us "edify others" (Rom 14:19) is a "prayer promise of power", we can claim to help us speak the right words to those who do not suppport Jesus.

Let the Author speak about yesterday 7 June 2019, regarding "Self".

"I was eating breakfast in the Village Restaurant in my silence heard rock music playing. As I left the meal hall, the musical technology snare continued in my mind playing the same tune over and over. So I sowed a "prayer promise of power" (Ps 91:2-3) "Father deliver me from the musical technology snare", and so the conscience spoke to me to fill my mind with God's singing, So I sang our Psalm 23 song, and others songs. The Satanic song left me. Eventually my mind became silent and empty. And so the Satanic song came back. Why I asked GOD in my conscience? Did not we sow a "prayer promise of power"? and we received victory in Jesus? The answer I received:- if your soul is empty and cleared of weeds, what happens to your soul's soil? The weeds come back. In order to remove Baal master powers of self, and Satan as a ruler, we have to fill your land with our powers all the time, not just sometimes... "Oh I see" I said. So I started singing about Jesus more and more, for hours on end. After a long while in the quiet communion and silence with Jesus, I could think and water the flowers He created for me without Baal master powers taking over our Relationship in Jesus.

This is one such lesson I learned in my training, how "Self" is removed, and how "prayer promises of power" work in our minds. Shalom

Ellen p. 72 " When Christ took human nature upon Him, He bound humanity to Himself by a tie of love that can never be broken by any power save the choice of man himself. Satan will constantly present allurements to induce us to break this tie—to choose to separate ourselves from Christ. Here is where we need to watch, to strive, to pray, that nothing may entice us to choose another master; for we are always free to do this. But let us keep our eyes fixed upon Christ, and He will preserve us. Looking unto Jesus, we are safe. Nothing can pluck us out of His hand. In constantly beholding Him, we “are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Notice the Hebrew behind the English "master = Baal" and "keep our eyes fixed on Jesus = meekness".

Ellen p. 75 "And Pentecost brought them the presence of the Comforter, of whom Christ had said, He “shall be in you.” And He had further said, “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” John 14:17; 16:7. Henceforth through the Spirit, Christ was to abide continually in the hearts of His children.

The Author places passages like this to be fair to readers.Whom does the pronoun refer to?

Ellen p. 75 "And Pentecost brought them the presence of the Comforter, of whom Christ had said, He “shall be in you.” And He had further said, “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” John 14:17; 16:7. Henceforth through the Spirit, Christ was to abide continually in the hearts of His children.

The Holy Spirit does not empower mankind alone, for the Holy Spirit is a Responder of love and the Father a Provider of love, hence both have to be working together in a community sense. Thus we have the "Agency process", the "spirit of Christ" is the Holy Spirit administrating the flow of the Father's love via Jesus to us who need comfort. This is why "pronouns" on their own are not helpful working out the personalities of love within each member of the Divine Family Power in heaven.

The reader will remember on this webpage, the picture of the "eagle", is a picture of both "He" and "Her" working for our salvation, but only the "He" is expressed in a community setting, because a Provider happens first and a Responder happens afterwards.

Ellen p. 75 " Jesus prayed for us, and He asked that we might be one withHim, even as He is one with the Father. What a union is this! TheSaviour has said of Himself, “The Son can do nothing of Himself;”“the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.” John 5:19;

Ellen White explains the "pronoun confusion" here, the work of Jesus and the Father are one. The Father functions as our Provider, and Jesus can function as a Provider and / or Responder. The work of the Holy Spirit completes the love of the Father and Jesus.

The next chapter of Steps To Christ, concerns The Work and the Life .....

Steps To Christ theme

Created by Rob Thompson. Hosted since 10/01/2012.

Visitors HOSTED by Prologic, my Son. A thin website.