Repentance As Preparation For Living The Paschal Mystery

Scripture Text: 2 Peter 3:8-15a 'God's Promise of Christ's coming is sure'.

Key verses:
"The Lord is not slow about his promises, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
"But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth where righteousness is at home" (2 Peter 3:13).


Today's Epistle 2 Peter 3:9 declares that the Lord (ADONAI) does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance and attain salvation. Repentance involves changing one's mind and outlook. It is seeing God, oneself, other persons, circumstances and conditions from God's point of view. Repentance means seeing our relationships with God and other people in an entirely new and divine perspective. Repentance is people turning from error to truth, from darkness to light, and from death to life.


From God's divine perspective, repentance is the human initiative of mental preparation which God requires for mankind to be delivered from slavery to sin and pass over into the freedom of God's love in Christ. The Godhead is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. The Godhead in eternal and changeless. God does not measure time as humans do. With the Godhead, there is no delay in the coming and revelation of Christ (ADONAI, JEHOVAH). The Godhead and the kingdom of heaven are forever within us, among us and in our midst  (Luke 17:20-21, 2 Peter 3:8)


Mankind's failure to discern and experience the revelation and coming of Christ is based on mankind's avoidance, denial and rejection of the eternal spiritual dimension of our human lives. In the mind of the flesh mankind cannot discern God's presence, faithfulness and promises. God therefore demands that all mankind repent from the mind of the flesh and clothe themselves in the mind of the spirit. The bible declared that in the mind of the flesh all human beings, traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups continue to suffer, perish, are destroyed and ultimately die (Romans 8:1-11). In the mind of the flesh, divine delays, God's long suffering and forbearance are misunderstood (2 Peter 3:9).


In the mind of the spirit however, mankind discerns God's faithfulness and the truth of God's word. In the mid of the spirit, believers experience God's sure promise of mankind's salvation, as proclaimed and revealed in Jesus Christ. In the mind of the  spirit, the  Man of Lawlessness is revealed, cast down and destroyed. The end times, the day of the Lord and the coming of Christ are all revealed and experienced in the spiritually awake believer, as thief in the night. These mysterious paschal experiences are often sudden, unexpected, and unexplainable, but always very real. They are frequently discerned as unitive experiences (Romans 8:12-17, 2 Peter 3:10).


In today's epistle, the apostle Paul outlines the faith, mindsets, attitudes and actions which Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based believers should have, within witnessing paschal faith communities, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, throughout our planet earth? By steadfastly following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit, believers discern the need to practice daily repentance, not only for forgiveness of sins, but for spiritual formation and growth in righteousness. In the power of the Holy Spirit they are able to conduct their lives in holiness, godliness and peace, as they await and facilitate the coming, incarnation and manifestation of Christ in their personal lives, witnessing faith communities and throughout our planet (Romans 8:18-29,  Peter 3:11-12).  


By embracing life on earth in the mind of the spirit, these believers enter and dwell in new heavens and the new earth. Jesus declared that God's kingdom promises are fulfilled and inhabited by those who practice Christ-centered righteousness, agape love, compassion, mercy, civility, grace, peace and truth. Through the indwelling presence and power of the incarnate Godhead, believer seek to be morally, ethically and spiritually perfect (Matthew 6:33, 2 Peter 3:13).


Are you ready, willing and prepared to practice the repentance which God requires for salvation and kingdom living among all mankind, here on earth? Will you follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit, by casting down inappropriate left brain hemisphere dominion? Will you practice kingdom living, within witnessing paschal faith community here on earth, in the mind of the spirit, by embracing and daily practical application of appropriate right brain hemisphere dominion, in your personal and community life and relationships?


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Called And Fully Equipped To Live The Paschal Mystery

1 Corinthians 1:1-9, 'Called, enriched and fully equipped for the revelation of Christ'

In today's epistle 1 Corinthians 1:9, the apostle Paul focuses on the mysteries of Christ's (ADONAI'S) first and second coming in human flesh. Proper mental alignment and receptivity are need for human beings to experience the incarnation and manifestation of the Godhead, which Jesus Christ knew and proclaimed as Messiah (Colossians 2:6-15). Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based spiritual awakening is the key to following Jesus Christ in living this Paschal Mystery. Christ (ADONAI) must be central and preeminent in these believers' identification and use of their talents, virtues and spiritual gifts, within witnessing paschal faith communities.


Witnessing paschal faith communities are groups of people in all the world traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, who share the same universal, Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based faith, which Jesus Christ proclaimed, taught and modeled as Messiah. Like Jesus Christ, they seek to pass over from life on earth in the mind of the flesh, into the new and glorified life in the Godhead, in the mind of the spirit, while in our present physical bodies. These believers therefore choose to follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery.

Christ (ADONAI), the invisible, spiritual image and likeness of God, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ and all persons is the center of authority, worship, service, identity, faith and fellowship within witnessing paschal faith communities. Christ is their center of power, mission, vision and unity. They experience, proclaim and share God's grace, truth, love, good and peace in and through Christ, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ and all persons (Genesis 1:26-31, 1 Corinthians 1:1-2).


Within witnessing paschal faith communities, believers seek and serve Christ (ADONAI) in all persons and love their neighbors as themselves. Spiritually awake believers seek, serve and dwell in the mind of the spirit. Their focus is on the things of God and heavenly things (Luke 17:20-21). Spiritually asleep, spiritually blind and spiritually deaf believers on the other hand seek, serve and dwell in the mind of the flesh. Their focus is unfortunately and inappropriately on the things of men and earthly things (Mark 8:31-33, John 18:33-38). Christ's coming, revelation, incarnation and manifestation as Master, Lord and Owner of their destiny and lives, remains the central focus of the witness, sufficiency and proclamation within witnessing paschal faith communities (1 Corinthians 1:3-8).


Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, within witnessing paschal faith communities (John 14:1-6). As Messiah, Jesus Christ revealed God's appeal and empowerment of all mankind to correctly use the talents, virtues and gifts, which God has given us. The awesome challenge and opportunity which believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups have within witnessing paschal faith communities, are to develop mindsets and practices which reflect balanced left brain hemisphere and right brain hemisphere thinking, teaching and behavior in all relationships.

These believers teach and share their sacred texts, holy writing and oracles in literal, metaphorical, metaphysical and mystical designs, interpretations and daily practical applications. They strive for justice and peace among all people. They respect the dignity and uniqueness of every human being. They stress the practices of civility, inclusiveness, honesty, integrity, fairness and self-sacrifice in their daily livers and relationships (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Is Christ (ADONAI) the center of your life as a believer? Is your witnessing faith community focused on being a paschal community? Does your witnessing faith community seek and serve Christ in all persons? 

Is Jesus Christ the way, the truth and the life, within your witnessing faith community?

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Believers' Positions And Living The Paschal Mystery

Reference Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23, 'Believers' positions in Christ' (ADONAI)'


In today's Epistle, Ephesians 1:15-23, the apostle Paul describes believers' different standings and positions with the Godhead, based on their faith in Jesus Christ.  Believers, who choose to live in the mind of the spirit, share with Jesus Christ the mystery, joy and privilege of actually entering and dwelling in God's presence, while here on earth. In the mind of the spirit by faith, they choose to following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery. Paul prays that in the mind of the spirit, all people will share with Jesus Christ the spiritual blessings and divine inheritance, which God prepared for all mankind, before the foundation of the world.

As a devout, well trained and committed leader and teacher in his own Jewish religion, the apostle Paul knew and could share in this letter, what it truly means to have faith in Jesus Christ. As Saul, in the mind of the flesh, he aggressively rejected and sought to destroy those who believed in and followed Jesus Christ as Messiah, who he only heard about, but never met personally. After his encounter with the risen Christ (ADONAI), and his conversion on the way to Damascus, as Paul in the mind of the spirit, he steadfastly sought to lead both Jews and Gentiles to Christ (ADONAI), as revealed in Jesus Christ (John 14:1-7, Acts 9:1-9, Romans 8:1-39). To Paul these believers in Ephesus who he loved and prayed for, knew and chose to follow Jesus Christ as Messiah, in the mind of the spirit (Ephesians 1:15-16).


In the mind of the spirit, Paul prayed that the indwelling Christ (ADONAI), would give these believers the full wisdom, revelation, enlightenment and spiritual knowledge, which he gained and shared with them about Jesus Christ. In that way they would know the eternal hope to which they are called to follow Jesus Christ, in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit. He therefore prayed that in the mind of the spirit, they would know the spiritual riches and glory of their divine inheritance as saints, now living within witnessing paschal faith communities, here on earth (Luke 17:20-21, Ephesians 1:17-18).


Paul knew and experienced that in the mind of the flesh, the believer's faith and hope in Jesus Christ are limited, erroneous and grossly distorted. In the mind of the spirit however, Paul knew and experienced the awesome height, width, depth, and breath of the believer faith and hope in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1-4, 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16, Colossians 1:26-27). Paul therefore prayed that in the mind of the spirit, their faith and hope in Jesus Christ would be based on the presence, power and working of Christ (ADONAI), as incarnate Savior, Lord, Owner and Master not only within their personal lives, but also within and throughout their witnessing paschal faith community (Luke 17:20-21, Ephesians 1:19).


Jesus Christ in his life, passion, death, glorification, resurrection and ascension revealed the preeminence and dominion of the indwelling and incarnate Christ (ADONAI) in human flesh. As Messiah, Jesus taught and revealed the new and glorified human life with the Godhead, here on earth, in the mind of the spirit. Jesus Christ is now fully elevated and exalted to heavenly place within the Godhead. Paul declares that in Jesus Christ as Messiah, the Godhead revealed and manifested this awesome power to transform every human life, from bondage and slavery to sin and spiritual death, into the freedom, love, grace and truth of the Godhead, the spiritually resurrected life in Christ, while living in our present human flesh. To the spiritually awake believer, resurrection from spiritual death into spiritual life, spiritual awakening, and spiritual formation are critical and vital born from above human experiences, when following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery (John 3:1-21, Ephesians 1:20-23).


Do you believe in and follow Jesus Christ as Messiah, in the mind of the flesh or the mind of the spirit? Are you like Jesus Christ, willing to embrace and love equally and gently guide and nurture as brothers and sisters in Christ, those believers within your witnessing paschal faith community, who choose to follow Jesus Christ in the mind of the flesh (Matthew 16:21-28)? Have you in the mind of the spirit, entered into and chosen to experience the heavenly placed in Christ, while in your present physical body? Are you willing to leave the past, present, future and final judgment of yourself and other persons in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups to Christ (ADONAI), in the spiritual body of all persons?


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Living The Paschal Mystery As Children Of Light

Reference Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, 'Living as children of light'

Key verse: For you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not the night or the darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5). 


Like Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul in today's epistle, discerned that believers who embrace Jesus Christ as Messiah, Savior and Lord, may choose to dwell in the mind of the spirit or dwell in the mind of the flesh, as active members within witnessing paschal faith communities. Believers who followers Jesus Christ in the mind of the Spirit are described as the children of the light and children of the day. Believers who chose to follow Jesus Christ in the mind of the flesh are called the children of the darkness and the children of night (Matthew 5:13-16, Romans 8:12-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:5).
 
Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based, followers of Jesus Christ have discovered that, spiritual awakening, the day of the Lord and the second coming of Christ (ADONAI), each come to believers as a thief in the night. In the believers life,  spiritual warfare and casting out the mind of the flesh are often experienced like the labor pains, which come on a pregnant woman, just before she delivers her baby. By dwelling in the mind of the flesh, believers block their preparation, readiness and receptiveness for spiritual awakening after resurrection from spiritual death (Romans 8:1-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).


The apostle Paul in today's epistle, admonishes believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethic and secular groups, who choose to follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery to be vigilant. He encourages them to reject the mind of the flesh and embrace the mind of the spirit. In the mind of the spirit, spiritually awake brethren realize deliverance from slavery to sin and the confusion of spiritual darkness. In the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ-centered spiritual mindedness believers experience spiritual discernment, spiritual enlightenment and spiritual formation, within witnessing community (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5).


In the mind of the spirit these believers are watchful and sober. In the power of the Holy Spirit, they are empowered to cast aside the mind and works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). As children of light, in the mind of the spirit, spiritually awake believers put on the mind of Christ, and manifest the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-26, 1 Thessalonians 5:6-7).


While living within witnesses paschal faith communities, believers do experience spiritual warfare. As children of the day, Paul therefore admonishes all believes to dwell in the spirit and put on the whole armor of God. He encourages believers to put on the breastplate of faith and love. He admonishes them to put on the helmet of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9, Ephesians 6:10-20).


In his life, passion, death, glorification and ascension, Jesus Christ as Messiah passed over from life on earth in the mind of the flesh, into a new and glorified life with the Godhead, in the mind of the spirit, here on earth. Today's epistle provides assurance, comfort and edification for Christ-centered, spiritual awake believers, who follow Jesus Christ in living this Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit. Whether physically alive or physically dead, these believers have discerned they forever dwell in the presence of the Godhead, through Christ (ADONAI), in their spiritual bodies (1 Thessalonians 5:10-11).

How is your witnessing paschal faith community living, declaring and sharing spiritual awakening, the Day of the Lord and Christ's second coming? Are you in the mind of the spirit, following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery? Are you realizing the awesome possibilities of Christ's (ADONAI'S) sovereign reign as indwelling, Lord, Master and Owner of your life?

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Sharing Christ's Glorious Reign In Living The Paschal Mystery

Scripture text: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 'The believer's assurance in Christ'.


Key Verse: For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus, God will bring with him, those who have died (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

The central work the Godhead sent Jesus Christ, the Son of Man as Messiah to do on earth was to teach, reveal, prepare and guide all mankind into reclaiming our lost divine heritage of kingdom living, in and through repentance, faith and the incarnation of Christ (Genesis 1:26-31, Matthew 18:10-14, Mark 1:14-15). Through his temptation in the wilderness, works, passion and death here on earth, Jesus Christ claimed victory over life on earth in slavery to sin, in the mind of the flesh (Matthew 4:1-11, John 11:25-26). Through his resurrection and ascension Jesus Christ entered into a new and glorified life with the Godhead, thus revealing, proclaiming and reclaiming mankind's lost divine heritage in Christ, in the mind of the spirit (John 14:5-7).

By following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, Christ-centered believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, in the mind of the spirit, have the  blessed hope and assurance of the same new and glorified life in the Godhead, here on earth that Jesus lived (Matthew 16:24). In this present earthly life, in the mind of the spirit, spiritually awake believers are being delivered from slavery to sin, in the mind of the flesh. They are experiencing the mysterious resurrection of the indwelling Christ, God's image and likeness (ADONAI), in and through their spiritual bodies (Colossians 1:26-29). Through faith and repentance, in the mind of the spirit, they are passing over into the freedom, truth, grace and glory of God's love in Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13).  

   
Christ-centered, spiritually awake believers actually base their faith in their experience of rebirth from spiritual death, and their new life in Christ, in the actual life, passion, death, resurrection, ascension and promise of the second coming of Jesus Christ, as Messiah. The believer's eternal assurance and experience in this present life, of deliverance from hopelessness and slavery to sin in the mind of the flesh, is greater realized as believers progressively awake from spiritual sleep, spiritual blindness, spiritual deafness and hard heartedness. In the mind of the spirit, believers gradually discern and experience what Jesus explained to Nicodemus about being born from above (John 3:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 4:14).


Through repentance, faith in Christ (ADONAI) and following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, spiritually awake believers realize they now have eternal and abundant life in Christ. They discern and actually enter into the spiritual kingdom of heaven, which Jesus declared is in our midst, among us and within every person (Luke 17:20-21). Spiritually awake believers experience the descent of Christ (ADONAI) from heaven, with a loud cry and summons. They hear the shout of their archangel and the trumpet sound of God, in and through their spiritual bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16).


In the mind of the spirit, spiritual awake believers in all tradition, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups discern and experience their total dependance on and unity with the Godhead, Jesus Christ and one another in Christ (ADONAI) (John 5:19, 30; John 10:30). They know that spiritual awake believers who have died physically, continue to share and continue to take their appropriate place in kingdom living on earth and in heaven. Paul therefore urges all believers to encourage, comfort and support each other with these words of truth (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).

Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Messiah, sent by the Godhead, to seek and save that which was lost (Matthew 18:11)? Do you believe Jesus Christ has taught and revealed the way, the truth and the life of kingdom living here on earth (Matthew 6:9-10, John 14:6)? Is Christ (ADONAI) now reigning as Lord, Master and Owner in your life? Are you, in the mind of the spirit, following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery (Romans 8:1-11)?

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