Key Verse: The Apostle Paul declared, "So we do not lose heart, even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Introduction
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus Christ as risen and glorified Lord, commissioned his disciple and all witness of the Gospel of Christ, to go and make disciples of all nations. He asked then to baptize believers in the name of the Father (Being), The Son (Begotten) and the Holy Spirit (Begetting). He recommended that believes should be taught everything that he commanded. Jesus encourage his disciples to remember this mystery about himself, as the invisible, crucified, risen, ascended and now incarnate Christ, the Son of God. In Matthew 28:20 he declared, "...Remember I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 9:18-23, Colossians 1:26-27).
In today's Epistle 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1, the apostle Paul describes his discernment, understanding and experience of the mystery of Jesus Christ in the Economic Trinity. He declared that spiritual understanding and daily practical application of the Paschal Mystery of Christ, has been hidden from mankind for ages and generations, by the mind of the flesh. Paul proclaimed that faith, repentance, discernment, and proper mental alignment, in the mind of the spirit, produces the discernment and triumphant incarnation of Christ, in and through the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, himself and all person. The incarnation of Christ, in the presence, power and begetting of the Holy Spirit, brings resurrection from the transitory spiritual death of the mind of the flesh. By following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit, believers pass over into freedom, love, glory and everlasting life of Christ, the invisible Image and Likeness of God, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ and all persons (Genesis 1:26-27, John 1:1-18, Colossians 1:26-27).
To Paul, the mystery of Immanent Trinity is centered in Christ, the invisible, eternal, Begotten Son (ADONAI, JEHOVAH, LOGOS), who was sent from the Father, to redeem mankind from the transitory slavery to sin and the spiritual death of the mind of the flesh (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-19). In Paul's description of the Economic Trinity, the Holy Spirit empowered, generated and facilitated Christ descended from heaven. In the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ became fully incarnate and fully manifested in Jesus Christ as Messiah, the Beloved Son of Man, here on earth (Colossians 2:6-15). In describing himself as the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ confirms Paul's description by declaring that the Father loves him, because he willingly obeyed God's command to lay down his life, in order to take it up again (John 10:17-18, Philippians 2:5-11).
Life out of death
Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul's taught that through repentance (metanoia) believers pass over from the condemnation and suffering of transitory life in the mind of the flesh, into the freedom, glory and eternal life of the mind of the spirit (John 3:5-7, Romans 1:1-11). This awesome Paschal Mystery can be discerned and realized in Christ-centered, spiritually resurrected believers, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, when believers choose to follow Jesus Christ, by living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit (Romans 8:12-17). Their faith, confidence and worship are based not in flesh and blood, but in the mystery of the Godhead as the eternal, invisible, Imminent, Economic, Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient Trinity, throughout all creation (John 4:23-24).
Through faith in Jesus Christ's passion, death, resurrection and ascension, believers in all traditions, religions, ethnic and secular groups can know forgiveness of sins and have everlasting life (John 3:16-17). Through the baptisms of water and of the Spirit, Jesus declared the believers are born again, born from above and born of the spirit. Jesus stressed that to be effective and triumphant, the outer sacrament of water Baptism must be accompanied, by the inner human decision to repent, before the believer can realize resurrection from the temporary state of spiritual death. Inner spiritual resurrection must take place, before believers can live their lives in the mind of the spirit, within witnessing paschal faith communities (2 Corinthians 4:13-14).
Blessings of affliction
In the mind, power, guidance and begetting of the Holy Spirit, spiritually resurrected witness, while in their mortal flesh, discern and triumph over the transitory deception, divisiveness, destruction, incivility and spiritual warfare of the mind of the flesh, within themselves and within their witnessing paschal faith faith communities. In the power, procreation and appropriation of the Holy Spirit, believers seek and serve Christ, as the Son of God and LORD), in the spiritual body of all persons, as a member of both the Immanent and Economic Trinity. In the mind of the spirit they follow Jesus Christ as LORD, in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit, while in their mortal bodies (2 Corinthians 4:15-16).
Promise of salvation and eternal life
God's sure promises are salvation, everlasting life and kingdom living here on earth, to believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups who choose to follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit. Spiritually resurrected believers have an eternal spiritual vision, which focuses on how God wants and has designed life to be lived throughout all creation. Although this vision and human experience has been distorted down through the ages and generations, by the mind of the flesh, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups its eternal like and nature can never be destroyed. This eternal live Christ-centered vision was discerned, articulated and proclaimed by Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul on today's Gospel and Epistle readings, while in their temporary physical bodies (Mark 3:20-35, Luke 17:20-21, Corinthians 4:17-5:1).
Assurance of immortality
Throughout his ministry of reconciliation, the Apostle Paul recognized the presence and mortality of the natural or physical body in Jesus Christ, himself and every person. Paul also recognized and proclaimed the presence and immortality of the spiritual body in Jesus Christ, himself and every person (1 Corinthians 15:35-50). Like Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul discerned that the the kingdom of God is eternally within the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, themselves and all persons. Believers who follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit, will discern, have the assurance and know the experience eternal life in Christ, while living in their present, mortal physical bodies (Luke 17:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1).
Conclusion
Do you believe in the mystery of the interior and eternal existence, unity, diversity and love that the invisible Father, Son and Holy Spirit, have for each other as the eternal Immanent Trinity? Do you believe that the Economic Trinity reveals the mystery and manifestation of God's love for the world in Christ, as manifested in Jesus Christ as Messiah (John e:15-17, Colossians 2:4-10)? Have you experienced the temporary suffering, pain, useless and unnecessary suffering and spiritual death of the mind of the flesh? Are you now experiencing triumph, joy and everlasting life, by following Jesus Christ in living the paschal mystery, in the mind of the spirit?
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