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Spirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VISION
by Ray Prinzing"O Timothy, KEEP that which is committed to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and opposition of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith."
(1 Timothy 6:20-21)."That good thing which was committed unto you KEEP by the holy Spirit which dwells in us." (2 Timothy 1:14).
It is precious to ponder the truths of His grace, to know that it is "GOD which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." - "Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." And we know it is GOD ALL THE WAY! Yet there is another side to all this-- once we have truly given pre-eminence to our Lord and Saviour-- and it is the fact that there is a responsibility on our part. Our action does not precede His working, nor does it disannul God's working, but it is our obedient following, once He has laid hold of us, having apprehended us for His kingdom.
We are admonished: "GIVE DILIGENCE to make your calling and election sure." (2 Peter 1:10). You do not call yourself. "No man takes this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God." (Heb.5:4). Neither do you elect yourself. "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen (elected) you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit..." (John 15:16). It is all the sovereign mercy and grace of God that He reaches out and places His hand upon your life, to say, "I take you NOW..." And, "No man can come to Me, except the Father which has sent Me draw him." (John 6:44) You may drag your heels and resist, and like Saul find that "it is hard for you to kick against the pricks." (Acts 9:5). Or, you may say with Song of Solomon 1:4, "Draw me, we will run after You." But in either case, YOU WILL COME!
Methinks it is wise to say, "Lord, You draw me, and I WILL RUN AFTER YOU. As fast as you reveal Your will unto me, I shall accept the responsibility to give obedience, and not my will, but Yours, be done." For we are fully persuaded that our God is such a GOD OF LOVE that He does not add one more stripe to your chastening than is essential for your growth and development in Him. He is bringing you the fastest and easiest way possible for you, and still accomplish the intense, quality work that must be done within, in order to produce the character which He would bring forth in you.
Now, that good thing which He has imparted to you, that specific revelation which only God can give, though He may have confirmed it through other men, must be KEPT by the same Spirit which imparted it to you. Truly, it is only by His enablement that we are able to remain steadfast in the faith of God.
KEEP-- the Greek word is "phulasso", it is a military term, TO KEEP GUARD, watch, to keep from being snatched away, TO KEEP FROM BEING VIOLATED, thus, to preserve safe and unimpaired.
Obviously this becomes quite a responsibility. I fear that far too often the seed has been planted, but "the fowls of the air devoured it." (Luke 8:5). Of course there is a positive side to this also, for NO WORD OF GOD IS VOID OF POWER, and if some "fowl of the air" devours that Word, it will work in that "fowl", and still accomplish a change. The LIFE is in the SEED, and thus a victory is assured, regardless of where that seed is. But the challenge is, when HE PLACED A WORD WITHIN, keep it-- guard it, lest it be snatched away, or lest it be smothered by the cares of this life, and is not free to bring its fruit to perfection.
Particularly also, we note the definition, KEEP FROM BEING VIOLATED. There is much in the news these days of "violation." We need to keep our vision pure, lest it be raped by all the doctrines and teachings of man. A strong delusion of psychic aberration these days would snare us into the soulish realm of human mentality, rather than that flowing of the pure water of the Spirit of His life from the Christ within. We are not to be living out of the vision of our mind, but out of the VISION OF OUR SPIRIT. We would cast down imaginations, and every high thing that EXALTS ITSELF against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. You may call the "old delusion" by any new name that man wants to place on it-- new age, new revelation, new concepts for a modern day, or whatever-- but it is not true, it is a violation-- a raping of the truth of God, and with all our being we need to BE ON GUARD. Any time we approach the truth through the MENTAL REALM alone, and NOT BY THE SPIRIT, we are in danger of violating that truth-- and sin lies at the door.
"KEEP THAT (the vision, deposit of truth) WHICH IS COMMITTED TO TRY TRUST."
The Greek word is "parakatatheke" meaning-- to put down alongside of some one, give a deposit, or a sacred trust. In essence, God is saying, "I am going to place within your heart a deposit of truth and it is your personal responsibility to KEEP IT. This takes us right back to the very beginning, when "The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and TO KEEP IT." (Genesis 2:15). But he failed to be on guard, to WATCH against an intrusion. So the adversary came in and VIOLATED it. And so the end returns to the beginning, and we are back to the original charge to keep that which has been committed to our trust. Hold the vision in its pristine purity until God brings it to fulfillment! For do remember, He is seeking "--a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth." (Malachi 2:15).
One of the saddest statements is in John 2:24-25, "But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man." They were not prepared to receive Him, He dare not give Himself to them at that time, lest they would pervert and violate the truth. What a commentary on the natural man.
But in his writing to Timothy, Paul says, "Something has been committed to you, NOW KEEP IT." God has been apprehending a people, processing them by the disciplines and vicissitudes of earthly living, and then placing within them a vision-- a deposit of truth-- and now He says, "KEEP IT, hold it as a sacred trust, let it grow and develop and come to its fruition to My glory and praise." HE HAS GIVEN US (you) SO MUCH, guard it very carefully.
Avoiding profane and vain babblings. Avoid, "ektrepo" meaning: to turn off from, disassociate; indicating a deliberate-action to avoid a meeting so that no contact is made.
Here an explanation is required. It is NOT, I repeat, NOT, as written in Jude 19, "They who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit." Paul is not writing to Timothy about a self-induced separation as people split and divide and form sects and factions of their own choosing. True, there are God-wrought separations, when GOD sets you apart from the world, from religious Babylon, that He might SET YOU APART UNTO HIMSELF, to become His peculiar treasure. This is a dual separation, from the world, and then UNTO HIM, heavy emphasis upon the UNTO, for He calls us unto Himself. But this AVOIDANCE-- this disassociation of which Paul writes, is NOT FROM OUR BRETHREN, but is qualified as AVOIDING PROFANE AND VAIN BABBLINGS. There giving no place to the vain babblings is to be a conscious turning from which are all about us these days. We must be separated unto the vision!
Profane--
bebelos, meaning: unhallowed, common, thus, devoid of godliness.Vain babblings--
kenophonia, literally, EMPTY SOUNDS, fruitless discussion,
rambling chatter and speaking that does not edify.How we are wearied of the "religious EMPTY SOUNDS" these days, that do not edify or nourish the vision within us, but only turn one's attention away from God, to be placed upon man, his ministry, his program, his personal kingdom. Repetitive sermonizing that repeats tradition and commandments of men over and over again. Vain speculations on things they know not, giving forth platitudes and cliches which appeal to the lusts of the flesh. AVOID THESE EMPTY SOUNDS lest they begin to defile your vision. This gives a new meaning to the proverb, "A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike." (Prov. 27:15). The strange woman, known as the harlot Babylon, will condemn and nag and drip away until you are weary and agitated, distressed in your spirit, and so befuddled you might even find yourself questioning if the vision you received from God is true. it is time that we gather our garments about us, gird up the loins of our mind and set our affection on things above, and hold fast to the vision of God.
Also, avoid "opposition of science falsely so called." The Greek word used here for "science" is "gnosis" meaning: knowledge. There was a particular knowledge to which Paul made reference. Gnosis was the characteristic word of the Gnostic school. They claimed a superior knowledge peculiar to an intellectual caste. Philosophic insight, as opposed to faith. They would argue their propositions only from an intellectual standpoint, out of the carnal mind, being devoid of revelation, and a God-given insight into the truth which springs out of the Spirit. And so Paul writes, "which some professing have erred concerning the faith."
Professing-- the Greek word literally means: to announce, to assert some thing respecting oneself. Far too much of this INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE is given over to SELF-EXALTATION, and has nothing to do with THE FAITH/VISION. With a superior attitude, they preach "themselves," I said, I did, I think, I, I, I. "He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory." (John 7:18). How we need to AVOID THIS SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE APPROACH. "I have a vision far beyond all you people, let ME teach you, let ME show you the way, you just attend all MY classes and follow ME, and I will bring you into deep truth." Beloved, flee that realm like it was the plague, else it will defile your vision, and pollute the truth deposited within you. It produces an elitism that mars the vision, and turns into a self-centered cult of egoism.
So the challenge: "Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." (1 Timothy 3:9). "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." (Hebrews 3:14). And all of this HOLDING-- KEEPING-- is done by the power of the indwelling Christ. May the Lord truly help us to learn to live out of His indwelling Spirit, not just out of the intellectual reasonings of the mind. A beautiful way to illustrate this is found in the record of Noah and the dove. "He sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground. But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark." (Gen. 8:8-9). So also we allow our spirit to DISCERN FOR US, and if there is REST to be found, well and good, but if there is NO PEACE IN OUR SPIRIT, then as the dove returned into the ark, so also we withdraw into ourselves, to wait for His guidance. There is nothing to be said, nothing to be done, without the PEACE OF HIS SPIRIT. You will not share your vision with others, when you sense they are not ready to receive it. You will not receive what another tries to tell you, if there is no inner witness of life to your spirit. It is when there is a sense of rest-- peace-- oneness of spirit, that you find you can freely share, and there is a refreshing flow of His life heart to heart.
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may BE OF GOD, and not of us." (2 Cor. 4:7). How completely He is stripping us, so that we realize that "I can of mine own self do nothing." There will be tremendous manifestations of HIS POWER in the days to come, but let it be through purified vessels, so that all glory and praise is given to our God. How dare we take the vision and write it out in a book, and SELL IT, as if it were "our vision" and "to be sold." When it is God's truth imparted into your heart, don't place your stamp on it, as if it were your possession to be dispensed with as you please, to profit your flesh, build your kingdom. It is not yours! We are what we are by the grace of God, there is no credit to be given to the flesh. So Paul writes, "I am not a peddler of God's message, like the most of them, but like a man of sincerity, like a man that is sent from God and living in His presence, in union with Christ I speak His message."
(2 Cor. 2:17, Williams Trans.)HIS IS THE POWER! THE LIFE IS IN THE SEED! It will fulfill itself when the time is ripe for it. Many God-given visions have been violated when some man wanted to fulfill the vision prematurely. They try to claim some fulfillment that is not there-- so they devise doctrines of "claiming it by faith," "positive confessions," etc. And they announce their arrival, when actually they are but IN THE PROCESS of its growing and have a long way to go. Manipulations of speech do not fulfill visions. "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life," (1 John 1:1) is the true witness. Share out of the measure of reality that you have, and then KEEP-- GUARD IN YOUR HEART the vision He has given you of that which is yet to be.
"So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how. For the earth brings forth of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come." (Mark 4:26-29).
What a beautiful parable. The life is in the seed, yet it draws forth from the ground. There is an on-going relinquishment of the soil, that the new life may develop. We are the EARTHEN vessel, the vision is IN US, and in the measure that we "die daily," He increases to become our everything. So the "good ground did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred." (Mark 4:8). Now, we could rightly say that THE SEED OF LIFE IS HIS, and we're the earth that receives Him. Only in the measure that we yield ourselves up to Him-- our self-life decreasing, counted as nothing but dung (fertilizer), shall we find an increase in the expression of His new life. You cannot force His growth within, but you can YIELD TO HIM-- and discover that "We are God's husbandry," (1 Cor. 3:9), and He arranges for the processings, seasons of cold, seasons of heat, cycles of rain, and cycles of dryness-- yet somehow there is a growth taking place which redounds to His praise. What a work of grace! Significant that this is the one parable that also teaches for quantity. Mostly the Word emphasizes QUALITY-- but the quality is assured in this parable, because it is in the SEED. Whether it is reproduced in but one kernel, or in a hundred bushel, the quality is the same, ALL OF HIS LIFE. Yet there will be those who have so relinquished themselves to Him, in such utter abandonment that they will bring forth to the maximum potential of an hundredfold.
We have seen those who certainly had the life of Christ in them, and there was the potential for great manifestations of HIS LIFE, but the quantity was limited because there was much self that yet remained to be crucified. So there is the challenge, in keeping the vision, in holding in trust the SEED which He has placed within, to surrender ourselves so completely to Him that He might bring forth the fullest expression which He has purposed for our life. For truly, in divine restoration, every creature is to be brought into the fullest potential for which he was created. When God is ALL IN ALL, there can be no lack-- no diminished quantity. But what a deep inworking of His judgments might be required in us, until we do surrender totally to Him, that He might fill us with Himself.
"We dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." (2 Cor. 10:12). The only Standard we have is CHRIST. We measure to Him! There is no competing of vessel against vessel, for we all are to be filled to overflowing with Him. A thimble, a gallon bucket, or a huge barrel, when all are submerged into the ocean they all can hold no more-- thus is it all HIS LIFE! When we are totally immersed into Christ, we'll be brought to the maximum for which we were created. Thus we sing the beautiful chorus:
"O to be filled with His fulness, O to be lost in His love,In the matter, however, of positions and callings to be filled, these are given according to the purpose of God for each life. Not all are called to be apostles, or prophets, or teachers, etc. But even our callings are not of a competitive nature, each one is to express Him. There are callings upon individuals, purposes for nations, plans for races, and we all do well to respond to His calling for our life, not try to fill another man's walk.
O to know Jesus my Saviour, O to be found in God." Amen!Truly, we are to find our life and identity in Christ. "We are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). - "That they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again."
(2 Cor. 5:15).In newness of life, to LIVE UNTO HIM, this is highly essential if we are to KEEP that which is committed to our trust. Furthermore, "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that your profiting may appear unto all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this you shall both save thyself, and them that hear you." (1 Timothy 4:14-16).
Meditate-- literally, to attend to carefully, to practice and ponder upon. Let THE VISION fill your thoughts. You cannot spend hours filling your mind with the trash of this world, and still be meditating on these things. Once God told Israel, "Therefore shall you lay up these words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." (Deut. 11:18-19). THAT IS MEDITATING UPON THESE THINGS! For you keep Him always before you. "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Gal. 5:25). It becomes a LIFESTYLE that will set you apart from the world, and unto Him.
"Give thyself wholly to them." These five words are contained in two Greek words-- "en eimi" meaning: TO BE IN. Be constantly in His truth till it becomes your lifestyle. It's the same word used in Luke 1:38, where Mary said unto the messenger, "BE it unto me according to Your word." Let it just BE. Doesn't say strive in them, or work to get in-- but give yourself into a STATE OF BEING-- to live and breathe the vision He has imparted to you.
"That your profiting may appear unto all." Profiting-- "prokopen" meaning: TO CUT FORWARD, literally, to blaze a trail, make a pioneer advance. When you GIVE YOURSELF TOTALLY TO THE WAY OF THE LORD, you will be blazing out a trail for others to follow-- being an EXAMPLE before them. That is part of the responsibility of receiving the vision. People wonder why our younger generation seems to be so lost-- aimlessly wandering without any goals, it is because their parents have not BLAZED A "WALK WITH GOD" TRAIL before them, to set the example of a lifestyle that is both pleasing unto God, and a blessing to those who walk therein. What a challenge before us today!
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine." Note the sequence, our own individual state of being comes first, before our teaching of it. It must be an INWORKING REVELATION. Our LIVING OF TRUTH serves well for our basis of teaching these things. Ah, to say, "do as I LIVE," is a lot more convincing than "do as I say." No wonder we are to be "buried with Him," and then to rise and WALK IN THE NEWNESS OF LIFE-- that in Him we might BE.
"For in doing this you shall both save thyself, and them that hear you." This "save thyself" is not in reference to the salvation of the sinner, for this we have BY HIS GRACE. Nor does it mean our preservation in salvation, for we are KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD. But the context reveals that we will be saved from the teaching of those who "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1 Tim. 4:1).
The PURITY OF OUR VISION in its wholesomeness is part of our responsibility in receiving the vision. We are not to try and sew the new cloth (vision) into the old garment of tradition and doctrines of men. We are not to try and pour the new wine into the old bottles. (see Luke 5:36-38). Beloved, it is a solemn charge that we are not to take our "deposit of truth" which God has placed in us, and try to sew it into the Babylonish garment of the harlot religious systems of man. If you do, you will have VIOLATED that holy thing which was committed unto you by the Lord. To keep that which is committed to our trust means that we GUARD IT, protect it from being defiled by the world, and by the kingdom building programs of man-- but we hold it PURE BEFORE GOD, THAT HE MIGHT FULFILL THE VISION IN HIS TIME, HIS WAY.
Paul adds a good thought in Acts 26:19, saying, "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." Disobedient, from a Greek word that literally means: not persuaded. Ah, we need a vision that we have confidence in, are fully persuaded of, till we can also say "I KNOW WHOM I have believed, and am persuaded..." (2 Tim. 1:12) The anointing of knowing brings steadfastness. "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life." (Rev. 2:9). And know this-- we are not called to be imitators of Christ, but TO BE PARTAKERS. We do not fulfill the vision, HE FULFILLS US! By bringing us into one with Himself. The revelation-- the vision is OF HIM, and of our becoming one in Him. Keep that which is committed unto your trust. Amen.
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