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etc. We now must look at people in the light of God’s purpose which can only be done by the Spirit. We must adjust our viewpoint to that of the Father to be effective. Our God has a paternal nature. He is Father. His desire is for a family. His purpose involves bringing many sons to glory. When we minister or look at ourselves from God’s perspective, we don't see ourselves as a Judge bringing judgment on criminals but rather as a father to a prodigal son. The New Birth brings us into the Family of God. We become heirs of God and joint-heirs of Jesus Christ. We have the full privileges of being a child of God.
SON OR SERVANT But a child until he comes of age is no different than a servant. We have the same type of growth spiritually as we do physically. A child is entrusted with more responsibility and family authority as he matures. So it is with the things of God. That is why an elder should not be a novice. Gal 4:1
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; (KJV)
Therefore, we can be legally lord of all and still be no different than a servant in our experience. Galatians chapter four goes on to say that the heir is put under tutors until he can be brought to the place of functioning as a son. Jesus gave us such a tutor with His promise of the Father--the Holy Spirit--to teach us all things. He also gave us the process of discipleship where we are apprenticed to mature men of God to learn the ways of God. The Church has let this process fall by the wayside but God is again renewing true discipleship training in preparation for the last days. As we saw in Isaiah 50 verses four and five, Jesus learned his "how to" by being discipled of the Father. That made Him capable of discipling others, which is what He did for three years with the Twelve. In many ways, a disciple fulfills the role of a servant to his master. However, there comes a time in the maturing process when the relationship between the disciple and his master change and a new relationship is established. Jesus exemplified this with the Twelve. John 15:15
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (KJV)
This change occurs when the servant has matured in understanding so that he can be a participant in the planning and implementation of the Work of the Lord. We must all become "friends" of the Lord in order to fulfill His purpose with us. We are under tutors until we become of "age". The Holy Spirit is our tutor to teach us how to become a servant, a friend, and a Priest of God in experience and not just legally.
Š 1998, 2004 Lifestream Teaching Ministries
Art Nelson
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