The Keys to the kingdom of heaven

rbanks wrote:
To be given the keys to the kingdom of heaven is an awesome responsibility and will not be given to just anyone.

Matthew 16:17-19 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Anyone who is truly born again is given the keys. [John 3.3and 5]. The problem with unlocking the door lays with the struggle that now takes place within that one because of the solicitation of the devil who says: "Do it your own way". "Climb over the fence".

"Do it your own way". "Climb over the fence".

Alive-to-God wrote:

"Do it your own way". "Climb over the fence".

Surely this would be a temptation only to someone who had not yet gone through the Door? John 10:9.

rbanks wrote:
Notice Jesus said that He was going to build His Church because he said "my Church".

He also said that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church he was building.

He told Peter that he was going to give Him the keys to the kingdom of heaven for authority to bind and loose on the earth.

The revelation that Simon received from the Father that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God was told to Simon by Jesus including giving him a new name of Peter meaning a rock was to show him how Jesus was going to build His church.

Jesus is divine with a divine nature. We are made partakers of the divine nature by the new birth. Divinity dwells in those truly born of God but only as they are of Christ Jesus. We do not possess the divine nature it has to take possession of us. God does not take our freedom away from us therefore we must will to do God's will.

The Holy Spirit fills and dwells in those who obey the Lord Jesus Christ. No one can continually walk in the Spirit without obedience to God.

Jesus is building His Church through sanctified, Holy Spirit filled vessels who are totally submitted to Him.

The bible says that knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifies. There is also a knowledge falsely so called.

We must be continually filled with the Spirit and walk humbly with God in obedience.

Blessings to all!

Suppose I said that, because of the new birth by which we receive the indwelling Holy Spirit; that divinity residing in us that is the very Life of Christ Jesus, we are responsible for it? What would that do to your perspective concerning being born again from above and now, in reality, are "seated with Christ in Heavenly places"?

that divinity residing in us that is the very Life of Christ Jesus, we are responsible for it?

He is responsible for His life in us. Our part is to yield and defer to Him, and to be exercised by walking in the Spirit - denying our flesh, taking up our cross, obeying the grace of life as it flows through us, if it flows through us. It is not for [i]us[/i]. It is to spend and be spent on others at His direction.

Alive-to-God wrote:

that divinity residing in us that is the very Life of Christ Jesus, we are responsible for it?

We cannot possibly be 'responsible for' the life of Jesus Christ. It never becomes 'ours' [i]per se[/i].

How's that? Jesus was responsible for the "Word" within Him. . . What do you believe His temptations were all about? or should I ask that question?

rbanks wrote:

Intense wrote:

How's that? Jesus was responsible for the "Word" within Him. . . What do you believe His temptations were all about? or should I ask that question?

Intense,

Are you living responsibly before God?

Are you filled with the Holy Ghost?

When was the last time God used you to lay hands on someone to set them free from sin, heal the sick, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Could you give a time or situation recently where God has used you? I would appreciate hearing about it.

I could say lots to the question in the affirmative however, why the question and why the need to know? If God expressed himself from me why should I speak of it except to say God did this or God did that, without reference to myself?
Since you have taken the liberty to post a quote of mine posted to someone else, how about responding to the question I asked with regards to the temptations of Jesus whose resposibility it was to protect the Word within Him? Bet you never looked at it like that before, eh? I mean, Jesus was God and all that, eh?

Intense replied

to the question ... why the need to know?

Why have you started a thread called 'Are you "Born Again"?' You might have had far more response had you worded your title differently, so as not to draw attention to the capital 'I' which is implied therein.

Forum rules specifically state that discussions should centre around the topic 'the ball', (eg, new birth in that case) and not 'the man', apart from asking questions to ascertain a clearer understanding of the other person's meaning.

That is why you will find many here unwilling to make claims for themselves in such a way as to promote their own name above Christ's.

That is why we would give all the honour to the Lord Jesus Christ for His condescension to dwell in us by His Spirit, rather than turn it into statement which makes it sound as if He has abandoned His life to our care. Actually, He has, and we do well to remember that with great humility.

[i]'Have you been kind to His reputation this week?'

Oswald Chambers[/i]

Your question 'Does Christ, the "Word", share your body?' gives away your deeper thought - that you don't consider that He [i]owns[/i] your body, and can do what He likes with it, according to His own good pleasure, for which we were made - Rev 4:11

Of course, being God, He has only our highest good in His heart and mind, which we can aver from the gospel record of His dealings with people... so, we need not fear that He will harm the real man inside us - the inner man - regardless of what our outer man (body) might go through for His sake. Indeed, it is our privilege to suffer in the flesh for His sake. (1 Pet 4:1)

The authority given to Peter with the keys of the kingdom of heaven, was possible only because he understood that obedience to his Father's will, might well lead to a cross. He had already left [i]all[/i] to follow Christ. Luke 18:28;
1 Cor 6:19 'not your own'.

I realise this post might seem better in the thread about which I have spoken, but it is my [i]seconds[/i] to rbanks reply where he said:

The reason I took the liberty to ask you those questions is because of all the many questions you keep asking people in a way that many find hard to understand your motive and also comprehend ...

rbanks wrote:

Sincerely to you Intense, God can surely teach us through others but take some good inventory of all your questions and the way you go about it. How can God use you to help others when you turn most people off by the way you ask them questions. Most don't really understand your questions. D L Moody said that if we really wanted to help others understand the gospel then come down to the level of a child and make it plain to a child and then you can explain the gospel to others. It is all about God using you to bless others.

Blessings to you!

I believe have come down to the level of child by asking the questions I have asked and you still don't get it and only wish to argue. For this you blame me? For this you wish to make me the reason your lip is stuck out? I am sorry you will find me a very objective person not given to mis-construing to protect my pride or yours.

My questions to date haven't been answered except to reveal viciousness from those who continue adnausm to make me the center of their discomfort and not the Word of God; shuffling from foot to foot asking for my motive instead of allowing the question to penetrate and expose the void in their heart they are given to accept as "normal".. Or perhaps the question has penetrated and they just don't know where to place it in their thinking. I would imagine sincere folk would ask: How can I bring this perspective into my myself that I might walk more circumspectly in/before the Lord, not relying upon the "self-help" books advertised, I keep buying that do nothing to sustain my hope and desire to live righteously; having to be content week after week with the preacher who keeps telling me I sin everyday and I am just a poor sinner saved by grace and Jesus sympathizes with you"? All of that is a lie from the pit! If you born again, you sit with Christ in His Heavenly places! That is the perspective gone untaught! Learn that and the signs and wonders that follow will follow because you are in His presence and His presence is in you. Have you done that? Have you truly reckoned yourself dead to sin? How then can you sit with Him in Heavenly places where no sin is allowed? Gird up your loin and be a man. Get on with God as a becoming son of His, should. Quick asking if someone does signs and wonders as a proof! Learn to be and the doing will follow suit. I am a Pentecostal of 71 years. I know what I speak of is true. . . . Ken