WHAT IS LIFE ALL ABOUT?

This article will show that God has a growth process for salvation; that all people are in the midst of a battle over the Word of God; and that people need to be alone with God, in His Word, separated from the influences of mankind.

GOD’S GROWTH PROCESS: BABE TO SALVATION

Earthly-fleshly children begin as babies who know nothing, who must be fed, washed, clothed and coddled. Eventually they recognize voices, and begin to learn language and the difference between right and wrong from those around them. That’s flesh. What about Spirit?

It’s similar. All people — even those who are 80 years old in the flesh — are merely babes of the world who know nothing of God. So, to become a child of God and grow in His Word, what needs to happen? People need to recognize God’s voice, hear God’s language, and understand from Him the difference between good and evil.

Taking in the milk of The Father’s voice — in the books of Moses and the Prophets — is the first part of God’s spiritual growth process. His process goes from babes, to children, to young men, to fathers in the Word who bring up babes for God. People go through God’s process in this life to be with Him in the next, and are required to persevere in His process to the end. Here is a summary:

children … your sins are forgiven … you know the Father 1Jn 2:12,13
young men … strong … word of God abides in you … you have overcome the evil one 1Jn 2:14
fathers … you know Him who has been from the beginning 1Jn 2:13,14
it is the one who has endured to the end* who will be saved Mt 10:22 *in His growth process

What is God doing? He is building His own family by Spirit, not according to the flesh. In God’s family, He is The Father, invisible on the throne in heaven; the Mother and womb is new Jerusalem above. People become children in His family by being born again — born a second time — not by flesh and blood but rather by God’s Word and Spirit in His growth process. Jesus said:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Jn 3:6
Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Jn 3:5
My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it. Lk 8:21
For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother. Mt 12:50; Mk 3:35

THE BATTLE OVER THE WORD OF GOD

Jesus said His family are those who hear the Word of God and do it. So, it should be no surprise that there is a battle over the Word of God. This battle is the theme of the parable of the sower, which is the Lord’s most important parable. Jesus said:

Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? Mk 4:13
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Lk 8:11

Why is the sower parable of utmost importance? When understood by God’s teaching not man’s, it reveals what life is all about — a battle over His Name, “THE WORD OF GOD.”

By Spirit and throughout Scripture, God calls people to Himself. Yet, people turn to men and their religions and churches instead. As a result, such people continue as merely babes of the world, who do not begin God’s growth process. This is seed sown by the way side.

WAY SIDE

way side … fowls of the air came and devoured Mk 4:4; Mt 13:4
parables … not understand Lk 8:10; Mt 13:13
lest they … return,* and I should heal them Mt 13:15 *repent; change your attitude toward God
does not understand … evil one … snatches away* Mt 13:19; Mk 4:15 *plucks Word out of heart
so that they may not believe and be saved Lk 8:12

If, however, someone does receive God’s call and believes Him, His process can begin. But that doesn’t mean His process will continue. People can choose to turn from God or not complete His process. These are seeds sown upon stony places and among thorns.

STONY

stony … not much earth … no deepness of earth Mt 13:5 earth = Son
sun … scorched … no root … lacked moisture … withered away Mt 13:6 root = Father; moisture = HS
hears the word … with joy Mt 13:20
when affliction or persecution arises because of the word … he falls away Mt 13:21
they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away Lk 8:13

THORNS

thorns … choked Mt 13:7
hears the word Mt 13:22
the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word … unfruitful Mt 13:22
cares and riches and pleasures of this life … no fruit Lk 8:14; Mk 4:19

God alone is good. If someone perseveres with God through His process, they will believe, understand, and speak and do His Word in truth — bear fruit. This is seed sown on the good ground.

GOOD

good ground … fruit Mt 13:8
know … mysteries Mt 13:11
hears the word … understands Mt 13:23
bear fruit with perseverance Lk 8:15
it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved Mt 10:22

Do you understand the picture? Way side are people involved in men’s churches and religions, who don’t even start God’s process; they listen to man and reject God’s call. Stony and thorns are non-completion of God’s process. These three categories match up with the three lusts of 1John 2:16…

boastful pride of life [way side] — church people think they’re saved; men have told them so
lust of the flesh [stony] — flesh can’t handle persecution and affliction over the Word
lust of the eyes [thorns] — no fruit because choose to go for what you see in the world instead

You may want to examine these Scriptures and see how they fit together to give a true picture of God’s process and the battle:

God’s growth process — 1Jn 2:12-14
Three-lusts battle — 1Jn 2:15-17
Parable of the sower — Mt 13:3-23; Mk 4:2-20; Lk 8:4-15

SEPARATION — ALONE WITH GOD

Even at 75 years old, Abraham was just a babe of the world. Then God called him. God told him to leave his country, relatives, and father’s household, and go to a place Abraham didn’t know.

Paul, too, was just a babe of the world. He was a top seminary graduate and theologian. Yet, Paul didn’t truly know God. Then God called him, and Paul did not consult with man, but was alone with God.

God calls people to Himself, not to any church or religion. Recall the parable. The fowls of the air are your family, your friends, and especially those involved with churches or organized religion. They will swoop down from their high places, speak lies about God, and pluck you out of the “WAY” of God.

To have any chance with God, you need to stay away from the influence of mankind and their churches and religions. Come out to the wilderness — a place unknown to you, but known to God and prepared by God. Go to the place where His Name dwells — the Bible — and be alone with Him in His Word.

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house” Gen 12:1
Let everyone be on guard against his neighbor, And do not trust any brother … everyone … does not speak the truth Jer 9:4-5
Do not trust in a neighbor; Do not have confidence in a friend. From her who lies in your bosom Guard your lips.… A man’s enemies are the men of his own household. Mic 7:5-6
But when … God … called me … I conferred not with flesh and blood … I went away Gal 1:15-16
come out from their midst and be separate … And I will be a Father to you 2Cor 6:17-18

These are extremely important topics, and this article only briefly discusses them. God has a growth process for salvation; you are in the midst of a battle over the Word of God; and you need to be alone with God, in His Word, separated from the influences of mankind.

Repent and overcome the churches, which offer nothing but the ideas and opinions of men. Men can tell you that you’re born again, already saved, full of the Holy Spirit, and going to heaven; but their boastful words don’t make it so. Salvation doesn’t happen all at once. God doesn’t give everything at the start. It’s a lifelong process, and you can turn away at any point. And, only the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit — not men — can grow you into someone who is a believer according to God.

Scriptures are either KJV or NASB 1977