by Holbert Marie
Parts 1 through 3 can be found at these links:
http://www.surefoundint.org/2021/03/30/the-fundamentals-part-1/
http://www.surefoundint.org/2021/06/17/the-fundamental-foundations-part-2/
http://www.surefoundint.org/2021/10/04/the-fundamental-foundations-part-3/
Pride Really Does Come Before the Fall (Prov 11:2)
If God does give grace to the humble but “resist” the proud – James 4:6, than, it is good for us to know what being proud is so as to recognize it and bring it in to the light of God’s truth, for God himself opposes [sets his face against] the proud. It’s really not a good thing to have God actively against you! Pride is a reliance on one’s own ability. It is self-sufficiency. It lurks in the dark secret places of our fallen heart Jeremiah 17: 9,10 tells us:
The heart – (man’s rebellious fallen (natural/flesh) one, that we talked about in Part 2) – is deceitful above all things and BEYOND CURE. Who can understand it? “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” [Again, please notice, no mention of preprogramming here. We are responsible for our thoughts and deeds.]
The Lord has this to say about the true nature of the fallen heart:
Mark 7:14-23
. . . When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” 17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” 20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, PRIDE, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
Pride subtly, in a quiet and seductive way – [We are not normally aware of the pride in our hearts. Pride is very deceiving, it operates well in darkness.] – says, “I am a ‘good person’ and I am important. My thoughts and feelings are more ‘noble’, important or better than everyone else’s. I can justify or make excuses for doing what ever I do to gain my desires – (even if it involves stealing from or lying about or manipulating others) – because, well, I deserve it.” — It’s the ultimate end result of selfishness. Pride gives us a bigger image of ourselves than what is real! Pride deceives us to think we are something greater than we are, and when it has its full work in us, we will be deceived by pride to the fullest by thinking that we are equal to the Lord God or worse, are the Most High God! It leads to massive deceit – (clouds our life with smoke and we cannot see truth or light) – and if un-acknowledged – (not repented of) – will lead us to hell! Pride isolates us, we can truly trust know one. We only interact with those things or people that we agree with and thus stroke our ego or that we can control, manipulate or use to meet our selfish needs and desires or validate our importance. We are – (inwardly by deception) – jealous of anyone who may be greater than ourselves, so we will subtly try to avoid, deceive, seduce or destroy anyone we fear may be better, smarter, prettier or greater than us. This of course is if pride is allowed to have its full way with us. It is in all of us to some degree, we were born into it, and unless we acknowledge it and ask for grace – (the divine influence on our hearts and life) – to change us, we will all fall to it. Pride is the primary root of ‘The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil’ and the resulting fruit of eating from it – (Genesis 2:17, 3:1-6!). Prov 16:18 says: Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. – Pride is what made Satan – (the devil, Lucifer) – rebel against God and become his enemy – [Isaiah 14:12-15]. He saw himself greater than he was and could not handle the idea of anyone, specifically man – (and especially Eve, the woman) – held in higher esteem than himself! He has been fighting and opposing God ever since and God has opposed him and defeated him as stated in this Scripture:
Colossians 2:15 – And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
(Notice the cross – an act of incredible humility and weakness – totally defeats the power and pride of the rebellious elohyim – both angels and men!)
Here are two of Strong’s definitions of pride and the two root words that make the word listed with it. The first is based on our original verse in James 4:6.
[Strong’s pride NT 5244 – huperephanos, hoop-er-ay’-fan-os; appearing above others (conspicuous), i.e. (figuratively) haughty:–proud.
huper, hoop-er’; “over”, i.e. of place, above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; superior to, more than:–(+ exceeding abundantly) above, in (on) behalf of, beyond, by, + very chiefest, concerning, exceeding (above, -ly), for, + very highly, more (than), of, over, on the part of, for sake of, in stead, than, to (-ward), very. In comp. it retains many of the above applications.
phaino, fah’ee-no; to lighten (shine), i.e. show :–appear, seem, be seen, shine, X think.]
And here is the word pride, where the Lord mentioned it as coming out of a man’s wicked fallen heart, from the above quoted Mark 7:21 –
[Strong’s pride NT 5243 huperephania (hoop-er-ay-fan-ee’-ah); from NT:5244; haughtiness: – pride.]
Note that this definition of pride is from NT244 –huperephanos, which describes what pride is. Where as NT 5243 it is the condition of being full of pride, like a ‘mania’.
Our second definition of pride comes from 1 Timothy 3:6:
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited – (full of pride) – and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
[Strong’s tuphoo, toof-o’-o; from a der. of tupho to envelop with smoke, i.e. (fig.) to inflate with self-conceit:–high-minded, be lifted up with pride, be proud.]
Notice from these definitions that pride has the appearance of “being something.” An image or face [appearance] is the most important thing to those walking in pride, but in reality all there really is here is smoke, it is very deceptive! It’s like a balloon blown up to look like something impressive, but inside it is air. It has no real substance and is very vulnerable. Once the curtain is pulled back and the balloon punctured and reality is seen, there is nothing there! God sees how we really are anyway so it is other people like ourselves that we are trying to fool or impress. The very idea that we can believe in God apart from his gift of grace is pride and it is foolish to even think such.
Isaiah 64:6,7 tells us:
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.
The Lord further states that all our attempts to be good – (our good deeds) – apart from Him are worthless – (dead). Hebrews 6:1 —
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,…
Dead works, deeds that we try to do for God or to be good on our own abilities, are to be repented of – acknowledged and turned away from towards Christ. That means that we need to acknowledge that our attempts to please or pacify God by our own initiative must be admitted and called futile, and then we are able to turn away from our own efforts – [dead works] – and turn towards God and his grace – [divine help]. This is repentance. Repentance means to reverse course and change. Here’s is Strong’s definition: repentance and repent
[Strong’s metanoia, met-an’-oy-ah; compunction (for guilt, includes reformation); by implication, reversal (of [another’s] decision):–repentance.
Strong’s metanoeo, met-an-o-eh’-o; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (feel compunction):–repent.]
Repentance does not change us, Grace — the Lord’s divine impartation — changes us. Repentance is just an acknowledgment that we need to change, it’s coming to the realization that it is we who are wrong and not God or anyone else, true repentance does not blame shift, – (Like Adam sought to do – Gen 3:12 – When the Lord God asked Adam if he ate from the tree of knowledge, he pointed one finger at Eve and then another back at God and said, “The woman that you gave me“. He took no responsibility for his own decisions. He blame shifted it first to “the woman” – didn’t even call her by her name – and then blamed God for giving her to him) – true repentance comes from being ‘Convicted’ or ‘feeling compunction’ – a sense of regret after doing something wrong – ‘reproved’ and agreeing with or ‘owning’ it!
[Strongs’s convict– elegcho (el-eng’-kho); to confute, admonish: – convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove.]
‘Conviction’ creates a sense of truth and regret or remorse over one’s sin, selfishness (pride) and rebellion against God this and comes through the Holy Spirit :
John 16:8-11
…And when He – (the Holy Spirit) – has come, He will CONVICT the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
This conviction – remorse, regret, compunction – is called “Godly sorrow” and is true humility that leads to repentance – (the desire to change): 2 Cor 7:10-11
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world – (condemnation) – produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication!
If one resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit, as Pharaoh did — (three times Pharaoh reneged on his word to let the people go, and then five times Pharaoh hardened his own heart – (Ex 7:22, 8:15, 8:18, 8:32, 9:7) — before it says that “God hardened his heart“, – Ex 9:12. Even after this there was one more time it says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart – {after confessing that he had sinned – Ex 9:34). So there were six times Pharaoh hardened his own heart! It was not until the sixth plague that we see that it says, “God hardened his, – Pharaoh’s – heart” (Ex 9:12) – followed by once again Pharaoh hardening his own heart in Ex 9:34, and then God hardening His heart in Ex 10:1, 10:20, 10:27 and finally, 11:10. What this meant is that 6 times the Holy Spirit sought to convict Pharaoh and give him the opportunity to really repent and change, and he refused or retracted his word each time and in so doing hardened his own heart by his own stubborn, prideful choices! So finally, the eighth time the Holy Spirit was not even sent to attempt to convict him and therefore he had no chance to repent. This is God hardening a heart! As we discussed in depth before, God has, therefore, used His perfect FOREKNOWLEDGE. He knew beforehand what Pharaoh would choose to do, which was to REJECT THE CONVICTION OF THE LORD and stubbornly refuse to bow the knee or let the Lord’s people go. So, the Lord God, the “I AM WHO I AM”, was able to tell Moses exactly what CHOICES Pharaoh would make BEFORE HE MADE THEM and before Moses was sent to Egypt. God simply saw the decisions that Pharoah was going to make wast therefore God was then able to use Pharaoh as a ‘vessel of wrath’ to display His power and glory for His purposes as Paul said in Romans 9:
Simply put, when Moses met God in the burning bush he already knew what Pharaoh was going to do:
Ex 3:19-20
But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.
Yet just because God knew, through his foreknowledge, how Pharaoh would respond nowhere does God say:
1.) that God wanted or willed Pharaoh to make the choices he made, and
2.) that He forced or manipulated – (or even tricked) –Pharaoh to make those decisions. God takes no pleasure in destroying Egypt or killing their first born:
“As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!” – Ezek 33:11
(This is a passionate plea from the Lord God to turn away from evil, or repent, turn around.)
So, putting it simply, If you persistently resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit, due to selfish deceptive pride, there may come a time when you will no longer have the chance to repent, you will not see the need, for you have rejected the Spirit’s redundant attempts to convict you, and your heart will grow hard. — You will die in your sin and hell is your final destiny not because God wanted it, quite the contrary, as quoted before and is worth repeating:
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, NOT WILLING – (wanting or desiring) – that any should perish but that ALL should come to repentance.
If you end up perishing it is, your fault and yours alone, because you stubbornly refused the callings of the Holy Spirit to repent and turn to God and receive grace. Unless one repents, one cannot be saved and it is God’s kindness – (Romans 2:4) – that both convicts us and leads us to turn around, make a change – repentance! It is the vehicle that leads us to the door we must go through to receive Grace. God’s desire for all of us is that we would come to the door of grace, ‘cross’ over the bridge and receive life and that life everlasting as a son or daughter, part of His family forever in His Kingdom!
A proper understanding of repentance and those scriptures above, will help us to understand how truly loving and merciful God really is when it seems like ‘bad things’ are happening in our life. The worst thing that can happen to us is to have an appearance of success by our own abilities or pride and go through life unchallenged, not convicted over our sin, AND ALL HAVE SINNED, – (Rom 3:23).
It was commonly believed in Jesus day that those who were rich or ‘elite’ were the ‘favored of God‘ – (many still believe that today as well!) – Not so says the Lord, In fact he ‘flips the table’, literally, – (Matt 21:12) – on this line of thinking, saying:
Matt 19:23-26
“Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ….
This statement shocked His disciples. They had been taught the opposite was true; that riches and ‘physical blessings’ were a sign of God’s favor for living a Godly, ‘chosen by the Lord’, life.
…. 25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
In John 9, the entire theme of the ‘man born blind‘ is to teach the disciples to not judge someone as being a ‘sinner’ or ‘cursed’ and rejected by God because they are born into or came into an impoverished situation, which is something His disciples clearly believed and expressed when they asked Him this question:
John 9:1-2
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
To which, Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. . . (John 9:3)
The Lord then proceeded to heal him in a very unusual way – (a way that I have not seen duplicated by ‘faith healers’). This led to this ‘poor’, ‘accursed’ and ‘uneducated man’ absolutely destroying the Jewish elders in debate. Proving decisively that the Lord does indeed use the ‘babes, the poor and foolish’, to confound the wise!
Luke 10:21-22
“I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. . .”
If we stop and think about the entire story here, it is not hard to discern who is the real ‘rich man’ here – the man born blind – as he will have riches in heaven while the rich and the ‘wise’ do not. Another thought is that for many years – (the man was of age) – he was condemned to life as a beggar and being falsely accused and judged as being a sinner and rejected by God because he was born in that condition! Yet, Jesus said that this was allowed to demonstrate the glory of God! God chose to allow him to be afflicted and rejected for a long period of time that, in the course of time, he would be chosen to be a vessel and witness to and for His glory! It would be quite easy for this man to be bitter and angry at God, yet he was not and we will most assuredly see Him in the company of the Saints when all is said and done!
In a different scenario, the same could be said about Job, who was the opposite of the man born blind, being very wealthy and ‘blessed of God’ –
Job 1:3 – Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the GREATEST of all the people of the East.
– and in a moment was turned over to Satan – (with restrictions, It is good to remember that it was God Himself who brought Job to Satan’s attention!) – and lost everything and was greatly afflicted and was accused and judged by his friends of some how sinning against God, because God would never allow this to happen to anyone unless they have sinned or transgressed in some way! Yet this is what God had to say about Job Himself and He said it twice:
Job 1:8
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a BLAMELESS and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
and again after Satan kills his children and takes all his wealth from him:
Job 2:3
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a BLAMELESS and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him WITHOUT CAUSE.”
Here is the point being pressed home here! Outward success and riches can cause one to be deceived into thinking that they are all right without God and his grace, or worse that it is a sign of God’s favor. One of the most kind and merciful things God can do for us is to not allow us to prosper in pride or our own abilities and then fall under the ‘deceitfulness of riches’ – (Matt 13:22) – aspect of the ‘parable of the Sower’. I pray regularly that the Lord will judge me – [weigh me in His balance] – for his judgments are true and are always for the best. I pray God will not allow me to prosper in pride, “leaning to my own understanding” and being “wise in my own eyes” – Prov 3:5,6 – lest I be deceived into thinking I’m something apart from the Lord. I pray that I might – as Matthew 3:8 tells me to – “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance”. I pray that I won’t be angry at God for his discipline of me as Romans 2:4 says:
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?
Do we get angry and show “contempt” with God when He allows things in our life to fall apart? When all he is trying to do is kindly lead us to repentance, so we can receive grace and life and life that really matters eternally. God desires to discipline us like sons, if He allows us to prosper in pride we are not sons but are illegitimate as Proverbs 3:11 says:
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
and also Hebrews 12:5-9
And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines – (chastises) – those he loves, and he PUNISHES – (SCOURGES) – everyone he accepts as a son.”
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
[Strong’s – Punishes/scourges: NT:3146 – mastigoo (mas-tig-o’-o); from NT:3148; to flog (literally or figuratively): – scourge.]
This is one of the reasons why we are not to be envious of those who seem to be prospering apart from God – [read Psalm 37]. They are not sons, and in reality, if they are not led to repentance they will perish, like Pharaoh, and will end up like the rich man in the parable of Lazarus – (Luke 16:19- 31). All they have is their bag of smoke that looks impressive but is really empty. We are also not to judge those who appear to be going through difficult times as someone who is a “worse sinner” than us or is a ‘sinner‘ at all. When the truth is they might be partaking of more of the Lord’s kindness, and are experiencing the discipline of the Lord, which will lead them into the ‘fruit of repentance’. The Lord defends his sons so let us not judge – (Matthew 7:1-5) – but love one another – (Galatians 5:14,15) – for we all will have our times under God’s discipline and testing – (and yes even scourging, beatings) – or we are not sons (or daughters) of God!
As Repentance, is the act that leads us to Grace and repentance itself is an act of humility, after being convicted by the Holy Spirit. Remember that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the Humble. What is it to be humble?! It’s important for God gives grace to those who are! Humility, the action of being humble, is simply acknowledging things as they really are. By this I mean that true humility will lead us to agreeing with God that His ways and judgments are true. It is simply acknowledging that we can’t be the Lord God, nor can we be good apart from Him – (Luke 18:19) – it is recognizing our proper and subordinate position. The universe does not revolve around us, neither individually nor collectively! In humility we acknowledge that we are really selfish and full of pride. We realize, in humility that we deserve punishment, even eternally, and we are going to be like this forever apart from some divine help – [Grace]. In humility we just look up and acknowledge our need and dependence on something other than ourselves. So here is Strong’s definition of the word Humble, again from James 4:6
[Strong’s humility: tapeinos, tap-i-nos’; of uncertainty or depressed, i.e. (figuratively.) humiliated (in circumstances or disposition):–base, cast down, humble, of low degree (estate), lowly.]
It’s lowering ourselves in the sight of the Lord. It is much better to lower ourselves in His sight than to have Him do it for us and smash our pride – (Luke 20:17,18). Jesus further tells us in Luke 18:9-14:
Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men — extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.‘ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
In all truth we have no reason to be any other way than humble. We have nothing to boast of as our beginning Grace scripture says: Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. All of us have fallen to sin! Every good thing that happens to us is God’s goodness and mercy even our talents come from him for James 1:16,17 says:
Don’t be deceived, – (through pride) – my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
So humility is just acknowledging the truth of things and confessing our total poverty of life and our need for God’s grace. When we get to this place of humble brokenness, like the tax collector ‘sinner’ above, we can receive God’s grace. This is God’s desire, to give us His divine life – (grace). Those who don’t have it are perishing and those continuously refusing the Holy Spirit’s conviction, who don’t repent – (turn and recognize their pride) – and receive grace will perish forever. AND IT WILL BE ENTIRELY THIER FAULT as the Lord has gone above and beyond to make it so that none would have to perish.
An important note about humility: True humility is based on truth. We have no ability on our own to even know what truth is, it has to be revealed to us by God.
“What is Truth?” – John 18:38
When Jesus is before Pontius Pilate, Pilate ask him this question. “Are you a King then?”, to which Jesus says: John 18:37 – Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
And Pilate then asked this question, “What is Truth?”, but does not wait for the Lord to answer, he should have! Strong’s definition for the word ‘truth’ is simple enough:
[Strong’s truth: aletheia (al-ay’-thi-a); from NT:227; truth: – true, truly, truth, verity.]
Truth is simply what is real, what is true, it is the facts of the matter. Real truth cannot be changed or manipulated. It can be hidden or covered up or there may be attempts to twist it to make it appear as something different than what it is. But it cannot be changed! It is what it is! Two plus two will always for all time equal four! Jesus had already answered Pilate’s question when He said in John 14:6:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus had just said in John 18:37: “….Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice!” – (Which takes us back to John 10 where His sheep, hear and KNOW His voice, this again is ginosko.) – The Lord says, “Truly, truly” or “Verily, Verily” or “I am telling you the truth” or “assuredly” well over 30 times in the gospel of John and does so often with great passion, pleading with people to HEAR HIM and come into a revelation of the Truth. This is what the Holy Spirit came to convict the world of – THE TRUTH! The real truth. And that truth is if we do not come to believe that Jesus Christ is the only Begotten Son of God and the way to the Father, we will die in our sins! – John 8:24
John 8:23-24
And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.“
This is just the straight and simple truth.
True and False Humility
There is a false humility based on pride. We try to be humble ourselves. We do “humble”, “virtuous deeds” we make sure that people see these deeds so they are impressed with our “goodness” or “humility.” We have ‘compassion’ or ‘empathy’ on those ‘less fortunate than us’. Yet rarely do we really do anything of substance or sacrifice to remedy a situation. This is not humility but a form of pride. Doing good things or the giving of money, even our lives or all our wealth to either earn God’s favor or to offset our bad or selfish deeds is ‘dead works’! – (These acts are called ‘penance’–penance is repentance without the ‘re’ or the ‘t’ which is the cross! It is the ‘re’ that indicates having another involved. Penance is prideful, lonely and selfish—the human/demonic pride filled, ‘cross-less’, counterfeit of repentance) – We can also include hurting our bodies, fasting, walking barefoot in the cold, protesting – and even justifying the damaging or destroying of private or public property in the name of gaining ‘rights’ for some ‘oppressed group’ – and other forms of self-abasement are just that, they are built around SELF and are some of the most difficult forms of deceptive pride to break. The religions of the world are built around this basic idea of ‘appeasing or pleasing’ approach to God, by either “being ‘good’” – while seeking to earn your way to heaven – or offering some sort of ‘appeasement sacrifice‘ – (like giving tithes or ‘alms to the poor’ to pay for or cover your sins or misdeeds – so that God – and people – will see you as good and benevolent where you are ‘exalted’ and not the Lord!) – The greater percentage of the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus days were an example of this type of false humility. Jesus warns us against them many times in the scripture.
Matthew 6:1,2 is one of those times, He says:
“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full….”
Their reward is the praise of men. They are noticed by others! Jesus called most of the religious leaders, – (Pharisees and Sadducees) – hypocrites – (two faced)! He went after them more than anyone because of their example of ‘religion’ — [man’s attempts to please, pacify or be God through the setting and keeping of religious rules and regulations – SELF righteousness] — was going to lead many to Hell! – (The whole chapter of Matt 23 is the Lord “going off” on the religious leaders, pronouncing seven woes against them and calling them an assortment of various names like hypocrite, snakes, and white washed tombs.) – Jesus tells us not to judge anyone’s heart or motives, but he does tell us that we will know those who are really His by their fruit.
Matthew 7:16 says:
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
What are the “fruits” that we are looking for? The scripture calls the good fruits the “fruit of the Spirit” they are found listed in Galatians 5:22-24
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Notice these are the fruits of the Spirit, – (notice that there are nine of them listed – just like in 1 Cor 12:4-9 there are nine gifts of the Holy Spirit specifically mentioned.) – They are from God and specifically ‘the Helper’ – Holy Spirit person of God! We don’t have them in us unless God the Holy Spirit is in us. The only way these fruits come to us is mentioned in verse 24, by crucifying the sinful nature. HOW? – by abiding in ginosko/personal intimate relationship with Christ, DAILY! We belong to Christ – He owns us – He lives in those who have repented and received his grace and only through Him are we able to crucify our selfish ways. This occurs through humility – (acknowledging the truth of our lack and need) – which leads us to repentance – (turning away from our self and realizing we were wrong) – and then looking to God and receiving grace – God’s divine impartation of (life–ginosko). It is important to note that this crucifixion of self is not easy and is painful. Crucifixion is a very painful way to die. The “self” in us dies hard. In fact it has to die ‘daily’ – continuously. Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23:
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily –
(Strongs- “daily” is a the combo Greek word, “Kath Heemeran” which can also be described as hourly or for a period of time or from evening till light or an age. it simply means that we must take up ‘our cross’ which is a symbol of death to self, at all times, as long as we draw breath in this ‘body of sin’.)
– and follow me….”
This is the truth, reality. It is a process. We grow like trees into the fruit of the Spirit and as we seek Him we will become like Him. We become like the ones we make friends with and do things with. If all our friends are drug addicts, it will be difficult not to identify with them and become a drug addict. If the people we are friends with see no sin in free sex than we too, over a period of time, will see no sin in free sex and we will begin to avoid, and even attack, those who do not engage in free sex and who call it sin, quoting the scripture about not judging anyone – (Matt 7:1 – a misapplication of that scripture. We are not to judge a person, we are most definitely called to judge actions and deeds – i.e. fruits. Sex outside of marriage is fornication and adultery, period! Fornicators and adulterers that do not repent will not inherit the Kingdom of God – 1 Cor 6:9-11, Heb 13:4) – 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us: Do not be misled – (deceived) – “Bad company corrupts good character.”
(Edit in 2013, we are seeing this dynamic happening very clearly in the US – and actually in all the western influenced cultures – at this time with the acceptance of same sex marriage or homosexuality as a legitimate expression of marriage or normal sexual behavior! Something that God through Scripture in both the new and old testaments clearly declares is deviant, abnormal and an indication of a reprobate mind – (Romans 1:24-29) – and is the dregs of sexual immorality along with pre pubescent pedophiles – (which is now starting to become acceptable in 2020. Called ‘minor attracted person’. This is Sodom and Gomorrah, “as in the days of Noah” – type of stuff, it will bring cataclysmic judgement! – HM)
If our closest friend is Jesus and we keep company with Him we will become like Him. This is why the scripture tells us to fellowship – (keep company, eat with, become close to) – those who are after the Lord. Hebrews 10:25:
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching’
God Is Love and this ‘Other Oriented’ Love is the Foundation for Everything, It is the Heart of Ginosko
We need one another. God made us, as has been redundantly said, for a ‘ginosko’ relationship with Him and each other, to be family, real sons and daughters of our ‘One’ heavenly Father and brothers and sisters IN CHRIST filled with – the literal dwelling place or temple of – the same Holy Spirit. Indeed, our role to play in the “greatest of all commandments” (Mark 12:29) is all about love; love for God, love for each other, so let us delve into the second and third parts – (we covered the first part, “Here Oh Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is One . . .” – along with defining ‘heart, soul, mind and strength’ thoroughly in part 2) – of Mark 12:30-31
….. And you shall LOVE – [agapao] – the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall LOVE – [agapao] – your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
In fact 1 John 4:7, 8 tell us if we don’t love each other we don’t know/ginosko God:
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
[Underlined “knows”, There is that word ginosko again!]
Now this word ‘love‘ could arguably be called the most important single word in the Bible, simply because what is stated in the above quoted, 1 John 4:8, “for God IS Love!” As love is the very essence of God and the foundation of this ‘greatest of all commandments’, it is therefore of great value for us to define and clarify what love means in the Bible. Let us take a look at the three Greek words the English word love is translated from. The first two of these are strongly intertwined. They are:
[Strong’s love: agapao (ag-ap-ah’-o); perhaps from agan (much) to love (in a social or moral sense): Compare with phileo. – (We will cover this one a little later)
agape (ag-ah’-pay); from agapao; love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast: charity dear, love, action.]
Of these two, agapao is the heart, motivation and mindset of love, agape is more specific and practical in its application or implementation. It’s similar to ‘mercy’ and ‘grace’. Mercy being the mindset of compassion that motivates the action or response – grace.
John 3:16
For God – (The Father) – so loved – (agapao) – the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Agapao is more general in nature – (God loved the world – His creation and everyone in it – it, was the motivating factor that caused the Father to send His Son, and it was the motivating factor for Jesus the Son to volunteer to go and do what He did! He loved the Father and He loved us as well!) – and is therefore the foundation for agape – (which caused the action of the Son coming as a man and then His allowing Himself to suffer a brutal death, being crucified, on the cross! Love without action, ‘works’, is of little real value as James 2:14-26 makes abundantly clear!) – Real love is always other oriented in nature, these two – agapao and agape – have to do with making a moral choice for the benefit of someone else.
Two simple criteria that are necessary for Love to exist
The first criteria is so simple, it should be obvious, but because of our chronic rebellious and selfish mindset most do not see it. For love to exist there must be someone else besides our self to love! The very nature of real love is ‘other oriented’. This is what God is – love, The Father loves the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Son loves the Father and the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit loves the Father and the Son. As said in part 2, God is a family. Each are content with who they are and their place and position in the God Head! We (mankind) were created (both male and female) in their image and likeness – (Gen 1:28,29). We are created out of love to share in their love and be an integral and intimate part of their family! Even when originally created, God said it was not good for the man to be alone! Love cannot be alone. It must have someone else apart from itself to even exist, for the very nature of real love cannot be expressed without someone outside of yourself to express it towards!
The second criteria for love to exist can be answered by answering one of the fundamental questions asked by those who are angry at God and want to blame shift their sin – (or the sins/deeds/wicked acts of others) – back on to God. Here is a form of that question: “Why did God even allow the choice to disobey and rebel in the Garden of Eden? If I was God I would never even made the option to sin and rebel an option.” – (Basically saying that they are ‘more good’ or better than God’)
Well the answer is found in the nature of love. For love to exist, not only must there be someone else besides your self, there must also be some ability to make a real choice, to ‘choose to love’ that must be available for real love to exist! Real Love cannot be forced, pressured, coerced or manipulated, it must be willingly given and also willingly received, or else it is not love at all – but either an instinct, programmed or manipulated behavior that is done for some sort of self centered reason – either to gain something for themselves or avoid rejection or punishment. If the ability to choose not to receive or give love is not on the table then it cannot be love. A choice is required for love to even exist! And only Elohyim – made in the image and likeness of God – (covered in Part 2) – have this ability to both recognize and choose to love or not love.
God had to give Adam and Eve a choice and ability or ‘free will’ to make that choice. Otherwise, the option of love is not even available. The Tree of Knowledge was not in itself evil. It was just not be chosen over the Tree of Life, which is a ginosko relationship with God! The Lord cannot force us to choose to obey or follow Him. there is no love in manipulation or using power and strength to ‘win’ obedience or worship or affection. I did not win my wife’s hand through coercion, manipulation or intimidation and neither did the Lord win my obedience, worship and loyalty through coercion, manipulation and intimidation either. There is a truth, however, that if someone rejects the love of God that has been abundantly displayed and provided to us, they cannot later blame God for not being allowed into His Kingdom or house! – (Heb 2:1-4)
Agapao is the “love” of moral character, from an intelligent being/person who has the capacity to actually know there is a right and a wrong. It has little or anything to do with feelings, though feelings are involved. It is choosing to do what one knows is the right thing to do regardless of the pain one feels or what one gains, or loses, for him/herself. However, when one walks in love and does the right thing, there is many times some wonderful feelings that follows as the other fruits of the Spirit – (mentioned earlier) – will certainly come into play. Ephesians 5:24-28 gives us an understandable look at agapao:
Husbands, love – (agapao) – your wives, just as Christ also loved – (agapao) – the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love – (agapao) – their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves – (agapao) – his wife loves – (agape) – himself.
In this passage agapao love is the thought and concept of laying oneself down for the benefit of another. It also conveys a message of obedience to doing what is right against what one would ‘feel’ like doing. Jesus did not ‘feel’ good about going to the cross! – (Matthew 26:39) – Yet His love and His desire to please and obey the Father and His greater desire to redeem us back to the Father and to win His bride back to Himself, was the greater motivating factor! The husband has a moral responsibility or duty to love – agapao – his wife. There are times when this is not done with warm feelings! Yet, as he chooses to do so out of love for his wife and a desire to please and obey God, he ends up having agape for himself and more than likely a wife that will respect and cherish him as well, along with the affirming love of the Father who says “well done good and faithful servant!”
Agape love has been called “unconditional love.” – (but that is really not fully accurate. He will not forever ‘unconditionally love’ those who choose to reject His Son or fall away and blaspheme the Holy Spirit – as we saw with Pharaoh above! There is a hell for those who choose to reject His love). It is, however, the type of love that cares for someone whether or not there is any reward or benefit for oneself from any good deeds done, and it is costly. It is the word used to describe God’s steadfast love throughout the New Testament. It is also interesting to note that in the Greek it involves a love feast, like a wedding party a banquet for close and trusted friends – (And this was symbolized when Jesus had a supper with His 12 disciples before He went to the cross and we now celebrate Communion as a reminder of the wedding feast that is to come.)
The best definition of this word “agape” is found in 1 Corinthians 13, – (this chapter is the ‘sandwich meat’ – the center, like the middle piece of unleavened break in the Passover meal – of Paul’s teaching about the gifts of the Holy Spirit – 1 Cor 12 – and also their proper place in a church, corporate setting – 1 Cor 14 – let’s have a look. Here is the whole “Love” chapter.
1 Cor 13:1-13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, – [agape] – I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love – [agape], I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, – [agape] – it profits me nothing. Love – [agape] – suffers long and is kind; love – [agape] – does not envy; love – [agape] –does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love –[agape] – never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love [agape], these three; but the greatest of these is love – [agape].
As can be seen here by the brackets, the word agape is the only definition used for “love” in the whole “love chapter” of I Corinthians 13. No verse of Scripture so clearly lays out the definition and nature of love like this wonderful chapter! No one has fulfilled this definition of love except the Lord Jesus Christ! The older English King James version of the Scripture uses the word “Charity” instead of love. We use this word today to describe, “Charity organizations”, meaning organizations that are created to give and have the purpose of helping others. Agape love is a love that is more than just sympathizing with someone in pain. It is a deeper love that motivates us to right actions and deeds based on the right reasons and proper attitudes. 1 Corinthians 13 is an accurate description for this agape (action) type of love! The love in this chapter is willingly sacrificial! No one sacrificed more than Jesus did for us! The love in this chapter is selfless. Where as pride is self oriented, true love is other oriented! Love is the root and fruit of the ‘Tree of Life’, and it is not by chance that love – [agape] – is listed first in the list of Spiritual fruits listed earlier Galatians 5:22-24! It always looks for the benefit of others and looks for ways to build some one up. A very wonderful thing to note about agape love is that it “never fails”! It never falls down, is always victorious! In fact the scripture clearly tells us that because Jesus fully gave himself to this type of “other oriented” love that he has received as a reward the highest place in the Kingdom of God!
Philippians 2:1-11
2:1Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant – (Strong’s NT 1401 – doulos/slave) – and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
It may take more time to see the manifestation of the victory of ‘love never fails’ in fact we may not fully understand the truth of this scripture while we are on this earth! – (unless the Lord returns to set up His rule and reign while one is still alive here.) However, we can rest assured that as Jesus did not fail in His agape love, neither will anyone who walks and abides in this same love! You will surely have your reward – Mark 10:29-31!
All of these attributes of love in 1 Cor 13 and the other scriptures on love, is who God is and they give us a beautiful and accurate description of the true nature of God! 1 John 4:8 – (quoted earlier) – and 1 John 4:16 tells us again that “God is love!” – [agape]
1 John 4:16
And we have known and believed the love [agape]that God has for us. God is love – [agape], and he who abides in love – [agape] –abides in God, and God in him.
Furthermore, our fellowship of love with each other is a major way to demonstrate the love of God to others. Jesus tells us in John 13:34,35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love – (agapao) –one another; as I have loved – (agapao) –you, that you also love – (agapao) –one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love – (agape) – for one another.”
People can’t know that we love one another if they never see us spending time relating with each other and doing good for one another! I have noticed in the Asian communities I am familiar with, that the witness of serving, giving and loving one another is much more powerful a witness than sharing the gospel alone! In fact, when they see true love and service demonstrated among the believing community — and they do watch us — they become curious and open to our message and I have found they will even ask us our motivation for such loving actions!
We see this nature of the “the Lord our God, the Lord” – (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) – in the agapao/agape love that they have for one another and they created us in their image – (Genesis 1:26) – to be partakers of this love nature! It is what being ‘transformed into His image’ – (2 Corinthians 3:18) – means. It is to be conformed to His agapao/agape love! It is this love that makes them One and why 1 John 4:8 says God IS love. It is the first part of the great commandment – (As discussed in depth in Part 2) – and the heart and core of Jesus’s prayer for us in John 17:20 – 24, in the garden of Gethsemane – (the real ‘Lord’s prayer’) – just before he went to the Cross! In fact, the only thing Jesus prayed for us – (those who knew the Lord through the apostles word, who is us) – is that we would be One in Love!
John 17:20-25
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be ONE, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be ONE in Us,that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be ONE just as We are ONE: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in ONE,and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have LOVED-(agapao) – them as You have LOVED– (agapao)- Me. 24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You LOVED– (agapao) – Me before the foundation of the world.
Here is the word ‘One’ from Strong’s:
[Strong’s One: heis (hice); (including the neuter [etc.] hen); a primary numeral; one: KJV: – a (-n, -ny, certain) – this means ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘any’ and ‘a certain’ – abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some.]
The Idea of Us being ONE in LOVE is a really big deal to God!
Notice that the word ‘heis’ (one) does not mean singular or individual, in fact all the references for ‘one’ have other, one another, abundantly, some. It has to do with a blending or unifying of a collective into one being untied in a way that they are one unit, or is an entity made up of differing parts each having a function and a place that makes the one unit much stronger than the singular individual. Notice that there also is no definition that means ‘same’ or ‘copy’ or ‘duplicate’. This ‘hies’ is the same word used in our oft quoted and discussed, great commandment (Part 2); when Jesus said, “Here Oh Israel. the Lord the Lord God is ONE” – (Mark 12:29). And also Duet 6:4 — that he quotes from, where we see the Hebrew equivalent word for one):
[Strong’s OT Hebrew: One: echad (ekh-awd’); a numeral from OT:258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first:]
This is the same Hebrew word used in Gen 2:24
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become ONE – (echad) –flesh.
In both the Hebrew and the Greek in all these verses, the word one is not a simple individual, it always involves more than a single. And it is love that makes God one and us, who were created in His image (tselem) and likness (dewuth), as well!
The Father God’s delightful ‘Phileo’ love!
When we walk in this ‘agape’ love there is a wonderful reward that one receives it is the Father’s phileo love! Phileo love is God’s specific affection given to us when we please him! God loves the world (agapao). He shows his agape (action) by sending His Son. But His phileo love is specifically to those who are His friends, His children those with whom He has close personal relationship! It is personal, specific affection and is only understood through personal ginosko relationship. Here is “Strong’s” definition – (they do a really good job on this one I believe):
[Strong’s phileo (fil-eh’-o); to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while [agapao] is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related very much as being delightfully willing and willing, the former (delightfully willing) being chiefly of the heart and the latter (willing) of the head); specifically, to kiss (as a mark of tenderness)]
Where as agapao/agape is broader (an often costly or sacrificial) in its scope and action. Phileo is more specific to an individual. God loves the world [agapao], but he does not have phileo love for the world, for phileo is specific and is God’s response to us, His children, especially when we please him by doing the right things for the right reasons, especially when others do not notice or acknowledge our good deeds! He even reveals his phileo love when we try to do the right thing and don’t quite do it right! – (As a father there are times when my young children draw my phileo love when they seek to do something for me just because they want to please me and yet don’t quite do it right or make a big mess in the process!)
Only those who know – ginosko – God can ever feel or understand in anyway God’s phileo love. It is a love I have experienced from time to time and it is indescribably wonderful. It is a love where the Father rises up with great joy and pride and exclaims, “Well done Son, I love you I appreciate you, You please my heart!” It is a delightful love. God takes joy and delight in us and is pleased with us. Receiving this sort of affirmation from the King of the Universe, our creator is worth all the treasure this world has to offer! This is the love mentioned in John 5:20:
For the Father loves – (phileo) – the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
The Father has great ‘delight’ and is well pleased with his Son and because of this he speaks with Him and shows Him all He does and is. The Father also phileos those of us who love Jesus the son as stated in John 16:26-27
In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves – (phileos) – you, because you have loved – (phileod) – Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
Simply believing – (faith) – in God the Father’s Son, Jesus will qualify us for receiving God’s phileo love. In John 14:23 Jesus tell us something very wonderful. When we hear and keep God’s commandments than we will please the Father and the Son and they will manifest – (reveal themselves) – and live in us!
John 14:21-23
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves – (agapao) – Me. And he who loves — (agapao) – Me will be loved – (agapao) – by My Father, and I will love – (agapao) – him and manifest Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves – (agapao) – Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love – (agapao) – him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
The Father and the Son show themselves to those in whom they ‘delight’ this is a form of phileo love. To see and know (ginosko) the Father’s phileo love we must love (agapao) the Son and keep his commandments. His commandments are easy and clear; Love (agape) God and Love (agape) others as mentioned redundantly before in Mark 12:28-31. However, to actually love and do these commandments is impossible without the grace, divine ability that comes from the Holy Spirit!
John 14:15-18
“If you love – (agapao) – Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows – (ginosko) – Him; but you know – (ginosko) – Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
[Note: ‘Agapao love’ and ‘ginosko knowing’ are linked they are One and inseparable.]
One last thought on phileo. God says that he disciplines and desires to have ‘dinner’ with those he phileos. Here was His message to the luke warm Laodicean church.
Rev 3:19-20
As many as I love, – (phileo) – I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
As a father myself, I tend to bring correction to my own children and those I am close to and have a close relationship with. I do not attempt to discipline the children of strangers, those I don’t know. Discipline is for those whom the Lord phileos. The result of which is repentance and an invitation to have a one on one special meal with the Lord! Jesus did this with Peter in John 21:12-18
… Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”– knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love – (agapao) – Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love – (phileo) – You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love– (agapao) – Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love – (phileo) – You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love – (phileo) – Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love – (phileo) – Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love – (phileo) – You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”
Earlier, when Jesus was in the hands of his enemies, Peter had denied that he knew [ginosko] Christ three times. He had just promised Jesus that he would “lay down his life and die for him!” Peter had failed and I‘m sure his confidence in his commitment to his Lord was severely shaken. Jesus prepared a meal for the disciples and especially Peter. In Jewish culture eating a meal with a person was a very intimate thing, it was also a sign of forgiveness. Notice Jesus ask Peter twice if he had agapao love for Him. Peter is now humble and answers truthfully. He has phileo love – (affection love but not the deeper, sacrificial agapao love). Finally Jesus ask if he phileos him and Peter finally breaks and says, “you know Lord I love – (phileo) – you”! Three times Peter had rejected Jesus now three times he proclaims his phileo love for Jesus. Peter does restitution and is restored in his relationship with Jesus. This was an act of phileo love! The agape – (total surrender all total selfless) – love would come later as insinuated by Jesus’s last statement to him in verses 18-19:
Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
In time Peter would “lay down his life” for the Lord as he had promised Him and therefore grew into the fullest act of agape love. The laying down of one’s life for another is the greatest act of love a person can do as stated to us by Jesus in John 15:13-14:
Greater love – (agape) – has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
Jesus of course performed the greatest of all agape acts by giving His life, suffering a most horrendous and humiliating death on the cross on our behalf. What great selfless sacrifice He made for us! How tragic that we would not respond to this great love by offering ourselves back to him as a living sacrifice [act of agape love] as stated by Paul in
Romans 12:1-2:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
End Part 4
In Part 5 we will go into depth concerning Faith, the “word” of God, both Logos and Rhema.
https://www.surefoundint.org/2022/03/25/the-fundamental-foundations-part-5a-faith/