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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : "Putting on Love" the beginning of a discussion

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makrothumia
Member



Joined: 2005/5/19
Posts: 724
Texas

 "Putting on Love" the beginning of a discussion

As stated in the title, this is only a beginning of this discussion. Input and questions are welcome. Often it is through dialogue that clarity is developed through the refining process of questioning ways ideas were expressed. Please join the process and contribute that part you are gifted in.

There is a first step in “putting on love”, just as there was a first step in the ordination of the priesthood. The old garments must be laid aside, the body washed clean, and then the new garments “put on.” Similarly, we must “put off the old man”, “mortifying our members upon the earth”, in order to make room to “put on love”.
Spirit and flesh will not bond together, and thus our “old man” must be stripped away by our own cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Paul’s use of the “aorist, middle imperative” each time he wrote about this putting off unmistakably places the responsibility for this process upon the believer. None of us could do this on our own, only with the help of the Holy Spirit can we “put to death the deeds of the body”; however, the Holy Spirit will not do the work without our full cooperation.
This is where “denying self” and “laying hold of eternal life” meet together creating a spiritual transformation which is literally “faith working through love.” At spiritual birth our “inner man” is indwelt by the presence of Christ in the person of His Holy Spirit. Before this re-birth from above, we were by nature carnal and every orientation was sensual. Our “new man” no longer a slave to carnal impulse, can begin the process of regeneration and sanctification of our soul. This is a process where “carnal” spiritual babes in Christ begin to grow up in their salvation through the renewing of the mind. We must grow up into Jesus Christ just as He Himself grew in spirit and wisdom. The Spirit accomplishes this by revealing the mind of Christ in every situation we face, moment by moment; we are never left alone. This is the main ministry of the Holy Spirit; He takes every beautiful grace of Jesus Christ and makes them known to us on a moment by moment basis.
“Putting on love” is simply receiving by faith the life of Jesus Christ in each situation where we are faced with a choice of walking according to the flesh (the deeds of the body) or denying self by faith and receiving the very virtue of Jesus Christ. This is how believers receive His power that enables them to walk in righteousness through yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Love is a person - GOD, therefore, “putting on love” is receiving the life of God through the impartation of the Holy Spirit through faith. We receive the life of Jesus moment by moment, from faith to faith, and His power is made perfect in the area of our own inability where we are being tempted. This is how our weakest areas become the proving ground for His strength to be made perfect in us. This is putting on the Lord Jesus, becoming strong in the strength of the Lord and the power of His might.
“Putting on love” is an act of faith. Aware of both the old man’s desires, and the pure desires of Jesus through the help of the Holy Spirit, we choose either the way of being enticed by lust or denying self and placing faith in Jesus in that moment. Yielding to Jesus through faith is “putting on” Jesus, thus “putting on love.” It is like the completion of a spiritual circuit. The power of Spirit and Life are in the person of Jesus. Through faith we refuse to yield to the old man’s old ways and choose by faith to connect to Jesus. This connection causes His very life to flow into our inner man, strengthening us with power to walk in the Spirit so as not to fulfill the lust of the flesh.
There is much more to it than this, but in an attempt to stay brief, this will at least begin a discussion.

makrothumia


_________________
Alan and Dina Martin

 2011/10/11 12:30Profile









 Re: "Putting on Love" the beginning of a discussion

Good post. Right now nothing to add. However am compelled to go back and reflect on 1 Cor.13. Do believe this thread will be a welcome addition to the forum.

With much blessing,

Blaine

 2011/10/11 12:42
UntoBabes
Member



Joined: 2010/8/24
Posts: 1035
Oregon

 Re: "Putting on Love" the beginning of a discussion

Makrothumia,
If I may ask you a personal question.
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit?


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Fifi

 2011/10/11 14:48Profile
makrothumia
Member



Joined: 2005/5/19
Posts: 724
Texas

 Re:

Makrothumia,
If I may ask you a personal question.
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit?

I seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day. I do not want to have a testimony that I "was filled" with the Spirit. I desire the same testimony as the seven chosen to serve the early church. They had not simply been filled, they were KNOWN TO BE FULL of the Spirit. I have met many people who claim to have been filled with the Spirit that left me with no desire to exerience what they claim happened. If being filled with the Spirit equals being FULL of JESUS CHRIST, YES!

makrothuia


_________________
Alan and Dina Martin

 2011/10/11 15:04Profile
HeartSong
Member



Joined: 2006/9/13
Posts: 3179


 Re: "Putting on Love" the beginning of a discussion

This "Putting on Love" is generally in the face of that which is ugly and vile; each situation orchestrated by our LORD Jesus Christ to show forth His glory. Our flesh would have us to enjoin ourselves to that which has caused it to rise up, but we, by the grace of God, consciously set aside that which has risen up, and cloth ourselves with the Love of Christ. This disarms Satan for he can not stand against Love.

 2011/10/11 15:40Profile









 Re:

"If I may ask you a personal question.
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit?"

Actually that was going to be my one addition to the excellent post our brother began this thread with. To me, unless you have encountered the Lord in a supernatural way, unless you have indeed been baptized in the Holy Spirit, as well as desiring to be filled and filled again, then all of the commands of Jesus will be out of reach. They could be desired and one could strive to fulfill them, yet, without this Baptism, then a man would ultimately fail, in my opinion.

Lets leave aside the people who claim to have been Baptized in the Holy Spirit that would leave us all with no desire to experience what they claimed happen, lets focus on what the Scriptures describe and the supernatural walk that then takes place.

A good example for me actually comes from the OT. David says in Psalm 51, verse one.......

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions."

We know that David was writing this in response to his sin of adultery and murder. We know that he cries out to God for forgiveness.......

Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

And we know that he is deeply ashamed of his actions.....

Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

We know that he has a great desire to walk rightly with God.

Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

But why, what is the root cause of Davids strong desire to be right with God? Is it fear of God that he would be condemned to hell? Is that his motivation? What is his motivation to walk in holiness and can we learn from his motivation?

Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

This was a man who knew well the presence of God. He also knew that he could no longer experience the presence of God, he could not come into His manifest presence. He was no longer guided by the Holy Spirit, obviously, and he wanted that restored, he wanted to get back into the manifest presence of God and the joy that comes with being right with God. It was a love relationship, and only one thing could restore that relationship.........

Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

To me personally, I cannot live outside the relationship that I encountered with the living God. There is nothing in this world worth living outside of His presence. This is my motivation, I have the strongest desire to do all that the Lord commands of me. I do not have the luxury of not loving my enemies, not forgiving, not showing mercy, not being kindhearted, even when the flesh sometimes screams for these things. For I myself have been the recipient of all those things and to deny them to anyone counts me as a hypocrite. And when I mess up, only a broken and contrite heart brings me back into His presence, where I humble myself before the living God. And when I arise with mercy and fogiveness, then I take that mercy and forgiveness to the one that has wronged me or I have wronged. This to me is how to " put on," which one translation says " immerse." Interesting that this same word applies to being baptized.........brother Frank



 2011/10/11 16:19
makrothumia
Member



Joined: 2005/5/19
Posts: 724
Texas

 Prompted to correct a serious omission

Dear forum family,

I realized after the fact that the statement below is very "unbalanced" alone:

"I have met many people who claim to have been filled with the Spirit that left me with no desire to experience what they claim happened."

Although this is a true statement, it should have been coupled with that fact that I have also met many wonderfully spirit filled saints whose lives have provoked me on to love and good deeds.

One without the other has the ugly appearance of pride. I should know better by now. Thank you for your patience.

makrothumia


_________________
Alan and Dina Martin

 2011/10/12 13:49Profile
dietolive
Member



Joined: 2007/6/29
Posts: 342


 Re: "Putting on Love" the beginning of a discussion

Amen Brother,

Thank you for taking the time to state all of this. Well said! Nothing of "me"... thank you for the reminder and encouragment.

Be well Brother!
Doug

 2011/10/12 14:21Profile









 Re: Prompted to correct a serious omission

This, to me, is a beautiful thread. It has the sweet aroma of truth and humilty. Thank you so much brother Alan for that last comment.........brother Frank

 2011/10/12 16:34









 Re: "Putting on Love" the beginning of a discussion



May He Love, With His Love, Through us.


Thank you, Brother Makrothumia!

 2011/10/14 22:08





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