"The Mystery of The Faith"

1Tim.3:9

P A R T   1

Faith!  Such a small word.  Yet, not unlike the vastness of space itself, the hidden depth, height and length of it is beyond the present abilities of natural man to reach.  Even areas that can be seen remain somewhat of a mystery.  Our own understanding and knowledge of FAITH is yet incomplete.  It would be foolish for any man to claim otherwise.  FAITH, unlike any other fruit of the SPIRIT OF GOD, is really indescribable and unexplorable through any of man's five natural senses.  We can therefore attempt to describe it only according to our limited understanding of both the natural and spiritual creation, basing all on the Spirit rather than the letter of God's holy word.  This will become more evident as you study this article.

Here, we will look at a few natural as well as spiritual parallels that can help us to see some important, yet not often understood aspects of true biblical faith.  There are many facets of faith that we could touch upon or delve into more specifically, but we wish here to concentrate generally in that realm of faith pertaining to the initial experience of appropriating the righteousness of Christ and being "born from above" or "born again."  In the first part of this study we shall share thoughts in a common manner of writing and speaking instead of our more usual method of much scriptural treatise.  Even in this, much of the Spirit of what we are saying may be hard to grasp by some.  Do not worry.  God will give you just the portions you personally need at this time.  So also He does with His faith.

In chapter two, we will give strong support to this first chapter by laying down the basic foundation on "salvation" and "deliverance" faith in our more usual treatise of much scripture exegesis.  Lately, some good and much not so good teaching has been written and preached on the subject of biblical faith.  Hopefully, we leave our readers with a few more correctly fitting pieces which belong to the puzzle of faith.  We attest, that only by the hand of God and through the divine operation of the faith of Christ, will this spiritual puzzle one day be seen in all its fullness.

Faith…The Fruit of True Life

In the course of natural life on earth, there is a God -created genetic cycle in a woman's  life wherein she is ready only in a certain set time period of her cycle, to conceive and bring life to birth - Eccl.3:2.  The timing of natural age plays a part in the ability of a woman to conceive.  Even the egg is released in the appropriate time of the month and brought into a place where if it meets the male sperm, it will become fertile…if the Spirit of Life mysteriously so directs.  The natural mind would more likely think…if the circumstances so dictate.  As in the natural birth process, so it is in man's spiritual birth.

n God's own cycles of timing, He draws the soul of man (Jn.6:37,44,65; 12:32) and prepares and places him or her in a place of the presence of His living Word..ready to become a part of the woman (the church). In similar manner through His Spirit, through ways beyond human comprehension,  He brings forth every natural child into the womb of His mother just before birth.

In Jesus' day when He was present in the form of the Word as the Son of God and as the Son of man---all those in His presence would not believe in the divinity of His spirit - Jn.6:44.  They saw the flesh and heard the word on the level of human sight and human understanding only.  Therefore they could not accept it.  Was this due in part or in its entirety to their human choice of unbelief and to their own self-generated hardness of heart?  Or rather, did the Spirit of the Father of all spirits somehow have a part to play in it?   We believe He had a major part and still does!

Scripture indicates Jesus knew those who were prepared of the Father at that time to receive a spiritual quickening, and he also knew those that were not - Jn.6:64.  So it is even today.  God alone chooses who should hear and who should believe - Ac.15:7-9.  "Blessed is the man you choose and cause to approach you." Psa.65:4.

Know that "God from the beginning hath chosen you to salvation" 2Ths.2:13.  Yes, "you who through Him" (1Ptr.1:21; Ro.5:11) and not at all through yourself…have come to have the necessary faith to believe in Him.  Truly you are of "a chosen generation" (1Ptr.2:9) who in His divine timing are "ordained" (Ac.13:48) to become those "which had believed through grace." Ac.18:27.   Not only does He divinely choose who should hear and believe but also when they should hear and believe - 1Cor.12:18; Matt.13:11; Gal.1:15; 3:23; Jn.3:8; Lk.24:32.

Evident in the world today is a form of belief in Christ which yet makes the word of God of none effect.  This can stem from Satanic origin - Jas.2:19.  Closely connected and intertwined with godly faith is natural human belief. This is a kind of faith which is of no spiritual life-giving effectiveness.  This kind of  belief originates and proceeds directly from the unregenerate regions of soul and flesh - Ro.10:1-4.  We all are yet susceptible to draw from this earthly well.  On the other hand, there can be a life-giving belief of truth found in man which originates primarily from a supernatural importation of the Spirit of God.

One type of belief (in a biblical sense) is strictly a belief per the natural letter of the word, the other is wholly by the Spirit of the Word - 2Cor. chapter 3.  One is implanted through grace from a divine source that is apart from our adamic nature; the other comes strictly from the shallow inner source of our adamic self-spirit.

A Divine Faith and a Natural Faith

The Spirit of Truth comes supernaturally from the Father at His will unto His chosen ones to testify of the power of Christ - Jn.15:26.  It is only this "Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh [adamic nature spiritually] profiteth nothing." Jn.6:63.  The words that the Spirit of Truth inwardly speak…only they are of a Spirit which brings to men a righteous new life, new birth, and new faith.  Just as the fruit tree yields fruit after his kind (Gen.1:11), a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit---nor can an evil tree bring forth truly good and lasting fruit - Matt.7:18.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Ye must be born again - Jn.3:6,7.  Applying this truth to faith, we find that natural human faith can produce only natural fruit---fruit that eventually perishes.  But divine spiritual faith produces divine spiritual fruit, fruit that perishes not.

True living faith has its fruit come forth through the heart of man but its seed and roots has its origin in the heart of God---even in the midst of Him who is our tree of life.  This faith of which we speak is a divine substance of God's own perfect nature which has its expression through Jesus Christ our Lord.  The letter of the word hangs on the branches of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ready to fail. The Spirit of the Word as the fruit of the spirit of eternal life will hang forever on the tree of life.  Just as sure as natural fruit is produced in its season, so God will ensure the production of faith in His "trees of righteousness."

We find that just as Jesus Christ in the flesh was the human expression of God's word [thoughts], so are the written words in the Bible a part of human expression of God's word.  Just as Christ was both thoroughly human - Phi.2:7,8) and also fully divine (Col.2:9), so also is the Spirit of His holy word found in the scriptures.  Christ Jesus was not partly human and partly divine, but was basically human and thoroughly divine.

So, we see the same principle carried through into the written word of God [the Bible], wherein the letter of the word remains subject to death but the quickened Spirit of the Word ministers glorious new life within humanity - 2Cor.3:1-11.  We find that the Old Testament law in likeness to the letter of the word, is as that veil of soul and flesh, which without first the power of the Spirit to rend it, hides all the true wisdom and knowledge of the true life of the word.

In Christ, we find the Spirit of the Word first came veiled in the flesh [the man Christ Jesus], just as the Spirit of the word now comes to man veiled in the letter.  This Word who came in a body of flesh, and now comes in a body both individually and corporately, also had the power of the Spirit to rend this veil.  Christ's flesh became a revelation as well as a veil.

So it is with the written word of God.  Unless the surface letter of the word is unveiled by the Spirit of Christ to be seen in its spiritual reality, it is void of  true life giving Spirit.  The rending of the veil that brings faith for our salvation, begins at the top through both the will and the choice of God.  It can never begin at the bottom in the sel fwill or belief of man.  If the origin of saving faith could ever originate and be generated from within man himself, then it would have been unnecessary for Christ to be faithful to the Father, even to His death on the cross.

The Father had perfect faith in His Son to carry out His divine mission for mankind.  The Son was entirely faithful in fulfilling this commission.  Could it have been any other way?  See our writing entitled "The Sinless Son."  Now the righteous faith that was in His blood [His life and His Spirit] becomes ours, not through anything we decide to do, say, think or believe of ourselves (Eph.2:8,9), but entirely through this grace and seed faith that come to us from God - Ro.3:22-27.

It is in reality, His faith that resides and generates in us is that produces our faith in Him!   In other words, the righteous faith men are given to possess, whether for their initial salvation or for further work of God, comes in no way from themselves.  That which comes from the Spirit of God is trustworthy and lasting.  That which originates with man is not. We will elaborate on this in much more detail and much more scripture later.

Now, just as there is a substantial difference between soul and spirit, between natural birth and spiritual rebirth, between the letter of the word and the Spirit of the word, between natural knowledge and spiritual wisdom, so is there also a vast difference between man's faith and the faith of Christ.   Both do manifest and operate within adamic man, but the truly righteous and necessary kind of transforming faith that the Bible says we must have in order to please God (Heb.11:6), must originate from the faithful holy Spirit nature of God Himself.

Saving, healing faith is a product entirely of God's own nature, mind and timely will.  It is not at all a  product of the mind, will nor whims of man.  It sprouts from a godly seed and produces godly fruit.  It begins as a holy righteous root and ends as a holy and righteous tree of life.  I germinates in the soil of darkened minds, it springs heavenward in the light of God's revealing love and in the life-giving rain of His Spirit.

Belief or faith as man often calls it, by itself, is a natural, ever-present ability that inherently exists in the souls of all men.  It is present in mankind from natural birth---a product of man's own individual mind.  It ranges from practical assurance to conjecture, from slight apprehension to blind trust…always in sincerity.  It is a condition of mind, a positive mental and intellectual conviction that has its beginnings and ending entirely in the mind, will, intellect, notions and emotions of the unregenerate soul.

It begins and ends in the common realm of spiritual death, confined and imprisoned in its limited allotted power.   Hence, any human belief (faith) found in the common forms of assumption and presumption are only unrighteous and self righteous counterfeits of genuine Godly faith.  The fruit of this natural type of faith grows only on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil--the tree of death.  Its branches are spread everywhere throughout the earth.

In contrast to this natural everyday faith that we commonly live by, there is a true God given faith that is ever present, but only in the realm of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.  It begins in righteous holiness and ends in perfect holiness…because only Jesus is the author and the finisher of it - Heb.12:2.  The power of true godly faith begins right where man's power ends!  This kind of fruit grows only on the tree of life.  Godly belief or faith, originating from the mind and Spirit of God when one is "born again", is a gift (1Cor.12:9) that produces the firstfruit of much further effectual spiritual faith - Gal.5:22.

The true fruit of faith begins in the initial seed gift of faith (Eph.2:8,9) and begins growing and maturing through your God imparted spiritual belief being put into action.  Human belief exercised apart from the working will of the holy Spirit, is spiritually vain.  It is dead.  It is a dead work, an unrighteous faith which condemns rather than justifies.  It is void of any righteous faith giving life of God.  Because God is the Spirit of love, any faith void of the working of God's love is also dead because it profits man nothing - 1Cor.13.  It is only His divine power that gives us all things which pertain unto true life and godliness - 2Ptr.3:3.  True faith is a basic and essential thing.  This faith is a part of the very nature of God Himself which becomes a part of our new nature in the divine process of human salvation.

The fruit of faith (even one's ongoing salvation) is essentially produced through the grace of God in opening ones  eyes, ears, heart etc. to hear and to understand, not only the letter but also the life giving Spirit of His word.  Contrary to popular opinion, human will power and belief does not initiate the hearing, the understanding, nor the believing that is necessary to obtain salvation by faith.

Futher, the divine will of the holy Spirit must first impart the living faith of God whether it be for a spiritual or physical healing of the body.  The point is, that without the miracle of God's perfect imparted faith giving us the power to believe, we could not ever even begin to hear, see nor understand how that Christ is the way, the truth and the life of our salvation.

Effectual godly faith "cometh by hearing", hearing the life imparting Spirit of the word through spiritual ears which are divinely opened to hear.  The physical letter of God's written word is not alive and therefore cannot  give to anyone any true sounds of faith nor life unless it be divinely quickened.

Divine Faith vs. Human Faith

There is only one kind of believing faith that is acceptable for salvation.  It is the result of an act of God, not of man, that enables man to engage in a new and personal mode of personal communication with God.  This kind of faith has a divine origin.  Only the activated faith of God is able to free man's spirit from the death grip of his old nature, supernaturally releasing him to be able to receive and believe with an effectual divine faith-the enlightening revelation of personal saving grace.  It is a totally supernatural life bringing force that must be initially imparted from God in His timing of grace.  This is true of both spirit-soul and body healing.

Individuals must first be impregnated by divinity to conceive godly faith in the womb of their minds.  Note that the Father did not first need the intervention of man [Joseph] to bring forth the life of His Son in Mary.  Neither does He need, nor even use, the intervention of man in conjuring up any of his very own initial thoughts or actions to bring forth a new life of faith in man. 

Natural belief or faith does not have divine origin.  As we have been revealing, it is born of human soulish origin and can just as easily be the influence of Satanic origin.  We would not hesitate to say that human faith and belief is actually as far apart from the saving gift of faith---as the fruit of human love and natural lust is from the true fruits of God's agape love.  The carnal mind is unaware of the difference between these things because they are only spiritually discerned.

In the understanding of the carnal mind even in Christian circles, natural faith is seen tied unto the true gift of godly faith-just as worldly sorrow is seen to be no different than godly sorrow---though in reality, there is a world of difference.  Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, whereas natural sorrow cannot continue but to work in death - 2Cor.7:10.

Human faith or belief denotes a persuasion, a trust, a reliance, an acceptance either with or without manifest proof of truth or reality.  One can say he has faith, or trust in a thing or a person regardless of whether his belief in that thing or person is right or wrong.  For example, one can believe in freedom or slavery, or even in the man Christ Jesus.  That will not necessarily save him.  One can believe that the bread and the wine is good without necessarily partaking of it.  That is Human faith!   In comparison to righteous godly faith it is nothing more than an unrighteous pseudo faith!

New Testament biblical faith is always the acceptance of some form of absolute truth whether it be manifestly persuasive or not.  It begins with a God imparted promise of truth and ends with the manifested fulfillment of that promised truth.  Biblical faith is not the end, but rather the beginning and the endurance of a divinely inspired belief.

Natural human faith is always prone to failure.  Divine faith can no more fail than can divine love.  True biblical faith therefore is found in the steadfast reliable assurance of God promised things we can hope for, and in the promised evidence of things we have not yet seen, in the natural, or in the spiritual realms of reality - Heb.11:1; Ro.4:20,21.

The hope we lay hold upon, is a sure and steadfast anchor of our soul, anchored firmly to the foundation of truth of that which the God of the Bible has spoken.  The rope which holds the vessel of our soul steady in the stormy waves of the sea of humanity, is the trustworthy Spirit of God whose strength and faithfulness is most assuring.  Our endurance in the buffeting waves of affliction, whilst we look not at the things which are seen, works spiritual faith in us as an eternal weight of glory.

Logos  and  Rhema

Just as there are two types of faith, one natural and one spiritual, so there are two main types of God's word, whether they be written or spoken.  One, the LOGOS [Grk.], operates in the realm of reasoned human speech.  The other, RHEMA [Grk], is in the realm of divine utterance.  This produces spiritual faith in the ability to hear and believe the living Rhema word of God.  The Logos is knowledge in the lower soulish ream.  Rhema is spiritual knowledge and revelation in the spirit realm.

The Logos word is visible to the natural eyes and able to be heard through natural ears.  Whereas the rehma word, is able to be seen only through opened spiritual eyes and heard through opened spiritual ears - Rev.3:18b,22.  Logos denotes the natural expression of thought and word concerning a concept, idea or even belief.  It alone, and apart from the Rhema, is totally devoid of any true life generating power of the spirit.  It exists as the letter of the word   in both the spoken and the written word of the gospel.  One could liken it to the one edge of "God's powerful two edged sword - Heb.4:12.  It is the Logos word that only brings general, mental-soulish head knowledge, and if used improperly can easily produce a natural, meta-physical faith and belief.

Often, in our knowledge of the Logos word only we have failed to appropriate the true faith from God.  Many so called faith-healers substitute this faith for the Rhema either through ignorance or lack of knowledge.  Confessing this logos word does not produce true faith, true salvation, or true healing.  This is not the faith needed to sustain us in living godly lives.  We need to learn how to distinguish and then apply the living Rhema word of faith.  It would appear the church has been slow to learn.  Many have yet to learn that there is a big difference between the Logos and the Rhema, between human faith and the faith of God.

The Rhema word is that which we should earnestly desire to know and apply.  If any man lack wisdom in this, let him ask of God.  The Rhema word is the sharpest edge of God's sword.  It is this edge of the sword that the Lord uses to divide the natural from the spiritual.  The understanding and the utterance of this word comes from deep within the spirit, not from the shallowness of the mind or soul.  Deep calleth unto deep, and the spirit and memory awaken as the holy Spirit imparts the Rhema "word of faith" (Ro.8:8) in varying proportions to your spirit, imparting that righteous faith of the life of Christ.  The Logos word supernaturally becomes energized with life giving power of the Spirit and becomes a living Rhema word in the transforming and renewing of the mind.  It is only the Rhema word of the gospel which is the power of God unto initial and progressive salvation to everyone that is believing - Ro.1:16.

The Logos word must be divinely quickened by Christ before there can be true Rhema substance.  As we walk and live, in and by the word, this type of faith grows (2Ths.1:3) only through practice in learning to exercise both the natural and spiritual senses to discern both good and evil - Heb.5:14.  The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, transferred from a natural to a supernatural faith…then gradually increased from a comparatively weak faith to a sound faith.  Bodily exercise profits the decaying body to a small degree.  How much more spiritual exercise profits the maturing spirit!  It could be, those that suffer lack of faith in certain areas also suffer from a lack of spiritual exercise!

It is apparent then, that in our partial knowledge of  the Logos word, we've often taken faith that has not originated from the Rhema word, trying to apply it and stand on it.  Since it was of the soul and its foundation was not in the true Rhema of Christ, or not in the timing of His perfect will, we've often failed because we were living by a faith that cannot give substance from God.  If we try to believe ourselves into a faith experience, it will never operate higher than the realm of human soul or flesh.

True godly faith is not an intellectual mental assent or ability.  Natural belief is!  Faith only works as an imparted gift of Christ - Jn.3:20,21.  It is the hand of mercy extended out from the cross of Christ, reaching out and touching the hearts of whomsoever it wills.  It does not produce godly fruit just because we attain to a certain magic level of our own striving.

We of ourselves cannot work up the divine faith of the Rhema word.  Our natural ability to believe cannot bring a true and lasting  healing in either spirit or in flesh.  We may believe and act on our belief, but it is only God imparted faith that brings true lasting results, and that only according to the will and timing of the Lord.  Divine faith fulfills the timely will of God and not the corrupt selfwill of the carnal mind of man.

We have touched on three diversities of the operation of faith.  Divine faith is a gift to bring salvation, a gift to bring inner healing and outward working of miracles, and is also described as a work or a fruit of the Lord's own holy Spirit.  It is not a work of man.  It is a life forming, life giving substance born and wrought solely of God.

Parallels Which Reveal Faith

Let's look at this subject now from another angle, still viewing it from a heavenly or spiritual viewpoint.  First of all, faith as a gift of God is carried by the Spirit of God (like as the wind - Jn.3:8), and is divinely planted in the human spirit of man---in the inner most recesses of his mind; in the womb where conscious thought is born.  Saying it another way, the ark of the covenant is brought back into the consciousness of man where it is placed in the holy of holies, even that renewed heart and spirit that receives its salvation with exceeding joy.

Diving faith, in its initial operation of saving grace can be likened unto Logos words or seed, some which are destined to become Rhema life-giving words….the others destined to fall on ground which the Sower had not yet prepared - Matt.13.  There are also parallels here like unto the human reproductive processes which we will touch on later.  In the planting of a natural seed [word] such as a corn of wheat (Jn.12:24) in the ground, it needs the prepared land [the soul] as well as the direct intervention of the water and the sunlight from above [the holy Spirit] - Jas.1:17; Jn.3:17.  All these things must be in their right season in order to bring forth new life.

As the two realms merge [the flesh, the soul, the earth---with the Spirit, the faith, the will power from on high], the old shell of life that existed slowly decays and dies. The remainder, in due season is transformed into something new.  The human spirit is empowered and enabled by the holy Spirit to take rightful dominion over the corruption of the soul.  Much like a perennial plant, a new growth of life comes forth from the old.

The nature of man is designed to become a partaker of Christ's divine nature.  It is then that the righteous will of God becomes the righteous will of man.  The faith of Jesus Christ replaces the natural faith of man.  The two are in the process of becoming one.  The salvation of God becomes the salvation of man.  Our life is on the way to becoming His life - Gal.2:20.  The Spirit of His imparted faith becomes known also as our faith and our righteousness - Ro.4:5.  Our faith is being born again.  When the Son of man comes again, He shall surely find the first ripe fruit of [Grk. "the"] faith which in reality is actually His faith, firmly planted, rooted and grounded in the earth (Lk.18:8), even in His honourable earthen vessels of clay…the body of Christ.

There is also much spiritual analogy we can use in looking at the spiritual operations of faith.  In connect with the salvation experience, many close parallels can be found in the basic creative processes of male and female.  First of all, it is helpful to see that in scripture analogy, especially concerning the inner makeup of mankind, that the "soul" is feminine and the "spirit" is masculine in gender.  Without going into a detailed scripture study on this for lack of space, we will simply state that the human species interior makeup, parallels the outward visible nature and gender of the human race.  Male and female created He them - Ge.1:27.

We see also, just as God chose for the first adamic race, a natural woman [Eve], who became the mother of all the living (yet, who are existing in spiritual death); and the Old Testament nation Israel is portrayed as a woman chosen out of the adamic race to become the mother of those who would receive spiritual life, so now is the New Testament church typified a new creation woman---chosen of the last man Adam.  The spiritual order is created and ordained to take dominion over the soulish order just as Christ has dominion over the church (woman).

In natural human reproduction, the female always bears the egg, the male produces the sperm.  There must be a union of male-female in order to form new life.  In science, we learn that the egg is always female in gender.  The sperm carries both potential male and female gender and characteristics.  We won't go any deeper here than to say the Spirit of God like unto the natural sperm, carries both masculine and feminine characteristics.  In the natural world, feminine sperm characteristics in union with the female egg can produce only female gender.  So it is in the spiritual order.

The soul [the female], can produce only soulish characteristics without the presence of the male [the Spirit].  In natural union of male gender sperm with the female egg, the male predominates.  This was ordained to be so also in the present order of the lowered human race - Gen.3:16; 1Cor.11:3.  In a higher order, the Spirit will always dominate the natural lower order in carrying out the will of God.  The same principles are found in salvation of the soul, in that where sin abounds, grace and its gift of divine Spirit does much more abound - Ro.5:15-21.

Based on the preceding principles, we use the following analogies to try and make clear some basic principles of faith.  Natural human faith could never be a requirement nor condition of man's salvation.  Like the female egg, it alone can never produce life.  In the natural human reproduction system there must be some kind of union between two opposite creations [male, female] in order to produce new offspring.  There does not necessarily have to be mutual consent in either the natural or spiritual realms.  Transferring this two creation factor to the spiritual realm, the Spirit of God overall, is always referred to as male gender [i.e. Father, Son, Holy Spirit], and humanity on the whole is referred to as the female gender - Rev. chptrs. 12 and 17, Eph. chptr. 5.

The entire human race is created of God's substance, namely "spirit".   The soul of un-regenerate humanity is female.  Man's soul receives of the male life [living spiritual God substance] in the biblical new birth experience.  Now in order to be born again in the spirit, it follows there must be a spiritual sperm and egg in likeness to the natural.  To better understand the analogy we summarize it as follows:

                                The FEMALE   = mother   = egg  = [seed]  = soul-spirit   =  man's human will.

                                The  MALE ^   = father    = sperm  "   "      = Christ's "    = God's will.

                                Logos word   = natural faith  = natural existence in death   = birth

                                Rhema word  = divine faith   = spiritual existence in life     = rebirth

In the process of natural creation and childbirth, the union of male sperm with the female egg produces a newly created life.  The process of change begins only when sperm has finally merged with the egg.  In like manner, the union of divine Spirit with natural soul brings a progressive action of new growth…dependent entirely upon the operation of the higher life force of God's Spirit.  The activated sperm of holy and eternal life in the "Spirit of Christ", the "Spirit of grace", carries within it the necessary gift of faith that begins the birthing of new life.  This divine and righteous faith which is entirely the operation of God, brings with it to the soul, the revelation or realization of His saving grace.

When the enlightening Spirit merges with the darkened spirit and soul of man [even the mind of the chosen woman, the church],  it produces the necessary offspring of faith and righteousness that is entirely "born of God."  Saying it another way, the natural belief of the soul [the egg which exists in the carnal mindedness of death], must be actively and supernaturally overshadowed and penetrated by the faithful life giving Spirit of God [the sperm].  The overshadowing sovereignty of God's will, and the merging of God's will with our will in His salvation plan, brings about a truly immaculate conception of new life and birth.

Like as Christ was conceived in the natural by the divine order of the Father of spirits (Heb.12:9) apart from any act or will originating of the carnal man,  in like manner also is our personal spirit given newly created birth - Jn.1:13; Jas.1:18.  As Christ, the Son of man was birthed of a spiritual father only and of a natural earthly woman [Mary], even so, the Son of God within us is birthed of a spiritual father and a natural woman-the soul.  As Christ was mysteriously birthed apart from the natural order and intervention of man, so it is in the "born again" experience.

The natural order can produce only after its kind; the spiritual order after its kind.  There needs be divine intervention initiated by God.  Human faith operates in the first order and can reach no higher order.   It is only the higher life giving power of  God's creative faith that operates in the second and reaches out to man with the hand of grace. This is called "the faith of the operation of God." Col.2:12.  It is God's operation alone and God's faith alone that is given to man.

We can also look at the egg or ovum as being the natural man in natural soulish life, that will in Gods own order of calling, be externally merged with the Spirit of eternal life.  In the inner man, we see the egg as the seed [soul, mind, womb] of the unregenerate human spirit that must be divinely penetrated and given revelation of the eternal heavenly qualities of the newly joined sperm.  The life of a natural man that dies without Christ and passes from this earth realm is comparable to a woman's natural egg that dies apart from fertilization and passes away in its due season with lifeless blood.  It goes through the cycle of earthly existence but is not yet surrounded in true eternal life.

If you can receive it,  the natural sperm that dies and passes from the natural body, contains potential individual spirits of God's creative word. This is comparable in a way to the logos word of God that for reasons unknown to man, do not penetrate the spirit-soul of individuals that hear it.

Before we were born into this world in either natural or spiritual birth, we were in the mind and the thoughts of our Creator - Jer.1:5; Psa.139:13-17.  We were in the loins of His mind so to speak, from before the foundation of the earth - Eph.1:4 etc.  You as a unique individual in natural birth and even as a new creature in spiritual birth,  are a result of His creative thought and word spoken forth through Christ into this earthly realm.  You as a Christian, have the ability to express His life.  Creatively, in the first adam nature, all men are the offspring of God - Ac.17:29.  Not only that, He is the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh - Nu.27:16; Jer.32:27 etc.  The soul also of every living creature is in His hand - Jb.12:10.

He has according to the divine plan of redemption, of His own will (Eph.1:11) sovereignly chosen to bring many spirits to the truth of Christ in this life, by first placing them under subjugated authority and travail of their soulish father the devil, even their own carnal minds.  Man remains therein until such time as God in the unfathomable wisdom of His own plan and purpose, draws all back unto Christ-back into the realization and experience of true family life and fellowship of God their Father - Jn.12:32. Eph.3; Eccl.11:5.  In due season, every man shall be made alive and as prodigal sons return to their Father in God's own divine order - 1Cor.15.

In the process of natural creation and childbirth, the little egg having been penetrated by the new life and now joined in a new bond and union, begins to automatically divide and multiply in growth.  So it is with the faith of God and the Word of God within you.  The spiritual word of God [the Rhema, the life giving sperm], divides asunder between soul and spirit (Heb.4:12) and the old carnally minded soul and renewed spirit begin to change and the spirit begins to grow in godly stature.

Shortly before the woman is ready to give birth and bring to light that new born spirit, she needs to go through a necessary period of pain and travail.  There is a painful natural resistance and labour of the flesh in birthing this new life.  So it is also in our inner man.  This is the Jacob and Esau principle - Gen.25:22.  The soul will resist this soon to be born spiritual manchild until the time of deliverance.  Unbelief will resist God's faith until the greater power overshadows and overcomes it.  This principle is equally true before our initial new birth experience as well as in our progressive deliverance after receipt of the holy Spirit.

The same processes also apply to the church as a corporate woman.  The Spirit of God continues to divide those who are becoming spiritual from those who are resisting the Spirit and remaining soulish - Jn.7:43; 9:16; 10:19; Matt.13:30 etc.  Just as Joseph was divided for a time from his half brothers, even in this time we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain until now as a woman about to give birth - Ro.8:28; Rev.12:5.

This unregenerate soulish nature [including "mother nature" herself], having been penetrated in principle by the divine intervention of the Spirit of Christ (Lk.12:51) and being changed and prepared as a bride, shall also in the process of due time, be fully delivered of the spiritual bondage of death and unbelief that corrupts her soul - Ro.8:21.  The ever faithful Son of God was obedient even unto the death of the cross, whereby the living righteous seeds of HIS FAITH carried in His blood are being sovereignly planted by the Father in the souls [mind, wombs] of mankind to reproduce once again, a conscious and manifest image of His own life in us…His very own creation.    (Continued in...The Mystery Of The Faith..Part 2)

Great is thy faithfulness" Lam.3:22

"…Ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God,

who hath raised Him from the dead." Col.2:12.

K. Ross McKay