Step 6 The Work of The Spirit

The Fruit

Once a branch is part of The Tree of Life, it must bear lasting Fruit to remain in place. ^{John 15:1-5, 15:16}Otherwise, without bearing Fruit, there is not much to Harvest. ^{1Peter 4:18} For this reason, it is important that we get started on the step of holiness as soon as we finish the step of Righteousness. ^{Ephesians 1:4}

As we move forward to reach Higher Standards, let us remember that every step we take defines who we are and what we are building. In other words, the structure of holiness cannot be built at the expense of the foundation of Righteousness. Otherwise, we know what would happen. ^{Matthew 7:26-27, Hebrews 6:1}

We recall that before Faith arrived, we were reminded, “not to harm” our brother through the basic principles of the Law. Now that we have firmly set the foundation of Righteousness, we are not to harm our brother in any way through the principles of the royal law. ^{James 2:8} Until then, we are subject to the royal law. ^{Romans 13:10}

This brings me to clarify that even though I am free from Sin, I am not free from all sin and therefore not free from all accusation. ^{Colossians 1:21-22} So even though I am qualified to teach you the step of Righteousness, I am not qualified to teach you the step of holiness. ^{Matthew 10:41} Notwithstanding, God is guiding me to lead you where we should follow.

The step of holiness is similar to the journey that took place in the Desert of Arabia. We remember that once we exit Egypt, the symbol of Sin, The Spirit will guide us to The Promised Land. The length of this journey varies upon the individual. Those who need more refinement will require more time, and those who need less refinement will require less time.

This journey is easier said than done. ^{1Peter 2:20} Then again, “It is not incumbent upon us to complete the Work but neither are we at liberty to desist from it.” ^{Philippians 1:6, James 1:2-4, 1Thessalonians 4:7-8} So then, by not desisting from the Work, The Seed will mold us at the request of our beloved Potter. ^{Romans 8:28, 9:20-21,Philippians 2:13}

As aforementioned, The Work of The Spirit produces the Fruit of The Spirit. ^{Galatians 5:22-23} The Work of The Spirit comes in a duality: first, when we practice the royal law and then when we guide others unto Righteousness. ^{1Corinthians 1:17, 9:16-17, Colossians 4:16-17} The order of importance varies on the task at hand.

This order is similar to the spiritual part of the Body that each Firstfruit is called to operate. ^{Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 4:11-13} We are aware that every part of the Body is important and that only the level of importance varies depending on the task being required.^{1Corinthians 12:18-27} Therefore, we should not boast if our part is to speak the very words of God lest we are reminded, the mouth is censored before the rest of the body. ^{1Peter 4:11-12, John 15:20-21}

Similar to the Law, love requires discipline. The similarities are as follows: as the Law showed the way unto Righteousness, the royal law shows the way unto holiness; as the Law required love, the royal law requires love; as the Law required discipline, the royal law requires discipline; and as we practiced the Law with love, the Law became less of a Law. The same applies when we practice the royal law with love.

By practicing the royal law, we eliminate the sins that do not lead unto Death for even though these sins do not lead unto Death, they are precursors of those that do. ^{Genesis 4:7, James 1:12-15} As love increases, the sins that are not unto Death decrease, thereby requiring less offerings that nonetheless should be provided.^{Job 1:5, 1Peter 4:8}

Thankfully, we will be reminded of this once The Seed takes over with more than enough love to drive out more than enough fear. ^{1John 2:27, 1John 4:18, 2Thessalonians 1:3} Understanding this, how does Righteousness lead to holiness?

The royal law is the enhanced version of the Law. ^{1Corinthians 9:21} Just as the Seed is found within The Seed, the Law is found within the royal law (1, 10, 10, 1). The Righteous Job reminds us of this when he left the infantile for the mature. ^{Job 31:1, Matthew 5:27-28, Hebrews 6:1} This is the reason the royal law is the fulfillment of the Law. ^{Matthew 22:38-40} How so?

The royal law serves to make the spiritual Law very spiritual. Namely, by enhancing the commandments, especially those that pertain to the relationship with our brother, we see the royal law emerging from the Law. ^{Psalm 19:7} Let us see a sampling of the royal law emerging from the Law:

For the love of God, we will do the following:

For the love of our brother, we will do the following:^{1John 4:21}

While this is a sampling of the royal law, the common denominator is to practice the love that does not harm our brother in any way as well as the love that forgives our brother in every way.^{Matthew 18:21-22} For now that we have been forgiven of a much greater debt, the least we can do is practice forgiveness unto others.^{Matthew 18:26-35,1Corinthians 13:1-7}

This brings us to understand why the New Covenant is geared towards holiness just as the First Covenant was geared towards Righteousness. ^{Romans 7:14-25, Ecclesiastes 12:13} This also reminds us why The Messiah’s prayer is geared toward the daily reminder of what we need to pray for and what we need to look forward to. That is, we are not praying for our daily bread but for the Word of God to help us reach Higher Standards. ^{Matthew 4:4} So just as the First Covenant primarily speaks about Righteousness, the New Covenant primarily speaks about holiness. Understanding this, why are we no longer under the Law and yet not free from God’s Law? ^{1Corinthians 9:21}

The first is the freedom from the constant reproach of the Law.^{Romans 7:8-10} We are aware that without Faith, we can keep some of the Commandments most of the time or we can keep most of the Commandments some of the time. Perhaps we can even keep most of the Commandments most of the time, but we can never keep all of the Commandments all of the time. ^{Hebrews 11:6} As insignificant as Righteousness may be, the outcome is quite remarkable once we imagine a world where every individual is Righteous. Such world would be so different it would be unrecognizable.

The second is the freedom from the restrictions of a Commandment found within the Law. The Sabbath holds a special place in the journey towards holiness.Now that our heart sees the Sabbath to do good over rest and our rest over profit, we are to use the Sabbath to serve The Father.^{John 7:23, Mathew 12:9-13}Nonetheless, to make sure we never get lost again, there is only one way to keep the minimum standards of the Sabbath; that is, to avoid the work that gives us personal profit.

The Sabbath is intrinsically aligned with the eleventh commandment to serve a greater purpose. As the Sabbath becomes weaker, we become stronger as we serve that greater purpose. ^{Mark 2:27, 2Corinthians 12:10} And as we honor God by helping our brother on the Sabbath, we need to remember that we are not to dishonor God in order to help our brother on any day.

So be forewarned, the Fourth Commandment will often be the place where the adversary will try to wedge the Law open when our brothers say to us, “Come, let us do good” during the times they seek to reinforce their pagan ways. Now we know that, even though Righteousness is being propelled by love, our Seed is incorruptible.Therefore, do not allow others to lead you to practice a, “love” that does not edify a thing. There are plenty of days when we can do good without compromising to do evil. ^{Matthew 26:11}

Once we are fully equipped with the armor of God, we will have the confidence to go into battle knowing well we will fight the good fight.^{Ephesians 6:13-18} Do not worry, our armor will never be tested beyond our ability since our primary focus is to eliminate the sins that do not lead unto Death through the better offerings of The Spirit.^{1Corinthians 10:13, 1Peter 4:8} This is not to say that those who have the power to kill the flesh will not carry it through, but only that they cannot kill our spirit.^{Luke 12:4, 1Peter 1:5,James 1:2-3}

Peddlers of the Truth

Now that we have left Religion, where do we go to congregate? Obviously, not in any pagan temples. But are we even allowed to return to the religions that actually preach the Truth? ^{2Corinthians 2:17} Well, if we go back, are we not reinforcing what they cannot overcome? Did the apostles go back to sit with the brothers and listen to the Pharisees that blocked the way? No. Instead, they returned only to counsel them; where some listened, others did not. Besides this counseling, our vocation has no business inside the four walls that mar the view to our calling.

Let us remember, we are dealing with a reciprocal system that involves those who want to put up a show and those who want to hear it. This does not mean that we should not try to help them but only that in the end, only those who truly seek the way out will truly find it.

So what shall we say that, because a slave got away, these peddlers are now working for God? This would be like saying: ^{Romans 3:7 “}For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? ⁸ And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.”

Sadly, these puppets are no different from the Pharisees of Old since, besides the aforementioned, they seek to collect the full tithe from their faithful. Somehow, they have conveniently forgotten that a true Levite received funds only to maintain the temple and his present livelihood. ^{Deuteronomy 14:27, 1Timothy 6:3-9}

We know the men of the First Century Church were quite different on this important matter.Rather than seeking funds for the expansion of “the Church,” the Apostles of God sent funds to help the poor in the areas of need, especially in Judea during the sabbatical years. Unfortunately, the Pharisees of today quote passages to support their reason for receiving an income. ^{1Corinthians 9:14} Then again, since when are the wolves entitled to that which belongs to The Shepherd? ^{Acts 20:29, 1Thessalonians 2:3-5} These overseers only want to follow where the Apostles did not go. ^{1Corinthians 9:15, 4:16} Let us recall the model they ought to have followed:^{2Thessalonians 3:7} “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; ⁸ Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: ⁹ Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.” ^{Acts 20:34}

Brothers, if we pay the mouth to do the Work then we are saying the rest of the Body is less important. We are all important; in this case, the mouth is only saying what God is commanding. ^{1Peter 4:11} So then, if we pay the mouth, we have to pay the rest of the Body. The point being made is that we now have a greater Temple to make our offerings to The Holy Father through The Holy Spirit.^{Hebrews 8:1-13}

When it comes to tithing, the proper thing to do is to distribute the funds in the manner we see fit within the needs of our community and with the organizations that are working to help those in need. Do this between you and our High Priest, The Overseer of our souls. ^{1Peter 2:25} But whatever you do, do not get carried away and start your own religion! ^{1Corinthians 9:18} Let us remember, we are being called to break the vicious system after our Redeemer breaks for us the chains of captivity.

Therefore, when we meet, let us make sure that money is absent for The Truth to be present. Given the scarcity of the Firstfruits, if we cannot find others within the Faith, we are to meet with others outside the four walls to do the Work of The Spirit. When we greet others, let us no longer call ourselves Jews, Evangelists, Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, or the like. This is what the puppets used to divide us as they tore The Truth apart. Instead, let us say that we are on the way to the Baptism of our Repentance until we can confidently say that we are of The Christ.

Let us make all efforts to be a role model for those who follow. ^{1Peter 2:12} At times, we might have to put up with the criticism from the hired hand.We should nonetheless take their advice with a grain of salt even as they remain tethered behind.^{Matthew 7:3-5} Ultimately, our wisdom will be proven right by our actions and holiness by our improvements. ^{Luke 7:35}

Our hope is not for anyone to stay behind however, there remains a priority. After you, there are those whom you will help bring to God. Thereafter, we can help the puppets cut their strings even if they fight back to cut our journey short.^{Matthew 24:9, 2Timothy 3:12-13} In the end, when we wake-up, we will have done our part and be given the crown that is commensurate with the Work. ^{2Timothy 4:8}

Imagine the peace and joy that comes from knowing that God is amongst us. Imagine the day when we meet all the holy prophets and apostles, and all those who gave their lives for the sake of The Truth. Imagine when we see their smiles as they receive the reward they so much deserved. Imagine the perfect Feasts we will behold for a millennium to come. Yes, imagine when we say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of The Eternal!”^{Micah 4:2}