4.2.3 con’t “The Promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to Come”, as we see in 1st Timothy 4:8.

 

AWARE of The GODHEAD 4.2

…

PRACTICAL

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

and

THE WORSHIP of GOD

with GODLINESS.

…

4.2.3c.

Godliness has

“The Promise

of

the life that now is,

and of

that which is to Come”

(1 Timothy 4:8).

…

Godliness has

“The Promise of 

( the Life )

…which is to Come”

which refers to:

The Future Life

of ETERNAL

Happiness and Glory.

…

It is most certain that

there is a Future Life,

and

that there is a

Promise of Eternal Life

TO TAKE PLACE

in THE FUTURE LIFE,

or in THE HEREAFTER.

…

THE FUTURE LIFE

is Made by God Who cannot lie.

…

This Promise

is Made to the Godly Individuals,

as we see in James 1:12;

…

“Blessed is the man

that endures temptation:

…

“because when he is tried,

he Will Receive

The Crown of Life,

which the Lord

Has Promised to them

that Love Him.”

…

And yet 

THIS:

Promise of Eternal Life

TO TAKE PLACE

in THE FUTURE LIFE,

or in THE HEREAFTER,

FOR ALL SAVED SOULS,

…

will not to be Enjoyed

by the Saved “Godly” Individual

BASED ON:

any merit of THEIR FLESH,

BECAUSE:

The Promise of Eternal Life

 is the Gift of God

through Jesus Christ.

…

Since,

“The Promise

of ETERNAL LIFE is

Being Made by GOD

and

WITH ETERNAL LIFE

Being by a Promise,

shows that 

ETERNAL LIFE

is not of the works of men

but

ETERNAL LIFE

is of the Grace of God.

…

THEREFORE:

when Godliness

is Said to have

“The Promise of 

( the Life )

…which is to Come”

…

 it is a Promise God has Made

to GOD’S OWN GRACE,

and not to the merits

of a Created person.

…

However, it is a plain case,

that Real

SPIRITUAL GODLINESS

is of Great Value

to Individual Saved Souls,

both with respect to Time

and Eternity.

…

WITH REGARD to:

PRACTICAL

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

and

THE WORSHIP of GOD

with GODLINESS

this Inward Powerful Godliness

IN THE SAVED SOUL is,

as has been seen,

a SPIRITUAL DISPOSITION

of the Soul TOWARD God,

BECAUSE IT IS FROM GOD

From Whom All Grace Comes.

…

GODLINESS as an Assemblage

of Every Grace of GOD

GIVEN to HIS SAVED CHILDREN

for the exercise of  

PRACTICAL

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

and

THE WORSHIP of GOD

with GODLINESS

in which all Internal Worship

and

TRUE Experimental Religion

EXISTS,

as an EXPRESSION

of THE SPIRIT of GOD

LIVING WITHIN

a HUMAN BEING’S SOUL.

*****

  The following chapters

consider the branches of

PRACTICAL

GODLINESS in

The Individual Soul’s 

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

in

TRUE WORSHIP

of GOD ALMIGHTY

such as AN INDIVIDUAL SOUL

Spiritually Experiencing:

…

The Knowledge of God,

or,

Repentance towards God,

or,

The Fear of God,

AND

when they have

SPIRITUAL

Faith and Trust in GOD,

AND

HAVE GENUINE SPIRITUAL

Love to GOD,

Joy in GOD,

Humility, Self-Denial,

Patience, Submission,

and

Resignation to the Will of God,

AS WELL AS,

TRUE

Thankfulness for every Mercy,

with

every other Grace necessary

to the Worship of God,

which belong to

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

and

THE WORSHIP of GOD

with GODLINESS.

…

 

4.2.3 A Godly man or woman has the Promise by GOD of the Continuance of their Present Spiritual Life and of its Springing Up IntoEverlasting Life.

4.2.3c.

Godliness

has

“the Promise of the Life

that now is,

and

of That ( Life )

which is to Come”

(1 Tim. 4:8).

 

   3c1.

Godliness

has

“the Promise

of the PRESENT Life,

of both Temporal Life on Earth

and Spiritual Life on Earth,

in the PRESENT Life.

***

A Godly man has

   the Promise

of Temporal EVERYDAY Life,

AND

  the Blessings

of Temporal EVERYDAY Life,

AND

of Good Things

in Temporal EVERYDAY Life.

***

  YES,

THERE IS PROMISE

by GOD

that THE GODLY MAN or WOMAN

will LACK no good thing

that is needful for them;

and

   of a Continuance of this Life.

***

When an ungodly man

does not live out half his days;

***

God Satisfies the Godly man

with Long Life,

GOD SHOWS that Godly Soul

HIS SALVATION,

as we see in Psalms 34:9, 10; 37:3; 84:11; 91:16, below:

“O Fear the LORD,

you His Saints:

for there is no want ( lack )

to them that Fear Him.

***

The young lions do lack,

and suffer hunger:

but they that seek the LORD

will not want any good thing.

in Psalms 34:9, 10

***

In Psalm 37:3;

“Trust in the LORD,

and do Good;

so will you dwell in the land,

and Truly you will be fed.”

& in Psalm 84:11;

“For the LORD God

is a Sun and Shield:

the LORD will Give Grace

and Glory:

***

no Good Thing

Will He Withhold

from them

that walk Uprightly.”

***

& in Psalm 91:16;

“With Long Life

Will I Satisfy him,

and Show him

My Salvation.”

***

AND

A Godly man or woman

has

   the Promise by GOD

of their Present Spiritual Life,

of All Things Pertaining

their Present Spiritual Life

of all Needful Supplies

of The ETERNAL GIVING GRACE of GOD

to Maintain and Support

their Present Spiritual Life

and

A Godly man or woman

has

   the Promise by GOD

the Continuance of

their Present Spiritual Life

and of its Springing Up Into

and Issuing in Everlasting Life.

***

A Godly man or woman

has

   the Promise by GOD

 

   of the Future Life

of Happiness and Glory.

***

It is most certain that

   there is a Future Life,

and that there is

a Promise of Eternal Life

in THAT Future Life,

Made by God

Who Cannot Lie.

***

This Promise BY GOD

of Eternal Life

in THAT Future Life

is made to the Godly man

or woman, in James 1:12;

“Blessed is the man

that endures temptation:

for when he is tried,

he Will Receive

the Crown of Life,

which the

Lord

has Promised

to them that Love Him.”

***

Although ‘this Promise”

is BY GOD

and not to be enjoyed by him

through any merit of his,

for

“ETERNAL LIFE”

&

“THE CROWN of LIFE”

   are the Gift of God

through Jesus Christ.

***

And a Promise being made

of

“ETERNAL LIFE”

&

“THE CROWN of LIFE”

   and its Being by Promise,

show that it is not

of the works of men

but

   of the Grace of God;

***

And when Godliness

is said to have the

Promise of

“ETERNAL LIFE”,

 it is a Promise that God has made

to His Own Grace,

and not to the merits of men.

***

However, it is a plain case,

that

Real Godliness

is of Great Avail to men,

both with respect

to Time and Eternity.

***

   Now

as Inward Powerful Godliness is,

as has been seen,

a Disposition of the Soul Godward,

from Whom All Grace Comes

and to Whom it Tends,

and

   as GODLINESS

is an Assemblage of Every Grace of GOD

in the exercise of which

all Internal Worship

and Experimental

PRACTICAL Religion

EXISTS,

We therefore began

with GODLINESS,

regarding

An INDIVIDUAL’S

PERSONAL WORSHIP

of THE TRIUNE GODHEAD.

and will in the following chapters

consider the Branches of GODLINESS,

into which GODLINESS

opens up into

IN THE

PRACTICAL DIVINITY

of an INDIVIDUAL’S SOUL

WHO HAS

PARTAKEN of THE DIVINE NATURE.

***

An INDIVIDUAL’S SOUL

WHO HAS

PARTAKEN of THE DIVINE NATURE

WILL EXPERIENCE

the Branches of GODLINESS,

IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE

SPIRITUALLY

open up into

IN THE

PRACTICAL DIVINITY

of

The Knowledge of God,

Repentance towards God,

Fear of Him,

Faith and Trust in Him,

the Hope of things from Him,

Love to Him,

Joy in Him,

Humility,

Self-Denial,

Patience,

Submission,

and

   Resignation to the Will of God,

Thankfulness for every Mercy,

with

   every other Grace necessary

to the Worship of God,

and which belongs to

   Experimental Religion

and Godliness.

4.2.2 SPIRITUALLY GODLY men and women are a Blessing to EVERYONE AROUND them & are “the light of the world,” and “the salt of the earth.”

WHILE,

There may be such bodily exercise

or External Worship,

   where there is no true Grace

nor Vital Religion:

***

TRUE

“Godliness”,

  WHICH is  SPIRITUALLY

Powerful Vital Godliness,

ACTIVELY LIVING OUT

Internal PRACTICAL Religion,

is

“Profitable for all things”;

***

SPIRITUAL GODLINESS

is even Profitable

to the health of a man’s body,

for

the Fear of the Lord,

which is the same thing,

as SPIRITUAL GODLINESS

is

“health to the navel”,

   and

“marrow to the bones”.

***

WHILE, by CONTRAST,

WHEN LIVING

an ungodly course of life

men bring upon themselves painful

and incurable diseases.

***

SPIRITUAL GODLINESS

is Profitable to Promote

the Welfare of the Soul;

   for by Means

of SPIRITUAL GODLINESS,

and in the Exercise

of SPIRITUAL GODLINESS,

in the Fear of the Lord,

the soul of a good man,

as of the Soul of Gaius,

“Prospers

and is in Good Health.”

***

GOD’S CHILD

always finds it Good for him to

Draw NEAR to God,

where, AS GOD’S CHILD,

  he has much Communion

with GOD HIMSELF

   and receives much from his 

SPIRITUAL FATHER GOD.

***

And such a man or women,

as GOD’S CHILD

who has much SPIRITUAL

Communion & PRAYER

with GOD HIMSELF

   and receives much

SPIRITUAL GODLINESS

from their

SPIRITUAL FATHER GOD.

is Profitable to others.

***

SPIRITUALLY GODLY men and women

are made a Blessing

to all about them,

they are

   “the light of the world,”

and

“the salt of the earth.”

***

Although indeed no man

   can be Profitable to God

by all his External

and Internal religion,

TO “ADD to GOD”.

***

ANY CHILD of GOD that is Wise

and Good may be Profitable

to himself and others;

HOWEVER,

from the PERSPECTIVE

of GOD ALMIGHTY

   when he has done all he can,

or by the Grace of God

is Assisted to Do,

   he is but an unprofitable servant.

***

ALL GLORY

for SPIRITUAL GODLINESS

is GIVEN to GOD.

*****

Pilippians 2:13

“For it is God

which Works in you

both to Will

and to Do

of [His] Good Pleasure”

*****

Adapted from

THE JOHN GILL, DOCTOR of DIVINITY

 ARCHIVE

THE BODY of DOCTRINAL DIVINITY,

THE BODY of PRACTICAL DIVINITY

&

EXPOSITION of The BIBLE

4.2.1 Godliness is “Profitable for all things” vs presentation “of the body” only in an attendance of public worship.

Godliness is said

to be “Profitable to all things”

(1  Timothy 4:8),

whereas bodily exercise,

or a presentation of the body only

   in an attendance of public worship,

“profits little”,

or “for a  little time;” 

***

Because, sometimes such religion

and “worship” lasts for a little while,

as in temporary “believers”,

***

WHO ARE THEY ?;

temporary “believers” ?

They are Said, by Jesus Christ,

to be the stony  ground hearers,

in Mattew 13:5

and where 

bodily presentation of the body only

   in an attendance of public worship,

continues,

it DOES NOT profit

in matters of the greatest importance;

***

 

WHILE, bodily presentation of the body only

   in an attendance of public worship,

may be profitable to others,

by way of example,

as to children and servants in a man’s family,

and to a community with whom he attends

for the secular support of it;

***

And

bodily presentation of the body only

   in an attendance of public worship,

 

   may be profitable to an individual, himself,

to keep him from being elsewhere,

in bad company, which might lead

into many snares and temptations,

and hurtful lusts;

***

But,

 presentation of the body only

   in an attendance of public worship,

is of no profit to obtain Eternal Life.

***

Since a man may

   constantly hear the Word,

and attend on and submit to all ordinances,

   and yet Christ may Say to him at the last day,

***

“Depart from Me,

I know you not”,

in Mattew 7:23

*****

4.2.3 The Great SPIRITUAL Profit of Internal GODLINESS. Worshiping the TRIUNE Godhead # 11.

 Internal Godliness

The Great SPIRITUAL Profit

of Internal GODLINESS

*

Worshiping the Godhead # 11.

3. Thirdly, the Great Profit of GODLINESS,

and the many the advantages

of INTERNAL GODLINESS that accrue

   from “GOD’S SPIRIT of GODLINESS”

to those who are possessors

of INTERNAL GODLINESS

through GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT.

*

   3a. First, INTERNAL GODLINESS

through GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT,

Itself, is said to be Gain

to the persons that have it;

*

   “Godliness with contentment

is Great Gain” (1 Tim. 6:6),

*

Some indeed who

“supposed that gain is godliness” (1 Tim.6:5),

  who thought that Godliness

was to be gained with money,

as Simon Magus,

  who thought the Gifts of the Holy Ghost

were SOMETHING BOUGHT !

*

But the Gifts of the Holy Ghost ARE NOT BOUGHT,

AND neither are the other Graces of the Spirit

*

Now some folks we know take up

a profession of Godliness,

and try to make an outward show of Godliness,

for the sake of present or future gain;

LIKE;to gain a name in a church of Christ,

OR, to get a reputation

among godly neighbors and acquaintance,

   AND for the sake of worldly interest

OR in godly wealthy relations,

or to THINK THAT THEY MAY

   obtain the favor of God now,

and heaven hereafter;

*

BUT, after all,

what will be the hope

and gain of such a HYPOCRITICAL person be

when “God takes away his soul?”

*

“For what is

the hope of the hypocrite,

though he has gained,

when God

takes away his soul?”

(Job 27:8),

*

THESE HYPOCRITES ARE

they are such who think,

or at least act as if

   they thought,

that all religion lay in gain,

in getting money;

since

   their serving God and Christ,

and all they do in a religious way,

is for filthy lucre’s sake.

*

Every one looking for his gain

TO ‘FEATHER THEIR NEST’.

*

But Real VITAL POWERFUL

AND SPIRITUAL GODLINESS

is Itself GENUINELY True Gain.

*

THE SAME THINGS MAY BE SAID

of GODLINESS

as are said of ‘WISDOM’.

*

IT MAY BE SAID of GODLINESS

   as it is of wisdom,

“the merchandise of it

is better than the merchandise of silver,

and the gain thereof, than fine gold”

(Prov.   3:14).

*

Such who, while in a state of ungodliness,

were “wretched, and miserable, and poor,

and blind, and naked”,

being possessed of Godliness,

come into good circumstances;

who before were in debt,

owed ten thousand talents,

and had nothing to pay,

and were liable to a prison,

all their debts are freely forgiven them,

and the whole score of them cleared;

who before were in rags,

and had nothing to cover

their naked souls before God,

are now clothed with change of raiment,

   with a robe of righteousness

and garments of salvation;

who before were starving,

and would have been glad of husks

which swine do eat,

are now fed with the finest of the wheat,

with angels’ food, at Christ’s table,

   as with marrow and fatness;

*

THESE THAT TRULY OBTAIN GODLINESS

BY THE SPIRIT of GOD

are come into very affluent circumstances,

to great riches, durable and unsearchable;

and to great honour also,

WHERE BEFORE,

as being raised as beggars from the dunghill,

to sit among princes, and to inherit the throne of glory;

*

AND ARE EVEN made kings and

   priests to God,

THE GODLY have a Kingdom of Grace now,

and THEY are heirs of the Kingdom of Glory;

*

WHILE THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS HAD

lived without God in the world,

and were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,

are now in a Good Family,

   Fellow Citizens with the Saints

and of the Household of God;

*

and being Children of God

are heirs of God

and joint heirs with Christ,

possessed of the Riches of Grace,

and entitled to the Riches of Glory;

*

Their Gain is Great indeed,

Their GAIN of having obtained GODLINESS

by the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD

IS sufficient to give them Full Contentment.

***

IT IS WITHIN THESE SPIRITUAL WAYS THAT;

“Godliness with contentment

is Great Gain”

(1 Timothy 6:6),

*****

adapted from

A Body of PRACTICAL Divinity 

   Book 1   

   THE WORSHIP OF GOD,

Chapter 2

INTERNAL WORSHIP; AND
GODLINESS as the GROUNDWORK

of INTERNAL WORSHIP.

 

 Internal Godliness

3. The Great SPIRITUAL Profit

of Internal GODLINESS

*

Worshiping the Godhead # 11.

4.2.2 con’t. Internal Godliness with Fear, Love, Spirit and Power in JESUS. Worshiping the Godhead # 10.

Internal Godliness

with Fear, Love,

Spirit and Power in JESUS.

Worshiping the Godhead # 10.

*****

2c. Without the Fear of God,

another branch of Vital Internal Godliness,

there can be no Worship of GOD.

*

IN FACT, The Fear of God is sometimes

used to refer to both Internal and External Worship,

 “God is greatly to be

   Feared in the assembly

of His saints”.

*

“In the assembly of His saints”

is where God’s Solemn Worship is performed,

“and to be had in Reverence

of all them that are about Him”.

*

  Fear and Reverence are so necessary

to the Service and Worship of God,

that the Psalmist exhorts men to

“serve the Lord with Fear,

and rejoice with trembling”;

*

As for himself, the psalmist says,

“in Your Fear

will I worship

toward Your Holy Temple”;

(see Psalms 89:7; 2:11; 5:7),

*

Where there is no Fear of God

before the eyes and on the hearts of men,

   there is no Worship of the GODHEAD.

*

Grace MUST BE CONTAINED

WITHIN the heart, also,

and that GRACE MUST BE exercised.

*

‘Exercising Grace’ is the same thing

AS INTERNAL POWERFUL GODLINESS,

AND is absolutely necessary to Worship God

in an Acceptable manner TO GOD;

*

as God tells us in Hebrews 12:28;

“Wherefore as we

are receiving a Kingdom

which cannot be moved,

let us have Grace,

whereby we may serve God Acceptably

with Reverence and Godly Fear”

***

 

   2d. Additionally, Internal Spiritual Worship

cannot be performed without Love to God,

   which is another branch of Real Godliness.

*

GODLY GIVING LOVE;

which is Charity,

or Love,

is the Internal Principle

that MAKES Obedience to God

and the Worship of Him POSSIBLE.

*

 Love to God with all the heart and soul,

as well as, The Fear of God,

   is the REQUIREMENT of GOD

we draw from;

*

Deuteronomy 10:12;

And now, Israel,

what does the LORD Your God

Require of you,

but to

Fear the LORD Your God,

to Walk in All His Ways,

and to Love Him,

and to Serve the LORD Your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul.”

*

Worship with GODLY Love and Affectionate,

  SPIRITUAL Cordial GIVING

and HEARTFELT Service to HIM,

is Only Acceptable to Him,

in the Fear of GOD;

*

and NO WORSHIP of GOD

has ever been performed where the

   heart is destitute of Godliness.

*

   2e. God ONLY Seeks Spiritual Worshipers.

*

No One EXCEPT the INDIVIDUAL SOUL

that has RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST

AND HAS RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT of GOD

INTERNALLY

HAS THE SPIRIT of GOD.

*

And it is ONLY Spiritual Worship

that is Only Acceptable to Him.

*

SPIRITUAL WORSHIP

IS THE ONLY WORSHIP

Suitable to GOD’S Nature.

*

GOD IS SPIRIT.

*

No One EXCEPT the INDIVIDUAL SOUL

that has RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST

can perform WORSHIP to GOD.

*

That INDIVIDUAL Possesses True Grace,

or Vital Powerful Godliness,

FROM GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.

*

The UNSAVED INDIVIDUALS

  are EXCLUSIVELY in the flesh,

in The State of The FLESH by Nature,

ABSOLUTELY carnal men and women,

WITHOUT GOD,

WITHOUT JESUS

AND WITH NO HOLY SPIRIT IN THEM.

*

THE LOST UNSAVED

NATURALLY BORN INDIVIDUAL

HUMAN BEING

IS BORN into this World

in the FLESH ( ONLY )

AND THEY have no disposition Godward,

AT ALL,

AND

cannot Please God,

or do ANYTHING

which is Acceptable in His Sight;

   *

as is spelled out & shown in Romans 8:8;

“So then they

that are in the flesh

cannot please God.”

***

 

   2f. Nor can a man or woman

Worship God sincerely,

if they have only the form

and not the Power of Godliness.

*

If they only draw near to God

with their mouth,

and honor Him with their lips,

and their heart is far removed from Him;

*

How could that be ?

*

  If ‘the Fear’ that person has towards God

has been taught by the precept of men,

their worship will be in vain

and unacceptable to GOD;

as shown in Isaiah 29:13;

“Wherefore the Lord said,

  Inasmuch as this people

draws near Me

with their mouth,

and with their lips

do honor Me,

but have removed their heart

far from Me,

and their fear toward Me

is taught

by the precept of men.”

*

AND SO from all of this it appears

how necessary Godliness is to the Worship of God,

and that Godliness may well be SEEN 

as the BASIS and Foundation

of the Worship of God.

*

   Now this Gracious Disposition of the mind Godward,

which may therefore be truly called Godliness

and which is so necessary to the Worship of God

that WORSHIP of GOD CANNOT BE PERFORMED

without it, is not of a man’s self.

*

GODLINESS IS NOT NATURALLY

IN ANY MEMBER of MANKIND.

*

IN FACT, as has been seen,

( AND MAY BE SEEN AGAIN, EVERYDAY,

IN LIFE AND ‘IN THE NEWS’)

THAT the bias and disposition

of the NATURAL minds of men

are Naturally the Reverse OF GOD’S

AND OPPOSITE of “GODLINESS”.

*

NOW WHAT ?

*

This GODLY Disposition of GODLINESS

must COME FROM the GIVING GRACE of God.

*

GODLINESS is FROM GOD.

*

FOR A HUMAN BEING TO RECEIVE GODLINESS

THAT GODLINESS MUST BE A GIFT FROM GOD.

*

IT IS THE ETERNAL GODHEAD

THAT Gives Godliness itself TO A HUMAN SOUL

AS WELL AS, 

All the Graces of the Spirit.

*

Every Grace is a Gift,

that must be A GIFT FROM GOD, HIMSELF.

*

Knowledge of God is a Gift of GOD.

*

Faith is not of ourselves,

it is the Gift of God.

*

Hope that is Good,

is a Good Hope through Grace.

*

Love cannot be Purchased at any price.

*

The Fear of God

that is the TRUE REFERENTIAL FEAR of GOD

is Implanted in the

   heart by the Grace of God,

and so are All the Other GRACES of GOD.

*

All Supplies of Grace to Maintain, Encourage, Increase,

and Support the GRACIOUS Disposition OF GODLINESS,

   are Freely Given by God;

*

and All Grace, as it Comes from God,

IS GOD’S GRACE

THAT Points to God again,

and Disposes the heart Godward.

*

THE SPIRIT OF GOD

WHICH IS GIVEN TO A HUMAN SOUL

IN ETERNAL SALVATION

NOW RETURNS

WORSHIP

TO GOD.

*****

adapted from

A Body of PRACTICAL Divinity 

   Book 1   

   THE WORSHIP OF GOD,

Chapter 2

INTERNAL WORSHIP; AND
GODLINESS as the GROUNDWORK

of INTERNAL WORSHIP.

 2.c.- 2.f. Internal Godliness with Fear, Love,

Spirit and Power in JESUS.

Worshiping the Godhead # 10.

4.2.0 ONLY SAVED SOULS have INTERNAL GODLINESS to WORSHIP GOD. WORSHIPING the GODHEAD # 8.

ONLY SAVED SOULS

have INTERNAL GODLINESS

to WORSHIP GOD.

*

THE Gracious Disposition towards God

and His Service,

   which is rightly called “Godliness”,

is only to be found

in those Individual souls

 who are partakers

of the Grace of God in Truth.

* 

   1b1. The character of the Saved,

Born-Again FROM ABOVE Soul,

THAT HAS BEEN RE-CREATED in CHRIST JESUS

AND RE-GENERATED by the POWER

AND INDWELLING ETERNAL LIFE

of the HOLY SPIRIT

ARE THE ONLY SOULS that are “after the Spirit”,

or are NOW Spiritual men or women;

*

These Individual Souls 

are Born of the Holy Spirit of GOD 

and GOD’S ETERNALLY GIVING GRACE,

and so are NOW INDWELT by THE HOLY SPIRIT.

***

SAVED SOULS ARE NOW Spiritual,

in whom the Spirit of God Dwells,

and THEY ARE NOW INDIVIDUALS

in whom GOD’S ETERNALLY GIVING GRACE

THROUGH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST

is the Governing Principle

 of THEIR NEWLY CREATED SOULS.

***

DO “THEY” SIN ?

Certainly, “they” are NOT “Glorified in Heaven”,

WITHOUT SIN or the Presence of Sin.

NOT YET.

“They”, the Born-Again, SAVED, Child of God

NOW HAS TWO “NATURES”.

*

  The CHILD of GOD is not without flesh,

    The CHILD of GOD has much carnality in them,

yet being Renewed in their Minds,

   their Conversations are Spiritual;

they walk after and live in the

   Spirit.

***

Therefore, there are

Distinguishing Characteristics

of Genuinely SAVED

Children of God,

that have been BORN

of God’s Holy Spirit:

*

   1b2. True BORN AGAIN Children of God

mind “the things of the Spirit”,

and they love Spiritual Doctrines,

AND THEY desire Spiritual Gifts,

especially an Increase of Spiritual Grace,

and a clearer view of interest in all Spiritual Blessings.

*

WHEN GOD PUTS HIS HOLY SPIRIT

in a HUMAN BEING

by the SALVATION of their SOUL;

they

   savor the things of God,

and of the Spirit of God;

they have an Internal Rush for God,

they relish of Him,

the Spirit of God is sweet to them, now

that their taste for God has changed.

*

Wherefore, 

   1b3. The disposition of their souls is TOWARD God,

and to Service for GOD.

*

Children of God have an understanding of God;

Jesus said,

“My sheep hear My Voice

and I Know them

and they follow Me”.

John 10:27

And GOD’S CHILDREN desire

to know more of GOD and

   follow on to know Him the use of means;

their thoughts are employed about GOD,

they think on GOD’S Name, His Nature

and Perfections and Lovingkindness,

as Displayed in JESUS Christ.

*

GOD is CHRISTLIKE.

*

AND GOD’S CHILDREN 

ARE CHRISTLIKE, with

their affections set upon Him

and they Love GOD cordially and sincerely;

their desires are after Him

and to the remembrance of His Name.

* As David spoke of the deer ‘panting’ and lapping up water

God’s Children pant after more Communion with GOD

and the manifestations of His Love to them.

*

An Individuals who has experienced

the Saving Grace of God have their

   Spiritual senses exercised on GOD;

NOW THAT GODS HAS COME INSIDE THEM,

TO LIVE ETERNALLY.

*

BORN AGAIN CHILDREN of GOD now see Him

with the eyes of their understandings Opened,

His Beauty, His Power, and His Glory.

*

ASSEMBLED with BAPTISED BELIEVERS

in the Sanctuary;

they hear His Gospel with pleasure.

*

THE GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST

 is a joyful sound to them.

AND IF YOU HAVE,”JOY-BELLS”,

THE GOSPEL WILL MAKE THEM RING !

*

AS THEIR SHEPARD SPEAKS,

JESUS’ CHILDREN can distinguish His Voice

from that of a stranger;

   they taste that the Lord is Gracious;

His Word and the Doctrines of HIS WORD,

  AND THESE are savory things which their souls love.

*

THE TRUE CHILD of GOD

handles Christ the Word of Life

and feel the Power of His Gospel on them;

*

That IS THE POWER of the GOSPEL

   Effectually Working in them

through the Demonstration of the HOLY SPIRIT.

***

   Now,

    1b4. These are truly Godly persons,

JUST LIKE GOD SAYS,

in 2 Pet. 2:9;

“The Lord Knows

How to Deliver the Godly

Out of temptations,

and to Reserve the unjust

to the Day of Judgment

to be Punished”.

*

A TRUE CHILD of GOD

is a person well disposed to the Worship of God

and who rightly perform WORSHIP;

GOD’S CHILDREN have their minds

Powerfully impressed with the Doctrine

that is according to Godliness,

under the Influence of which

they live soberly, righteously,

   and Godly.

*

ONCE SAVED, SAVED SOULS have all things

Given them Pertaining to Life

and Godliness, every Grace,

and every needful Supply

and Increase of GOD’S GRACE.

*

AND in the exercise of GOD’S GRACE

THAT HE SUPPLIES HIS CHILDREN

 lies Internal Worship,

or Inward, Spiritual,

   Experimental, and Practical Religion;

which is called eusebeia, or

   “Godliness”,

and is the opposite of bodily exercise,

or External Worship

   1 Tim. 4:8;

“For bodily exercise profits little:

but Godliness is Profitable

to all things,

having Promise of the Life

that now is,

and of that which is to come.”

*****

adapted from

A Body of PRACTICAL Divinity 

    BY 

JOHN GILL, D.D.

     __________________________________________________________________

Book 1   

   THE WORSHIP OF GOD,

Chapter 2

INTERNAL WORSHIP; AND
GODLINESS as the GROUNDWORK

of INTERNAL WORSHIP.

 1b. GODLINESS is the BASIS 

for INTERNALLY WORSHIPING GOD.