Repentance From Dead Works (a conversation)

THIS IS PART OF A TEXT CONVERSATION BETWEEN BRIAN AND GROVER WHICH STARTED ABOUT 4 AM SUNDAY MORNING...

Grover:  Hey Brian, I just read the Repentance From Dead Works sermon and would like to place it on your blog for discussion.  Is that OK by you?

Brian:  Sure.  I was truly blessed with the article!  What about you?

Grover:  Oh yeah!  It’s refreshing to have your armor polished with a word that isn’t purposed to please flesh.  Only one thing determines if it’s dead works or fruitful labor. Whether it’s done in faith!  The last paragraph asks “are you relying (trusting) on dead works?  Is it purged?  Trust = Faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  What do you think?

Brian:  The hip, modern definition of insanity is “doing the same things you have been doing, EXPECTING a different result.”  Dead works are just that… DEAD.  I believe the key to getting out of dead works is… Hearing the voice of the Lord.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  Assuming to know the will of God and using our carnal minds without hearing the Rhema Word will inevitably lead to Dead Works.

Grover:  I’m thinking it’s significant that Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were dealing with the dead works of religious orthodoxy.

Brian:  Quite true indeed… these precious born-again believers had been taught the elementary principals of Christ, but, like all of us humans, we have a propensity to live a life that we have been raised in since a child.  The writer of Heb. Stated that these born again believers should have been teachers, but somehow still observed, maybe, feast days, new moons, washing of pitchers/vessels, etc.  He stated it was time to move on… no laying again the foundations of repentance from dead works, etc.

So the real question is, “what are live works/”  According to Jesus in John 14 & 16, the holy Spirit would be given to believers to obey Him and He would lead them (us) into ALL truth.  Then these signs would follow them that believed… Mk. 16:15-18.  So another question would be, why are not these signs happening in the BOC?  Well, many factors, of course.  The main hindrance would be programs have replaced the work of the Holy Spirit.

These programs have programmed our lives!  For example, look how the "church" does a church service.  We are programmed for an ORDER of service, even to the point of a bulletin is handed out as people enter stating the order of service.  3 fast songs, 2 slow songs, offering plate passed, homily given, (1-5 min.), prayer over the people to be dismissed and then the pastor standing outside the door to shake hands of the congregants... Yeah, I can see Spiritual Life just oozing out of the congregants as this order of service is repeated week in and out.

We as members os the BOC have not been taught how to wait upon the Holy Spirit and to get His Mind and leading for our daily lives.  We need to repent of this.

What about Pentecostals, do we have an order of service?  We all know that answer.  That is why there are people leaving the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches by the droves.  What are these precious people who love Jesus searching for?  A true life in the Spirit.

When people come out of the traditional church system and enter a home meeting setting, it is often  presented as another "order of service."  I believe the writer of Heb. would say, "repent of your dead works, saints, seek diligently the mind of Christ and have the Word implanted in your hearts and obey the Holy Spirits leading."

Grover:  I think this ties in to 1 Cor. 14:26.  In order for "each one" to have a psalm, teaching, tongue, etc., there needs to be a spiritual preparation of the heart of "each one."  Otherwise, how does "each one" have something to contribute?  I think we have it backward.  We come to a meeting to "get fed" when we each should be bringing steak and potatoes to share.

Brian:  
This  is really easier said than done!  But, Jesus is looking for people who will not be denied.  Their hunger and thirst is sooo great, and I believe we're at a great point in Church history that the latter and former rains are going to be demonstrated!!  Dead works!  No more!  Have I arrived?  I wish!  Just starting this journey!  But the freedom is real and it is in the Holy Spirit!

Grover:  "Therefore leaving the elementary... and not laying again a foundation from dead works, etc."  Sounds like we are to put them behind us and press on to maturity...

Brian:  The Holy Spirit has been dealing with me about spending MORE time with Him.  I have been "circumcising" (and that hurts) some things He has been showing me to put away.  Dead works is like wearing a winter coat in the summer time...  When I stopped doing certain things, the winter coat started coming off!

Grover:  I know the first responsibility is to walk these things out personally.  We are to press on to completeness (perfection.)

Brian:  How true!  Jesus is now dealing with His leaders to prepare them for the coming days.  "Count the cost!"  Something new is brewing, a freshness, heaviness of leaning to our own understanding needs to be put away.

Grover:  I like the way verse 2 reads in the amplified.  Says these are all matters of which you  should have been fully aware long, long ago.

Brian:  The Apostles had it right, Acts 6.  "It is not right for us to be deacons, we are called to pray and minister the Word."  I believe we cannot walk in the "elementary principals" if we don not know them, and do not walk by the Holy Spirits leading.  Rom 8:14.

Grover:  Know them, put them in their place and walk on never looking back?

What were these Jewish (Hebrew) Christians taught about these foundational doctrines?  Sounds like the writer of Heb. was surprised by their lack of ability to grasp Spiritual truth (1 Cor. 3:1)  This will require a whole new mind set!  (Holy Spirit brain washing)  I like what you said, "and never look back!"  Sounds like what the Spirit told you about the "rear view mirror."

Grover:  Harv was defining repentance with the Hebrew word pictures.  Part of the definition was "destroying the house."  So you could never go back!

Brian:  Very good Word and word picture!!!!  I am going to take these foundational doctrines and gather at least 2 or 3 Scriptures to substantiate their validity with Scriptural examples.

Grover:  I think this is an important message.

Brian:  It's been burning in me for a while.
PAUSE  AND CHANGE OF THOUGHT...
Hey Grover, "We cannot lose another member of the BOC to sickness, death or to false doctrine."  Each member is vital to the health of the functioning of His Body.  Can anyone imagine how many gifts are suppressed in the BOC because of a lack of knowledge (revealed knowledge)?

Grover:  Wow, Brian... that's a Word!  I'm going to ruminate on that one.

Brian:  Me too.  It's like as if you gave a gift to you son, such as a car... because he was riding a bike.  He never drives the car and you ask him, "why are you not driving the car I purchased for you?"  His response is, "I don't know how to drive, or I'm afraid I might make a mistake!"  Jesus gave us (BOC) Gifts, but we never spent time opening the box to see what was in it, much less using the gifts!  We were so mesmerized with the wrappings and bow...  It's time for us to use what he has given!