ELDER DIRKES ON ETERNAL VITAL UNION...

[ed. This article was taken from brother Tom Adam's website and republished here.]

GROWING IN GRACE
Hello. I have been studying ... eternal vital union. In the book he makes the important point that our flesh is not changed upon becoming born again and receiving the new man. On this I wholeheartedly say “amen”! However, this lead me to think on the subject of spiritual growth. We know the so called doctrine of “progressive sanctification” is false and a doctrine of work mongers, but what about growing more and more spiritually in this time world? In regards to doctrine, Paul instructs us , “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), thus there seems to be a growth at least in knowledge and doctrine for a child of God as they age. For example, I did not always believe in election, being born again without means, the absolute predestination of all things, or even know of the doctrine of eternal vital union, but over time God has revealed and blessed me with further understanding and I have grown to believe and cherish these precious doctrines.

Paul instructs us , “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), thus there seems to be a growth at least in knowledge and doctrine for a child of God as they age. For example, I did not always believe in election, being born again without means, the absolute predestination of all things, or even know of the doctrine of eternal vital union, but over time God has revealed and blessed me with further understanding and I have grown to believe and cherish these precious doctrines.

Now concerning the Corinthians, Paul could only speak to them as “babes in Christ”. Do you believe scripture teaches all children of God will inevitably grow in this time world or does this only happen to some of His children whom God will? Also, while I know the flesh is and always will be totally depraved (as Paul says “in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing”), but, do you believe as a child of God ages, God through them will work more and more causing the inner man to work more frequently than the natural man in our earthly vessel, in turn resulting in a child of God obeying God more frequently as they age or will the flesh always be acting out just as frequently until we reach eternal glory?

In Christ,

Brother ___________

Brother ___________,

Thank you for your inquiry for I know I am not sufficient to satisfy the subject.

That which is of this world pertains to the flesh. Adam is born to die as the outward man perishes. The labours assigned unto him are tangible, his thoughts are carnal and they perish with the man. The time of his habitation has been set, the steps of the path have been numbered and his way is hedged in on both sides as he is habitually drawn after the desires of the needs of the flesh, which is vanity.

The child of grace, though he be a child of the King, is under the governors and tutelage of the school master which brings him unto the time when it pleases the Father to reveal himself dwelling in His chosen vessel. Herein the children are “tossed to and fro and are carried away by every wind of doctrine” as they walk according to the prince of the power of the air.; “and such were some of you”. But in the fullness of time Jonah was cast into the sea to learn ‘salvation is of Yehovah’, the thief on the cross received the promise and Saul of Tarsus was visited on the Damascus road. The life within hears the voice of the Master as the eyes of the blind are opened, the commandments revive and slaw those weak and beggarly elements wherein the confidence of the natural man finds refuge and the existence of the seed is manifested just as in natural birth.

The seed born from above has been created in the Anointed salvation of Jehovah unto good works which he does by the power of God in him. They have the testimony of the finished work in Messiah as the Spirit causes the children to walk in the statutes and keep the commandments of God perfectly. They bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness, some thirty fold, some sixty fold and some an hundred commensurate to the time appointed of the Husbandman according to His perfect purpose. These live by the faith of the Son of God who loves them and gave Himself for them. They have been delivered by grace through faith which is the gift of God and the evidence of the Spirit. They walk by faith, which is the foundation of hope and conviction of things unseen; this has nothing to do with Adam. These children grow in the grace and knowledge of His will as He reveals Himself in them “according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith”. They mature in the subjugation to the vanity wherein they groan waiting to be delivered from the body of this death as the inner man, who delights after the law of God, is renewed daily.

Everyone born of the Spirit has the fruit or evidence of the Spirit. Some are weak in the faith and are considered ‘babes in the Anointing’. These are not able to bare strong meat as they have not yet been proven by the Refiner’s fire and taught the height and depth and length and breath of the love of God. They have it for it is an eternal love yet as they are fed of the Spirit as he bears witness with their spirit that they are the sons of God, so they grow and mature. Some are called spiritual for they have been given to suffer greatly many trials and tribulations as the Father reveals the faith within. These have experienced these great tribulations that they may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of trouble because they have been tried in the furnace of affliction. They know the wretchedness of the body of this death, the hypocrisy of the righteousness of the flesh, the contradiction of sin against self, the impotence of the arm of the flesh, the carnality of the mind, the deceitfulness of the emotions and passions of Adam and the vanity of the things of this world. Both of these and every child as he grows in the grace and knowledge of the Will of God is manifested in the body to supply the needs of the other members and to edify the body as they walk in the tabernacles of this habitation.

Consider if you will the torches placed in the specifically fashioned pitchers for the hundred men with Gideon. These earthen vessels were custom made without a bottom so that they would conceal the light from the torches. The pots were indeed affected by the heat from the flames but this effect was degrading unto the shattering of the clay to reveal the light within. The earthen vessel afore prepared unto the glory of being the tabernacle of the seed born from above is affected by the light within but this is unto the destruction when it shall return unto the dust from whence it came. The flame is not affected by the vessel save to conceal it until the appointed hour when the light shines forth (Judges 7).

The children of the King keep His commandments and are obedient in every jot and tittle exactly as the Son is faithful to do all that the Father gave Him, speak all the words given unto Him and to deliver all that the father gave unto Him, raising them up in Him. The children of the dust can never be obedient to His way for the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit neither can he know them. Obedience is an absolute in the sons of God for there is no such things as disobedience in Messiah; His name is Faithful and True. The brighter the light of His glory shines in the hearts of His people the more they see their evil ways in Adam, the more they will hate themselves and despise their guilt of their abominations after the flesh (Ezk. 36:31).

Forgive my rambling, I hope the truth is set forth with no thanks to the sinner in hope of glory,

chet
November 11, 2015