SEPARATING THE SPIRITUAL FROM THE PHYSICAL
THE HIDDEN MEANING
INTRODUCTION
In these next scriptures, we at VAL-TE’ believe a true believer’s life will show transformation towards goodness because they have a new nature, whereas a pattern of selfish, wrongful, and loveless living shows a disconnect from God. Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written. For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision,are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Romans 2: 17-29 NKJV
Biblical Word
WHO DECEIVES THE WORLD – “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty – yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” Revelation 2: 8-11 NIV
Reference
1 John 3: 7-10 – Let no one deceive you, my children! Whoever does what is right is righteous, just as Immanuel is righteous. Whoever continues to sin belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the very beginning. The Son of God appeared for this very reason, to destroy what the Devil had done. Those who are children of God do not continue to sin, for God’s very nature is in them; and because God is their Father, they cannot continue to sin. Here is the clear difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: those who do not do what is right or do not love others are not God’s children. GNT
Significance
Actions over Words (Our actions reveal our Spiritual Family) – We at VAL-TE’ also believe suggest that our behavior acts as a mirror reflecting our inner beliefs, character, and ultimate allegiances. While we might claim a certain faith or set of values, our daily habits, decisions and reactions to life situations reveal our true, deepest commitments. Similar to how a tree is known by its fruit, our Spiritual Family is known by our behaviors – like kindness, compassion, and love. If we act with love and integrity, we are revealing that we belong to a family of love and integrity. True Spiritual Family often goes deeper than blood relations. If you act with selfishness, it reveals a different, less positive alignment.
