Spirit of Man, Part 8 Teaching

Maturing as Believers

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FINAL Spirit of Man Part VIII
October 12th 2025

We have been talking about how to mature as believers and we have worked through the Spirit of Man in this world versus the Spirit of Christ and we have talked about first working through the Wash Cycle of humbly seeking Light, then learning, then Loving as Christ commanded, then coming into greater personal liberty. Then we embarked on the fact that in the maturing moments God may cut us back, and present us with what we called an X factor event which can serve to cut us back in all we think we know and for some this type of correction may cause us to question, even doubt and for some even cause them to walk from God all together. I suggest that we might see this as first drinking the milk of the word, then we might see entering the rinse cycle as meaty living, where the matured learns to walk by the Spirit of the Resurrected Christ.

The Cycle of Spiritual Growth

The writer of Hebrews captured this cycle in chapter five where he wrote, speaking of the character Melchizedek and the peoples' inability to understand him rightly because they were still unable to leave behind the former things and move on into the more substantive. So, in chapter five he wrote, speaking of Melchizedek: "11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, 'seeing ye are dull of hearing.' 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, 'even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.'"

Spiritual Discernment

Of course, chapter six opens right up with the author saying, "Hebrew 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit." It is significant that the writer, in complaining about the weak level of spiritual discernment says, “seeing that you are dull of hearing.” Which literally means, since there is no push in your desire to hear, since you are “slow and sluggish in mind as well as in the desire to really understand. That same word used for dull is used by Plato as seeing you are stupid. Now this is not an indictment on intelligence nor on the gifts a person has – it speaks to a person not caring and therefore not being motivated to hear and see spiritual things – there is zero motivation. We speak of making stupid mistakes in our teen years, right? Most teenagers do not have the push to really care enough about things to act and think appropriately and when they do it’s a marvel, right?

So note how the chapter wraps up when the writer says at verse 14: "14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age." That Greek word is also used by Christ when he says in Matthew 5 where Yeshua says, "Be ye therefore perfect (same word) as your father which is in heaven – and like we said last week, that means 'complete' 'full age,' perfect and mature meat eaters” is the goal – both from the mouth of Christ in the sermon on the mount and to the Jewish members of the Bride in that day. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age (perfect/complete) listen because he goes further and says – “even those who . . . “by reason of use." Use of what? He tells us, saying “even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised.” To what end? He tells us “to discern both good and evil.” Let me read it again – because the damn thing should be tattooed on our hearts as the writer concludes GRAPHIC: "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, 'even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.'" The RSV says it this way: But solid food is

Spiritual Maturity and Discernment

for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. And Youngs Literal Translation puts it this way Hebrews 5:14 And of perfect men is the strong food, who because of the use are having the senses exercised, unto the discernment both of good and of evil.

The phrase “who by reason of use” is talking about habits, forming practices that help us not be stupid teens any longer in the things of the Spirit. The advice is akin to someone practicing martial arts and equipping themselves to spiritually comprehend and discern what is good and what is evil. Exercising the faculties, senses, and therefore arming oneself with astute spiritual judgment of matters. “Who because or through “use” have their SENSES “exercised” unto the “discernment” both of GOOD and EVIL.”

Developing Spiritual Senses

First of all, while the writer uses senses here, we are talking about our spiritual senses to see and hear – because the subject matter can only be known spiritually. That is why the follow up advise by the writer is for those who are ready to leave behind (to me, another way to say rinse) the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

The Greek term translated, “leave behind” is used repeatedly in the apostolic record to mean Left Leave Forsake forgive meaning let it go and move on to perfection. We can readily see all of this being possible when a person chooses, elects to walk in the power of the Risen Lord in their lives, because the ultimate expression of leaving behind all such things is ONLY possible when we are dead to them and risen up to new life.

We tend to think that Yeshua is still the suffering one, the tempted one, the suffering one and that in that role we do well do live in the mindset of the Mortal Messiah, right? But the writer of Hebrews clearly teaches that to mature and move on to completion we do what the Risen Christ has already done, and that we assume that spirit, that mind in ourselves – if God permits.

You are NOT hearing me say that milk wash cycle growth and maturation is not important here – it is as essential as milk for a newborn. But the goal of every believer, which is the ultimate result of Christ’s incarnation, is to resurrect to a new level of understanding, of seeing, hearing and understanding NOT to remain in our senses babes or teens, being stupid in our ability to understand good and evil.

I was once harshly criticized by a milk drinker for not talking about Jesus enough. The criticism was that I had move on to things that didn’t include things about Him (you know, stories from His mortal life and such). I said in reply, “He is all I talk about,” to which came the reply, “that’s not what I hear or see.” I didn’t say this but in my head thought, “I know that is not what you hear or see.”

Moving Beyond Milk

Developing spiritual perspicuity is the phase that take us from being in the field with the other lambs eating potlucks and worshipping publicly in fog machine mist and repetitive music (Meaning serving our physical senses) and weeping at emotionally charged messages to being raised up from those physical sensory events and being actually free and liberated from such, having left them behind because we are no longer dead in them, but alive in Him. It's night and day, friends.

Note what the writer appeals to here in this stretch of words – He begins by talking about a subject – Melchizedek – and he says, 11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, “seeing ye are dull of hearing.” We are talking about having spiritually trained ears or senses, folks. They couldn’t understand the heavy concept of Melchizedek because they had not trained Spiritual sensitivities, or perspicuity. And he adds, 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. So we see the validity of milk to teach and train us in spiritual matters. But the writer adds 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the

Spiritual Discernment

Word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, (who are complete) “even those who by reason of use have their (spiritual) senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” We can have our physical senses exercised to discern good and evil – that is called religion. That is called Law. That is called the wisdom and Spirit of Man. But to (listen) “by reason of use” have our spiritual senses exercised we are then able to see perceive and understand true Good and Evil.”

Following the Spirit of the Living Risen Christ

This use is discovered when we elect to listen and hearken and follow the Spirit of the Living Risen Christ because it transcends the physical, the emotional, the willful and the mind of manfull, and operates by the mind of the one who has overcome it all. Get it? Show me people who cut their teeth on milk and repeated washing in the first L cycle going on a missions trip to some third world country and I will show you a group of teenagers unable to truly see and hear as the resurrected Christ sees and hears, and will be out and intent on correcting and trying to get everyone in that country to join the physical observable team. Bu show me a group of people who walk by Spiritual Perspicuity into the same land and I will show you people who clearly see and hear the hearts of those who are his, and will readily discern between true and genuine good and evil around them.

The Path to Spiritual Maturity

We suggest that to pursue, to push and discipline ones Spiritual Perspicuity “through use” takes a Hebrews 5 believer and moves them right into being a Hebrews 6 disciple who, walking in the power of the Resurrected Lord (meaning by the power that God used to raise the formerly suffering, struggling, “tempted in all things” Christ up from the grave and into a mind-set where in His resurrected power nothing is impure. In our present world, the faith, collected into denominations, waiting on Yeshua to return and for Satan to be defeated, most believers are drinking milk (if not caffeinated sugary soda) and see the world around them and the people in it through obscured physical eyes and muted physical ears. They see an us verses them based on the physical earthy format of evidences and somehow believe that from their disposition of spiritual infancy they can rightly discern the good and evil in others FOR GOD. But only through the Spirit of the Resurrected Christ, who overcame it all, can any one of us have the mind to clearly assess the world and its inhabitants, to see each other from the eternal perspective, and assess what is truly good and what is truly evil. Because remember, that is what it says, right?

14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their (spiritual) senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Herein lies the ultimate and I would frankly say, ONLY solution to being able to overcome the Spirit of Man that we all have to live by in this world – to digest strong meat people and events and concepts, by reason of use” and to have our Spiritual senses in harmony with the risen Christ to discern both good and evil around us. And this is where we are about to walk right out the door of all Christian religiosity. Ready? There are general rules in the human existence – standard practices that tend to work and operate for most, but there are always exceptions to the rules and forms and formula’s. The general rule for Christian maturity are pretty much found first in the four L’s and then possibly undergoing a personal rinse cycle. But in the age of fulfillment, where the Resurrected Christ reigns over all, there are exceptions to the letter. What I mean by this is Christ has not only had the victory over all things in and through His resurrection, but He can, will and does thrive as the victorious resurrected Christ in the hearts of those who live by Him, walk by Him, trust in Him and do not know Him – all they know is what they think they know but from their hearts - Whether Muslim or Mormon Catholic or Protestant Gay or straight Educated or illiterate White black or any color in between Male or female Sinner or saint Capitalist or Communist They literally walk by the Spriit of the Risen Christ and they literally haven’t

Spiritual Understanding Through the Spirit of Christ

needed to learn anything from the Book, from the Church, or from man. This reality is very very hard for most wash-cycle Christians to understand. But the Spirit of the Victorious Resurrected Christ, just by virtue of HAVING overcome EVERYTHING ON OUR BEHALF – allows it. Permits it. Opens the gates of heaven by it. And until we understand this victory and what it means in our worldview of others different than us, we will forever be trying to enroll others into the wash cycle that is in place for many.

Spiritual Perspicuity

This realization is yet another evidence that we know nothing, that with God all things are possible, and that is directly the result of His Risen Son and the Spirit of that Son which operates in any willing to let it reign. God is God. Yeshua is God. His Spirit given to all in this age is God. And while I personally and biblical stand firmly on the idea that all things are in fact possible because of Yeshua’s finished work, and personally believe that understanding all the reasons why blesses me as a very weak man, I would be lying if I suggested that YAHAVAH, YESHUA or the angels of heaven would ever deny anyone who lives by the Risen Lord entrance into the Kingdom because they lacked information or knowledge.

The Spirit of the Risen Christ in the lives of people is the goal and destination AND NOT the processes whereby we all get equipped and informed about Him. The very Spiritual age of fulfilled victory and the fact that there has ever been only one to overcome everything on our behalf is enough, it is the teleosis the completion and anyone who chooses to walk by it operates by genuine Spiritual Perspicuity.

I suggest that this strange term, Spiritual Perspicuity, is described in part by Paul to the Saints at Ephesus when he wrote, after talking about the mystery of the Gentiles and saying,

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

Let me stop there and point out the fact that Paul describes a family in both heaven and on earth. That is who and what we are seeking to serve and know and love and relate to on this earth, those in the family of faith in God, those who walk in the power of His Son’s resurrection – these, again from EVERY WALK OF LIFE, DENOMINATION, RACE, CREED, COUNTRY AND AGE – who accept and receive the spirit of the Risen Christ in them – that is our family here and there and we know them when we meet them, don’t we? (And Paul continues and says)

Inner Strength Through the Spirit

6 That he (YAHAVAH) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Do you hear who does it all and where His focus is in us – the inner woman or man? 17 That . . . Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; In that day it was by them knowing and hearing of Him and submitting themselves to the scripture and the promises to them then who believed and received, but in our day Christ dwells in all of our hearts as the reconciled free gift of this reconciled world –

So, I would read this, using my Spiritual Perspicuity as

That Christ who dwells in your heart unconditionally now since He has fulfilled all things . . .

“that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”

Do we still think that only professing Christians know how to love with agape love in this world? Are we still clinging to that Mortal Messiah Mindset? Or have we left such things behind and with Spiritual perspicuity seen with spiritual eyes and ears the love of Christ in all people from every walk? “That you, being rooted and grounded in love . . .”

Again, we maintain that the general way we establish these grounded roots is through the first wash cycle but this is not required because the Spirit of the Resurrected Lord operates in love and to follow Him produces such stability . . .

That you, BEING (so the love roots and the grounding in agape love must be present in order to develop in the following):

That you, BEING rooted and grounded in love , . . 18 May be able (this is the God willing part and suggests it is not a guarantee) May be

Understanding Saints

“able to comprehend with all saints”

I have a question for you to ask yourselves – do you believe a person can be considered a Saint today if they are not aware of all the learning we can obtain through the four L’s? If you say yes, you are in possession of the Spirit of the Risen Christ. If you say, no, you are still walking in the Spirit of the Mortal. Saints is a spiritual title, folks, not a material one. It is a description of a being who from the heart lives in the power of the Risen Lord from any socio-economic-denominational, national, racial, position on earth. How can I say that? The word saints is translated from the Greek term hagios, which means “holy, sacred, sanctified, blameless” and in our day I suggest that is speaks DIRECTLY to the heart of an individual and HAS NOTHING to do with any other humanly demanded qualification. God knows His Saints – His holy, sanctified ones because they are only known by the heart condition and God is the only one who can read the human heart, right?

The Heart of a Saint

The election of material saints is an act of religion but all the saints that Paul refers to are all who possess the heart God loves. Inner woman inner man Rooted and grounded in agape “That ye may be able be able to comprehend with all saints.” Now, I am going to read the rest and then go back and break it down. So Paul says the most intense and amazing words, 18 “That ye may be able be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Spiritual Perspicuity

My God. The wisdom and insight of these passages. Let’s conclude our eight part study, which was only supposed to last four, talking about these words. Read folks – that we . . . receivers of Him, believers in Him, disciples of Him and hopefully ready to, preparing to, or willing to mature “may be able to comprehend with all saints,” I would add, in heaven and on earth – all saints – What is the breadth, and length, and depth and height.” This saying is so pregnant with information it is almost impossible for us, even possessing the Spirit of the Risen Lord, to comprehend. The first words, “may be able” is a direct comment that our ability exists only from the direct power of God and not our own. And that is the power of the Risen Lord, friends.

The second word, translated comprehend might be retranslated to catch, seize and could better read “that ye may fully catch, take in, and comprehend through minds so shared with Christ that our perspicuity is incomprehensibly expanded. And Paul adds, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height. And so let’s test our Spiritual Perspicuity in trying to understand this and I am going to give you three potential views of why he chose these four terms. The first explanation is that Paul was speaking of the configurations of the first tabernacle temple that had specific measurements given by God to the Nation. And that is certainly possible. The second explanation is that Paul was speaking to the Temple of Diana which was at one time a one of the wonders of the world as it was 220 years in the making. Could be – especially to those familiar with it – as there is nothing wrong using familiar material objects to teach a principle and Paul was accustomed to doing just that. What do you think?

Then there is a more contextual and applicable interpretation here because Paul has alluded to a building in the previous chapter, saying, Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. This is certainly more contextual, certainly possible but perhaps that was.

The Spiritual Temple and the Love of Christ

For them then, referencing the New Jerusalem above and the future configurations of such a heavenly abode and that he is suggesting that in order for God to construct this Spiritual temple and to make His habitation this new home of latitude (or breadth) longitude (or length), its altitude (or height), and depth, the Bride had to mature in the same ways. But because Paul says, “That ye may be able be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (Verse 19) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

I tend to see what Paul is describing first the invisible, incomprehensible love of Christ Himself, which Paul describes as “passing knowledge” so that we “might be filled with the fullness of God.” We recall that in describing Yeshua Paul wrote in Colossians 2:9, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Here, Paul hopes that the reader would also be filled with the fullness of God. In the next chapter of Ephesians, Paul will write, to the Bride in THAT day, Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, (we) may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The Risen Spirit Body of Christ

And from a position of possible Spiritual Perspicuity, we can see that in all likelihood, Paul was hoping that the Bride of believers then... “That ye may be able be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (READY) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” In other words, while there may be rudimentary reference to the Ancient Temple, the one Herod built, the body of believers, the Temple in Revelation, I maintain that what Paul is describing is the very Risen Spirit Body of Christ, filled with the fullness of YAHAVAH Himself, and that this love “passes knowledge” so that we too can be filled with all the fullness of God. We cannot know nor experience this love and comprehend its immensity, length, breadth, width, height without the spirit of the Risen Christ taking us there because it literally, because they are eternal, an eternity of God.

The Infinity of God's Love

And in that infinity of breadth, length, depth, and height – listen – all defining measurements are lost because it takes in all that is above, all that is below, all that is past, and all that is to come. In reference to human beings, the love of God encompasses the globe; its LENGTH reaches from the eternal purposes of YAHAVAH and takes us to the endlessly fading line out into the eternities, down into the depths of the Dark to the Heights of brilliant light, from Adam to now and forever- sublimating the powers in heaven, earth and in the heart of freewill man all things. There is ONLY one way into this – Him – and His power- whether as infants in the washing cycle of Light, Learning, Love and Liberty, or those who elect the rinse, and or those who, in this age of His victory, live and walk by His Risen Power. Because His love incomprehensibly bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things, I suggest that the Breadth, Length, Depth and Height Paul hopes all Saints will experience, it is the endlessly unfolding, victorious love and the ultimate experience of Spiritual Perspicuity, which is beyond knowledge, represents the fullness of that. To wrap the second rinse cycle.

Understanding His Love

Up, once this love envelops you, you will walk through life having made the leap of faith, but in it you will better understand Him and His love, and you will see all people – all people forevermore – from this view – and when you do, He will truly have set you free.

Thank you for your patience. There is a purpose behind the things I choose to do and I cannot thank you all enough for not making me explain it every step of the way.

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