#12 Tabernacle: Religion and the Soul
The Outer Court deals with the outer man while laying the foundations for the growth of the new inner man. The seven Outer Court experiences are seven foundations upon which the inner man is established and opened to the next experiences that require various degrees of revelation from God. Since the outer intellectual man cannot receive revelation from God the new inner man must be prepared to receive revelation if he is to participate in the Holy Place life and ministry. All this is essential because the light of the Holy Place is not natural but spiritual. It is for that reason that the spirit of man must be prepared before the light of the Lampstand will have entrance into the inner man and give the revelation that is necessary to participate in the Holy Place life and ministry.
In order to develop that thought I have this little man that represents the body, soul and new spirit of the born again believer. The new spirit that is imparted to us when we are born again is of a baby size and not developed to comprehend spiritual things. The seven outer court foundations are designed to develop the spirit to the place that we can understand the necessity of making a full consecration to do the whole will of God. This requires presenting our body to God as a living sacrifice. If the spirit is not yet somewhat mature the person will see no reason to give up his own life in order to participate more fully in the life of Christ.
ROMANS 6:17] But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, [18] and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
ROM 6:22] But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
This is once again this describes the Consecration Offering but from the Romans 6 viewpoint of our death, burial and resurrection with Christ into a whole new life. Immediately following water baptism and the infilling of the Holy Spirit we are expected to present our body to God and be consecrated to do the whole will of God. If the new spirit is not sufficiently developed the believer will see no reason for consecration or even God’s right to require it. Unless we understand that we were slaves of sin and now God has released us SO THAT we can now become slaves of God, we will see no reason for total consecration. We cannot escape from slavery but our master has changed at our consecration. Our new master is much better to us and the result of the latter slavery is that it results in eternal life. (Rom 6:22)
The ministry then to those who see no reason for consecration [presenting ourselves as slaves tom God] is to first develop the new spirit of the believer until they are able to receive some revelation of who God is. This takes great patience because without revelation they will see no need to grow up and accept responsibility in the body of Christ. This is where a larger portion of the church is today.
With the graphic of our little man whose spirit has his feet in heavenly places and whose body has it’s feet in earthly places, we can readily see it is the soul and mind of man that is variable. The soul and mind may turn upward toward the spirit to agree with the spirit or it can turn downward to agree with the body and its earthly viewpoint. If it turns upward we say the person is spiritual and if the mind is turned downward we say the person is in the flesh. When the mind is turned toward the body and the person is “in the flesh”, the spirit can receive nothing from God. When the mind is set on things above the flesh is inactive. The difference between being in the flesh and being in the spirit is determined by which way the mind is turned.
The one ministering to the new believer has the responsibility of training the person to keep his mind on things above. THAT IS WHERE REVELATION COMES FROM. It is very disappointing for one man to try to give revelation to another person. Revelation is not transferrable. Everybody has to get it from God, personally!
ROM 8:4] in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. [5] For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. [6] For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, [7] because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; [8] and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
COL 3:1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. [3] For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
PHIL 3:18] For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, [19] whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly thing
MATH 16:23] But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
GAL 6:8] For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
The spiritual life of the new believer is determined by which way the mind is turned. Believers can quickly become “enemies of the cross of Christ” simply because their mind is turned on earthly things and upon man’s interests. Setting our mind on things above is the means of developing our new spirit and preparing ourselves for the coming of the Lord. Setting our minds on things below prevents us from living lives pleasing to God.
It is very common for believers to lose their peace and not really enjoy the Christian life. This indicates that they are not setting their mind on the Spirit but on the flesh. Also wisdom and revelation and understanding is from above. We can’t develop spiritually when we set our mind on things below. “Things below” means upon man’s interests instead of upon God’s interest.
This is one of the main reasons that people fall into the deception of the devil. The devil functions against the flesh of man which is open to demonic activity.
JAMES 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. [15] This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. [17] But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. [18] And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. The Outer Court deals with the outer man while laying the foundations for the growth of the new inner man. The seven Outer Court experiences are seven foundations upon which the inner man is established and opened to the next experiences that require various degrees of revelation from God. Since the outer intellectual man cannot receive revelation from God the new inner man must be prepared to receive revelation if he is to participate in the Holy Place life and ministry. All this is essential because the light of the Holy Place is not natural but spiritual. It is for that reason that the spirit of man must be prepared before the light of the Lampstand will have entrance into the inner man and give the revelation that is necessary to participate in the Holy Place life and ministry.
In order to develop that thought I have this little man that represents the body, soul and new spirit of the born again believer. The new spirit that is imparted to us when we are born again is of a baby size and not developed to comprehend spiritual things. The seven outer court foundations are designed to develop the spirit to the place that we can understand the necessity of making a full consecration to do the whole will of God. This requires presenting our body to God as a living sacrifice. If the spirit is not yet somewhat mature the person will see no reason to give up his own life in order to participate more fully in the life of Christ.
ROMANS 6:17] But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, [18] and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
ROM 6:22] But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
This is once again this describes the Consecration Offering but from the Romans 6 viewpoint of our death, burial and resurrection with Christ into a whole new life. Immediately following water baptism and the infilling of the Holy Spirit we are expected to present our body to God and be consecrated to do the whole will of God. If the new spirit is not sufficiently developed the believer will see no reason for consecration or even God’s right to require it. Unless we understand that we were slaves of sin and now God has released us SO THAT we can now become slaves of God, we will see no reason for total consecration. We cannot escape from slavery but our master has changed at our consecration. Our new master is much better to us and the result of the latter slavery is that it results in eternal life. (Rom 6:22)
The ministry then to those who see no reason for consecration [presenting ourselves as slaves tom God] is to first develop the new spirit of the believer until they are able to receive some revelation of who God is. This takes great patience because without revelation they will see no need to grow up and accept responsibility in the body of Christ. This is where a larger portion of the church is today.
With the graphic of our little man whose spirit has his feet in heavenly places and whose body has it’s feet in earthly places, we can readily see it is the soul and mind of man that is variable. The soul and mind may turn upward toward the spirit to agree with the spirit or it can turn downward to agree with the body and its earthly viewpoint. If it turns upward we say the person is spiritual and if the mind is turned downward we say the person is in the flesh. When the mind is turned toward the body and the person is “in the flesh”, the spirit can receive nothing from God. When the mind is set on things above the flesh is inactive. The difference between being in the flesh and being in the spirit is determined by which way the mind is turned.
The one ministering to the new believer has the responsibility of training the person to keep his mind on things above. THAT IS WHERE REVELATION COMES FROM. It is very disappointing for one man to try to give revelation to another person. Revelation is not transferrable. Everybody has to get it from God, personally!
ROM 8:4] in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. [5] For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. [6] For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, [7] because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; [8] and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
COL 3:1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. [3] For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
PHIL 3:18] For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, [19] whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly thing
MATH 16:23] But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
GAL 6:8] For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
The spiritual life of the new believer is determined by which way the mind is turned. Believers can quickly become “enemies of the cross of Christ” simply because their mind is turned on earthly things and upon man’s interests. Setting our mind on things above is the means of developing our new spirit and preparing ourselves for the coming of the Lord. Setting our minds on things below prevents us from living lives pleasing to God.
It is very common for believers to lose their peace and not really enjoy the Christian life. This indicates that they are not setting their mind on the Spirit but on the flesh. Also wisdom and revelation and understanding is from above. We can’t develop spiritually when we set our mind on things below. “Things below” means upon man’s interests instead of upon God’s interest.
This is one of the main reasons that people fall into the deception of the devil. The devil functions against the flesh of man which is open to demonic activity.
JAMES 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. [15] This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. [17] But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. [18] And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.