Thematic Bible: Gifts spiritual, promised


Thematic Bible




Let him who has ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. To him who conquers-- to him I will give a share of the mystic manna, and I will give him a white stone; and on the stone shall be inscribed a new name, which no one knows except him who receives it." Verse ConceptsSpiritual FoodMannaNewnessUniquenessWhiteOvercomersDelicaciesUnknown ThingsHidden ThingsGod Renaming PeopleWriting On ObjectsOvercoming Through ChristTaught By The SpiritA New NameBenefits Of HeavenSpiritual crownsOvercomingChange And Growth

Now on this subject I have much to say, but it is difficult to explain it to you, because you have shown yourselves so slow to learn. For whereas, considering the time that has elapsed, you ought to be teaching others, you still need some one to teach you the very alphabet of the Divine Revelation, and need again to be fed with 'milk' instead of with 'solid food.' For every one who still has to take 'milk' knows nothing of the Teaching of Righteousness; he is a mere infant. read more.
But 'solid food' is for Christians of mature faith--those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish right from wrong.

Therefore, let us leave behind the elementary teaching about the Christ and press on to perfection, not always laying over again a foundation of repentance for a lifeless formality, of faith in God-- teaching concerning baptisms and the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and a final judgment. Yes and, with God's help, we will. read more.
For if those who were once for all brought into the Light, and learned to appreciate the gift from Heaven, and came to share in the Holy Spirit, and learned to appreciate the beauty of the Divine Message, and the new powers of the Coming Age-- if those, I say, fell away, it would be impossible to bring them again to repentance; they would be crucifying the Son of God over again for themselves, and exposing him to open contempt. Ground that drinks in the showers that from time to time fall upon it, and produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is tilled, receives a blessing from God; but, if it 'bears thorns and thistles,' it is regarded as worthless, it is in danger of being 'cursed,' and its end will be the fire. But about you, dear friends, even though we speak in this way, we are confident of better things--of things that point to your Salvation. For God is not unjust; he will not forget the work that you did, and the love that you showed for his Name, in sending help to your fellow Christians--as you are still doing. But our great desire is that every one of you should be equally earnest to attain to a full conviction that our hope will be fulfilled, and that you should keep that hope to the end. Then you will not show yourselves slow to learn, but you will copy those who, through faith and patience, are now entering upon the enjoyment of God's promises. When God gave his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater by whom he could swear, he swore by himself. His words were-- 'I will assuredly bless thee and increase thy numbers.' And so, after patiently waiting, Abraham obtained the fulfillment of God's promise. Men, of course, swear by what is greater than themselves, and with them an oath is accepted as putting a matter beyond all dispute.