Intent versus Behavior

The Law does not deal with the intent found in the heart of man, it only deals with his behavior.  Thus the Law could not provide us fellowship with Our Heavenly Father by itself.  We should not exalt the Law as being the fullness of the Gospel but we should honor the fact that Our Heavenly Father provided the Law so that we could see our lawlessness.  Without the standard of the Law, how could we be sure of where we stood in the big picture?  The Law reveals the symptoms of the problem but does not deal with the root of the problem: intent of the heart.  The Law effectively provides a starting point in our journey in the Pentecostal Age of maturing.  To honor means to have high regard.  I have a high regard for anything Our Heavenly Father brings forth from HIS Divine Intent.  After all, HE is the Creator and deserves to be honored in every aspect that proceeds out of HIS Mouth.

The Jews had a problem in that they could not see that the Law was only the beginning point of the maturing process.  They rejected the revelation of Our Lord Jesus Christ and continued to walk in the flesh using the Law in it lowest form as being a “monitor” of the actions of the flesh.  Their intent of using the “letter” of the Law took them away from the presence of Our Heavenly Father.  They failed to embrace the “intent” of the Law which was to establish a starting point by which they would mature toward walking in the ways of Our Heavenly Father.  They were unable to comprehend the Love aspect of Our Heavenly Father’s Intent.  Instead, they used the Law to manipulate others to do their fleshly intent.  They rationalized their actions under the guise of the Law.  What was missing?  The revelation of the intent of the Law- Love.

It continues to be a problem today.  Legislators enact more laws to deal with the fleshly intent of the population, never dealing with the root of the problem.  The prisons are full and there are many that should be in prison but their lawyers are using the letter of the law to manipulate the system in order to keep their clients out of jail.  The lawyers’ focus is the love of money, not justice.  The law without the Spirit fails to bring forth the Kingdom.  What is missing is the Spirit of Our Heavenly Father in these matters.

Pentecost means “fifty” which is a jubilee number.  The Law did not bring forth a jubilee, it did the opposite.  It revealed the debt requiring payment.  It continues to fulfill its function of revealing sin.  The jubilee aspect of Pentecost is the giving of the Holy Spirit.  Those who are redeemed of the Blood of Christ need to be matured into vessels of honor.  The Law identified us all as vessels of dishonor.  We needed a change of heart, not just behavior.  Jesus is the door to the maturing process.  The Holy Spirit is to be our comforter, advocate, and teacher as we mature into the fullness as vessels of honor.  The Holy Spirit is to lead us into all truth:

John 16:12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

The Holy Spirit provides us the means of rising to full maturity as Sons.  We must comprehend the Divine Intent of Our Heavenly Father.  We must be able to discern Truth from the lies of those who would exploit and manipulate mankind to satisfy their lusts.  No longer are we simply attempting to manage behavior with an underlying nefarious intent contrary to Our Heavenly Father, but now we are aligning ourselves with HIS Divine Intent of Love.  In this, I rejoice.

When we rejoice in the process of maturing, we set ourselves up for further revelation which promotes even greater levels of maturity.  The coming Feast of Pentecost is to honor the process that Our Heavenly Father put in place.  It is not to exalt the Law as being the preeminent focus of our lives.  As we walk in The Spirit, we are no longer under the Law for we are now lawfully oriented.  We should be focused on being led by HIS Spirit so that we are fully baptized in Love.  As we walk fully in Love, we are fulfilling HIS Intent and our behavior will simply by an outward witness to that Intent. 

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