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Double Edged Sword

"Living is the word of God, active and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of joint and marrow, and is able to to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."1

The term a double edged sword is often used to express a benefit that is also a liability.2 This sword has two sharp edges and is effective when it is wielded correctly. I would not give such a weapon to someone who is unskilled in its use. This phrase is also used to describe the word of God as being living and active. Paul writes elsewhere that this is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Double edged of Spirit and Truth. Jesus said, "the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him."3 Wielding the double edge sword of God is a matter for the skilled, and it takes equilibrium, of Spirit and Truth.

Paul reminds us that wielding this weapon "is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."4 It takes practice to acquire the equilibrium to make this sword effective. It is speaking truth in love or giving wisdom with gentleness. If I eliminate the Spiritual I will again trust in the flesh for my wisdom and righteousness, I will become like the Pharisees, a good follower of the Law, clean outwardly but unclean inwardly. Also, what I call the truth, my own human reasoning can lead me astray. If I do not balance the spiritual with the truth I will operate in the sensual. The truth and spirit, wielded properly is effective in the spiritual realm. This is the power of it. The new covenant is established within us, in our hearts. We have this testimony within us, the Spirit testifies to the Truth.

Our battle "is not against flesh and blood." This battle is in the spiritual, but I must be careful if I eliminate the truth, I can be led away. As I read Paul's letter to the Romans my first impression was that it is written to the sensual Romans but now I believe it was also to the Pharisee. The statement, "they knew God" usually is given to mean general revelation, and there is, but also the most telling evidence of God is in our conscious, this knowledge of good and evil. They knew the scriptures of God, followed the Law, but they seared their conscious as their hearts were far from God.

Jesus begins to lay the foundations for a new covenant; clean the inside first, it is not what goes in that defiles a man. The old covenant is not our teacher, Christ is, but it has important lessons for us. As believers we can live in the flesh or spirit. Paul even names these two laws that fight against each other, as the Law of the Spirit and the Law of Sin. Jesus said, "true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth." What does this mean? It is conditional on truth and spirit, Jesus said His words were truth and spirit. "It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."10 We must worship him in truth and spirit, it is not optional as "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."5 

You see much in this truth and spirit. "Take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." A double edge of spirit and truth, which divides soul from spirit, joint from marrow, mind from heart. We can see this connection of (soul, joint, mind)  and (spirit, marrow, heart). Both joint and marrow are flexible tissues, one joins together bones and the other is in the interior of bones which produces blood cells. From the Bible we know we are to have the mind of Christ and we have a new heart, sealed with the Spirit of God. This joined together is powerful. We see the important connection of flesh and blood (Word and Spirit) in the process of sanctification. Jesus said, "whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life."6

The life of the flesh is in the blood and the blood makes atonement by the life.7 "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This word is sanctification, it gives us the mind of Christ, renews our mind, it is the transformation of the mind, cleansing of the conscious. Then we have the Spirit which gives us a new heart and the blood of Christ is sprinkled to cleanse our conscious. There is a division between soul and spirit. Paul writes, it is a working out of salvation, this inner being into my soul salvation. My spirit is born again, imperfection it sits in the heavenlies with Jesus, but reality in my mind is that I am here on earth in this fleshly body, oh wretched man I am. But I can bring reality that is in my inner being into my soul. There is a sanctification of the soul.

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."8 He gives the bread of life and living water, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." Jesus later says you must eat his flesh and drink his blood for eternal life. Notice the conditional statements; eat flesh and drink blood, it is Word and Spirit. If Jesus is the Word of God,9 and is the Way and Truth,10 And He is the Bread of Life,11 Then His Life is Truth and Word and Bread. "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever."12 If he is Bread and Word and Life and we are to Eat his Flesh for life Then his Flesh is Bread and Word and Life. "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."13 I can not have life without the bread of life and living water.

"I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."14 We must eat His flesh(word) and drink His blood, "For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink."15 Jesus gives living water, "whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."16 Living water will flow from them.18 “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’19 God is the fountain of living water.20 the fountain of life.21 with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.22 Jesus is our salvation, when we believe, rivers of living water will flow from within.23 From the throne of God flows living water. It was prophesied of Jesus, he being the One God would pour out His Spirit through.24 

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds."25 When Peter came to the realization that the words of Jesus were eternal life and that He was "Christ the son of the living God" Jesus said to him, "for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven."26 This is where the battle is at and the gates of hell have unleashed on. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."27 When we learn equilibrium between truth and spirit, to wield the double edged sword, we will be effective against the forces of evil.

In Spirit and Truth

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