Spiritual with Spiritual

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Hi J____,
Thank you for your question.
What you are struggling with is exactly what is keeping the whole Christian world in darkness. You have not yet learned what Paul means when he talks about “comparing spiritual with spiritual.” And until you do, you will not understand the prophecies of God’s Word.
Here is the scripture that tells us that this is the way the holy spirit teaches:

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [ them], because they are spiritually discerned.

With your present approach to God’s Word, you will never come to see how Abraham’s seed can be as the sand of the sea. Abraham’s physical seed is but a small portion of mankind, but “in Christ” Abraham’s seed will one day include every man who has ever been born. The reason for this is that Abraham’s physical seed are not Abraham’s seed at all:

Rom 9:7  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [ are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. [ of Abraham]

This is just reiterating what Paul has already told us earlier in this same epistle:

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [ is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he [ is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [ is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [ and] not in the letter; whose praise [ is] not of men, but of God.

I have said this many times before; it takes a miracle from God to keep the entire orthodox Christian community from seeing that Jews “are not Jews” in God’s eyes. It takes a miracle from God to keep the entire orthodox Christian community from seeing that the fleshly children of Abraham “are not counted for the seed, but the children of promise are counted for the seed of Abraham.” Paul comes right out and tells us of this spiritual Truth:

Gal 4:28  Now we [ Gentile Galatians], brethren, as Isaac was , are the children of promise.

Being a Jew, being “as Isaac was,” being “Abraham’s seed are all true only in spirit. That means that all the promises made to and about “Abraham’s seed” are “NOT” applicable to the fleshly descendants descendants of Abraham:

2Co 7:1  Having therefore these promises [ promises made to Abraham- see the last few verses of chapter six], dearly beloved [ Gentile Corinthians], let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

“Comparing spiritual with spiritual” means that you must come to see the truth of this fact:

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ’s, then [ and only then] are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. [ And if you are not “in Christ” then you are neither Abraham’s seed nor are you a Jew]

Comparing spiritual with spiritual means that you have come to see that all the physical things of the Old Testament are merely spiritual types of New Testament spiritual realities. The Old Testament types are not the reality. In other words, Christ is the real father of the faithful, not physical Abraham. Being in Christ is what makes us a Jew. Being in Christ is what makes us an Israelite etc. That is what is meant by “comparing spiritual with spiritual.” I have no Syrian blood in me. Abraham was a Syrian. Yet I am “Abraham’s seed”, and I am an Israelite. There are only two types of people in this world. Those two types are Jews and Gentiles, or Israelites and Gentiles. I am no longer a Gentile. I am now, in Christ, an Israelite:

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye [ being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [ between us];
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [ even] the law of commandments [ contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [ so] making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

I will urge you to read How To Rightly Divide The Word Using A Principle Only The Apostles Understood. That article will open your eyes to understand who and what is a Jew and who and what is an Israelite, etc.
Comparing spiritual with spiritual means that “the land” is our spiritual bodies where we are waging war with the “inhabitants of the land.” Those inhabitants are “giants that make us look like grasshoppers.” Those ‘giants in the land’ are our fleshly weaknesses, and passions which we must overcome if we ever want to take possession of “the land.”
I hope this is all of some help to you in understanding what promises “have been freely given you of God.”
Mike

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