Discernment

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 1 Corinthians 2:14

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” John 6:63ff

Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” John 6:70

Me:
Good morning Father!

ABBA:
Good morning Jon!

Me:
As, of course You know, I was listening to the Spirit yesterday about the redemption of our minds from death to life and from darkness to light and the subtlety between the mind and spiritual perception. Today, I noted these two passages about spiritual appraisal (discernment) and that process at work in Jesus’ life. Could we talk about that? Would it help me understand better?

ABBA:
We can! I want you to understand the example Jesus laid down for you.

Me:
Thank You Father! My quandary is that I think You have made it clear to me that Jesus operated from the same resources as are available to all men (Philippians 2:6, John 17:5, Matthew 4:3…), otherwise he would not be an example I can actually hope to follow.

ABBA:
Yes, I have made that as clear to you as you can yet accept. Go on with your question.

Me:
Well, what does this part mean in John 6, ‘Jesus knew from the beginning’?

ABBA:
Please look up ‘the beginning’ in that passage in Strong’s.

Me:
http://biblehub.com/greek/746.htm

Definition: (a) rule (kingly or magisterial), (b) plur: in a quasi-personal sense, almost: rulers, magistrates, (c) beginning.

746 arxḗ – properly, from the beginning (temporal sense), i.e. “the initial (starting) point”; (figuratively) what comes first and therefore is chief (foremost), i.e. has the priority because ahead of the rest (“preeminent”).

ABBA:
This is exactly the same word for in the beginning that John uses in proclaiming Jesus’ deity and eternal existence and identity as Agent of creation and Author of life. John’s commentary in chapter six is precisely an observation about that beginning. Before His incarnation, before He took on flesh; He knew these things. It does not mean at the time He selected Judas that He knew already that Judas would betray Him. How would it be a betrayal, if he knew it to be the plan? The revelation of this knowledge came to Jesus the same way it would come to you. It did not come because the mind of the babe in the manger was the mind of God as it was at the creation. Jesus, being born in the flesh, had to come to the decision to seek a relationship with Me in the same way that all men do.

I want you to see this: Jesus knowingly laid down the knowledge of Judas’ betrayal. The human proverb, ‘forewarned is forearmed’ should tell you that He considered, along with everything else He laid down to save you, that He would go into that betrayal without any special knowledge of it. That is, he made Himself vulnerable in the certain knowledge of the eventual attack. It was not just Judas; the cross was the plan.

Also, arxḗ was a carefully chosen word. It carries the connotation of foremost or preeminent. Think: necessary to the plan. Therefore, as Jesus gradually discerned in the Spirit the truths John is talking about, He reconciled Himself to the acceptance of them. On your account, He accepted them without mounting a defense; on the account of all who would come to know Him He was willing to be betrayed and to suffer death on the cross. His discernment in the Spirit, enabling Him to send Satan packing when tempted is a model for you. Think of Noah, suffering ridicule for over 100 years during the construction of the ark on dry land. I want you to have that kind of conviction in your discernment.

Me:
Thank You Father! I pray You will help me in my faith to attain that kind of sure expectation, for You are utterly reliable! I love You!

ABBA:
You’re welcome! I love you!